E-body
(mil 'eyon doll-'aires) the all on its own muscle platform of the seventies, upon which was built the currently desirable 1970-‘74 Plymouth Barracuda and Dodge Challenger.
engine
(en'-jan) a bottomless pit to throw money and fluids into until it explodes.
F-body
(eff-body) the letter designation given to the mighty, '76-‘80 Volare, Aspen, Road Runner, and R/T
HEMI
(heh’-mee) the most legendary of the mopowerplants. The HEMI takes its name from the hemispherical shape of the cylinder combustion chamber and valve layout.
Imperial
(im-pi'-ri-al) a 440 C.I. motor surrounded by five thousand pounds of steel rolling on wheels that won't fit any other Mopar. See also C-Body and D-Body.
Jeep
(gee-ep) a company named after a strange creature from Popeye, and an indestructible all wheel drive military utility vehicle. Now operating under the DaimlerChrysler umbrella of brands.
job
(jawb) something to do between buying, selling, and working on old Chrysler products.
M-body
(em-body) '77-‘78 Diplomat, LeBaron, Caravelle, Fifth Avenue
Mopar
(moe'-pahr)
- Initially a contraction of the two words "motor parts" , and still ostensibly standing for the Mopar parts division, the word has become used to apply to any product made by or for Chrysler, Dodge, Plymouth, Desoto, Fargo, Jeep, Eagle, AMC, and sometimes Mitsubishi.
- Mostly Old Parts And Rust, or Millions Of Parts Assembled at Random.
Mitsubishi
(re-brand’-ed) Japanese manufacturer of cars and trucks, televisions, and WW2 fighter aircraft. Many Mitsubishi products have been cleverly assembled and repackaged as Mopars, and vice versa.
N-body
(en-body) Belonging to the midsize pickups of the '87-‘89 Dakota class.
paycheck
(cha-ching) a payment on an old Chrysler product. Often used to pay for things you bought and broke already.
polyhead
(bad ey'dee-ah) a strange obsolete 318 C.I. small block engine that weighs as much as a 440, and makes as much power as a Yugo or Soviet-era Trabant. See also boat anchor.
push button automatic
(fung'-kee) a button activated automatic transmission found in many old Mopars. The familiar "R-N-D-2 -1" are big typewriter style buttons and "Park" is a lever. Similar to writing a letter to the road with your left thumb. Also modified for use in early nitro powered funny cars.
race car
(muh'-nee pit) the vehicle in a Mopar collection that has the best chance of starting, but not stopping or even moving.
slant six
(oyl-eet-ur) a 170-225 C.I. six banger produced from 1960-84. It dies very slowly while going from one host vehicle to another. Also known as the "leaning tower of power". Available in 170 and 230 cubic inch versions in the USA.
small block
(smawl blawk) a 273-360 C.I. motor that sucks good money after bad until it explodes or eats itself, similar to all motors. Uses just as much gas as a big block, but weighs less. Also see nose heavy.
swap meet
(don't tell the wife I bought this) in order to throw good money after bad, you have to throw the bad money first. This is the place to do it.
thermoquad
(fiyur haz'erd) a very large carburetor made of plastic that warps, cracks, and leaks. The one that came on the late ‘70s 360s has got to be the biggest carb ever available on a production engine under 400 C.I. Bold move during the ‘70s fuel crisis.
torqueflite
(tork flyte') the Mopar automatic transmission, strong enough to live behind a stout engine for a while, until it turns into a big aluminum case of junk. Came in varying degrees of strength and complexity designated by equally confusing numbers.
u-joint
(you-joynt) a clunking noise under the car.
