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The very first Holley MoParty kicked off with an amazing energy and an unlimited assortment of Dodge, Plymouth, Chrysler and Jeep products. Enthusiasts rolled through the gate at Beech Bend Raceway Park in Bowling Green, Kentucky and got busy ripping up the strip, sliding through the autocross and polishing their Mopar machines in the show field. MoParty is off and running with healthy mix of old and new and here are 10 hot ones we spotted during Friday’s event kickoff.
1. Todd Carlson has owned this 1971 Dodge Charger SE since 1979, but he just finished getting it ready in its current configuration. This was his first car, originally equipped with a 383, and it’s been through many builds, but this is by far the most radical. The green Dodge sports a wicked 540ci mill with Indy cylinder heads and a 10-71 BDS blower. It also uses Hilborn injection with a Holley HP EFI to make over 900 horsepower.
2. Wanting to break from the norm, Greg Huizenga of Middleville, Ohio built this wild 1975 Jeep Cherokee for drag racing, autocross, and all-around fun. The Jeep is powered by a warmed-over 5.7L Hemi and boosted by a pair of Borg Warner S-480 turbos. The engine produces 875 RWHP on 23 psi. of boost and power is run through a Tremec TR6060 transmission.
3. Moving to the drag strip we found Steve Kaiser and his awesome 1970 Hemi Cuda. This is a purpose-built Plymouth with an all-aluminum 572-inch Ray Barton Hemi that has run 9.13 at 146 mph. Kaiser is from Muncy, PA and runs his Cuda at local tracks, but came to Holley MoParty specifically to run the Hemi class.
4. James Reeves has made the most of his four cylinders, as his 1986 Shelby GLH can dip in the 9s in quarter-mile action. Reeves’ swapped a 2.5L into his Dodge Omni and upped the ante with a Garrett GT 3582 turbo and a host of go-fast goodies. He also uses a 555, 5-speed transmission and plans to race in the MoParty Stick Shift Shootout.
5. Sometimes it’s about the show and James Elsmore came prepared with his 1964 Plymouth wagon. James restored the Plymouth himself and added a modern 6.1L Hemi with stack injection and a Holley HP EFI that’s mated to a 727 Torqueflite trans. We love the color combo and the theme, too—surf’s up!
6. It took Jesse Tackett 14 years to complete his dream build, a 1970 Dodge Challenger, fashioned after the 1970 silver-screen classic, “Vanishing Point.” His Challenger R/T sports a 440 with six barrels of carburetion and a 4-speed, he also added air conditioning to make the Dodge more cruising friendly.
7. Ted Redmond of Sharpville, Pennsylvania rolled into Bowling Green with his 1969 Dodge Dart that’s powered by a 434ci, small-block Mopar. The A-Body also features a pair of Precision Turbo 76/75 Gen II turbos with a Holley Dominator EFI controlling the show. The little Dart typically runs 5.20s at 142 mph in the 1/8-mile at a weight of 3,600lbs.
8. It’s not every day that someone builds a B-body Mopar for autocross, but Steve Johnston means business with his 1970 Road Runner. It sports a 470ci, big-block, Tremec TKO 600 and a Chrysler 8 ¾-inch rear end with 3.55 gears. Grip comes by way of a Hotchkiss suspension and the big Mopar is slowed with Wilwood brakes. Johnston was excited about MoParty because of the all-Mopar autocross and Grand Champion classes.
9. Kevin Wesley brought two Challengers, one for drag and one for cornering. This is his autocross-er/road racer, a 2019 Scat Pack. It wears Bilstein double-adjustable coil-overs, Viper brakes with Hawk pads, and looks great.
10. John Brown took his 2016 Challenger a bit further from stock, with a built 6.4L Hemi and a weight-reduction program that took 900lbs off the Dodge. This Challenger sports a 6-speed manual and BC Racing suspension. His best autocross time so far has been a 34.1, which is mighty quick.
