January 1970

[Heather Anne Peel]

Oops, Challenger, sorry! Anyway, the Mick Taylor-era was the best, no doubt about that. The greatest Rock 'n Roll shows ever, period, end of story.

[zombywoof]

Geez, I just realized something. In January 1970 my friend Jay and I were in jail in Kingman, Arizona charged with crossing state lines with intent to incite riot. Yup, we had long hair and issues of the Berkley Barb or SF Oracle in our knapsack (we were hitching back eastwards along Route 66 from Calfornia).

Justice, however, prevailed and we spent a week in jail and ended up being convicted only of illegal soliciting of rides. All the same Heather, I do not think I want to imagine I am back in Jan. 1970. How about December '69?

[Heather Anne Peel]

Altamont, 12/6/69, yeah, a very dark moment. But I didn't know about it then, I didn't know about much then, as I was only 6! I DO remember watching the lunar missions and literally feeling I was living through a very unique time, however, even at my very young age. Rose-colored glasses and all, but I can totally relate to the "wonder years" part of it. I still think of my childhood from say 1970 to 1976 a lot. An amazing period for me, and a lot of cool things happened. A lot of uncool things happened, too, I know, but it was a special period for me, and certainly for Rock music and technology.

[zombywoof]

Originally Posted by Heather Anne Peel

Altamont, 12/6/69, yeah, a very dark moment. But I didn't know about it then,

The reason we were in California was to go to the Stones' show. We missed it by a day or so.

[Bonneville Bruce]

Beginning my second quarter as a freshman at the University of Utah, with a free ride on a fine arts scholarship in painting. Loved those artist girls, or any girl who'd talk to an art major. Lived in a bungalo in Salt Lake with my three best friends from Jordan High School in Sandy, Utah.

Just ended the band that I'd been in since 1964, still playing the drums. (Still have those drums, a set of 1950 Rogers with Turkish Zildgen cymbals)

Worshiped the Beatles and the Stones, just discovered the miracle "Astral Weeks" by Van Morrison, fantastic Grateful Dead show in the Student Union Building, really fun show with Jessie Colin Young and the Youngbloods, then the Steve Miller Band at the same place. I'm in love with Janis Joplin and Joni Mitchell, groovin' on "Abbey Road", "AOXOMOXA" and "LIVE/DEAD", J. Airplane's "Volunteers", B. B. King's "Completely Well", "John Lee Hooker Plays and Sings the Blues", "Let It Bleed", "Led Zepplin II", "A Salty Dog", Sly's "Stand", "Tommy", Neil's "Everybody Knows this is Nowhere", and Steve Miller's "Brave New World" (Last Wombat in Mecca).

Just missed a trip to Nam by 15 numbers in the first draft. Strong into the anti-war movement then and now. "All we are saying is give peace a chance." Nixon inaugurated this month for first term as a peace candidate, out in six months.

Saw Arthur C. Clarke at the U. of U., off-the-scale genius. He was advocating high-speed global communications and universal education as the prime directives.

Pea coats and Chuck Taylors, flannel shirts. Long hair, tight levis, into skiing at Alta. Alta is for skiers.

Worked in the artificial heart research lab at the U. of U. Medical Center as a janitor, saw that entire process, implants in 200 lb. calves, met Dr. Kolph and Dr. Olsen, co-inventors of said heart(s).

Reading Melville, John Barth, Valdimiar Nobokov, John Updike, J. P. Donleavy, Shakespear, and more Shakespear, and a new music magazine called Rolling Stone.

Spent most of Jan. 1970 in either the Salt Lake Library of the U. of U. Library doing homework, reading and listening to their albums through the head phones.

"It was just a dream some of us had." Joni

Bonniville Bruce
Waxing nostolgic on the Sunnyslope, Idaho

[Bonneville Bruce]

The '69 Dodge Charger ruled the road in Jan. 1970 with a 426 hemi that could achieve sub-orbital velocities in its stock configuration, if one could keep the rear end on the pavement. It may have been the fastest stock Detroit product of its time, and faster than most anything else stock since then.

Originally Posted by zombywoof

Huh, that is a Dodge Challenger guys.

[ibobunot]

I was 17 and dating my first wife (she was 21), gas was somewhere around 30 cents a gallon, and a kilo was 80.00.

[TG]

I was 9. I have no idea what I was doing at the time.
(Except it was Canada in January so toboganning and skating would be a good guess.)

[zombywoof]

Originally Posted by Bonneville Bruce

The '69 Dodge Charger ruled the road in Jan. 1970 with a 426 hemi that could achieve sub-orbital velocities in its stock configuration, if one could keep the rear end on the pavement. It may have been the fastest stock Detroit product of its time, and faster than most anything else stock since then.

Aaah, but you could get a '70 Challenger with a 440 V8 (that is the engine that powered the white Challenger in "Vanishing Point"). You are right though, it wasn't a Hemi so was essentially still a street engine. But IMHO, in styling, the Challenger could not be beat.

IT TAKES MOPAR TO CATCH MOPAR.

[jjlinus]

first yeat at florence university.first meeting cannabis and west coast music.

[eggman]

Howdy,

Let's see..at that time I was in Kindergarten in SE Texas. I had just turned 6 a couple of months earlier. That previous Thanksgiving my parents and I travelled all the way to NYC to visit a relative who worked at the WTC and lived near it. Coincidentally Heather, the Rolling Stones were at MSG when I celebrated my 6th birthday, LOL.
I was just discovering the Beatles through my babysitter (she had a crush on Paul) and it would be 3 more years before discovering the Rolling Stones (High Tides and Green Grass!). I also loved playing football in the mud (It WAS Beaumont, ya'll!) with my friends. I sure don't miss the mosiquitos, floods and Cajun food of Texas; I'm glad I live 200 miles due North of there, so I don't have to deal with all that..I live in Louisiana now! Seriously.

Eggman

[J. Hayes]

January 1970? I was going to be 30 years old on the 21st of that month. At that time I was playing 5 nights a week at a very nice club in Huntington Beach, California called the "Swizzle Stik" with a group called "3-2 Many". We really thought we were a "power" trio for sure. We did a lot of current rock and roll and most of the country stuff of the day. I was playing my old '52 Tele then which I later sold for only $125 (I'd like to have that guitar again today). I had a Blanton single neck pedal steel also and was doing some stuff on it in those days too. What was nice was that I'd already been in and out of the Army in the early sixties and Viet Nam was still going on. There were a bunch of lonely service men's wives coming to the clubs and I entertained my share of 'em. Great duty in those days! More places to play than pickers to play them. I had a couple of offers for "bigger and better" things but I liked what I was doing and stayed in the local club scene of the day. It was great having a flat stomach and all of my own hair with no gray anyplace.....Oh well, we all gotta get old sometimes but I enjoyed my past for sure.....JH in Va.

[Telemaniac]

Job-hunting, so I guess I missed a lot although I seem to reall BOTW putting Simon & Garfunkel at the top of the charts - started work 2 Feb.

On New Year's Eve there was a music programme through to midnight with all the No 1s of the decade, then as now we seemed to think a decade ended at the start rather than the finish of the tenth year - I remember watching that, just about.

[daddyopapa]

I was 9. I had hair like Gregg Allman and getting teased by the school janitor, Mr Cornish, for being a hippy. I had just begun classical guitar lessons. I liked Roy Clark on TV because he smiled when he played as did Buck Owens.

[getbent]

Originally Posted by zombywoof

Aaah, but you could get a '70 Challenger with a 440 V8 (that is the engine that powered the white Challenger in "Vanishing Point"). You are right though, it wasn't a Hemi so was essentially still a street engine. But IMHO, in styling, the Challenger could not be beat.

IT TAKES MOPAR TO CATCH MOPAR.

Ahhhh I well remember seeing Vanishing Point at the drive inn (my sister and her friend would take me and my buddies and we'd sit in lawn chairs.. gotta love the scene with the naked girl on the honda 90!

Also, the cool feature on the charger and the challenger (I dug the challenger) was the "ram air"! my dad's buddy Marty had a charger with ram air and I remember coming back from burying my dad and Marty and I flying up I5 from Dana Point at a gozillion miles an hour and you could HEAR the gas and air being sucked in.... I think he got about 6 miles to the gallon... talk about confusing times!

[Pete Baker]

I was concieved in January, 1970. Born on Halloween that year. I hope my folks were listening to Beggars Banquet as it is my favorite Stones album and the last one that my dad bought. He saw them in '65, and still is a big fan. 1970 was also the year that GM muscle cars had the highest horsepower ratings, it was all downhill from there. My own memories don't begin until 1973, getting rearended by a maroon and primer grey '63 Chevy two. Crunched up my parents 64 1/2 mustang real good and made me miss the Charlie brown Thanksgiving t.v. show. Got to ride in a police car for my first time though.
Pete Baker

[ibobunot]

Originally Posted by zombywoof

IT TAKES MOPAR TO CATCH MOPAR.

Bah, I ate Mopar and Chevy for breakfast, lunch and diner!


Big block, Hemi....... (burp)

[zombywoof]

Originally Posted by ibobunot

Bah, I ate Mopar and Chevy for breakfast, lunch and diner!


Big block, Hemi....... (burp)

Is that a Sunbeam Tiger????? had me one of those - a '67, black with a stock 2 barrel, 260 engine and both tops (also had a couple of Alpines). Used to hang out at a garage - the owner raced Tigers and I bought one from him (he always had a couple sitting around waiting to be worked on or for parts).

That engine was so crammed in there, I remember it taking maybe 45 minutes just to change the plugs and then having to run for the Bactine and band aids to take care of all the skin missing from my knuckles.

[Roli]

Originally Posted by zombywoof

Aaah, but you could get a '70 Challenger with a 440 V8 (that is the engine that powered the white Challenger in "Vanishing Point"). You are right though, it wasn't a Hemi so was essentially still a street engine. But IMHO, in styling, the Challenger could not be beat.

IT TAKES MOPAR TO CATCH MOPAR.

What's the difference between the Challenger and the Cuda?

[Roli]

Originally Posted by ibobunot

Bah, I ate Mopar and Chevy for breakfast, lunch and diner!


Big block, Hemi....... (burp)

That's a sleeper; looks like an MG but it can beat a Cobra.

[getbent]

Challenger



Gotta love the Super Bee!
You can see there are significant body differences... there are several differences powerplant wise, but I gotta look them up... The challenger, I think, was intended more for the pony car fans, the charger was just full american muscle.


Gotta love the tiger! Maxwell Smart's Car (at least one season!)

[Roli]

Yeah, I know the Charger and the Challenger are different cars, just mistyped that last nite. But the Plymouth 'Cuda and the Dodge Challenger are basically the same cars, aren't they?

[getbent]

Sorry Roli,

Here you go..

Third-Generation Plymouth Barracuda and First-Generation Dodge Challenger (1970-1974)
If there's one thing the Chrysler Corporation specialized in during the '70s, it was poor timing — it always seemed to have exactly the product the market didn't want. And that was first apparent with the all-new 1970 Plymouth Barracuda and Dodge Challenger.

The new Challenger and Barracuda had very little to do with the A-body cars from which previous Barracudas sprang and were based on a new architecture known within Chrysler as the "E-body." Using components swiped from both the compact A-body and midsize B-body cars, the E-body was built to compete against cars like the Chevrolet Camaro and Ford Mustang and to do it while offering virtually every engine in Chrysler's inventory. That included the beefy 440-cubic-inch big-block and the near race 426-cubic-inch Hemi V8s. In the muscle-mad late '60s, as the E-bodies were being designed, all this seemed like a very logical and savvy thing to do.

Both the Barracuda and the Challenger were beautiful cars. Their oversize engine bays meant they were wider than the previous Barracuda by 5 inches and wider than the Mustang and Camaro, too. Their long hoods and short rear decks were almost an exaggeration of the pony car style, but still somehow within the bounds of taste. In fact, the styling of both cars was very similar to that of the first-generation (1967-1969) Camaro and Pontiac Firebird with an almost formal roof and drooping deck. There were only two body styles offered: coupe and convertible.

Besides such superficial elements as headlight and grille arrangements (the Barracuda had two headlights, the Challenger four), there was one significant difference between Plymouth and Dodge versions of the E-body: The Dodge was bigger. The Barracuda had a 108-inch wheelbase and stretched out 186.7 inches. The Challenger had a 110-inch wheelbase and stretched out 192 inches.

Both the Challenger and Barracuda were available in a staggering number of trim and option levels. The Barracuda could be had as a base Barracuda, a luxury-oriented Gran Coupe or the performance-skewed 'Cuda. Those trim levels were paralleled on the Dodge side by the base Challenger, Challenger SE and Challenger R/T models. Within all those levels were various stripe and option packages so that the cars could be either brassy or demure according to the buyer's wishes. And both cars were available in a dizzying rainbow of colors including bright green ("Lime Light" at Plymouth) and bright yellow ("Lemon Twist").

Upon their introduction there were nine different engines available, ranging from the base Challenger's and Barracuda's weak 145-hp, 225-cubic-inch Slant Six to the mighty Hemi which was underrated at 425 hp. In between were the 318-cubic-inch V8 with a two-barrel carburetor at 230 hp, a 340-cubic-inch V8 with a four-barrel at 275 hp, three versions of the 383-cubic-inch V8 at 290, 330 and 335 hp, a 440-cubic-inch four-barrel at 375 hp and a 440 wearing three two-barrel carburetors (a "Six-Pack") rated at 390 hp. At midyear a 10th engine, a 340 topped by Six-Pack induction (making 290 hp) debuted in the limited-edition 'Cuda AAR and Challenger T/A models.

Motor Trend tested the '70 'Cuda in 340, 440 Six-Pack and Hemi versions. The acceleration results had the 340 car getting to 60 mph in 6.4 seconds, the 440 car scooting there in 5.9 seconds and the Hemi making it in 5.8 seconds. The quarter-mile flew by in 14.5 seconds at 95 mph for the 340, 14.4 seconds at 100 mph for the 440 and 14 seconds flat at 102 mph for the Hemi.

Built for competition in the SCCA's Trans-Am series, the 'Cuda AAR and Challenger T/A both had the high-performance 340, a stiffer suspension, a flat black painted hood with functional scoop, unique rear deck spoilers and side exhausts. While much of the E-body legend surrounds the huge V8s that were available, many argue that the best of the species were the AAR and T/A. Incidentally, the AAR and T/A were both miserable failures as racecars.

With such options as "Shaker" hood scoops, pistol-grip shifters and "Panther Pink" paint, the Barracuda and Challenger are still considered by many to be the ultimate expression of the muscle-car aesthetic. In fact the rarest of these cars — the Hemi-powered coupes and particularly the Hemi-powered convertibles — now change hands for anywhere from $200,000 to well over $1 million in excellent condition.

Plymouth sold a total of 55,499 Barracudas and 'Cudas during this year while Dodge had 84,032 Challengers hit the road.

But by 1971 it was already apparent that the muscle-car movement was fading, a fact that was reflected in the mildly restyled Challenger and Barracuda (the Challenger got a new split grille, the Barracuda a segmented grille and four headlights).