Difference between revisions of "Main Page"

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| <center>'''Welcome to MoparWiki'''</center>
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| '''Welcome to the MoparWiki'''
 
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== Build it and they will come ==
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[[Image:Moparwikiexp.jpg|thumb|350px|left|border|Example of a MoparWiki]]
:The MoparWiki is a brand new concept of having everyone in the Mopar community [[collaborate]] with building the biggest and best database of Mopar Knowledge ever assembled.  
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;Our Mission
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:The MoparWiki has the goal of ultimately being the single best source for All Things [[Mopar]]. [[Makes]], [[models]], people, [[platforms]], components, [[racing]] -- anything Mopar. This is to be accomplished by the [[collaboration]] with anyone wishing to improve a MoparWiki with facts or editing for style.  
  
:The goal is [[Internet]] [[Search Engines]] to send to the MoparWiki those needing specific information on:
 
:* Mopar History
 
:* Mopar Makes
 
:* Mopar Models
 
:* Famous Mopar Cars
 
:* Mopar People – Factory, Dealers, Racers, Designers…
 
:* Mopar Vendors
 
:* Mopar Magazines
 
:* Mopar Clubs and Forums
 
:* Mopar engines, transmissions, and other drive-train
 
:* Mopar Innovations, and anything else Mopar
 
:* [[Terminology]] used throughout MoparWiki
 
  
:New concepts, like the MoparWiki, generally take a little time to gather steam for active [[collaboration]] – but the MoparWiki is well on its way. Hundreds of Wikis have been created, and more and more people jump in and help each month. Some add facts like [[production numbers]], others add or improve the story, and yet others dress up spelling or grammatical errors.
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;About MoparWiki
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:The engine that runs the MoparWiki is the same engine used for the very popular Wikipedia. It allows for anyone to start an appropriate article, and for others to collaborate on the improvement of it. We try to follow a uniform format for consistency. You can get to a MoparWiki of a specific topic by typing the topic in the search box to the left -- or clicking on a link in another MoparWiki. There are links for a random page, recently updated, or help. Please take a few moments to read further -- and to browse around. We hope you will assist us with collaborating on existing MoparWikis, from adding appropriate facts (and your reference source) or cleaning up the text and styling.
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|-
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| '''Well Seasoned MoparWikis'''
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|}
  
:'''Build it and they will come. As the MoparWiki grows with the help of a small group of people that have taken the lead, those sitting on the sidelines are now at least promising to jump in and help. We are looking for a group of leaders willing to roll up their sleeves and set an example for the followers, to encourage them to help on this large community project. If you have leadership qualities and would like to be on the ground floor with participating in a project like this – then please jump in'''.  
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:[[Plymouth]]
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:[[Dodge]]
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:[[Lil Red Express]]
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:[[Magnum]]
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:[[Volare]]
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:[[Walter P. Chrysler]]
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:[[Richard Petty]]
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:[[Charger]]
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:[[Challenger]]
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:[[Don Garlits]]
  
:The MoparWiki is not a project of just one Mopar club – but of the entire Mopar community. That said, [[MoparStyle]] registered users who are currently logged in can contribute some of their knowledge on a [[Wiki]] topic. MoparStyle is able to provide a registration database, which gives the [[Administrator]] the ability to control [[spam]] and [[vandalism]]. If you would like to help contribute information to the MoparWiki – please register at www.MoparStyle.com. Besides the MoparWiki, MoparStyle [[registration]] allows posing in the [[MoparStyle Free Classified Ads]], [[MoparStyle Member's Garage]], and [[forums]] -- but you are not obligated to participate (or even visit) in those areas if you do not wish to.
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|-
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| '''MoparWikis Well on the Way'''
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|}
  
:Please help the Mopar Community with sharing Mopar information that you might have. Don't worry about writing the entire Wiki -- just collaborate on what information you do have. For instance, if you have facts on production numbers or technical specs -- go ahead and add them and leave the pretty words to the [[Wordsmith]]s.
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:[[Javelin]]
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:[[Mirada]]
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:[[GTX]]
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:[[Diplomat]]
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:[[Belvedere]]
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:[[Dick Landy]]
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:[[Valiant VIP]]
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:[[Polara]]
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:[[Nostalgia Super Stock]]
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:[[Aspen]]
  
== IMPORTANT ==
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| style="width:33%;background:#EBF8FF; border:1px solid #004E7C; color:black;align:center;vertical-align:top" |
:To keep the [[credibility]] of the MoparWiki high, please cite the [[Internet]] site, book or magazine you posted your information from as a reference. Don’t post facts solely from your memory – back it up with a [[reference citation]].
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|-
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| '''MoparWikis Needing Serious Help'''
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|}
  
:'''Finally''', while this may initially look to be overly complicated for the general Internet User, it is not. You do not need to have a lick of [[programming]] experience to learn the very simple formatting used to created a [[standardized]] look to a Wiki. The Help link in the left side-bar offers real Help that most anyone can understand. The best place to start is your own [[User Page]] -- (see the link on the left edge of the top NavBar) -- where you can practice by creating your own personal Wiki Page. While there might be an initial 15 minutes of frustration learning -- once learned you will find that it is very simple to use and remember.
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:[[‎Demon]]
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:[[Durango]]
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:[[Warlock]]
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:[[Honcho]]
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:[[Rampage]]
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:[[Matador]]
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:[[Omni]]
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:[[‎Lancer]]
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:[[Cordoba]]
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:[[B body]]
  
== Navigating MoparWiki ==
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|}
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|-
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| '''Featured MoparWiki 1'''
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;Virgil Exner
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:<center>[[Image:Ex1.jpg|thumb|200px|The X-Man]]</center>
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To the most of us [[MoparStyle]] kind of guys, Virgil Exner is most famous for his “[[Forward Look]]” years at the [[Chrysler Corporation]]. I like to refer to him as the “Father of Fins”. However, his auto design career started long before his years at Chrysler – and continued after he left Chrysler.
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My research finds that the Ex was born September 24, 1909 in Ann Arbor Michigan, and adopted almost immediately by George and Iva Exner. At an early age, Virgil started to show an interest in athletics and art. When looking at photos of him at any age, you will see that he had a good athletic built – and was very dapper. Exner also showed an interest in cars at a young age, and collected car catalogs. As a teenager, Exner insisted on his friends calling him Ex – as he felt the name Virgil to be too feminine. He attended Notre Dame University for art training but had to drop out in 1928 for financial reasons. He stayed in Southbend, IN (home of Notre Dame and Studebaker) and took a job drawing advertisements for Studebaker.  A friend suggested he contact Harley Earl at General Motors, and show him his work. When Harley Earl saw Exner’s work, he hired him to work in the Pontiac design studio.
  
:You can simply enter a topic into the search box and click to '''GO''' right to the Wiki of that name, or '''SEARCH''' (preferred) for Wikis with that search phrase in it. If you click '''GO''' and the page doesn't exist, you will have the opportunity to create. Please do a search to see if the Wiki on the subject you are looking for actually exists before creating a Wiki, as it might be more appropriate to redirect the Keyword to an existing Wiki rather than duplicate the information on another Wiki.
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<center>[[Image:Ex2.jpg|thumb|300|Ex with wife and Son]]</center>
  
== Quick Links ==
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In 1938, the Raymond Loewy industrial design firm hired Exner away from Pontiac. Ex would work on Studebakers for the next eleven years. Most feel that he was most responsible for designing the 1947 Starlight coupe, despite Raymond Loewy grabbing all of the credit for the design. The 1947 Studebakers were the first Post-WWII American cars introduced to the public. Studebaker’s slogan in 1947 was “First by far with a post-war car”. He was also instrumental in the design of the famous “bullet-Nosed” Studebakers – but did not receive proper credit for that either. I have read much on Raymond Loewy . He and his firm is credited with the late forties and early fifties Studebakers, the 1963 Studebaker Avante, the design of the current Coke Bottle, streamlined trains, streamlined toasters, and the modern look of many items we take for granted today. However, the more I read about Raymond Loewy , the more I find that his talent was hiring the best designers, managing the projects they worked – but taking all credit for their work. Since his company employed the designers, he felt that there was no reason to give credit to others. Many famous designers who worked for Raymond Loewy left for this reason. It is said that Ex and Lowery despised each other.
:
 
  
* [http://www.moparstyle.com/wiki/index.php?title=Special:Categories Categories]
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In 1949, Exner joined Chrysler as head of the [[Advance Styling Group]], where he helped to create “[[idea cars]]” like the [[DeSoto]] [[Adventurer]], Dodge [[Firearrow]], [[K-310]], Chrysler [[d’Elegance]], [[Plymouth]] [[XNR]], and a few others. After World War II, the Chrysler Corporation cars were the stodgiest looking of all American cars. Chrysler’s president, [[K. T. Keller]], insisted that a car’s roofline should be high enough for a man to wear his hat while driving. While the other car companies were making their cars lower and sleeker – Chrysler cars were tall and boxy, costing Chrysler market-share. Directors at Chrysler soon realized that something had to change, and Exner became Chrysler’s first vice-president of styling.
* [http://www.moparstyle.com/wiki/index.php?title=Special:Random Random Wiki]
 
* [http://www.moparstyle.com/wiki/index.php?title=Special:LongPages Long Wikis]
 
* [http://www.moparstyle.com/wiki/index.php?title=Special:ShortPages Short Wikis]
 
* [http://www.moparstyle.com/wiki/index.php?title=Special:AllPages All Wikis]
 
* [http://www.moparstyle.com/wiki/index.php?title=Special:WantedPages Wikis Wanted]
 
* [http://www.moparstyle.com/wiki/index.php?title=Special:PopularPages Popular Wikis]
 
* [http://www.moparstyle.com/wiki/index.php?title=Special:AncientPages Oldest Wikis]
 
* [http://www.moparstyle.com/wiki/index.php?title=Special:LonelyPages Wikis Not Linked To]
 
* [http://www.moparstyle.com/wiki/index.php?title=Special:NewPages Newest Wikis]
 
* [http://www.moparstyle.com/wiki/index.php?title=Special:RecentChanges Recent Changes]
 
* [http://www.moparstyle.com/wiki/index.php?title=Special:Statistics MoparWiki Statistics]
 
* [http://www.moparstyle.com/wiki/index.php?title=Special:MostLinked Wikis Most Linked To]
 
  
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Immediately, Exner designed the [[production models]] to be lower, sleek, and tiny fins started to sprout. He referred to this as the 'Forward Look". Ex’s designs combined with Chrysler’s technology ([[Hemi]] engines, first [[alternator]], first [[power steering]], [[shifter]] on the [[dashboard]] – and then later pushbuttons, etc) increased Chrysler Corporation’s market share. Years ago, I read a Studebaker book were it told of how envious Raymond Loewy was with Exner’s success. Legend has it that Loewy made a 1/12 scale clay mock up of a car with gigantic fins. He then sent this mockery to Exner with an insulting note about the design of his cars.
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[[Image:Moparwikiexp.jpg|border|Example of a MoparWiki]]
 
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|-
 
| <center>'''Featured Wiki'''</center>
 
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;[[Dodge]] (the below is a summary of the actual Wiki)
 
  
== Introduction ==
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Despite the successes Ex brought Chrysler, Virgil Exner would ultimately become a scapegoat for others at Chrysler’s errors. It started with the cars of 1957, when Chrysler’s rush to manufacturing caused quality issues. The biggest was these cars were rusting fast. Chrysler was due for a major design change for 1962, and the 1961 cars were to be a [[transition car]] – taking the cars from fins to the new style due in 1962. Unfortunately, Virgil Exner had a heart attack in 1956 (when the 1961 cars were being designed) – and the 1961 car did not have enough of his direction. Ex returned to work in 1957 and immediately went to work on the 1962 cars.
  
:Despite all of the ups and downs of the [[Chrysler]] Corporation -- Dodge has always been able to show an excellent mixture of both dependability and performance with both its cars and trucks. This was initially promoted by General "Black Jack" Pershing insisting on only Dodge Touring cars in his pursuits of Poncho Villa on the Mexican border.  
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In the summer of 1959, a Chrysler executive received a tip that Ford and GM were going to downsize their cars dramatically, and executives viewed “[[Spy Photos]]of the downsized cars.  There was panic because they were convinced that customers would buy the smaller cars – and not Chrysler’s cars. The designs for the 1962 Chryslers car had already been set – but the directors immediately gave Exner the directive to shorten the wheelbase by three inches and to make it eight inches narrower. Virgil Exner told the directors that doing that to his designs would make the car look like Hell – but it fell of deaf ears.
  
:Dodge was the first with an all metal sedan, it set the standard for durability with its WWII [[Power Wagons]], set the standard for racing with its [[Max Wedge]] and [[Hemi]] engines, set the standard for Muscle cars with the [[Charger]], set the standard for aerodynamics with the [[Daytona]], set the standard for performance with the [[Viper]], and set the standard for "Cross Over" vehicles with the [[Magnum]]. While its future with an Un-Holy Trinity of Fiat, the US Government, and the Unions running it being uncertain -- its past as a Make that merged Durability and performance cannot be denied.
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When the 1962 models of Ford and GM roll out, Chrysler found out that they had been a victim of a hoax by Chevrolet. The car buying public agreed with Exner that just lopping inches off the car would make it ugly – and would not buy them. Chrysler needed a scapegoat, so they fired Ex.
  
== Dodge Brothers ==
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[[Virgil Exner | More]]
  
[[Image:John-Horce-Dodge.jpg|thumb|John & Horace Dodge]]
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|-
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| '''Featured MoparWiki 2'''
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;Jeep
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:[[Image:WWII COTP Jeep2.jpg|thumb|300px|WWII Jeeps]]
  
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'''History'''
  
:[[John Dodge]] and [[Horace Dodge]] were inseparable as children and adults. They were in fact so close, they they both died as young men in 1920 -- it said the Horace out of grief from the loss of John.
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World War I started the age of mechanization of the US Army. The Army bought many vehicles from many vendors to move men and materials from location to location. By the middle 1930’s the Army realized the logistical nightmare causing maintenance and supply issues caused by having so many vendors and vehicle types. The desire to standardize on a smaller group of vehicles led to the search for smaller, faster easier to maintain vehicle.
  
:Originally they built bicycles, but in 1900 they formed [[Dodge Brothers]] to supply engine and chassis components for Detroit's automakers; with a large contract to produce transmissions for Oldsmobile. John was the Sales/Manager brother, while Horace was the tinkerer/engineer brother.  
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The army tested several vehicle concepts over the years, including a vehicle dubbed the “Belly-Flopper”. The “Belly-Flopper” was designed much like a cross between a kid’s sled and a go-cart. The driver and a passenger lay on their stomachs to drive the vehicle, unseen by the enemy. The specifications for 70 units of a test vehicle were sent out on July 7, 1940, called for:
  
:In 1903, they signed a contract to supply components exclusively to Ford, in exchange for a large share of the company. This arrangement lasted for 10 years -- until 1913 they and Ford had a major disagreement on how Ford's profits were distributed -- causing them to stop supplying Ford and to declare that they would start building cars themselves.
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# A driving front axle with 2-speed transfer case including provisions for disengaging the front axle drive.
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# A body of rectangular design with a folding windshield and 3 bucket seats.
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# Increased engine power (presumably in respect to the Belly-Flopper prototype).  
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# Means for towing.
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# 30-caliber machine gun mount.
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# Blackout lighting.
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# Oil-bath air cleaner.
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# Hydraulic brakes.
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# Full floating axles.
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# Wheelbase of 80".
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# Maximum height of 40".
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# Maximum weight of 1275 lbs.
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# Approach and departure angles of 45 and 40 degrees, respectively.
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# Must reach 50 mph on hard surface.
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# Special bracing for a pintle hook setup.
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# No aluminum to be used for cylinder head.
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# At least 4 cylinders.
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# 8 of the 70 vehicles had to be four-wheel-steer.  
  
:Before the first  Dodge Brothers car was produced, they had sign up over 20,000 dealers because of their reputation for quality. It should be noted that while they had a reputation for quality, were among the richest men in Detroit, and very generous in their charitable foundations -- their crude and aggressive behavior kept them from being accepted by the by Detroit elite.
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Only three companies, of 135 invited to bid, responded to the contest, Ford Motor Company, Willys-Overland (pronounced Willis-Overland), and American Bantam Car Company and of these, the Bantam Car Company was the most aggressive. They had their blueprints of their vehicle into Washington in 5 days. Bantam delivered a prototype by the September 23, 1940 deadline.  With war breaking out in Europe, both Ford and Willys were allowed to submit vehicles for testing. Both of these competitors were also given access to the Bantam plans, explaining the look-alike similarities of the three prototypes. The Army ordered a total of 1500 of each vehicle for further testing and early 1941 saw these vehicles entered into Army inventory. Willys and Ford received the contracts to actually build the vehicles based on Bantam’s designs, as Bantam didn’t have suitable manufacturing facilities. Bantam did get the contract to build the trailers need for the vehicles. Both the Willys and Ford parts were interchangeable.
  
:In late 1914, the first Dodge Brothers car rolled off the assembly line and was an immediate hit with the public. For about the same price as a Ford Model T -- a Dodge Brothers had an electric starter, leather interior, a windshield, near double the horsepower, and a far superior three speed transmission. They went from no where to fourth in US car sales.
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The name Jeep is said to derive from several sources. Some say the name came from the GP (General Purpose) designation, others say it came from the cartoon character “Eugene, the Magical Jeep” from the Popeye cartoons. Eugene had the ability to go anywhere (by magic of course), as did the Willys vehicle.
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The Jeep became the vehicle of choice for the Army and it was said that the little vehicle could move faster than a tank and go places that tanks couldn’t go. The Jeep (both the Willys MB and Ford GPW) proved to be a reliable, well made vehicle, impressing soldiers who both drove and maintained the vehicles. It was said at the time that Jeep won the war.
  
:In January 1920, John died of pneumonia, a complication from the Spanish Flu; and Horace died in December of the same year, also of pneumonia as a complication of the Flu -- but was already dying of Cirrhosis of the liver, rumored to be caused from excess drinking after the loss of his brother. The ownership of Dodge Brothers fell into the hands of their widows, and they chose a long associate of the Dodge brothers, Frederick J. Haynes, to run the company. He signed a contract with Graham Brothers to power and sell their line of trucks.  On April 1, 1925, the banking firm Dillon, Read & Company purchased Dodge Brothers from the Dodge widows for $146 million.
 
  
:Dillon, Read formed a new company on April 8, 1925, Dodge Brothers, Inc., under Maryland laws to assume the assets and liablities of the old company.  The new firm issued non-voting stock and along with a series of bonds sold on the market raised $159 million for Dillon, Read.  Dillon, Read controlled all the voting stock in the firm and Fredrick Haynes remained with the company.
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'''Post War'''
  
:Dodge Brothers acquired complete control of Graham Brothers on May 1, 1926, and the three Graham brothers assumed management roles with Dodge Brothers. The three brothers would depart early in 1927 and acquire Paige-Detroit Motor Company to form Graham-Paige Motors Corporation, a company that would have connections with Chrysler in the 1940's.
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After the War, as soldier were returning home, many wanted a Jeep of their own. [[Willys]], seeing a demand for the Jeep trademarked the name, for its line of vehicles based on the venerable vehicle.  
  
:By 1928, with sales of Dodge Brothers vehicles dropping, Dillon, Read decided to look for a new owner of Dodge Brothers.
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The Jeep [[CJ-2A]] (Civilian Jeep 2A) was introduced in late 1945, and was mechanically identical to the MB that was produced for the Army, but with a few differences, such as chrome trim and larger headlamps. The fuel tank intake was on the left side panel, and the spare tire was moved to the rear tailgate. The rear panel also became a flip down tailgate. The first year saw only 1,824 units made, but the end of production in 1949 produced a total of nearly 137,000 units.  
  
:
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[[Jeep | More]]
: '''Go to the [[Dodge]] wiki for more details and photos on information concerning Dodge.'''
 
 
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|-
 
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| <center>'''Popular Wikis'''</center>
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| '''Collaborate & Edit'''
 
|}
 
|}
;*[[Richard Petty]]
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;Collaborate
;*[[Lil Red Express]]
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:To collaborate is for many people to work together to create a finished product. It is not necessary for any one person to complete and entire MoparWiki on his own, nor is it necessary for a MoparWiki to be completed in one sitting. It works best when people improve the MoparWiki one section of the wiki at a time.
;*[[Dick Landy]]
 
;*[[Magnum]]
 
;*[[Virgil Exner]]
 
;*[[Superbird]]
 
;*[[Walter P. Chrysler]]
 
;*[[Challenger]]
 
;*[[Don Garlits]]
 
;*[[Mirada]]
 
;*[[Billy 'the kid' Stepp]]
 
;*[[Dodge]]
 
;*[[Mr. Norm Krause]]
 
;*[[Plymouth]]
 
  
  
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;Edit
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:Editing for grammar and style is just as important as giving the facts and stating references. People who know nothing of Mopars can still help us out if they have a better command of the English language than many of those who are improving the MoparWikis. If you stumble across a MoparWiki with typos, misspellings, and grammatically incorrect -- please help out with a quick edit to correct.
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| <center>'''Needing Collaboration #1'''</center>
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| '''Navigate'''
 
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* [[Bill "Maverick" Golden]]
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;Subtitle
* [[Judy_Lilly]]
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:
* [[Dodge Brothers]]
 
* [[K.T. Keller]]
 
* [[Lee Petty]]
 
* [[Neil Bonnett]]
 
* [[Ronnie Sox]]
 
* [[Kyle Petty]]
 
* [[Direct Connection]]
 
* [[NASCAR]]
 
* [[Big Willie Robinson]]
 
* [[Sox and Martin]]
 
* [[Tom Hoover]]
 
* [[Mopar Performance]]
 
  
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* [http://www.moparstyle.com/wiki/index.php?title=Special:Categories Categories]
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* [http://www.moparstyle.com/wiki/index.php?title=Special:Random Random Wiki]
|-
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* [http://www.moparstyle.com/wiki/index.php?title=Special:LongPages Long Wikis]
| <center>'''Needing Collaboration #2'''</center>
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* [http://www.moparstyle.com/wiki/index.php?title=Special:ShortPages Short Wikis]
|}
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* [http://www.moparstyle.com/wiki/index.php?title=Special:AllPages All Wikis]
* [[G-Body]]
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* [http://www.moparstyle.com/wiki/index.php?title=Special:WantedPages Wikis Wanted]
* [[Hemi]]
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* [http://www.moparstyle.com/wiki/index.php?title=Special:PopularPages Popular Wikis]
* [[Transaxle]]
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* [http://www.moparstyle.com/wiki/index.php?title=Special:AncientPages Oldest Wikis]
* [[Mechanical fuel injection]]
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* [http://www.moparstyle.com/wiki/index.php?title=Special:LonelyPages Wikis Not Linked To]
* [[Carter AFB]]
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* [http://www.moparstyle.com/wiki/index.php?title=Special:NewPages Newest Wikis]
* [[TorqueFlite]]
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* [http://www.moparstyle.com/wiki/index.php?title=Special:RecentChanges Recent Changes]
* [[LX-Body]]
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* [http://www.moparstyle.com/wiki/index.php?title=Special:Statistics MoparWiki Statistics]
* [[Rear Axle 8.25"]]
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* [http://www.moparstyle.com/wiki/index.php?title=Special:MostLinked Wikis Most Linked To]
* [[C-Body]]
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* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Tutorial/Editing Wikipedia's Tutorial on WIki Editing]
* [[E-Body]]
+
* [http://www.moparstyle.com/forums/ MoparStyle Forums]
* [[8.4-liter V-10]]
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* [http://www.moparstyle.com/wiki/index.php?title=Help:Contents Help]
* [[Funny Car]]
 
* [[Brake Master cylinder]]
 
* [[Mopar Nationals]]
 
  
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{| style="color:white;width:99%;background-color:#036894;font-weight:bold;border:1px solid #8DCEEE;" border="0" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="2" align="center"
|-
 
| <center>'''Needing Collaboration #3'''</center>
 
|}
 
* [[Chrysler]]
 
* [[Desoto]]
 
* [[Imperial]]
 
* [[American Motors Corporation]]
 
* [[Ram 1500/2500/3500]]
 
* [[K-Car]]
 
* [[Viper]]
 
* [[Fury]]
 
* [[Fargo]]
 
* [[Aries]]
 
* [[Savoy]]
 
* [[Drag Pack Dart Hemi]]
 
* [[Sapporo]]
 
* [[Aspen]]
 
|}
 
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|-
 
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{| style="color:white;width:99%;background-color:#036894;font-weight:bold;border:1px solid #000000;" border="0" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="2" align="center"
 
|-
 
| <center>'''MoparWiki Tips'''</center>
 
|}
 
;Follow these simple tips and you will be a Pro in no time
 
# Start with your Member Wiki to practice the simple formatting code. Each member has his own page. A link to yours (assuming you are logged in) is in the top NavBar to the far left. Mine [[User:Old_Hippie]] was the first page I created.
 
# When Editing, use the "Show Preview", to make sure the changes look right before clicking on the "Save Page".
 
# Avoid the Over Use of Bold and Italics
 
# The Help link, found in the left side bar, is very rich in easy to understand information. It can walk you through any editing.
 
# Click edit on a seasoned page to get an idea on how the editing goes -- but click your browser's BACK link or cancel at the bottom of the page.
 
# It is preferable to edit sections over editing the whole page
 
# While Edits can be reversed, there will be Zero Tolerance for vandalized pages -- and those doing so will be [[banned]] from all sites on the [[server]] by Member ID. email address, and IP address.
 
# Photos are uploaded from your computer to the server, and then an Image command displays it in your page. Help tells you all you need to know about Uploads, and Image. Display images as thumbs. Again, see Help for a more detailed explaination, or look at the code on a finished page.
 
# When quoting facts, list your references at the bottom of the page to establish credibility. If you aren't 100% sure and can't give a reference (can be another web site, a book or magazine) then don't type it. Small errors made by a few reflect poorly on the entire site.
 
# If you see a factual error and can cite a reference with the correct information -- make the correction and cite the reference.
 
# Feel free to fix spelling and grammatical errors you come across.
 
# Naming conventions for wiki names are singular, and Upper and lowercase. IE: Chrysler or Ronnie Sox.
 
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{| style="color:white;width:99%;background-color:#036894;font-weight:bold;border:1px solid #000000;" border="0" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="2" align="center"
 
|-
 
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[[Image:Wikipediascreen.jpg|WikiPedia is the Model for MoparWiki]]
 
{| style="color:white;width:99%;background-color:#036894;font-weight:bold;border:1px solid #000000;" border="0" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="2" align="center"
 
 
|-
 
|-
| <center>'''MoparWiki'''</center>
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| '''Newbies'''
 
|}
 
|}
;So what's a Wiki Anyway?
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;Your User Page
:A wiki is a website that uses wiki software, allowing the easy creation and editing of any number of interlinked (often databased) Web pages, using a simplified markup language. Wikis are often used to create collaborative websites and to power community websites. The [[collaborative]] encyclopedia Wikipedia is one of the best-known wikis. Wikis are used in business to provide intranet and knowledge management systems.
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:The best place to get some quick experience with getting comfortable formatting MoparWikis is going to be your User Page. Each registered member has his own User Page. [[User:BK | Example of a User Page]]. If you are logged in, you will see the link to your User Page at the most left link in the NavBar at the top of the page. The link will be your user ID. If you have not registered, you can do so at [http://www.moparstyle.com/forums MoparStyle Forums].
  
:"Wiki" (English pronunciation: /wiːkiː/) is a Hawaiian word for "fast". "Wiki" can be expanded as "What I Know Is," but this is a backronym.
 
  
:The MoparWiki is a Mopar encyclopedia written collaboratively by many of its readers. It is a special type of website, called a wiki, that makes [[collaboration]] easy. Many people are constantly improving MoparWiki, making thousands of changes, all of which are recorded in article histories and recent changes.  
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;The Sandboxes
|}
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:The very best place to collaborate on a MoparWiki is going to be one of the three [[Sandbox | Sandboxes]]. In the sandbox you can perfect your formatting and style without the risk of damage to the [[Live Code]]. [[Copy and Paste]] the code from the actual MoparWiki and modify it to your liking. Once you are sure you have it correct, then Copy and Paste back to the appropriate MoparWiki.
{| style="background:#024B78;color:black;width:100%;" border="0" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="2" align="center"
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| style="width:25%;background:#EBF8FF; border:1px solid #004E7C; color:black;align:center;vertical-align:top" |
|-
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{| style="color:white;width:99%;background-color:#036894;font-weight:bold;border:1px solid #8DCEEE;" border="0" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="2" align="center"
| style="width:100%;background:#EBF8FF; border:1px solid #004E7C; color:black;align:center;vertical-align:top" |
 
{| style="color:white;width:99%;background-color:#036894;font-weight:bold;border:1px solid #000000;" border="0" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="2" align="center"
 
 
|-
 
|-
| <center>'''How You Can Help'''</center>
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| '''SysOp & Editors Needed'''
 
|}
 
|}
;MoparStyle Members
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;SysOp
:MoparStyle Members are authorized to edit the pages. Your same log-in to post in the forums, or post [http://www.moparstyle.com/classifiedads free classified ads], will also allow you to edit the wikis. As a matter of fact, each MoparStyle member has his own user page -- which is the best place for them to start with getting a feel for the mark-up text for formatting.
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:We are looking for a volunteer with Administrator and programmer experience to help out with the the administration of the MoparWiki web site.
  
:If you are not already a [[MoparStyle]] member -- we invite you to go to the [http://www.moparstyle.com/forums forums] and register to post. It is quick, free, and MoparStyle is the best damn Mopar community on the Internet.
 
  
;Research and Editing Needed
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;Editing Supervisors
:Every member of MoparStyle can help somewhere with making the MoparWiki the best Mopar Encyclopedia. Please spend a little time when available to help others looking for answers.
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:We have an immediate need for a expert Wordsmith to spend a couple of hours a week reviewing pages for corrections, reference citations, and reversing any vandalism.
  
;Please Preview Before Saving
 
:It would be a very big help if you would use the Show Preview more often than the Save Page -- and then use the save only after you are done editing and checking with preview. It helps the editors to look at the updates -- and roll back if necessary.
 
  
;Talk Pages
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;Contact BK
:If you challenge the accuracy of the information in a topic -- but can't absolutely back it up with a reference citation -- then use the talk page, so others can find a reference to settle the challenge. Likewise -- if you don't feel comfortable editing the topic itself -- but you feel like you have some valuable information that someone else will find useful when they tackle the topic -- post it in the talk page for the topic.
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:If you are interested in and qualified for any of these positions, contact BK through the forum's Private Messaging.
 
|}
 
|}

Revision as of 00:24, 27 February 2012

Welcome to the MoparWiki
Example of a MoparWiki
Our Mission
The MoparWiki has the goal of ultimately being the single best source for All Things Mopar. Makes, models, people, platforms, components, racing -- anything Mopar. This is to be accomplished by the collaboration with anyone wishing to improve a MoparWiki with facts or editing for style.


About MoparWiki
The engine that runs the MoparWiki is the same engine used for the very popular Wikipedia. It allows for anyone to start an appropriate article, and for others to collaborate on the improvement of it. We try to follow a uniform format for consistency. You can get to a MoparWiki of a specific topic by typing the topic in the search box to the left -- or clicking on a link in another MoparWiki. There are links for a random page, recently updated, or help. Please take a few moments to read further -- and to browse around. We hope you will assist us with collaborating on existing MoparWikis, from adding appropriate facts (and your reference source) or cleaning up the text and styling.


Well Seasoned MoparWikis
Plymouth
Dodge
Lil Red Express
Magnum
Volare
Walter P. Chrysler
Richard Petty
Charger
Challenger
Don Garlits
MoparWikis Well on the Way
Javelin
Mirada
GTX
Diplomat
Belvedere
Dick Landy
Valiant VIP
Polara
Nostalgia Super Stock
Aspen
MoparWikis Needing Serious Help
‎Demon
Durango
Warlock
Honcho
Rampage
Matador
Omni
‎Lancer
Cordoba
B body


Featured MoparWiki 1
Virgil Exner
The X-Man

To the most of us MoparStyle kind of guys, Virgil Exner is most famous for his “Forward Look” years at the Chrysler Corporation. I like to refer to him as the “Father of Fins”. However, his auto design career started long before his years at Chrysler – and continued after he left Chrysler.

My research finds that the Ex was born September 24, 1909 in Ann Arbor Michigan, and adopted almost immediately by George and Iva Exner. At an early age, Virgil started to show an interest in athletics and art. When looking at photos of him at any age, you will see that he had a good athletic built – and was very dapper. Exner also showed an interest in cars at a young age, and collected car catalogs. As a teenager, Exner insisted on his friends calling him Ex – as he felt the name Virgil to be too feminine. He attended Notre Dame University for art training but had to drop out in 1928 for financial reasons. He stayed in Southbend, IN (home of Notre Dame and Studebaker) and took a job drawing advertisements for Studebaker. A friend suggested he contact Harley Earl at General Motors, and show him his work. When Harley Earl saw Exner’s work, he hired him to work in the Pontiac design studio.

Ex with wife and Son

In 1938, the Raymond Loewy industrial design firm hired Exner away from Pontiac. Ex would work on Studebakers for the next eleven years. Most feel that he was most responsible for designing the 1947 Starlight coupe, despite Raymond Loewy grabbing all of the credit for the design. The 1947 Studebakers were the first Post-WWII American cars introduced to the public. Studebaker’s slogan in 1947 was “First by far with a post-war car”. He was also instrumental in the design of the famous “bullet-Nosed” Studebakers – but did not receive proper credit for that either. I have read much on Raymond Loewy . He and his firm is credited with the late forties and early fifties Studebakers, the 1963 Studebaker Avante, the design of the current Coke Bottle, streamlined trains, streamlined toasters, and the modern look of many items we take for granted today. However, the more I read about Raymond Loewy , the more I find that his talent was hiring the best designers, managing the projects they worked – but taking all credit for their work. Since his company employed the designers, he felt that there was no reason to give credit to others. Many famous designers who worked for Raymond Loewy left for this reason. It is said that Ex and Lowery despised each other.

In 1949, Exner joined Chrysler as head of the Advance Styling Group, where he helped to create “idea cars” like the DeSoto Adventurer, Dodge Firearrow, K-310, Chrysler d’Elegance, Plymouth XNR, and a few others. After World War II, the Chrysler Corporation cars were the stodgiest looking of all American cars. Chrysler’s president, K. T. Keller, insisted that a car’s roofline should be high enough for a man to wear his hat while driving. While the other car companies were making their cars lower and sleeker – Chrysler cars were tall and boxy, costing Chrysler market-share. Directors at Chrysler soon realized that something had to change, and Exner became Chrysler’s first vice-president of styling.

Immediately, Exner designed the production models to be lower, sleek, and tiny fins started to sprout. He referred to this as the 'Forward Look". Ex’s designs combined with Chrysler’s technology (Hemi engines, first alternator, first power steering, shifter on the dashboard – and then later pushbuttons, etc) increased Chrysler Corporation’s market share. Years ago, I read a Studebaker book were it told of how envious Raymond Loewy was with Exner’s success. Legend has it that Loewy made a 1/12 scale clay mock up of a car with gigantic fins. He then sent this mockery to Exner with an insulting note about the design of his cars.

Despite the successes Ex brought Chrysler, Virgil Exner would ultimately become a scapegoat for others at Chrysler’s errors. It started with the cars of 1957, when Chrysler’s rush to manufacturing caused quality issues. The biggest was these cars were rusting fast. Chrysler was due for a major design change for 1962, and the 1961 cars were to be a transition car – taking the cars from fins to the new style due in 1962. Unfortunately, Virgil Exner had a heart attack in 1956 (when the 1961 cars were being designed) – and the 1961 car did not have enough of his direction. Ex returned to work in 1957 and immediately went to work on the 1962 cars.

In the summer of 1959, a Chrysler executive received a tip that Ford and GM were going to downsize their cars dramatically, and executives viewed “Spy Photos” of the downsized cars. There was panic because they were convinced that customers would buy the smaller cars – and not Chrysler’s cars. The designs for the 1962 Chryslers car had already been set – but the directors immediately gave Exner the directive to shorten the wheelbase by three inches and to make it eight inches narrower. Virgil Exner told the directors that doing that to his designs would make the car look like Hell – but it fell of deaf ears.

When the 1962 models of Ford and GM roll out, Chrysler found out that they had been a victim of a hoax by Chevrolet. The car buying public agreed with Exner that just lopping inches off the car would make it ugly – and would not buy them. Chrysler needed a scapegoat, so they fired Ex.

 More
Featured MoparWiki 2
Jeep
WWII Jeeps

History

World War I started the age of mechanization of the US Army. The Army bought many vehicles from many vendors to move men and materials from location to location. By the middle 1930’s the Army realized the logistical nightmare causing maintenance and supply issues caused by having so many vendors and vehicle types. The desire to standardize on a smaller group of vehicles led to the search for smaller, faster easier to maintain vehicle.

The army tested several vehicle concepts over the years, including a vehicle dubbed the “Belly-Flopper”. The “Belly-Flopper” was designed much like a cross between a kid’s sled and a go-cart. The driver and a passenger lay on their stomachs to drive the vehicle, unseen by the enemy. The specifications for 70 units of a test vehicle were sent out on July 7, 1940, called for:

  1. A driving front axle with 2-speed transfer case including provisions for disengaging the front axle drive.
  2. A body of rectangular design with a folding windshield and 3 bucket seats.
  3. Increased engine power (presumably in respect to the Belly-Flopper prototype).
  4. Means for towing.
  5. 30-caliber machine gun mount.
  6. Blackout lighting.
  7. Oil-bath air cleaner.
  8. Hydraulic brakes.
  9. Full floating axles.
  10. Wheelbase of 80".
  11. Maximum height of 40".
  12. Maximum weight of 1275 lbs.
  13. Approach and departure angles of 45 and 40 degrees, respectively.
  14. Must reach 50 mph on hard surface.
  15. Special bracing for a pintle hook setup.
  16. No aluminum to be used for cylinder head.
  17. At least 4 cylinders.
  18. 8 of the 70 vehicles had to be four-wheel-steer.

Only three companies, of 135 invited to bid, responded to the contest, Ford Motor Company, Willys-Overland (pronounced Willis-Overland), and American Bantam Car Company and of these, the Bantam Car Company was the most aggressive. They had their blueprints of their vehicle into Washington in 5 days. Bantam delivered a prototype by the September 23, 1940 deadline. With war breaking out in Europe, both Ford and Willys were allowed to submit vehicles for testing. Both of these competitors were also given access to the Bantam plans, explaining the look-alike similarities of the three prototypes. The Army ordered a total of 1500 of each vehicle for further testing and early 1941 saw these vehicles entered into Army inventory. Willys and Ford received the contracts to actually build the vehicles based on Bantam’s designs, as Bantam didn’t have suitable manufacturing facilities. Bantam did get the contract to build the trailers need for the vehicles. Both the Willys and Ford parts were interchangeable.

The name Jeep is said to derive from several sources. Some say the name came from the GP (General Purpose) designation, others say it came from the cartoon character “Eugene, the Magical Jeep” from the Popeye cartoons. Eugene had the ability to go anywhere (by magic of course), as did the Willys vehicle.

The Jeep became the vehicle of choice for the Army and it was said that the little vehicle could move faster than a tank and go places that tanks couldn’t go. The Jeep (both the Willys MB and Ford GPW) proved to be a reliable, well made vehicle, impressing soldiers who both drove and maintained the vehicles. It was said at the time that Jeep won the war.


Post War

After the War, as soldier were returning home, many wanted a Jeep of their own. Willys, seeing a demand for the Jeep trademarked the name, for its line of vehicles based on the venerable vehicle.

The Jeep CJ-2A (Civilian Jeep 2A) was introduced in late 1945, and was mechanically identical to the MB that was produced for the Army, but with a few differences, such as chrome trim and larger headlamps. The fuel tank intake was on the left side panel, and the spare tire was moved to the rear tailgate. The rear panel also became a flip down tailgate. The first year saw only 1,824 units made, but the end of production in 1949 produced a total of nearly 137,000 units.

 More


Collaborate & Edit
Collaborate
To collaborate is for many people to work together to create a finished product. It is not necessary for any one person to complete and entire MoparWiki on his own, nor is it necessary for a MoparWiki to be completed in one sitting. It works best when people improve the MoparWiki one section of the wiki at a time.


Edit
Editing for grammar and style is just as important as giving the facts and stating references. People who know nothing of Mopars can still help us out if they have a better command of the English language than many of those who are improving the MoparWikis. If you stumble across a MoparWiki with typos, misspellings, and grammatically incorrect -- please help out with a quick edit to correct.
Navigate
Subtitle
Newbies
Your User Page
The best place to get some quick experience with getting comfortable formatting MoparWikis is going to be your User Page. Each registered member has his own User Page. Example of a User Page. If you are logged in, you will see the link to your User Page at the most left link in the NavBar at the top of the page. The link will be your user ID. If you have not registered, you can do so at MoparStyle Forums.


The Sandboxes
The very best place to collaborate on a MoparWiki is going to be one of the three Sandboxes. In the sandbox you can perfect your formatting and style without the risk of damage to the Live Code. Copy and Paste the code from the actual MoparWiki and modify it to your liking. Once you are sure you have it correct, then Copy and Paste back to the appropriate MoparWiki.
SysOp & Editors Needed
SysOp
We are looking for a volunteer with Administrator and programmer experience to help out with the the administration of the MoparWiki web site.


Editing Supervisors
We have an immediate need for a expert Wordsmith to spend a couple of hours a week reviewing pages for corrections, reference citations, and reversing any vandalism.


Contact BK
If you are interested in and qualified for any of these positions, contact BK through the forum's Private Messaging.