MoPar Fall Fling Woodley Park 2009

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MoPar Fall Fling at Woodley Park,
Los Angeles, California, October 17, 2009. The morning was already getting hot as I washed off the ol' Plymouth coupe to make another run out to Woodley Park in Van Nuys, CA . As usual, I was determined to show the muscle car boys who come to this Chrysler Performance West organized event, what the company produced before Hemi engines and the horsepower race.

The park was getting green again as we just had a few days of rain, a rare sight in LA this year. The change in the economy was also very apparent as the show area seemed to be down about 30% and the swap meet area was about three times larger!! Also, many of the cars being displayed sported "For Sale" signs and they were down to just a few food vendors. The field is changing as well. There were less Seventies era muscle cars and restorods, replaced by rows of the late model Dodge Challengers, Magnums and Chargers. Some were done in today's "Tuner" style, but most were done in retro-'70s or the present day Hot Rod/Street machine style.

The pictures I shot today are more of the older stuff, the era that is fading away with the aging owners who love them. When I was a teen, there was always an old guy in the neighborhood who had a Model A that he used to shine up on the weekends, putt around town and drive in the parade on the Fourth of July. I realized, as I bathed the Plym for this show, that I have become that guy

Included in these photos is s shot of my 1950 Plymouth next to a red 1940 Dodge coupe, two of the three "older cars" that were on display, Parked nearby was a slick 1951 Dodge wagon that featured some vintage speed equipment and Fluid Drive (somewhat contradictory). Also, a few cars away was this 1949 Dodge "sleeper" that looked like grandma's grocery getter but had a 383 cube wedge, Torqueflight ,and a Paxton blower hidden away under the hood. Later Fifties cars included a clean baseline '57 Plymouth sedan with skirts and a lovely 1955 Desoto Hardtop. Parked behind us was a very rare 1956 Dodge La Femme Hardtop. Made in both 1955 and 1956, especially for the ladies, these cars came with a number of matching accessories like raincoats, umbrellas and overnight bags, For 1955, these cars were painted rose and cream, and for 1956, they came in lavender and a very pale gray like this example.

The Queen of the 1960s cars and my favorite of the meet was a 1964 Ghia L64 fastback - It looked much like a Dual Ghia hardtop - wonderful lines and in superb condition. You'd fell like a Million bucks driving that one around town! There were some unusual '70s examples including a Dodge Demon coupe and the two fellows who impersonate the Blues Bros, who brought their 1975 Dodge "Bluesmobile."

There also was a small group of PT Cruisers on display including a new company in Orange County that is doing 5-window coupe kits, frond body kits and will be soon offering a new line of products. We met Ron Osinga of O Daddy O who had his red demo coupe on display. Ron feels that the PT Cruiser. is just starting to take off in modified form as they are getting down to the third owners and cost under $5,000 for a dependable runner to customize. When new, the Cruisers were considered a an "old guy's car," but now that they are becoming cheap and plentiful, younger people, especially with families are discovering that they are quite useful and can be used as both a daily runner and enthusiast car.

An interesting morning of MoPar, old and new.
Rick Feibusch, Venice, California, 2009

1975 Dodge-Blues Bros. and Bluesmobile
MoPar Fall Fling at Woodley Park,
Los Angeles, California 2009
Rick Feibusch Photo 2009

1949 Dodge Sedan 383 Cube-Paxton Blower
MoPar Fall Fling at Woodley Park,
Los Angeles, California 2009
Rick Feibusch Photo 2009

1950 Plymouth Coupe
MoPar Fall Fling at Woodley Park,
Los Angeles, California 2009
Rick Feibusch Photo 2009

1951 Dodge Wagon
MoPar Fall Fling at Woodley Park,
Los Angeles, California 2009
Rick Feibusch Photo 2009

1955 DeSoto HardTop
MoPar Fall Fling at Woodley Park,
Los Angeles, California 2009
Rick Feibusch Photo 2009

1957 Plymouth 4-dr
MoPar Fall Fling at Woodley Park,
Los Angeles, California 2009
Rick Feibusch Photo 2009

1972 Dodge Demon
MoPar Fall Fling at Woodley Park,
Los Angeles, California 2009
Rick Feibusch Photo 2009

1962 Chrysler 300 HardTop
MoPar Fall Fling at Woodley Park,
Los Angeles, California 2009
Rick Feibusch Photo 2009

1964 Ghia L64 Coupe
MoPar Fall Fling at Woodley Park,
Los Angeles, California 2009
Rick Feibusch Photo 2009

1967 Chrysler New Yorker 4-dr HT
MoPar Fall Fling at Woodley Park,
Los Angeles, California 2009
Rick Feibusch Photo 2009

1970 Plymouth Road Runner
MoPar Fall Fling at Woodley Park,
Los Angeles, California 2009
Rick Feibusch Photo 2009

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