The Spring Fling is a Mopar-only show that's been held for years at Woodley Park in Van Nuys, California, just down the street from the Car Craft shop. It's been a can't-miss deal for us local Mopar strokes, and the show'n'swap format has become significant enough to draw participants from as far as Detroit. For 2000, the show also grew form one day to two, and the host claims attendance of 550-plus cars, 200 swap vendors, and 15,000 spectators. There's also a Fall Fling gig, and you can get info on both events by hitting the Web site for Chrysler Performance West at www.cpwclub.com. And while this show is loaded with all the pristine Hemi cars, Six-Paks, and 340's you'd. ever want to see, here's some of the weirdo stuff the spun our crank at the 2000 show.
-David Freiburger
By far our fave of the show, this '62 Dodge wagon was found in a garage where it sat for 30 years in the same condition it was in when it was a class finalist at both the Winternats and the legendary Bakersfield March Meet in 1970.
We really had a tough time walking away from the this deal: a '74 Dodge Coronet police car in its all-original plain-clothes trim with a green interior. Even the funky, Dirty Harry-signature-series, magnetic siren ball was on the dash. It also had spotlights, dual rear flashers, all the HD stuff including a big rear sway bar, and -you guessed it- 440 power. It was $1995, and we're really surprised we managed not to own it.
The real biggies are Mopar C-bodies, and our lust for a two door drop roof is high. Imagine a serious-grunt 440 and some 2.76s in this one. Hundred-mph wind through the hair. Ask Mike Brady because this one's the legit, special order '70 Fury convert used in The Brady Bunch series.
Another one we've always lusted for! Clyde Walker's '65 Valiant has 360 power, an overdrive four-speed, and Pro Touring stuff like 11 3/4 inch discs, sway bars, quick ratio manual steering, bigger torsion bars, and big, little meats. These cars are as light as Mopar A-bodies get. You can't fit much tire on 'em, but they can scream.
Got four grand? Then some tin fenders for a '64 Dodge could have been yours.