Mopar Snake-Oil Salesmen

[cudak888]

Warning - this post contains a rant about another community:

I don't know what's up with an unusual number of Mopar people online, but it rather upsets me to see the amount of painfully bad advice I've received on the FABO from people who obviously do not read posts thoroughly and spit out whatever incorrect drivel is on their mind at the time.

Yes, I know the advice is free - not to mention that there are a lot of GOOD older posts to wade through - but it is quite irritating when you start a thread looking for simple advice, and someone gets on your case hard about one detail of your engine build (say, a timing chain pointer location or the amount of clearance on a later alternator bracket), and either transposes the versions (and insists on being right from here to kingdom come) so you are guaranteed to get the WRONG part, or fails to take into account multiple versions of the part - some of which actually supported your configuration from factory.

But I think that's just an excuse for what really ticks me off: Jerks who think that relative newcombers to their forum can be screwed over big time if they post a Wanted ad. I've already had someone clear across the country tell me to stuff my idea of a 5.2/318 (unsolicited), so I can go drag my butt 3,000 miles to pick up his clapped-out truck with a Magnum 5.9/360.

Before that, someone else tried to sell me a used LA 360 rear-sump truck oil pan (useless to anyone building an A/B/E-body to start with) when I specifically noted I need center-sump - and he quoted me $10 over the cost of a brand-new Summit Racing center-sump pan.

And it's as if every one of these jerks uses their smartphone to post, and don't care if they flub up spelling to the point where you can't understand what the hell they've just written. It's PATHETIC. At least it's a good litmus test for idiots there, as most of the competent members of the same forum use proper spelling.

One of the things I need for my build is a good, used '89-91 LA318/360 roller cam with a long front snout. I just KNOW that I won't get it on that forum - or someone will try to sell me a '92-03 Magnum short-snout roller cam in its place, which is exactly what I'm trying to get rid of.

Geez. People like that make me want to take a Mopar hiatus and button up my '71 already...

-Kurt

 

[luxstang]

I know that the Mopar guts are usually very anal about their cars and originality.

I was (guess I still am, I haven't checked) on the German Mopar forum when I was gonna buy one and you are almost afraid to post.

Every post gets ripped apart, people are being called names because they dare use 15 inch Magnums instead of 14 inch rims because only Ford used 15 inch Magnums or when they happen to have the wrong air cleaner lid or whatever.

As much as I love Mopars, their community often reminds me of a huge kindergarten. Sorry guys, if there happen to be any Mopar aficionados reading this. I don't wanna offend any of you guys but that's the way it is.

Now that thing with people not reading the question is pretty common, mostly in the U. S.

You ask three related questions to a tech on a website and point out the things you have already checked or done and they will answer one of the questions by telling you to do something you have told THEM you already did.

It happened every single time. Our Don at OMS. is a great exception to that rule.

 

[Austin Vert]

Yeah Kurt,

I know what you're taking about.

Greg.

 

[cudak888]

As if there wasn't enough amusement here already, the guy with the truck just responded:

THATS A FACT I didn't see where you were from. ithought if in a5 hr drive , this is a gr8 motor to start with Gl on your prodject

Though I get the gist of what he's saying, it took me 5 minutes to figure it out - and I still want to know what "Gl" means, because I think he's still trying to sell me on the thing

I know that the Mopar guts are usually very anal about their cars and originality.

I was (guess I still am, I haven't checked) on the German Mopar forum when I was gonna buy one and you are almost afraid to post.

Every post gets ripped apart, people are being called names because they dare use 15 inch Magnums instead of 14 inch rims because only Ford used 15 inch Magnums or when they happen to have the wrong air cleaner lid or whatever.

As much as I love Mopars, their community often reminds me of a huge kindergarten. Sorry guys, if there happen to be any Mopar aficionados reading this. I don't wanna offend any of you guys but that's the way it is.

It depends. The A-body fellows don't seem to mind a modification or two, and drag racing seems to be very prominent at FABO. In fact, I'd say it's the opposite of the stereotypical Accuracy Nazi (pun not intended) issue that you note - probably more prevalent with the B-body/Charger 500/Daytona/Superbird crowd.

Now that thing with people not reading the question is pretty common, mostly in the U. S. You ask three related questions to a tech on a website and point out the things you have already checked or done and they will answer one of the questions by telling you to do something you have told THEM you already did.

It happened every single time. Our Don at OMS. is a great exception to that rule.

So glad to hear I'm not the only person out there that seems to be half-read and half-ignored.

Get a load of my most recent thread over there. The fellow who's responding is nice enough (probably the most helpful to-date!), and it SEEMS as if his reply makes sense - but when he gets to the alternator, you might as well take bets on what he did - and I still don't know which version of brackets he used ('77 car brackets? '73 C-body brackets? Makes sense only when you've seen both in person - and if you've seen both of those in person and know the differences between them, you probably don't have to ask whether the older alternator will clear Magnum heads...):

http://www.forabodiesonly.com/mopar/showthread.php?p=1970855493#post1970855493

I know what you're taking about.

Mopar only, or any other marquees?

-Kurt

 

[Austin Vert]

What i meant there Kurt, was to sympathize with you and agree that it's not much fun when you are confronted with that type of feedback and attitude from other people.

Speaking for myself, going back to 2010 before i decided to buy my'73 Mustang Vert, i was considering buying a '70/'71 Challenger Convertible. What turned me away from following through, was the asking prices were way too high for my blood, and trying to get spare parts was going to be a big hassle for me, and died in the wool Mopar people tend to be a funny bunch based on my own experience over the years. So, that scene was not for me.

Cheers,

Greg.