Moparfest, held in New Hamburg, Ontario, is the largest all-Mopar car show in Canada. Well over 1000 cars participate in the show. It is always held on the third weekend in August. Now that the 36th annual Moparfest is behind us, I sifted through my pictures of this and prior years I have attended to present some of the more unusual vehicles that I’ve photographed.
First up is a beautiful 1958 DeSoto Firesweep. As our contributor Laurence Jones pointed out, in 1958 Edsel actually outsold DeSoto.
There are usually a couple 1970 Chrysler 300 Hursts that attend Moparfest. I didn’t spot any this year, but I was only there on Saturday, and I didn’t get to see the entire showfield.
What I did spot this year were not one but two 1956 Plymouth Furies. They didn’t arrive at the same time, so it’s fortunate that they were able to find adjacent parking on the show field.
Here’s a 1955 Dodge Mayfair. This was a Canadian model that used the same body as the Plymouth Belvedere in the US. This one is wearing British Columbia license plates, so it’s a long way from home!
However, the Mayfair wasn’t as nearly as far from home as this Australian 1970 Chrysler Valiant ute, powered by a 245cid Hemi-6 with a 3-speed stick on the floor. It made an appearance at the show in 2013, advertised for sale for $9500.
Here is a Canadian market 1964 Chrysler 300 Saratoga 4-door hardtop.
Here’s another Canadian market car, a 1966 Chrysler 300 four door sedan. These were basically a Windsor sedan with a 300 front clip. Some literature indicates that Chrysler Canada intended to call this a “300 Saratoga” as in previous years, but must’ve changed their minds.
The Dude was a “lifestyle truck” offered by Dodge in 1970-71. In addition to the decal package, the Dude came standard with a 383 engine and bucket seats. But wait, this isn’t a Dodge, it’s a Fargo! Dodge trucks were rebranded as Fargos when sold through the Chrysler-Plymouth sales channel in Canada. There can’t be more than a handful of Fargo Dudes left in existence. In researching for this article, the only reference I could find was to an old ad for one in Alberta. The owner of this truck obviously knows what he has; “RARE DUDE” indeed.
You’ve probably heard of the Li’l Red Express, and maybe you’ve heard of the Warlock, but have you ever heard of the Midnite Express? There’s a dearth of information available on these trucks. From what I gather, they were likely a package assembled by dealers: order a Warlock in black, then order the parts to make it look like a Li’l Red Express, and the Midnite Express decal set.
Unlike the Li’l Red Express, which only came with a 360cid engine, the Midnite Express could have a variety of engines right up to the 440, as this one has. However, with reproduction decal sets available, it’s difficult to know if one of these trucks is real or a “tribute”.
The denim theme was pretty popular in the 70’s, and the 1978 “Jean Machine” tried to cash in on that. This was basically just a paint and decal package on a regular Dodge pickup. The seats weren’t even covered in denim, but they did have orange piping around the edges.
Continuing with the “lifestyle truck” theme, here’s an even more recent entrant. The 1989-90 Dodge Dakota Sport is the only ragtop convertible pickup truck manufactured post-WW2. The trucks were sent over from the assembly line to ASC to have the steel roof hacked off and the convertible top fitted.
Across from the Dakota Sport this year was this early Ramcharger. This one was originally equipped with a 400 big block, though it’s now got a built 440 with dual 4-bbls under the hood. It’s currently on its second owner, is stored indoors, and has never seen a winter. The story goes that the first owner only used it to tow a large boat up to their cottage in spring, and tow it home in the fall. The owner says that it does have a substantial trailer hitch welded to the frame, and when it was purchased the engine was tired but the transmission was completely burned out.
This van, converted to 4 wheel drive, would probably be a decent choice of vehicle in the event of a zombie apocalypse. A regular attendee of Moparfest, I spotted it there this year, but this picture was taken back in 2009. To my knowledge, Dodge never made a factory 4×4 van, but there are several companies that make conversion kits or perform conversions.
Here’s a more extreme one-of-a-kind conversion. This custom 6-wheeled 1986 pickup has been converted to mid-engine, with a 360cid V8 mounted between the frame rails just behind the cab. The gas tank has been relocated up under the hood.
There are always several 1978-79 Dodge Magnums in attendance at Moparfest. This one is a 1979 Magnum GT with its 360cid engine enlarged to 408cid and a custom air cleaner decal to match.
This year I also photographed this Chrysler Cordoba LS, a successor to the first gen Cordoba-based 300 and the Dodge Magnum.
Here’s another relative of the second gen Cordoba, a bustle-back 1981-83 Imperial. Don’t ask me if this still has the troublesome fuel injection system under the hood, but if I had to guess I’d say probably not.
Here’s another one of Lee Iacocca’s ideas that didn’t go over so well, a Chrysler TC by Maserati. There are usually one or two of these at Moparfest, often painted bright red. I photographed this uniquely coloured example this year, and I don’t recall seeing it before. It was a bit weathered and appears to be enjoyed regularly by its owners.
This 1971 Sport Fury is unusually well-optioned, with vinyl roof, sunroof and bucket seats, and a console shifter if I remember correctly. It also has a 383 under the hood. Another regular attendee, I spotted it this year but this picture was taken back in 2005.
Here’s a 1975 Sport Fury, having been downsized onto the B-body platform.
…and a 1975 Road Runner with its “Star Wars” trunk lid decal, sharing the same body as the Sport Fury. This is the only year that the Road Runner would use this body. For 1976 it was moved to the Volare bodystyle.
The 1978 Aspen and Volare “Street Kit Cars” were an attempt to capitalize on Richard Petty’s fame. Unfortunately, Petty switched to running GM cars before these came to market. This is a Volare; the Aspen version got a two-tone red paint job. Approximately 247 Volare Street Kit Cars and 145 Aspen Street Kit Cars were built.
Here’s a Dodge/Travco motorhome, photographed in 2012.
I could keep going at this almost indefinitely. I’m a bit disappointed that I can’t find any pictures of the Dart Sport Hang-10 that regularly shows-up. I may do a followup article just on cars that were invited to be displayed in the indoor arena area. I opened with a Forward Look car and I’m going to end with one, a 1961 Imperial Crown 4-door hardtop.
*One of the Dodge 4×4 van conversions was called Van Charger.
*Dodge did make hay about the jeans craze that took off in the 70’s. This ad is one I never forgot and mentions jeans, but, alas, not the Jean Machine: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PChUnynU31c
It’s so good that every Volare kit car comes with a mirror on the right.
That Valiant Wayfarer would be a 71 VG model thats the year the 245 was introduced or its a home built edition build tag or grille would confirm. Nice array of Mopar though.
1970 would be right for a VG with the 245. What is interesting is that it looks shorter than a normal ute, like a copy of the prototype they used when developing the Charger.
I thought something was slightly off, that Charger test mule was still around 15 years ago Chrysler had sold it off.
Great selections. I find those Canada-specific models fascinating.
Yes, DeSoto got creamed in sales in 1958, much worse than other Mopar brands, IIRC. This is a year off from one of my favorite pieces of DeSoto trivia – that even after these awful sales, DeSoto offered convertibles in four separate models in 1959. They never sold many convertibles to begin with, so to split this production 4 ways was just pure late 50s Mopar Madness.
I am really loving the fuselage cars today, both the Chrysler 300 Hurst and the Plymouth Sport Fury. I am in a regretful mood that I never owned a fuselage when they were common.
I love going to that show–I’ve attended the Mopar Nats many times and it seems to be a A,B and E body show–Moparfest gets a lot of big Chrysler, Dodges and Plymouths and its very nice to see them. One guy brings a 73 New Yorker Broughm that is very similar to the one my father in law had late 70’s. I’ve never seen a Magnum GT in any colour but black before–cool car
My favourite Mopar cars varies depending on the decade and body. Some 50s Plymouths I like more than others. Some 60s Chryslers I like more than others. The same goes for some Dodges of the late 60s and throughout the 80s. I’ve always liked the 1960 Plymouth Valiant over the 1963 Plymouth Valiant. I’ve always liked the 1969-72 Plymouth Valiant. I also like the 1965 Chrysler Newport. I like the 1970 through 75 Dodge Dart.
Love the 55 Dodge, my Dad had a 55 Dodge Crusader. As a little kid I can remember him driving us to Niagara Falls and I would ‘steer’ using the radio speaker gill (no seat belts back then!). The things you remember as a kid, often with the family car part of the story.
I figured there had better be at least one Plodge in this feature!
That Imperial is lookin’ real slick.
I’m liking those special decal edition trucks and can’t say that I’ve ever seen them before even when growing up. I do know as a child I had a Jean Machine blue truck from Hot Wheels but a quick look on ebay and google couldn’t find it.
That ’71 Sport Fury! My grampa’s last car, which he drove the several years before he died in summer 1980. It was a slightly darker brown colour, but had the same black vinyl roof and a cloth bench seat. I remember going for a ride with him the summer before he passed, and it was very scary! Grampa had very large feet (size 14 I believe) and always had to have custom boots made to fit and in his later years lost most of the feeling in his feet so he had no idea how hard he was tromping on the gas pedal when he drove! That old car just flew! Not sure what engine it had, but it had a lot of power.
Memories, both sad and happy.
Beautiful cars and trucks. The 70-71 Dude is a Sweptline, the Lifestyle replaced them in ’72. Saw a 61 DeSoto on a trailer a few weeks back, wonder where it was going?
So is that 6 wheel truck sort of a “Big Red Express”?
I love the 4×4 Ram van, that’s such a cool look
I seem to remember reading an article on the midnite express package several years back. It strikes me it was a factory setup.
Did they ever sell the “Midnight Express” versions in Turkey?
I would be happy to be proven incorrect about the Midnite Express. I searched online for about 1/2 hour for details, and even people on the relevant forums couldn’t decide.
A real Little Red Express is easy to identify because it has a unique VIN. It got a LRE-specific build of the 360cid V8 that is indicated in the VIN. Not true for the Warlock or Midnite Express, so if you find one, you’d have to find its buildsheet to confirm the factory options. I would be surprised if nobody with a ME has ever found a buildsheet hidden in the truck though, to confirm one way or another.
One argument in favor of the ME being a factory package is that I read that “real” ME’s were all 1978 models. If they were dealer-assembled then I see no reason that they couldn’t have been made from other model year trucks, as long as Warlocks and LRE parts were available to order. (If that is the case, then the pictured truck is likely “fake” as the license plate indicates it’s a 1977 model.)
It’s a draw between the 55 Dodge and the 56 Sport Furies. I quite like the Magnum, a car I ignored when new as I’d lost all interest in new Mopars after the A bodies were killed off.
Wouldn’t a ’56 Fury just be a Fury, not yet a Sport Fury? That’s what the sign says, at any rate. I think the Sport Fury was in 1969, when the ‘regular’ Fury became a series rather than just a single hardtop.
The ’64 Saratoga is a weird-looking thing. I think most of my reaction is due to the incongruous wheel/tire combination, which might fit a Road Runner, but on that car seems like wearing stiletto heels with lederhosen.
I think you are right about the 56 Fury. I believe that the first Sport Fury came in 1959. The 59 Sport Fury was only a 2 door hardtop and convertible, while the “regular” Fury got a full range of bodies, including a 4 door sedan.
That’s right that the Sport Fury came in 59. Pre 59 they were just 2 door hardtops part of the Belvedere line. Chrylser 300 Hurst looks really nice a good example of fuselage styling.
Right you are, just “Fury” in ’56. Updated the text.
Very interesting selection, some nice looking cars there. The Street Kit Volare is reminiscent of the same era Holden Torana SL/R5000 A9X with a similar body kit, but the thing that looks odd is the placement of the bolts holding the flares on – they don’t look like they are in the right spot, too far from the edge.
Were these actually raced in Nascar, to justify the mock-up?
Yes they were used in the old NASCAR Grand National series. The GM X cars were way more popular and used well into the mid 1980’s, IIRC. I’m including a period picture of one of the kit cars completed and in competition trim.
This was an attempt under the old Mopar Direct Connection parts program in the US to get more folks to run Chrysler products. Sadly, it really didn’t have much of an effect. There were very few hardcore Mopar fans outside of drag racing who wanted to do this.
I raced several Dodges at local hometown .4375 mile dirt track in the late 1980’s. If we didn’t have support from a local Dodge dealer, we probably wouldn’t have done as well as we did.
Crap. Forgot pic. Here it is…
Thanks for the reply George!
I too remember the Midnite Express as being a factory offering. But I just love love LOVE that Valiant ute!!! Why were these never offered here in the U.S., even Dodge branded, given the relative popularity of Rancheros and El Caminos???
For the most part, I’d say Chrysler did the best job making the battering-ram 5 mph bumpers look like they belonged on the car. Ford was probably the worst among the domestics. The rear bumper of the ’74 Thunderbird was a tragedy.
I wish I lived closer as this looks like a show I’d enjoy seeing (and I’m not really a car show person anymore). I seem to be attracted to old Mopars more than anything else from Detroit. Especially like that fuselage body 1971 Sport Fury. My hometown had 1971 Furys all over the place; as patrol cars, unmarked police cars, fire admin cars, etc.
If you’ve got enough photos for another post, BOC, I’d enjoy seeing them. Thanks for this showing.
Great collection of newer/old pictures, B-O-C. Your “cover photo” of the ’58 reminded me of a period image I’ve been carrying forever, hoping for a spot for it on CC:
There wasn’t a line out of place on the ’65-’66 Chryslers. It even looks good as a 4-door sedan.
The front of the black bustle-back Imperial is just stunning…I had never paid any attention to the lines on that car before, and the black color helps too. I still think the back is a mess, but the front is beautiful.