Some
History and information on the term "Mopar"
Mopar
(short for MOtor PARts) is the automobile parts and service
arm of the DaimlerChrysler American brands that were formerly
owned by the Chrysler
Corporation. The term was first used by Chrysler in the
1920s
and has been in continuous use ever since.
The
term has, however, passed into a broader usage among car
enthusiasts as an inclusive word for any Chrysler-owned
brand, but generally any Dodge,
Chrysler, Plymouth,
or DeSoto, and later AMC
and Jeep,
vehicle. This is because the Chrysler name refers to both
the parent company and to one of its brands, so if one
wanted to refer unambiguously to the parent company, another
word was needed. Thus, for example, a car club for owners
of any Chrysler Corporation vehicle might describe itself
as a club for "Mopar enthusiasts."
A
similar situation exists for the Ford
Motor Company, where "Ford" might mean either
the brand or the parent. A similar solution was found;
enthusiasts refer to "FoMoCo", which as well
as an abbreviation is also the name applied to generic
Ford-brand parts. General Motors enthusiasts do not have
to deal with such a confusion, since an unadorned GM always
means the corporate parent.
Crate Engines
Mopar
produces 6 crate engines, starting with a 5.7L Hemi, 426
Hemi
and moving up to the high performance 540 supercharged
Hemi,
which produces 650 to 900+ horsepower. Mopar also makes
crate motors of 318, 340, 360, 383, and 440 cubic inches.
These engines are original designs with modern technology
added to make them more powerful. It is suggested by Mopar
that they be installed by professionals.
Trivia
In the 1970s
the Mopar name was used in the United Kingdom for Chrysler
Parts and Service. However, Mopar parts and service extended
to the other car companies in the UK; Ford,
British Leyland and GM-Vauxhall. An advertisement for
Mopar in 1974
featured an example of one car from each. The example
used for Chrysler was the Hillman Imp!
Additonal
Resources
Jada
BIGTIME diecast Muscle Cars
Diecast
American Muscle Cars
Understanding Scale
1:18 Scale
Diecast
Directory
Muscle
Cars
