I have a mental exercise that I go through often when I see a car that catches my eye. I play a little game of “What if?”. What if I owned that car? What sort of modifications would I do to it to make it my own? I will mentally modify the car in my head (these wheels, this engine swap, that paint color, etc) to my liking. Most of the time it just ends there. Occasionally I will take it to the next level. How much would it cost to get one? Once I’m home, I will browse internet resources and find out how much that car was going for. Sometimes I will even research my “planned” modifications. In one case, I played this out completely and went through with the purchase of a car. That car just so happened to be one of my dream cars, a Dodge Magnum SRT8. Here’s the story.
It was a sunny Saturday afternoon (as they almost all are in San Diego) in April of 2014, and I was driving down the Coast Highway in my 2006 Mustang GT convertible “Maxine” (COAL) with the top down. Just a beautiful day for a cruise. I ended up behind a silver Dodge Magnum station wagon. The first thing I noticed was the license plate frame that said “Kimi’s Hemi”. Seeing that, it was clear that Kimi was a gearhead since she was proudly advertising the V8 under the hood. It was then that I noticed that this wasn’t just any Magnum, it was a Magnum SRT8. I think I actually said “You go girl!” out loud. Seeing this car jogged the memory banks some. The Magnum had such a short lifespan, it had slipped my mind that Dodge produced the Magnum SRT8. I had also forgotten how much I wanted one when they first came out, but the $45K sticker price had kept me away. I followed Kimi for a while admiring her clean wagon and reminiscing about my Dodge Aspen wagon (COAL).
[Yes, I know it was built in Canada.]
After a couple of days, curiosity got the better of me and I started to do some research. First up was the price. According to the oracle that is Kelly Blue Book, the asking price for a used one was well within a theoretical budget I had set for myself. The SRT8s were rare, so there weren’t many for sale. I was able to locate 3 within 500 miles, reminding me of my long search for my 1992 Tempo GLS (COAL). One was in Phoenix, which was too far for just an initial test drive. The other two were local to San Diego county. A red one was at a dealership and a silver one was a private party sale. For just a test drive, I decided I wouldn’t waste a private sellers time, so off to the dealer I went. Bright Red, fully loaded, 22” Viper wheels, cold air intake, custom exhaust, and lowered. I test drove it and I overall I liked it, just not the modifications that had been done to this particular car. I knew I had to have one now, but I wanted a clean slate to start with.
[Look, it does rain in San Diego!]
I called up the private seller and set up a time to come and see his car. When I arrived, it was clear this Magnum belonged to a family of gearheads. There was a toy hauler off to the side of the garage loaded with a sand rail. Near the garage, two guys (his sons, I later found out) were wrenching under the hoods of an STI and a GTI. The seller explained his wife bought the car new to haul the kids around to school and extracurricular activities. Now that the kids were either graduated or had their own cars, she wanted something cute, fun and 2-seater. It was approaching 100K miles on it, but it did not show at all except for the wear on the seat bolster of the driver’s seat.
After the test drive and a little bit of negotiation on the price, we came to a deal. We shook on it and agreed to meet at the bank in the next couple of days to finalize all of the paperwork and swap money for title and keys. As I walked away from the car, I turned back to get one more look at it and that’s when I saw it. Were my eyes playing tricks on me? That can’t be, it would be too perfect. Sure enough, the license plate frame on the rear said “Kimi’s Hemi”. The car that I saw a couple of weeks prior on the Coast Highway was the actual car I just made a deal to purchase. When I finally met Kim a few days later, she was very happy to see her car go to me after she saw how much care and love I had put into Maxine. Hmmmm, see a reoccurring theme here?
[A small window of time with 4 of our cars together.]
[l-r Magnum SRT8, E350 Bluetec, Nitro R/T, Maxine Mustang GT]
My Magnum is the top performance model, the Magnum SRT8. According to the unofficial SRT8 production numbers, there were 3,837 Magnum SRT8s produced between 2006 and mid-2008. My particular car is 1 of 555 built (a silver 2006). The changes made to differentiate the SRT8 on the outside are subtle. Walking up to the car, first thing that lets you know this isn’t a regular Magnum is a more aggressive front bumper that has integrated fog lights and brake cooling ducts. The wheel wells are filled with 20” 5-spoke polished forged alloy wheels. Peeking out from behind the spokes are the red Brembo calipers capping massive disc brakes. Poke your head around back, you’ll find a similar rear bumper treatment with dual polished exhaust tips poking out from underneath. There is a small SRT8 badge on the right side of the tailgate.
Open up the driver’s door, and you are greeted with a two tone leather interior. The seats are dark slate gray leather with light slate gray suede inserts. The SRT8 logo is embroidered into the headrest. Slide down into them, and you feel how the heavily bolstered seats really hug around you at the shoulders, lumbar, and thigh areas. Gripping the meaty leather wrapped steering wheel feels good in your hands. Behind it, white faced SRT branded gauges feature a 180 MPH speedometer.
[The 6.1L Hemi engine. Photo courtesy of allpar.com]
Twist the key, and the 6.1L HEMI V8 engine fires to life. 425 HP and 420 lb-ft of torque are aching to be unleashed. Slide the leather wrapped shift knob down to drive, and pull away. The transmission is a 5-speed Autostick, with the ability to shift the gears manually. Matting the gas unleashes a beast of a car. You blast to 60 in around 5 seconds; keep it to the floor and the ¼ mile is gone in less than 14 seconds. This is faster than most of the muscle cars I’ve read about when I was a kid in my dad’s old Popular Hot Rodding magazines!!
[Big Brebmo brakes behind big forged alloy wheels.]
Unlike those muscle cars though, this thing actually handles very well. It is a heavy car (~4300#), but when it gets going it sure doesn’t feel as heavy as it is. Retuned shocks/struts (load-leveling in the rear), larger anti-roll bars, stiffer spring rates, a lower ride height, and those beautiful forged rims and low profile tires provided the hustle around the corners. When you punch the brake pedal, those massive Brembo brakes provided a whole lotta whoa!
[Pam Poovey, my Magnum’s namesake.]
First up, I needed to give the Magnum a name. It took a little bit of thinking, but I finally settled on “Pam”. She is named for the Archer character Pam Poovey. (If you have never watched Archer, do so. The humor may not be your thing, but the automotive references will make any gear head geek out.) The following characteristics apply to both Pams, and why I felt it was an appropriate name:
- A little bit on the heavier side.
- Unassuming on the outside, but packs a wallop of a punch.
- An irreverent loudmouth (especially after the new exhaust).
- Drinks like a fish.
- Drives surprisingly well.
[Hidden hitch mount for the bike rack. Hauling bikes is a breeze now.]
I tried to tell myself that Pam would stay stock, but that didn’t last long. Just as I did with both of my Mustangs, out went the stock exhaust and in went a Borla exhaust. This time I stepped up to the most aggressive Borla you could get, the Borla “ATAK”. The car now has a deep muscle car rumble at low RPMs, but will howl like a banshee when running hard (which is quite frequently).
Also, as is now my modus operandi, I installed custom vinyl stripes on the car. Since I thought about this as a muscle car station wagon, I wanted to pay homage to the types of stripes you would see from the muscle car era. Two wide matte gray stripes on the hood, and one bridging between the taillights. The stripes were finished with red pinstripes, and DEMON decals from the 1971 Dodge Demon are on the sides and rear. In my mind, the muscle car look isn’t complete without a set of white letter tires. They aren’t available in modern tire sizes, so I turned a company called TredWear for a set of their permanent tire letters. The addition of those Demon decals gave the wagon another name, the Demon Wagon. I finished it off with a customized California black plate, “DMN WGN” (Demon Wagon).
[Hustling the big girl around the autocross track.]
With this big bad muscle wagon I wanted to go racing again. This time, I tried my hand at autocrossing. I know the Magnum isn’t the best car to go autocrossing with and be competitive, due to how heavy it is. But, I just wanted to go out and have fun with my car. Man, did I ever have fun. Hustling the car around that tight course, exhaust bellowing all sorts of wonderful noises. What a rush!!! I’ve done it a few times, and plan to do it again periodically when I need to get a good dose of adrenaline in.
[Video of one of my first autocross runs. Video credit – Phil]
I knew the SRT8 would have some higher operating costs, but there were some I wasn’t expecting. I knew mileage would be worse (I have averaged 16.7mpg over the 2.5 years of ownership) and I knew it would require premium. What I hadn’t expected were the oil changes. They are required every 3,000 miles, require a 0w40 grade of oil, and requires 7 qt of oil (!!) at each change. I also knew going into it the plugs would need changing. Surprise! This 8 cylinder engine needs 16 spark plugs. I was hit with another surprise when it came time to replace the worn shocks and struts. I knew the front Koni struts were going to be a little more pricey due to the fact that they are Konis. At the rear, the self-leveling Nivomat shocks came in at $300 a pop to replace!!! A nice Black Friday sale knocked 10% off the price, but it was still a hefty bill to pay when replacing them. I saved on all the labor costs by doing all of the work myself.
[Autocrossing brings nothing but grins to my face.]
Another area of adjustment when driving the Magnum is the low front bumper. Both of my Mustangs were lowered, so I was used to pitfalls that come with driving a lowered car. I sat much lower to the ground in those cars than I do in the Magnum. Therefore, I didn’t give the front end a moments thought. I didn’t realize exactly how low that front end was. One day pulling into a parking space, I heard the lower part of the bumper barely scrape across the top of the parking block. When it came time to leave, my thoughts were “go slow, ease it off”. I did go slow, but it didn’t ease off. I started to hear snapping and cracking. I immediately stop and get out to survey what the heck was going on. The rebar holding the parking block down had caught under the rear edge of the bumper, and started pulling it off under the left headlight. All of the plastic clips sheared off, but thankfully nothing else was damaged. I was able to lift the bumper cover off the rebar and secure it enough to drive home. A few replacement clips and it was back to normal. Anytime a parking space has a parking block in it, I now back in to avoid repeating what happened.
I’d love to say that the rest has been nothing but roses, but not the case. One area that has been a struggle with my particular SRT8 is the cooling system. The first overheating panic happened while sitting in stop and go traffic, on one of the warmest days after purchasing the car. I look down to notice the temperature gauge is climbing above it’s usual resting place dead center of the gauge. I monitor it for a little bit, and as it continues to climb I kill the A/C, drop the windows, and blast the heat to try and help it from overheating. At that moment, the temp starts to go down. I repeat this multiple times and I am able to limp it home without going above the ¾ mark on the gauge. Internet research to the rescue, the SRT8 engine is designed to operate between 215-230 degrees, which is between middle and ¾ of the gauge. Also found out the temperature gauge is an actual gauge, and not an idiot light disguised as a gauge (like my past Fords). Even though I panicked, it was nothing to worry about. The car was operating as designed.
[Wrapped the center console with some leftover vinyl, to match the stripes.]
A couple months later, I popped the hood for an oil change and saw a fine spray of coolant all over the right side of the engine. Traced this down to a pinhole leak in the radiator. The color of the coolant suggested that some sort of stop leak had been used in the past to seal this leak. Over the next couple of days, I found it would only spray when the system was under high pressure (like when I was driving pretty aggressively). I would periodically check the system and top it off if needed, and continued to monitor the leak if it got worse.
Pulling into a parking space one day, I shut off the engine. As I open the door, the unmistakable pancake syrup smell of hot coolant hits me. I look underneath and see Pam puking coolant all over the parking lot. Once the river of coolant stopped, I crawled up under the car. I found the lower radiator hose not attached to the radiator, but it still had the factory hose clamp attached to it. The hose seemed fine, so reattached it to the radiator and refilled the system. Another item to add to the higher operating costs, the SRT8 requires special “red” coolant from Mopar and is only available at the dealership. Everything seemed to be fine after that point. Fast forward about 6 months and it happened again! The hose clamp no longer had enough tension to keep the hose on, so I replaced the hose clamp with a new one and it hasn’t happened again.
The autocrossing took it’s toll on the pinhole radiator leak. That intermittent spray developed into a noticeable leak and I had to replace the radiator. When shopping for a radiator, there are 4 different ones available for the Magnum. Of course the SRT8 is the largest and most expensive, but that was expected. Since the radiator was coming out, I also replaced both hoses and the rest of the clamps for new ones. Purely for aesthetic reasons, I also replaced the old discolored coolant overflow tank for a brand new one.
[The Demon Wagon with white letter tires, courtesy of TredWear.com]
I thought my cooling system woes were over, but a few days after replacing the radiator I noticed a new small leak in the system. I traced it down to the thermostat housing. According to sources on the interwebs, the housing can develop pitting over time and cause this slow leak. I replaced the thermostat housing (and a new thermostat while I was at it) and the leak is gone. So as of now, the entire cooling system except for the water pump and the overflow hoses is all new. I anticipate I’ll have to replace that soon, I’m just waiting for it.
One day arriving at home, as I placed the car in park the oil pressure light came on when the car settled into idle. A little goose of the gas pedal, and the light went off and did not come back on. The next day the same thing occurred again. I monitored the oil pressure via the electronic readout in the dash to compare to normal values. It was definitely low at idle after it was up to normal operating temperature. A pit in my stomach is growing, thinking that I may be in for some major engine repair in the immediate future. Interwebs to the rescue again. Searching forums, I read that it could just be that the oil pressure sender is going bad. I ordered a switch from the dealership and replaced it. Turns out that is all it was, indicated oil pressure has been fine ever since.
At this point, I’ve put over 50K miles on the car in 2.5 years of ownership. I’m up to 152K miles on it. I’m now getting to the point where more maintenance items are needed, which I don’t think are out of the ordinary for a car of this age and mileage. I performed a transmission fluid and filter change a few weeks ago. Just this weekend, I spent some time in the garage replacing the inner and outer tie rod ends as well as the tension struts. The tension struts on the front suspension were starting to clunk, which is a common problem on LX cars. These were replaced to take care of the clunk and a high speed vibration (75-80 mph) that did not go away the last time I had the tires balanced. After a couple of drives, the vibration has not returned.
[Artist commission I had done of my wagons. SilhouetteHistory.com]
My C.O.A.L. journey started off in 1977 when I was just 4 months old, with the arrival of a silver Dodge station wagon into the family. Today, 39 years later and after 16 weeks of C.O.A.L. entries I am now concluding my journey with another silver Dodge station wagon. From Party Wagon to Demon Wagon! Has another C.O.A.L. series had bookends like this? Someone previously commented on my passion and attachment to the Party Wagon, and (up to the point the comment was made) none of the other cars had come close to that. Maxine came close, real close. Pam, she definitely does. I’m not yet to half of the mileage that the Aspen had on it. I’m going to keep on driving my dream car (because it should be driven), and maybe in 20 years I’ll be updating everyone when this wagon passes 360K miles. Thank you to everyone for riding along with me and allowing me to share my stories with you.
Nice car! I had an RT…things I learned…
Plugs are iridium. The interval is 100k, no need to change sooner.
Many part stores now sell Chrysler red coolant.
Oil can easily go 7500 miles. (I did, with regular 5w20.)
I haven’t yet found it at the parts store, but I’ll keep watch for it.
Nice car. I’m no fan of the sedan’s styling but have always thought the wagon was a good looking car. Was always a bit surprised they didn’t sell better.
My love affair with a wagon started on Feb 5th, 1974. That next summer, I was driving it more than the car I was saving from the salt (still have that one too). For the next 8 years, I and it were inseparable.
As the years progressed, engine, transmission and rear axle upgrades as well as a frame off restoration happened. That wagon became my Florida residence car for 12 years until I decided to bring it back home, complete with the daily driver on a tow dolly behind it.
After a couple of summers of occasional cruising, that wagon now sits in secure storage as it seems life has me busy doing to many other things. Once I retire, it will get another repaint and the car I was saving from the salt will get it’s repaint as well. Then, hopefully, I will enjoy them both once again as I did in my youth.
This has been an enjoyable series.
Your fun customizing these cars is not only interesting from a design perspective, but also impressive from a mechanical point of view.
My reaction to such statements like “…I saved on all the labor costs by doing all of the work myself.” is to say to myself “Gee, if I could do that type of mechanical work, I’d open up a garage”.
The replacement of the SRT8’s discolored overflow tank for aesthetic reasons is the icing on the cake, a mechanic with a sense of purity (and I bet you cleaned the area under the old tank before putting in the new one).
Thank you for these COALs. The sense of pride and joy in your cars is palpable all the way to the USA East coast.
Yup, I did clean out underneath the tank of all the gunk and gross that collects there. I appreciate your comments, I’m glad that you’ve enjoyed the series.
Another thank you for your COALs; you’re a true gear-head if there ever was one. I’ve enjoyed your choices and your willingness to modify them… both mechanically and aesthetically…. while being thoughtful and tasteful in your choices. I’m a little jealous of your bravery in throwing the dice on some of the cars you chose.
As for the SRT, and reliability, well- perhaps my perspective is a bit warped by owning a string of old Alfa Romeos but I think it’s done very well for a limited production, high performance car going from 100K to 150K.
Thanks for sharing your journey with us!!
I don’t know what it was, but something told me we would end up with a Dodge Magnum SRT8 when you started this series. Actually I was looking forward to it. But you made the wait really easy with all the other cars.
What a looker Pam is! I liked the Magnum from the first time I saw one. Your subtle enhancements make it really special. I guess the designers at Chrysler Corporation had that kind of appearance in mind and then the bean counters mess it up for them.
The Magnum was on my short list when I looked for a wagon when I really wanted to get a sedan. It would have been for practical reasons. A dog needs a way-back compartment in my mind. But a beautiful design wouldn’t hurt. It would have been easy enough to get the base version, but who wants this 2.7L engine? The larger 6 was already out of my budget.
Thank you so much for this series. 16 COAL articles is a major achievement in itself! I am glad you plan on pampering Pam for the long haul. Consider giving us an update now and then.
Yeah, I’m sure that the username gave it away. 😉 I’m glad that you’ve enjoyed the series.
When it comes to all of my cars, I try not to go “over the top” with the customizations. But I always like to customize my cars, to make them uniquely my own. I’ve been pestering James to do some touches to the Benz, but he won’t let me. Maybe some day he’ll relent and I’ll be able to throw at least some new rims on it.
My SRT8 has only 20,000 on it and the only mod is a set of Magna flow mufflers done by the original owner.
I have a horrible vibration throughout the whole car between 1400 and 1500 rpm from this exhaust. My wife and I love this car but can’t hold a conversation pulling away from a stop. The Vibration goes away after 1500rpm. Any suggestions? I live in a mobile home park and and would like to quiet the car down without loosing power. I shake the houses going by them and set off car alarms like my Harley. I want to be a good neighbor. I role my Dyna to the street when I leave for work, but I’m not pushing the Magnum. My wife named her “Maggy”. Thx for the Write up. My wife actually found it.
Wow. BigTime Magnumhead! These cars definitely have character.
My Dad had his own dream Magnum. It wasn’t an SRT8, but then, he was almost 80 years old when he got it, fulfilling a 50-year old dream of owning a Hemi!
I have been putting together a personal book for the family with short takes on many of the 90+ cars Dad had stewardship over during 70 years behind the wheel. It’s becoming an emotionally satisfying way to work through our loss of him on Thanksgiving, at age 91. His legacy is in my bones.
I would love to see the book you’ve put together. That sounds amazing.
Brian – a tremendous series! I’m in tremendous admiration of your passion for your cars, as well as the small and large flourishes you add to make them yours. I especially love the side view picture (NM2?)….you have a great artistry in your photography. I just started the hobby and am really enjoying it….
I’ve always been curious as to why Chrysler didn’t offer the 300 wagon version here in the States…
Again, great series and thanks for all your posts….
It wouldn’t have sold enough to make it worth bothering.
They did offer the 300 in the wagon body style in Europe and Australia. The front end is a direct swap over, and it is a common customization in the LX community. I’ve contemplated it, and am torn on having a 300 SRT8 wagon vs. the Magnum. You see so few Magnums on the road, I like the look of it.
I saw a 300C SRT8 wagon roughly 6-8 weeks ago, however was not quick enough to get a shot of it so here is one for sale over here.
I knew a guy who had a 300C SRT8 sedan when they came out, trading from a 2002-03 (Ford) FPV GT-P which ran the 390 hp 5.4 DOHC. He ran it at an informal club drag day for a mid-low 13 from memory, but otherwise said it didn’t like corners very much compared to the Ford. The other thing I remember is that he scored a set of the forged 20″ wheels from someone putting on aftermarket wheels for something like $400!
Great story as always, it is interesting to see the evolution of your cars.
Wow!!! That thing looks great in that dark blue color. That color wasn’t available on the SRT8 Magnums, and I’m not sure I’ve seen it on the 300C SRT8 either (but I could be mistaken). When I see stock 300 SRT8 wagons like this, that’s when I get the itch to do the front end conversion. Almost every single one of the ones that I’ve seen in the states are too customized for my taste. The attached image is the first one that I ever saw of the 300C SRT8 wagon, and every time I see it I think about the conversion. Maybe someday….. maybe.
Thanks for the COAL series, this has certainly been one interesting series to follow. The range of cars you’ve owned is nothing short of varied, and it’s been really cool to follow what led you to those cars.
As a fellow fan of Archer, I must say the Magnum certainly is like Pam. Despite the outward appearances, it will kick your ass without a second thought if you get on it’s bad side.
EXACTLY why I named her Pam! Glad to know that someone knows the reference.
Thanks, Brian, for another excellent COAL series. Your automotive enthusiasm is contagious, and you’ve expanded my appreciation for your choices and customizing. And your outstanding photography has been on another whole level for CC!
BTW, I had no idea that the hatch on these Magums cut so deeply into the roof. It’s almost a Lark Wagonaire reincarnated, except of course for not being able to drive with the roof section open.
Thank you Paul for allowing me the opportunity to share my stories with the community. It has been a pleasure. I’m glad that everyone has enjoyed the stories and the photography that I’ve presented here. If anyone is in San Diego, I’ll gladly shoot your Curbside Classic. 🙂
In retrospect, its pretty easy to see why the Magnum failed. That being said, these cars are already classics and I’m glad at least one of the remaining examples has a such a passionate owner. Thank you for the great stories sir.
“In retrospect, its pretty easy to see why the Magnum failed.”
I disagree. IMHO, the fact that the Charger was the breakaway sales star at the expense of the Magnum is what Ive found baffling. The use of the Charger name on a 4 door caused a LOT of backlash. Especially since as a sedan, the 300 looks the part more and its more traditional roofline makes it a better choice. The Magnum offers everything the LX sedans do, but with that little extra utility out back. Its more of a 5 door hatch than a wagon, but there is a very real and useful advantage vs the traditional trunk and fixed rear window.
What it proved to me is the promise and “need” for utility pertaining to hatches/wagons/shooting brakes is mostly hot air from enthusiasts and masses alike. Practicality is as fad driven as performance, many people buy minivans, wagons CUVs to convey the image to their peers ” I’m a responsible adult now, accept me!!!” The Magnum fell into a weird corner with a muscle car performance bend to it, and performance wagons just never quite gelled with the masses trying to convey a level of responsibility, at least in the US. The Charger succeeded simply because sport sedan was an established and successful catagory, even if it was blasphemous to the name(as if a Cordoba clone and Fury and Omni 024 rebadges weren’t), and at least with the 2011 restyle the double diamond shape and throwback details like the awesome LED taillights appeared to make it more worthy. The original 06-10 was quite the comedown from the Magnum
Interesting take on it, and I definitely think youre onto something. I guess for me, I don’t ‘get’ people who buy something to impress others. Its one thing to like a vehicle because you think its ‘cool’. Its another to let the masses define that for you. If there’s any reason to have a car like this based on the reaction from other people, I guess there would be a sense of satisfaction watching the sideways looks when you tell your co-workers, friends, family you bought a ‘station wagon’….and then the slack jaws when they actually see and hear this beast.
The appeal of the Magnum for me is it scratches the muscle car itch, and checks all the boxes if what you want is a beefy, loud, fast car that turns heads. The fact that you don’t have to sacrifice everyday practicality makes it that much sweeter of a ride. Its definitely not for everyone, least of all the timid or introverted which is exactly why it speaks to me. I hope to score one someday.
I get that, but for many people everyday practicality = shuttle me myself and I from A to B. I doubt there’s more than a handful of Magnum owners would truly have found themselves in a practicality bind had their Magnum wagon been a Charger sedan. The likely bigger problem for them in that odd scenario would be driving the less interesting car to them the rest of the time. I mean I may need to move my furniture in the future, but I’m not trading my beloved Cougar in for a utility van just to make that one day easier.
Ultimately the Magnum perfectly captured that appeal you describe, it just was a small market. It’s sad we base a model’s success on whether or not it skyrockets a brand to #1 by forcing buyers to compromise their tastes and dreams, rather than check off all the right boxes to a marginal number of customers. Dodge’s current LX based muscle car brand image owes a lot of it’s PR to the Magnum, anybody enthusiastically buying a new Charger or Challenger today is probably acutely aware of the Magnum, even if the wagon aspect was a turn off, because it clearly announced to the world(well, nation) Dodge is an enthusiast company again, and look at how serious they are! Every Magnum on the road is a rolling Dodge commercial, and in that sense it did it’s job well.
When people hear that I have a station wagon, I do get a lot of blank stares and puzzled looks. Why is often a question I hear. But when they actually see it and hear it, it’s a whole ‘nother story.
“The appeal of the Magnum for me is it scratches the muscle car itch, and checks all the boxes if what you want is a beefy, loud, fast car that turns heads. The fact that you don’t have to sacrifice everyday practicality makes it that much sweeter of a ride. Its definitely not for everyone, least of all the timid or introverted which is exactly why it speaks to me. I hope to score one someday.”
This is exactly why I love the Magnum. It hits on everything that I want.
I’m intrigued by the white letter tires, I may have to look into that myself for the ‘ol Cougar. I love your taste, not only in cars and your mods to them but in TV too!
Way to think it through Dodge!
Quite an enjoyable series for both the writing and photography. Your love and enthusiasm for your cars comes through and makes for a great read. I’m also impressed with how well the Magnum seems to be holding up – so many lesser cars would have been traded off long ago, but the Magnum just keeps coming back for more. I’ve driven all of the LX models as rentals over the years (no Hemis, unfortunately) and they’re always great cars to drive. I’m looking forward to updates on it, and all the other cars you’ll be driving.
Sweet ride, Brian! I love these things myself…the Magnum is right there with the Challenger as the coolest of the LXs. Seems you have good taste in cars…this and the Nitro are grossly underrated vehicles IMHO. And thank you for not jumping on the ‘LX’s are heavy and don’t handle’ train. Ive driven every bodystyle of these cars, and just about everything short of the SRT variants. Yes they’re ‘heavier’ than some other modern RWD layouts and they aren’t as focused as dedicated sportscars. But the penalty is minimal in the grand scheme of things and in the end its a well rounded platform that will give an enthusiast all the thrills they can handle but also work as an everyday car. It seems like yours is right on par with the reliability for these cars, especially at 100K+ miles. You have to maintain them and things do wear out. But the bones are solid, and these things are built like tanks.
So about the TredWear letters…how long have you had them and how do they hold up? I’m right there with you on RWLs…its baffling that theyre harder to find. But Ive heard some of these kits are less durable than others.
Yes, the platform is heavy but it drives very well. Yes, it’s not a Mustang and it’s not a Camaro…. so those cars will drive “better” than the LX cars. But having a Mustang, I know the compromises that are there to have a great handling car in the eyes of everyone else. This car does both well, handling and highway bombing. It’s the best all around car, IMHO.
As for the letters, I’ve had them for about 9 months. They hold up pretty well, you just have to be careful with curbs. I’ve curbed the tires a couple of times, and it’s pulled up the edges of a few of the letters. I’ve had to then go through the cleaning process underneath the letters and reglue the corners down.
They do get a little dirty, and so every time I wash the car I also wash the letters/tires with a heavy degreaser (purple power, full strength). This brings them back to their full brightness. I’m about to get new tires, and I’ll be getting a new set for the new tires as well.
I looooooooooove these Magnums. When I went looking for what became my Matrix XRS, I drove a Magnum with the 3.5L six and even *that* was a giant hoot. Tons of scoot, hand-of-God braking, cavernous wayback. One of the reasons I didn’t buy it was because my sons hated it. They were smaller then, and they could barely see out of the back seats because the sill is so high. The other reason I didn’t buy it is that the Matrix XRS cost less, enough less that I paid cash. The Magnum would have required a loan. While the XRS has been fine, I will always wonder “what if” on that Magnum.
p.s. The Demon badging is perfect on your Magnum. Dodge shoulda had a trim level with that badging.
^+1^
Yes, the Demon motif does fit with it very well.
Very cool and quite surprising that you got the one that sparked your interest. I’d call it a sign that it was meant to be.
I think I was the person who commented on your obvious affection for the Party Wagon. Nice the way you’ve come full circle!
Like RLPlaut, you’ve owned a number of Mopars. It would be interesting to go through all the COALs and imagine what the modern counterpart of each contributor’s first car (or in Wolfgang’s case, motorcycle) would be.
I had a similar experience with my first car, a Saab 95 V4, in that I saw it a few months before buying it. I was in college in St. Louis and had taken a taxi to the airport to fly home for Christmas. As the taxi pulled up, I saw some people getting into or out of a red 95 V4. I was planning to get a car in the near future, and I’d more or less settled on a Saab. This one also stood out a bit (at least to me) because it had Connecticut plates.
A few months later I saw the car advertised on a bulletin board at the college. Turned out it belonged to a graduate student and his wife, who had a new baby and a hospital bill, so I got it at a good price. I mentioned having seen it at the airport, and the husband said they were picking up his MIL.
I assume you went for the black-background plates because they go with the color of the car better than the other options? Did the DMV question you about whether DMN was short for “damn”? Here in Seattle, people with Y55MPH and MENOPOZ plates have gotten complaints from the great unwashed, but I don’t know if the plates were taken away.
As far as keeping the Demon Wagon as long as the Party Wagon, I’d be concerned about long-term parts availability on such a limited-production car. You can machine or 3D print a mechanical part, but you can’t make a new computer module at home. But I’m sure you went into this with your eyes open, and it shouldn’t be an issue this week, or this decade.
This is moot, since she’s married, but I have to ask: was Kim attractive? 🙂
The computers are not a problem, there have been companies repairing them since they became common place. I highly doubt that will go away any time soon. Sure there are some models that are popular enough that they will have some units in stock and ready to ship but for most models they offer an R&R service. Of course that is making a leap that it will actually need replacement or repair. There are still a fair number of 80’s vehicles out there still running on their original computers. So it isn’t a big leap to think that it is likely that it could last 40-50 years.
In CA, when you fill out the custom plate form, you have to describe what the meaning of the plate was. Demon Wagon went through without issues. Although a lot of people read it as Damn Wagon… so I’m thinking of geting a different set of plates so that it’s more clear that it is Demon Wagon. I chose the black and yellow plates because of the retro touch.
Even though the Magnum was only produced for 3.5 years, parts availability shouldn’t be a problem. Everything mechanical was built from 2005-2010 via the 300, Charger, and Challenger. Since there were so many of them sold, mechanical parts will be easy to come by.
The only parts that may be harder to come by are the Magnum specific parts, such as the front and rear body panels (doors interchange with the 300). But even then, the Magnum sold in pretty decent numbers that they shouldn’t be hard to find. The only parts that I am worried about are the Magnum SRT8 specific parts, which comes down to the front and rear bumpers. There were under 4000 built, so those might prove to be problematic to find.
And yes, Kim was a very attractive woman. 😉
I was going to say that those unique bumper covers will probably be the most difficult to find item. While they won’t wear out it wouldn’t hurt to keep an eye out and pick up extras just in case someone rear ends you ect.
Great article! I love the exterior detail work you did.
Brian, you showed us that cool cars are not just from the eras of the past.
A cool car can be modern. It is what the driver makes of it.
And you sir, are one really cool dude!!
Thanks. I believe that there are cool cars from all generations and all genres of cars. I just go for what appeals to me, and modify it to suit my particular tastes.
That’s one good looking power-wagon, with just enough extras. That wagon model was sold as the Chrysler 300C Touring here. Quite popular was the 3.0 CRD, which happens to have the same Mercedes-Benz OM642 3.0 V6 diesel as your E350 Bluetec. Back then 218 hp / 376 ft-lbs in the Chrysler.
I know. I would love to have a 300 Touring with that diesel engine in it. It would just be perfect. By the time the 25 year import ban expires and I ‘could’ import one, I’m not sure that there will be any worth importing.
I’ve also seen a few images of the inverse. The 300 with the Magnum front end on it. As an SRT8 sedan, this looks really awesome looking, very aggressive. Much better looking than a Charger sedan IMHO.
That sedan is certainly looking really good !
I’ve always been a fan of powerful E-segment (like the 300C and MB E-Class) sedans and wagons, both gasoline and diesel. I like them much more than any (super) sports car.
Super sedans and wagons in the D-segment (Audi A4, MB C-Class) often look a bit too “bulldog-ish”, if you know what I mean. To my taste they’re just a bit too short for the extra body-power-parts and rims. The whole package just looks better on the longer model.
A few guys on LX Forums have put Charger fronts on Magnums…but that is a BIG job, requiring custom metalwork.
About the only thing that would tempt me away from Pam at this point is a MB E63 wagon. And you are right, the E-segment cars do look better in their more powerful trims compared to the C/D-segment cars. You are right, they are a bit more bulldogish.
I’ve seen the “Chargums”…. they do require custom fenders. It is an interesting look, but not for me.
Late commenting, but I wanted to commend you on a very cool wagon and a very entertaining COAL series. You’ve owned quite a variety of vehicles and the custom touches you’ve applied to almost all of them are the icing on the cake–you’ve made each one your own, in ways that make the cars stand out from the crowd without screaming “LOOK AT ME” at any point . Well done indeed!
I own a magnum myself ,All I can say is my next car is a magnum aging, and aging .I love them even more that there rear .Magnumsrt8 Brian is there a social media we can follow you on ??would love to keep up to date with this wagon.
You can follow me on Instagram: MichaelBrianStudios. I’ve actually done a lot of work to the car in the last several months. The dark gray stripes have been swapped out for a set of dual white stripes, front to rear. Had to get a new set of tires, but also added white letters to those.
Not sure how I missed this piece when it first ran. What a great car, and great conclusion to a series I enjoyed a lot.
Paddy
August 23, 2017
My SRT8 has only 20,000 on it and the only mod is a set of Magna flow mufflers done by the original owner.
I have a horrible vibration throughout the whole car between 1400 and 1500 rpm from this exhaust. My wife and I love this car but can’t hold a conversation pulling away from a stop. The Vibration goes away after 1500rpm. Any suggestions? I live in a mobile home park and and would like to quiet the car down without loosing power. I shake the houses going by them and set off car alarms like my Harley. I want to be a good nei ghbor. I role my Dyna to the street when I leave for work, but I’m not pushing the Magnum. My wife named her “Maggy”. Thx for the Write up. My wife actually found it.
I hope you still have yours. Mine is a 2006 in silver as well. I found you by looking at photos online. I am looking to possibly put stripes on mine after all these years. My wife loved my car so much when I bought mine new in 06 that she talked me into getting her an 06 Charger RT when her car was totaled in late 06. This June she handed the Charger off to my son and we got a 2015 Mini Cooper. They are as fun as poeple say. So she has a new toy, what about me? I started looking just to change the looks of my car. I will never get rid of this work of automotive work art and power on wheels. I ran across you photo portfolio online. I see you love yours with the same enthusiasm as I have for mine. I enjoyed reading your story. I think I may do something close to your earlier look with the dark cowl patches on the hood and trunk, but may add the old Cuda style hockey stripes. At the end turn down of the strip I’m thinking of putting “SRT8” instead of “HEMI” I’ll have to Photoshop it first to see if I like it. Take care hope you still have Pam.
I just gave this piece a read, as you had linked to it from your post of today (2020). Excellent writeup on the history of how you procured this car. Very nice photography. I like it what people find great backgrounds for their car shots, something which is not easy. Well done. Great that you found your dream car and are still enjoying it to this day. Very enjoyable series.