As this issue's theme clearly shows, supercharging is a great way to increase your Mopar's power output. It takes careful planning and the proper support systems, however, to ensure you don't damage your engine or vehicle in the process. Since a supercharger pumps a larger volume of air into the engine, the car's fuel system must be able to supply more fuel to maintain the proper air/fuel ratio, additionally; the ignition needs to have sufficient energy to fire the mixture. Often, the stock fuel and ignition systems, especially in older Mopars, may not be up to speed, and the result of ignoring these systems can be as mild as a misfire, or as severe as a blown engine. Luckily, with the proper upgrades, reliable supercharging is available at nearly any power level your budget can handle.inline_mediumwraptextrightAs this year's True Street champion can attest, a supercharger is a great way to make reliable, streetable power. But before you start building boost, there are a few of your car's systems that may need to be upgraded.25636187/techarticles/engine/mopp_1001_supercharger_kitsmopp_1001_02_+supercharger_kits+1967_dart_gt.jpgTrue

There are some decisions we make in life that have no bad outcome. Like visiting the ice cream store, no matter what flavor you choose, you're still having ice cream. Similarly, there are choices we make when building our Mopars, but whether Hemi, big-block, or small-block, A-, B-, C-, E-, or F-body, the end result is still a Mopar so there's really no bad choice. The same goes for supercharging the engine in your Mopar. Regardless of which style you choose, Roots, Screw-Type, or Centrifugal supercharger, you'll still be force-feeding air and fuel into your engine for incredible power gains.inline_mediumwraptextright25608200/techarticles/engine/mopp_1001_3_different_ways_to_supercharge_your_moparmopp_1001_01_+mopar_superchargers+purple_mopar_supercharger.jpgTrue

Properly firing your engine's ignition is a necessity for good combustion-thus power. There are many aftermarket ignition choices for the RB Wedge and Hemi that offer added voltage to the spark plugs. Some long-time readers may recall we tested Performance Distributors (PD) 440 D.U.I. (Davis Unified Ignition) ignition back in our March '04 issue (Fire That Big Block). Nevertheless, that D.U.I. distributor is still under the hood of our 67 R/T test mule. Just a reminder, the 440 D.U.I. distributor only fits under the hood of non- Shaker, Air Grabber and Ram Charger equipped Mopars with stock type valve covers.inline_mediumwraptextrightIt's no secret that Ray Barton Racing Engines has been building, dynoing, and shipping the latest version of the MP 528 Hemi crate engines. Before being crated, Barton dyno-tests all the engines using the same dyno distributor and ignition (MSD Pro Billet, Moroso Blue Max wires, MSD 7AL ignition box and MSD Pro Power coil). In this ignition shootout, Performance Distributors' (PD) new Hemi DUI distributor will have to prove itself without the help of the big MSD 7AL ignition box.25605065/techarticles/engine/mopp_1001_installing_a_hemi_dui_distributormopp_1001_01_+hemi_dui_distributor+mp_528_hemi_crate_engine.jpgTrue

Well, it's finally happened-you've been driving your daily-commuter Mopar for a few years now, and the last time you got in, you noticed the tell-tale sign of wear-yep, your seat's skin has started to tear. It's bound to happen, as many times as we slide in and out of our seats, a tear or wear spot is inevitable. It may even happen sooner that you think, if your late model Mopar came with the very basic of interiors.inline_mediumwraptextrightThe part's store seat covers did the trick for a while, but c'mon, there is a better option.26399677/techarticles/interior/mopp_0912_replacing_late_model_seat_skinsmopp_0912_02_+replace_seat_skins+store_seat_covers.jpgTrue

When it comes to restoring your Mopar, there are several distinctly different ways to get the job done. If you have more money than time, having the car completely refurbished by a professional restoration shop is a nice way to go. You simply drop the car off with a deposit, then the shop does all the work for you, and you pick the car up when it's finished (which usually involves writing a big check). At the other extreme, if you have the skills, knowledge, and tools you can perform all of the work yourself, replacing or rebuilding each part of the car until it's perfect, and saving money in the process. If you're like most of our readers, however, you fall between those two extremes, performing much of the work yourself, but farming out certain items like perhaps the engine, transmission, or bodywork and paint. But whether you do the job yourself or pay to have it done, and whether your car is being restored to stock specifications or highly modified, you'll need to know where to obtain quality parts to do the job properly.inline_mediumwraptextrightIf you want your Mopar to have award-winning good looks, then you'll need to know where to get the right restoration parts. This month we'll show you how to find them.30622323/techarticles/body/mopp_0912_guide_to_finding_the_right_restoration_parts_for_your_moparmopp_0912_01_+restoration_parts_buyers_guide+award_winning_mopar.jpgTrue

Remember when you got your first Mopar? Chances are it wasn't a Six-Pack equipped Road Runner or Hemi 'Cuda, but rather a Charger, Satellite, or Dart with a 318 or similar low-performance engine and single exhaust. But even though our first cars didn't necessarily have a hot engine from the factory, we could still get the look and sound of a healthy V-8, if not the performance, by having the local exhaust shop install a set of dual exhaust and performance mufflers. Back in 1985, when we had our first set of duals installed on a 1970 Dart, the local shop charged us just over a hundred bucks in parts and labor. These days, it's difficult to find an exhaust shop that does much more than repairing OEM cars or installing giant Honda mufflers, so the days of a local shop installing quality dual exhausts are long gone. Fortunately, Tube Technologies offers Mopar lovers a great alternative to the exhaust shop, allowing us to install quality dual exhaust ourselves.inline_mediumwraptextrightThese days, it's hard to find an exhaust shop that will install a decent set of dual exhaust for a reasonable price. Fortunately, TTI makes installing great quality exhaust on your Mopar an easy job that you can do yourself!26401381/techarticles/suspension/mopp_0912_installing_tti_dual_exhaust_pipesmopp_0912_01_+tti_dual_exhaust_pipes+dual_exhaust.jpgTrue

By now we're sure you've seen the new Dodge Challengers at dealerships, cruising the streets, and maybe even making passes at your local dragstrip. There's no doubt that Chrysler nailed the retro look of this car, as it attracts positive attention wherever it's seen. Inside the attractive exterior of the new Challenger lies a modern, well refined chassis, smooth and powerful drivetrain, and comfortable and quiet cabin, making the car a great performer and a pleasure to drive. We've had our '09 Challenger R/T for several months now, and while it's a blast to drive in stock form, we think the factory exhaust is just a little too quiet for a performance vehicle so we'll be upgrading to a high-flowing stainless steel cat-back system from Magnaflow.inline_mediumwraptextright30550257/techarticles/engine/mopp_0911_2009_dodge_challenger_gets_magnaflow_dual_exhaust_system_upgrademopp_0911_01_z+2009_dodge_challenger_rt+upgrading.jpgTrue

If you've been following the B-3 project, you know that we originally built this '67 Barracuda to run ten second elapsed times, on a budget of under ten thousand dollars. Having accomplished that goal, we've decided to upgrade the car and see just how quick we can go without cutting the car for larger back tires. Last month we installed new CAP Auto tubular suspension components up front, and this month we'll freshen up our "Wedged to the Max" 500-inch Indy headed big-block and put it in the Barracuda. To get our Barracuda to hook up with this additional power and torque, we knew we'd need the best bolt-in suspension components available for our A-Body, so we called Calvert Racing Suspensions and ordered their CalTracs system for our car.inline_mediumwraptextrightWe recently upgraded the front suspension of our B-3 project, and this month we'll freshen and install a 500-inch Wedge, and upgrade the rear suspension with Calvert Racing Suspensions' CalTracs system.30821400/techarticles/suspension/mopp_0911_caltracs_suspension_installmopp_091100_tech_01_o+CalTracs_susension_install+.jpgTrue

With so many intake manifolds on the market, it can be difficult to decide just which one is correct for your application. Heavy cars with small camshafts and high final gear ratios can benefit from a low-volume, dual-plane design, while all-out race engines generally perform better with open plenum intake manifolds. Though testing all the available intakes for Mopar applications would be nearly impossible, we did get a chance to compare three popular intake manifolds for the big-block Mopar while we were at Comp Cams for the 2008 Amsoil/Mopar Muscle Engine Challenge. While Indy Cylinder Heads' contest-winning engine was on the dyno, we made pulls with their 440-15 tunnel-ram intake, inline cross-ram intake, and single-plane 4150 flange intake (adapted to a 4500 flange) to learn just how they would affect the performance of the engine.inline_mediumwraptextrightHow much difference does an intake manifold make? We dyno tested three distinctly different ones on the winning Amsoil/Mopar Muscle Engine Challenge 440 to find out.30771921/techarticles/engine/mopp_0911_intake_manifold_testsmopp_091100_qt_01_o+testing_intake_manifolds+.jpgTrue

Between the big-flowing heads is an Indy 9.25-inch-tall aluminum intake and an AED-built 1050 Dominator carb. It's a pretty simple combination that relies on the engine's large displacement and a generation's worth of airflow research to make big power. On World Products' engine dyno, our project engine put up some very impressive numbers, with the best being 776.8 horsepower at 7,100 rpm and 641.7 lb.-ft. of torque at 5,800 rpm.

No matter what you think about the economy, the proposed Fiat merger, or the recent Chapter eleven filing by the Chrysler Corporation, one thing is certain: The new Dodge Challenger is a cool car. Unlike the newest rendition of the Dodge Charger, which received mixed reviews upon its debut, the Challenger's retro good looks, exceptional handling, and available 5.7 or 6.1 liter Hemi engine, all add up to a well-rounded, and well-received, performance vehicle. We've put about 5,000 miles on our R/T model since we purchased it, and regularly get thumbs up while on the road, and approving inquiries while we're at the gas station. Several non-enthusiasts have actually even asked if it's a new car or an old car that we've restored, a testament to Chrysler's tough achievement of making an LX platform vehicle look like a Challenger muscle car from the early '70s.

We all like to keep our vehicles in good mechanical condition, and one of the easiest ways to keep our cars running their best is to service the vital fluids at the proper intervals. The lubricants in the engines, transmissions, differentials, and hydraulic systems of our Mopars can be subjected to extreme pressure, and can break down after months of lubricating the vital parts of our cars. The fluids are also essential to cooling the moving parts of the drivetrain, and suspend dirt, particles, and shavings caused by normal and aggressive driving. For these reasons, changing the fluids in our Mopars is an important part of routine maintenance.inline_mediumwraptextrightTired of being able to easily change your engine oil and transmission fluid but not the fluid in your differential? We've got a fix that will allow you to service your 8 3/4 Chrysler rear-end quickly and easily.30621003/techarticles/drivetrain/mopp_0912_installing_a_drain_plug_in_the_differential_housingmopp_0912_01_+install_differential_drain_plug+drain_fluid.jpgTrue

Back in the "good old days" of hot-rodding that most of us have fond memories of, if you wanted to improve the performance of your new car it could be done by simply bolting on the right parts. Using the basic principle that the more air and fuel you put through the engine, the more power the engine will make, a bigger carburetor and a more efficient intake manifold were a common choice back in the day. And since more air and fuel going into an engine requires a more efficient way to expel the burnt gasses, individual tube headers were a common addition as well, reducing exhaust restriction to free up even more power.

For years, restoring a car meant trying to find good, used sheetmetal to replace the rusted stuff that always seemed to be included with a recently acquired project car. Over the last couple of years, more and more "new" sheetmetal has begun to show up with vendors, making restorations a lot easier than in the past. But, is this "new" metal as good as the old stuff? I mean, you may not have to fix rust, but what's the quality like?

Over the years, we tend to accumulate a lot of parts for our cars, and often these parts sit forgotten on the shelves of our shops until one day we clean up, wondering what the parts all go to. Some parts, especially engine parts, can be hard to distinguish from each other, so unless the parts are clearly marked it's easy to forget where you got them, and more specifically, what the parts fit. Camshafts are particularly hard to distinguish from each other, as the lobe dimensions can be difficult to measure with normal measuring equipment. Of course it's easy to determine lobe lift with just a set of calipers or micrometer, but the other specifics like duration, duration at .050 inch lift, ramp rate, lobe separation, and lobe centerlines are far more difficult to calculate. Luckily, there's a piece of equipment available at most high-performance machine shops that takes the guesswork out of determining cam specs. The equipment and associated software is called Cam Pro Plus, and we visited our local shop, Auto Performance Engines, to see how it works.

One of the questions we seem to receive frequently is one asking about setting up a car trailer for use, and how to properly load it. Let's face it, there are times when driving your car to a particular location just isn't as feasible as throwing it on a trailer (I know, driving it is much more fun, but sometimes, you just gotta haul it). Anyway, since we get this question a lot, we decided to shed some light on the subject.

Some of the most rewarding things about working for Mopar Muscle are the opportunities we get to give back to the Mopar community. Last year, we teamed up with Carlisle Productions, Muscle Motors, and many of our generous advertisers to build a 505ci big-block that was given away at the 2008 All-Chrysler Nationals in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. Since the giveaway was such a big hit, we decided to do it again for this year's event that will be held July 10th through the 12th. The rules are simple, if you attend the event at Carlisle, you're automatically entered to win the engine. The only stipulation is that you have to be present to win, and we can assure you this stroker big-block is worth hanging around for.

A solid roller camshaft is a great way to improve the power your engine produces, and if your Mopar is equipped with a big-block or Hemi, a roller cam can be installed without much in the way of modifications. If your Mopar is equipped with a small-block, however, there is an issue that stands in the way of installing a roller cam, and that issue involves the oiling system. If the proper modifications aren't made, the roller tappets will bleed off oil pressure and your engine will fail from oil starvation. This month, we'll show you how to prevent that scenario by modifying your block to be compatible with roller lifters.

There are a lot of important parts on our old Mopars, but one part that is often taken for granted is the windshield. Most of us don't think too much about this part of our car, unless it is cracked or broken, but in reality the windshield serves many purposes. Of course the main purpose of the windshield, and the one that affects driving safety the most, is to give us a clear view of the road ahead. Secondarily, the windshield protects us from the wind, keeps foreign objects like sand, rocks, birds, and bugs from striking us as we drive, and seals the car from the rain, snow, cold, and heat. The windshield also takes a lot of abuse from the elements, especially the sun, and is routinely struck by insects, sand, and rocks as we drive, so it doesn't take long before the front glass really starts showing its age.

If you're a big fan of spicy food, you check out somebody like Guy Fieri on the Food Network to watch him cook up all kinds of hot habineros. But if you want to feel the heat from a Hemi, Vortech serves up a centrifugal supercharger that'll smoke 'em. Try one little taste of this chile-green Charger, and you'll be howling for more. As with any gourmet dish, quality is more important than quantity, so instead of a rotund Roots blower piled high on the hood, the centrifugal type packs its punch in a compact unit right under the hood.

If you've been a Mopar Muscle reader for long, chances are you remember our B3 (budget, bracket, Barracuda) project vehicle. The original premise of this build was to legally run ten second elapsed times in the quarter, on a ten thousand dollar budget. While we accomplished this goal, running a best of 10.13 seconds at 133 mph, and have successfully raced the B3 for over a year now without any major issues, we simply want to go faster than our car's current engine and stock suspension can reliably take us. Since we'll be upgrading to a 500 cubic inch, Indy-headed wedge, and running Calvert Racing rear suspension to help our car hook up, we decided to upgrade the front of our Barracuda with a tubular K-member and tubular upper and lower control arms from CAP Auto Products.

Because electronic actions are managed through a microcontroller, the system can perform special functions beyond just a simple off and on control. A light can be set to blink as a turn signal, or stay lit as a running light. The system can even set a time delay for functions like cooling cans, or even initiate soft-start headlights. The Mastercells can even be configured to accept analogue input for proportional control of an output. Users can purchase their kits pre-programmed with custom configurations or purchase a programmer to allow them to make changes after the system is installed.

It's an event that can even bring a man with the patience of Jobe to his knees. It's the sound of the engine doing nothing except sending out an audible "click" when the ignition key is turned. You've busted your back at work all week, and since it's Friday night, you have decided to get in your Mopar, and head downtown to check out the local action, but that's not happening now, because the battery in your car is dead. You're the subject of dead battery syndrome, and now you can't drive your car until you charge the battery. But, what drained it in the first place?