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The Art of Mopar
“There’s an adage in Detroit,” writes Tom Glatch on page 44 in The Art of Mopar. “You can sell an old man a young man’s car, but you can never sell a young man an old man’s car.”
Glatch describes how, in 1966, Dodge was an aging marquee, quickly sinking in a sea of youthful baby boomers—although a vibrant spokeswoman, a brilliant designer, and a powerhouse car would later turn the tide. Many enthusiasts will know the latter; Mopar muscle aficionados will likely know all three. And that Detroit adage has yet to leave town.
In This Corner
Page 171 documents the words of Car and Driver in 1970 that proposed Chrysler never did anything first (unless we are counting minivans, but that’s a conversation for another day). However, Glatch insists Car and Driver missed both the Dodge Charger and Plymouth Road Runner, who Ford and General Motors seemed to overlook as well; neither the blue oval nor the bowtie breathed an answer to these Mopar machines.
However, the honorable automotive publication did get one thing right about Chrysler in their 1970 assessment: “It tries to make up for being late by jumping into said spot harder than anybody else.”
Fly Like An Eagle (Or Bee)
Detailed sidebars decorate the pages of Art of Mopar, highlighting the features, options, pricing, and performance specs of Chrysler’s muscle cars at the time. Interesting stories are shared along the way, like how a carving on a kitchen table inspired the most famous Mopar logo ever.
Featured cars in the book include the 1965 Plymouth Convertible 426 Wedge, the 1971 Dodge Challenger R/T 440+6, and the 1980 Kenny Bernstein Plymouth Arrow Funny Car.
Indeed, The Art of Mopar is one of our all-time favorites to appear in our Book Garage series. The book reinforces why we love things with four tires, three pedals, two doors, and a big engine. As I write this, our Detroit office is filled with the psychedelic sounds of the Steve Miller Band, a fitting backdrop as The Art of Mopar sits on my desk next to me.
Since 1983, author Tom Glatch has contributed hundreds of stories and photographs to significant Corvette, Mustang, Mopar, and other collector car magazines. Glatch grew up during the muscle car era and later owned a 1970 Plymouth Duster 340. When not pursuing old muscle cars, Glatch is a writer and researcher for Hagerty Marketplace.
Tom Loeser has worked as a firefighter for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (now known as CAL Fire), as a graphic designer and photographer, and as chief photographer for the Long Beach Grand Prix. He is now a full-time book photographer and has worked on various titles from Motorbooks, including The Art of Mopar.
The Art of Mopar
As an Amazon Associate, Automoblog earns from qualifying purchases.
Author Tom Glatch and photographer Tom Loeser provide a detailed history of the Mopar muscle cars that defined a generation.
Featured cars include the 1965 Plymouth Convertible 426 Wedge, the 1971 Dodge Challenger R/T 440+6, and the 1980 Kenny Bernstein Plymouth Arrow Funny Car.
Makes a great gift for any Mopar enthusiast.
Where to Get The Art of Mopar
The Art of Mopar: Chrysler, Dodge, and Plymouth Muscle Cars is available through Amazon. As an Amazon Associate, Automoblog earns from qualifying purchases. Commissions from Amazon come to us at no additional cost to you when making a purchase through that link.
If you are hungry for more great car books, we have showcased dozens of titles as part of our Book Garage series.
Carl Anthony is the Managing Editor of Automoblog and the host of AutoVision News Radio and AutoSens Insights. As a respected automotive industry thought leader, Carl has appeared on numerous podcasts and radio shows, including Wrench Nation, Cars Yeah, The Car Doctor, and Digital PR Explained, in addition to appearing as a regular contributor on MotorMouth Radio on WHPC 90.3 FM. His work can also be seen and heard 24/7 on the Automoblog YouTube channel.
The Art of Mopar Gallery
