Hemmings Muscle Machines June 2024

Perhaps they were the only ones who cared enough... It’s not often that we put nearly new cars on our covers, but it seemed timely to give some attention to the recent crop of factory performers now, as they appear to be riding off into the sunset. Thankfully, the Mustang will, again, continue to carry the torch, but the Camaro is going on hiatus, as is the Challenger, possibly for good. A new Charger is on the horizon, but the first iteration will be an EV, which probably doesn’t interest many of the people reading this. The internal-combustion version will come later, but without a V-8 engine. We’ll have to wait and see what the new inline-six holds; it wouldn’t be the first time a boosted six won the favor…

Ladies and gentlemen, the new Dodge Charger has broken cover. You’ve probably heard that the future is electric, and while there will be a battery-powered version, there are also a pair of gasoline-fueled Chargers, too. Dino-juice-swilling Chargers will all be called Sixpack (no space, no hyphen, no two words, no misspelling it as Pak; we’re having flashbacks to the ’05 Dodge Magnum RT with its slashless badge trim). Two variants of the twin-turbo, 3.0-liter “Hurricane” inline-six will be available: the SO (standard output) at 420 horsepower, and the HO (high output), which will be rated at 550 horsepower. No word on whether these will be badged as SO or HO, or if this is just an internal designation. One thing is for sure: no more Hemis. But, on gasoline Chargers,…

Letter of the Month: Time Traveler I’ve been borrowing and reading my brother’s copies of HMM for the last couple of years. I always read Terry McGean’s columns first and have found they resonate with me more every month. I’ve been a “car guy” forever—I’m now 59. I have been fortunate enough to find and get a couple of my dream cars. Being budget challenged, they were all projects when I bought them and now are mostly finished—you know what that means. Anyway, regarding the “Period Pieces” column in the April issue, every time I get behind the wheel of my ’71 4-4-2 W-30 and see those hood scoops, I’m taken back to the very first day I saw this car, back in 1979. As a 14-year-old kid, I…

SPECIAL FEATURE SPOTLIGHT: Modern Muscle IT HAS NEVER been easier to obtain and maintain a factory-built 500-hp car, one with a payment book and a manufacturer warranty. These very thoughts were on our minds recently and got us thinking further that this may be the best time ever to acquire one of these mega-muscle machines. After all, in theory, recent models should still be heading for their financial nadir, what with depreciation and all. However, as we set about gathering intel for this guide, we got a sharp slap of reality, as it turns out that America’s highest-performance cars have held their value better than most — some are actually gaining value. We probably shouldn’t have been surprised. These are turbulent times, unsettled by inflation, recent chip shortages and the…

MARK BONNETT’S 1964 Dodge 330 is a performer that defies most of the categories and genres used today, and that’s exactly what drew us to the period-inspired Mopar. It’s certainly not a Pro Touring car and the term restomod suggests at least some modern updates such as disc brakes or an overdrive transmission. It’s got none of that. Even the “Day Two” descriptor doesn’t really apply, because of the amalgamation of later parts under the hood. What it brings is a nostalgic look and a Super Stock stance, thanks to its vintage wheels and authentic Racemaster “pie crust” slicks from the Sixties, backed up by a modernized RB big-block dressed like a vintage Max Wedge—complete with the cross-ram intake. And in true Super Stock form, this base-model 330 remains lightly…

TECH THE WEATHER IN the Midwest and northern states is warming up, the roads are almost dry, the car shows will be ramping up soon, and now is the time to start thinking about the miles you’re going to put on your latest muscle car acquisition. But before you hit the road this summer, there are some technical items you should check off on the car before you hit the key and blast off into the sunset. Even the general media will tell you to check the oil, the air pressure in your tires, and maybe bring along a few snacks for the kids. This is not that story. HMM readers don’t need to be told to do these simple things. But there may be some items you may have…