Ever notice that every time you speak to a Chevy guy they’re always saying things like, "Yeah, I’m thinking of throwing in a LS1, 2, 6 or 7." For us Chrysler guys that gets really annoying at times. I mean yes, the GM LS motors are probably some of the best mills ever produced and can be dropped into anything from a Chevelle to a Vega. Being a part of Chrysler camp though always meant we were somewhat limited to our transplant choices. That was until now.

Recently I’ve been noticing a bunch of old Mopars popping up with 6.1L HEMI transplants. And let me tell you something, these rides are no joke. First there was CarDomain member AUTODYNAMICS amazing 1969 Dodge Charger sporting a 6.1 HEMI, electronic transmission and PADDLE SHIFTERS! How flippin’ cool is that? Be sure to click through to his ride page to see this incredible Mopar.

Then last night I saw a car that Rob is going to love. It was a 1966 Plymouth Satellite drop top with 14 inch wheel covers and a little tiny exhaust pipe poking out the end. This thing was the definition of a SLEEPER. The only giveaway–the license plate that read "66 SRT8." Three pics of the Satellite after the jump.

Continue reading "6.1 HEMI Transplants: Oh Yes, They Are Happening!" »

I know you were all worried about not seeing a SoundDomain Sound-Off post to keep you informed of what’s going on in the Mobile Electronics World, but not to worry folks, the Sound-Off is back! I had to step away from the office for a while to take care of some family matters, but we’re back in business! So what’s going on in the world of car audio? Take a look!

• Hybrid Audio has finally released the details and production photos of their newest competition tweeter, the Legatia L1 Pro Series. This bad boy features a machined all-aluminum body, a damped rear chamber, silk-dome tweeter powered by a neodymium motor. Not only do they look sexy as hell, but based on Hybrid’s previous tweeter success, these should stomp the competition!
• If you need some power wire for your amplifier install, Elemental Designs is currently offering 40% off their 4 gauge and 8 gauge power wire. It’s sold by the foot so you can get the perfect length and with this savings you’re practically getting it for free!
• Sirius and XM just had their merger blessed and approved by the Department of Justice and are now waiting on the FCC’s approval. Sorry about your luck commercial-ridden FM radio! So what does these mean to you and how are you going to benefit from this deal? Hop over to SoundDomain and find out!
• After a brief new-product-hiatus, high-end car audio manufacturer Xtant has just revealed their new product line-up. Wood-cone component speakers, leather-wrapped subwoofers, and customizable wood-paneled amplifiers make these products some of the sexiest on the market. Amazing looks and great sound quality… What more could you ask for?

• Aliph, makers of the cool Jawbone Bluetooth headset, released details on three limited edition Jawbones designed by the the device’s creator. Sweet Talk, Dirty Talk, and Trash Talk are pretty simple, but I appreciate that they don’t have that modern "Matrix" styling a lot of manufacturers have taken on. The trucker lady emblem is my favorite. Do ya dig?
• CarDomain member e34zoui’s e34 5-Series BMW is off the charts. I was surfing through the Top A/V Installs on CarDomain when I came across this kitted-up starch white BMW beauty queen. He’s completely reworked the interior: kick panels, custom consoles, a complete A/V system, carPC… And the quality is straight-up outstanding.
• Don’t forget!! If you live in the Vancouver, BC area, Varad is searching for a booth car for the Lordco Trade Show! You get a slew of free gear and your car featured in the blog! Get all the details!
• Speaking of contests– Sirius is taking entries for a free trip to the Winter Music Conference in Miami with guest host Paul Van Dyk! If you’re an electronic music music junkie like myself, this is a killer opportunity!
• Audiojunkies got the scoop on some new amplifiers from Italian amplifier manufacturer Tec. The sleek and simple design will look awesome flush-mounted or on full display!

Ever wonder what life would be like without music? I’ve wondered it, but I don’t think I’d ever want to experience it. Music is one of the reasons I got into the Mobile Electronics industry. The gadgets and the cool devices that help make the music in my car and life are only secondary, but they make my job and hobby that much more exciting. I know nothing really beats the sound of a finely tuned engine, but nothing compliments it better than a finely tuned car stereo system. And if I couldn’t listen to music, well, then I guess I’d just hop over to SoundDomain and catch up on the news!

• High-end home audio manufacturer Naim has announced it will provide the audio systems for future Bentley vehicles. Produced under the moniker "naim for Bentley", the system will belt out 1100 watts of pure audiophile power to 15 speakers. How much does the Naim system add to the bottom line of a Bentley? Well, as the saying goes – if you have to ask….
• If you’ve got an old school muscle car or classic cruiser in your garage and you’ve considered upgrading the radio and audio system, your options are pretty slim. Fortunately there are companies like RetroSound that offer the latest technology in a radio package designed to look factory in your retro-rod. USB, MP3, CD Changer controls, multi-color LCD… Get all the modern luxuries in a classic package.
• Blast from the past… Back in the good ‘ol days of Car Audio, Alpine and the Lambo Countach were one of the most recognized symbols in the industry (Alpine still is for that matter). I was digging around the net and stumbled on some oldie-but-goodie shots of this classic car stereo icon.
• Our man "Crazy Like a" Brian Fox is at it again… This time he’s creating a work of art to be showcased at Nissan’s booth at the New York International Auto Show this March. His new project is another Nissan Altima Coupe that will sport the new Fox Marketing 6-piece body kit, 19" Work wheels, and a bad-ass Rockford Fosgate stereo system.

If you love to geek out on cars in movies, the IMCDB is for you (yep, it’s basically an IMDB for cars). You can search by movie or by make/model. For example, they have over 100 Plymouth Satellites and over 800 cars from CHiPs. Check out the sequence below with a Mazda RX-2. Did Ponch find a dead guy, or did he live?

I’ve been slacking when it comes to my Mopar group. I started strong, posting daily in the forums and featuring a member car of the week for the few few months. But then SEMA happened and I got distracted. Well, the Mopar guys at CarDomain kept things alive. The group is still on the first page of the Groups homepage, with 314 members and counting. So I just started up a member car of the month page (I’m thinking I should be able to stick to that schedule). Check out this low mile Petty blue ’72 Satellite (dude, you totally gotta keep that vinyl top!). Anyway, if you’re into Mopars, join the group and come say hi.

David Freiburger, formerly of Hot Rod, just picked up this hacked up Hemi Satellite drag car for $750. He’s planning to race it in the new NHRA Heritage Series. I hope he keeps the paint scheme. Anyway, they’re still out there, folks…

Back in October Team Size Matters took 23rd place at the Altamont 24 Hours of Lemons with their four door, 318-powered ’67 Fury III, despite having the oldest and heaviest car on the track. Chalk that up to good driving and a bulletproof Mopar drivetrain. Right now the guys down at Rocket Restorations are getting the old C-body ready for the Thunderhill edition, which is less than two weeks away. Since cars in the 24 Hours of Lemons must costs $500 or less, changes are minor: new brake rotors, fresh tires, driving lights, plus some drastic weight reduction–basically removing anything possible to lighten the land barge up a bit. And this time around my buddy Scott Smith will be behind the wheel (go Scott!). Be sure to check out their ride page, with lots of pics of the Fury, plus a page of shop pics for Mopar fans (I’d love to see what these guys could do with my Satellite). We’ll keep you updated, and of course Scott will get us tons of pics and video from the event.