Get Registered
I just wanted to send you a quick e-mail in regard to a Web site that my friend and I created. It's an online Camaro registry-it's free to sign up, and we won't sell people your contact information. Basically we are doing this for the love of Camaro owners worldwide and to share information on what's left out there for the future generations of Camaro owners. We will be placing pictures on the site as well as Camaro stats, a general discussion board, and locations of the people who are submitting their information.
The Web site is located at www.camaro-registry.com, and we will soon be launching www.firebird-registry.com.
John Cannizzaro
Baldwinsville, NY
Thanks for the update John. Let's hear from the rest of the car Web sites, and we'll post your information as well for the benefit of automotive mankind.
Mustang Tracks
I just finished reading the "Musclecar of the Month" segment on page 20 (Mar. '04) describing the '69 Ford Mustang Mach 1. While generally well written, the piece contains a few errors describing the available engines:
* Ordering the Boss 302 engine in a '69 Mustang got you a Boss 302 Mustang, not a Mach 1. You couldn't order a Mach 1 with a Boss 302 engine.
* Similarly, the 375-horse, 385-series 429 engines weren't available in a '69 Mustang. They weren't offered as a Mustang option until the '71 model year.
* The "finned alloy valve covers" you described as available on 428 Cobra Jet "Drag Pack"-equipped cars were also available on the Q-code (no ram air) and R-code (ram air) 428 Cobra Jet engines.
Sorry for picking nits-thanks for the article!
Scott Hollenbeck,br>Mustang 428 Cobra Jet Registry
http://www.428cobrajet.org
It's all in the name of accuracy, Scott. Thanks for setting it straight
Real Street Response
I've never written to a magazine before, but after reading your RSE article (Feb. '04), I thought I should. First, great choices on the cars. They are all awesome machines, far exceeding anything I own. I'm a Mopar guy, owning a '70 Cuda, a '71 Dart, plus a few others. The GTO was a great ride, and perhaps deserved the honors, but I think the title of "Real Street" was lost. Out of six cars, First and Third needed repairs to continue, and the Fourth Place car was a loaner. The GTO suffered two separate failures. What "Real Street" do you live on? These are great cars, but for real street honors, how about the Ford driven from New York? How about the Spirit, for which there are no crate big-blocks, or Global West control arms, and so on. I also think, as far as the vehicles entered goes, they should be registered to the entrant, not driven by someone else. I'm more impressed by the car crafters, and the way to showcase them is not to allow repairs beyond tuning, tire swaps (and the vehicle must carry its own spares) or shock adjustments. The people who persevered and got the cars back to competing should have an award of their own, but the cars that didn't break really demonstrated what I thought RSE was about. Just putting in my two cents for the real Real Streeters. Great magazine, and keep up the good work,
Dave Mador
Via e-mail
You bring up a good point, Dave. It's possible to subtract points for any car that has to be repaired, or grant points for cars that never have a wrench applied to them. That would obviously reward the contestants with the best preparation.
RSE Ideas
How about putting a benchmark car in with the reader cars? I'm thinking something decent like a new Mustang. Run it through the same exact tests at the same time and see where it ranks. That would provide people with a good reference point for the modified cars. You could use a Vette if you wanted to really damage some egos, or I suppose you could use something like a WRX if you wanted to stir the pot! Maybe the Mustang is the best "reference" car to use after all.
And where are the Mopars? Too afraid to come out and play.
Andy Finkbeiner
Via e-mail