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01Motorsport
Dodge Dakota
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3/21/2005
08:36:08
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 Subject: "Father of the Muscle Car" dies
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John DeLoreon, who in 1963 introduced V-8 power in a mid-size sedan (the 1964 Pontiac LeMans/GTO 6.5 litre) has died at the age of 80. The GTO was introduced 7 months before the Ford Mustang, and is considered the first "muscle car" not based on a company's largest sedan. DeLoreon had to buck GM policy which prohibited such a car from coming to the market. Around 1980, DeLoreon manufactured a stainless-steel, unpainted, gull-wing sports car bearing his name, and built in Ireland. Dodge used the tag "Muscle Truck" in 1992 to refer to the 5.2 V-8 mid-size Dakota. R.I.P., John; and thanks...
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Dan M
Dodge Dakota
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3/21/2005
11:39:24
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Deloreon lived quite a controversal life. He was aquitted of trying to sell cocaine to finance the DeLoreon car - he was caught on tape with a case full saying something to the effect as "good as gold".
Let's not forget this car was made famous by the "Back to the Future" series of movies.
He was one of the few who tried to stick it to Detroit. A pioneer in the auto industry.
- Dan M
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actually
Dodge Dakota
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3/21/2005
16:33:45
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the first real Muscle car was the Chrysler 300 with a 392 hemi and those came out in the 50's so if you want to say that Delerean was first, well you are wrong. Due to the size of wheel base the early 60's Corvette and Thunderbird had a lot of power for the size as they too were, based on wheelbase "mid sized".
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Kowalski
GenIII
3/21/2005
16:40:17
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Ouch ! Last I checked this was a mopar site ! Any real mopar fan should know the first muscle car was Virgil Exner's design. Here's the real history of the first muscle car - a man by the name of "Tex" Colbert had a vision of a complete redesign of Chrysler's cars, including the elimination of the six cylinder. Exner's job was to take charge of the redesign in the early '50s, and by '55 he came up with the first true muscle car - the two door 300 C with a 300 hp early style hemi. DeLorean is a pretender to the title.
Lead, follow, or get out of the way
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01Motorsport
Dodge Dakota
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3/21/2005
23:19:52
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I guess we could reach back to the Ford Flathead V-8 even. The GTO lead to the "proliferation" of high power-to-weight ratio "Detroit Iron" in the 1960's: GTX, Charger, Barracuda, Challenger, Road Runner, Satellite with 340/383/440/426's; besides various Nova, Chevelle, Camaro with 302/327/350/396/427's, Gran Sports, Trans Ams, 442s, GTOs with 389/400/455's, and Fairlanes, Comets, Mustangs, Torinos, Cyclones with 289/302/351/390/427/428's, not to mention the Javelin, AMX and Rebel with 390's. Maybe the time wasn't right for "copycats" of the 300C after 1955, but all the manufacturers jumped on the bandwagon after 1964. I was just referring to the trend/era/phenomenon/revolution coined "Muscle Cars" sparked in the '60's by DeLorean. I'm a Mopar nut, but I also appreciate any performance machinery done up right.
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Sneezer
Dodge Dakota
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3/22/2005
10:42:21
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I would have to agree. There is no doubt that the 300C was a phenomenal car for its time, but it did not really change the automotive landscape the way the first GTO did.
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hmmm
Dodge Dakota
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3/22/2005
13:07:59
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Are you sure that isn't where DeLorean got the idea ? 01 - you conveniently left out mopars max wedge cars that also predate the GTO. GM's claim to having the first muscle car is just so much BS !
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ZZ
Dodge Dakota
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3/23/2005
21:54:46
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DeLorean worked at Chrysler until the mid-1950s when he went to GM.
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RadioMan
Dodge Dakota
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3/24/2005
09:10:30
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My first car was a 55 Dodge Custom Royal Lancer.
It had the factory Hemi and the factory dual point
system. The engine screamed once you got the
wimpie two speed auto tranny above 30 MPH. Low
gear really didn't have a *top end*.
The only thing I didn't like about it was, it was
a 6 volt positive ground system. That meant no
aftermarket electricial goodies. That was the last
year DC used 6 volt.
Oh yea, it LOVED gas too! :)
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Joe.C
Dodge Dakota
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3/29/2005
16:58:05
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I never herd of a 2 speed auto? Was the Powerflight based off that???
Also i wonder what john would be driving right now?
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DUDE
Dodge Dakota
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3/30/2005
01:37:28
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Probably driving a "FIREBIRD" down there.Powerflite (2spd) was the predecesor to the Torqueflite(3spd) GM copied the Powerflite and called it a Powerglide.
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01Motorsport
Dodge Dakota
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3/30/2005
08:55:04
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I once had a '66 Chevelle 6-cyl. with a 2-speed Powerglide...65 mph in first gear LOL! The O/D lockout button on the dash of my '92 5.2 Dak reminded me of the '57 Plymouth push-button automatic my father once owned. The '57 VW bettle my brother owns still has the factory 6-volt system; dimmest headlights you've ever seen. I had an uncle who owned a '57 DeSoto with the 331 Hemi.
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Big Ed
Dodge Dakota
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3/30/2005
09:23:52
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Delorean actually developed and manufactured the Gull wing "Delorean" around 1974. I almost bought one that year, also, a high school class mate of mine owns/operates a local garage is a collector of them. I believe he has at least 3 and possibly 4.
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Yup
Dodge Dakota
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3/30/2005
12:16:37
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Do you park it in your garage next to that Yamacrap Harley wannabe?
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Big Ed
Dodge Dakota
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3/30/2005
16:57:33
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Yup, Nope. I recked the Yamahog. Unfortunatly for you, I did'nt die. Thats why I drive four wheelers now. And I don't own a Delorian either.
I missed you Yup, you haven't insulted me in awhile, you or "truth".
PS: I'm a poor old koot, I ain't got no garage.
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ZZ
Dodge Dakota
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3/31/2005
21:37:13
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The DeLorean car did not go into production until the early 1980s.
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Big Ed
Dodge Dakota
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3/31/2005
21:59:19
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The Car
DeLorean Motor Company was formed on
October 24th,1974.Working from a small
office in Detroit,former GM engineer Bill
Collins helped John begin designing his
"ethical" sports car.
By 1975,Giorgetto Giugiaro,designer of the
Lotus Esprit and VW Scirocco,was contracted
to pen the car`s design.
This photo shows Giugiaro`s original DeLorean
mock-up.The DSV badge stands for"Delorean
Safety Vehicle".
Allstate Insurance provided the first funding,and
wanted the car to be stylish,practical,and safe.
This car was later sent back to Giugiaro for some
tweaks to the body design.You can currently see it
on display at the Ulster Transport Museum,in Belfast
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Dated...
Dodge Dakota
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4/01/2005
07:47:02
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Good job, Big Ed. I knew ZZ couldn't be right - I remember a DeLorean from high school; I graduated '75.
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ZZ
Dodge Dakota
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4/01/2005
12:35:52
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The DeLorean PROTOTYPE (not legal for sale) vehicles were made in the 1970s. The DeLorean PRODUCTION vehicles (offered for sale to the public) were not available until the early 1980s (1981-1983, I think).
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Big Ed
Dodge Dakota
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4/01/2005
22:46:46
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Your right ZZ, but they were out there, I saw several in Norfolk VA when I was in the Navy
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naw
Dodge Dakota
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4/02/2005
11:19:39
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You probably saw a Bricklin. Mid 70's gullwing, but they were 'glass and painted.
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