More Classics and Vintage Muscle Mopar® Vehicles from Ontario CA
With a total 165 vehicles in attendance, including both the modern muscle and vintage/classics, this Mopar® event in Ontario was well worth the visit for certain. It’s been a part of the Chrysler fabric for serious enthusiasts for the past 23 years and we look forward to the next, May 2026!
Here’s the balance of our vintage/classic coverage, which includes some extremely noteworthy vehicles that were featured on the grass of the Southwest Carpenters Training Center facility. There was truly something for every Mopar interest level and taste:
B5 BLUE ALL ORIGINAL 340 DUSTER
In the Fall of 1972 a gentleman named Bud Vura purchased this Duster 340 for his wife Julie Vura, a brand-new 1973 model with automatic transmission, A/C, limited-slip differential, radio and painted in the factory code B5 Blue paint. Mr. Vura worked as a manager for the Chrysler-Plymouth factory and as such was able to purchase a new Chrysler vehicle each year at the discounted employee price.
This Duster 340 was ordered at the dealership in Oak Park, Michigan, and once delivered, shortly afterwards the family re-located to Southern California where its resided ever since. Fast forward to 2017, and with the passing of Julie, their son Doug Vura became the car’s new owner. The Duster was featured in newspaper articles, international magazines plus was awarded numerous trophies and car show awards.
340-CID FOUR BARREL
One look under hood reveals a totally preserved 340-cid Four Barrel V8 engine, looking just like it did all those years back at the Michigan dealership when it was delivered from the factory. Note the “25” factory marking on the power brake booster and the yellow markings on the electronic voltage regulator, just a couple examples of the originality inside the engine compartment. (Power disc brakes were standard equipment on these cars for ’73.) It’s a former “Best of Show” winner at this event (2019) and has been garaged its entire life, this very well could be the most original Plymouth Duster on the planet!
MEGAN MURPHY (VURA)
In late 2022 Doug Vura suddenly passed away from Melanoma cancer and to honor his mother’s wish for the car, he had transfered the family Duster to his daughter (shown here), Megan Murphy Vura, This continues the family legacy of this very special and greatly cherished vehicle, as well as all the wonderful memories associated with it.
The vintage A-body in great care with the proud daughter and granddaughter! “It is an honor to carry on the Vura family heirloom and continue to show the car as well as our family story to this day.”
While this show was filled with well presented, beautifully restored Mopars, this 1973 Plymouth Duster originally belonged to Julie Vura, then Doug Vura, and now Megan, now it’s three family generations strong! Clearly far and above the most intriguing car in attendance, bar none.
IN MEMORY OF DOUG VURA
Doug was 17 years old when the Duster was purchased and he was fortunate enough to drive it to High School a few times in his Senior year! He was the one that drove the car to Southern California in 1973 when the family relocated from Michigan. Rightly so, this Duster 340 was very special to him.
1970 V-CODE CHALLENGER R/T
The 1970 Dodge Challenger R/T could be ordered with the 440 “Six Pack” big block, which in the order book was known as the V-code engine, and at the extra cost of $249.55, which of course now to look back was a real value! This triple carburetion engine (E87 in factory lingo) was rated at 390 horsepower @ 4700 rpm, and developed 490 lb ft of torque at 3200 rpm. Impressive numbers, and these 440 6bbl cars could very much hold their own against the best of the best of rival muscle cars of the era.
A Mopar family is clearly a happy family!
The Challenger was the chosen “vintage” vehicle for the event t-shirt art, quite an honor.
Painted in the high-impact EV2 color (HEMI® Orange) of which the wheels were also done in matching color, as it is a “dog dish” car. (Meaning ordered with the standard wheels and hubcaps.) In addition it’s a factory N96 “shaker” car. As shown here, as a “stripe delete” example, Challenger R/T models could be outfitted with either side stripes or a rear bumble bee stripe, at no extra cost.
E-BODY ‘CUDA ASSORTMENT
340 6BBL AAR
The “AAR” (All American Racers) ‘Cuda was a mid-year addition during the 1970 model year and a very special car, all to do with SCCA Trans-Am racing (Dan Gurney). Besides the fiberglass scooped hood, side exhausts, special strobe stripes and black out hood / front fender tops, under the hood was a 340 engine with three Holley carburetors on an aluminum Edelbrock manifold. In addition to the unique induction system the block was beefed with extra material (weighed 20 pounds more than a standard 340), upgraded camshaft, plus the cylinder heads were revised as well. What made the heads special were adjustable rocker arms, longer pushrods, different snap rings on the lifters and more port space for the intake ports.
Besides all the underhood attention, the suspension was tweaked with a stiffer sway bar and the rear leaf springs were cambered to allow for more ground clearance to deal with the side exhausts. Add in the staggered tires (E60 front, G60 rear), and yes, these are very special cars!
440-4BBL ‘CUDA
Here’s a 1970 ‘Cuda with the 440-4-barrel engine, which was the U-code powerplant for the dealer ordering book, and it developed 375 horsepower. This black with white “hockey stick” striped example now has 17-inch diameter aftermarket Rallye-style wheel upgrade.
340-4BBL ‘CUDA
During the 1972 model year run of the Barracuda line the performance version (‘Cuda) came standard with the 340-cid V8 (240-horsepower) engine, which had a single snorkel air cleaner and dual exhausts. Manual front disc brakes came standard on the entire line (Barracuda, ‘Cuda). 1972 saw the return to single headlights up front, and the the rear panel now had four round taillights. Electronic Ignition now stand equipment on a V8 engines. This particular ‘Cuda 340 came with the Blue Sky (HB1) paint which many relate to the famous Petty Blue hue.
GEN III HEMI-POWERED ’68 BARRACUDA
Gorgeous 1968 Fastback Barracuda with Gen III engine swap! The owner decided to than rather rebuild or obtain a traditional old school powerplant, to make the move up to the SRT® HEMI for power. The end result was very satisfactory with the performance! It’s the perfect blending of old/new all in one sleek package.
FUN TIMES WITH THE RAFFLE
As a long-time tradition at this Southern California Mopar show, there was a fun and well-attended Toy Drive with the toys given to the Soldier’s Kids at Fort Irwin plus a Raffle Drawing that took place as the event was winding down. Lots of attention was focused to the raffle activities and numerous items, automotive and non-automotive, were won by participants. A fun time by all!
DODGE DEMON A-BODY
When the Plymouth Division debuted their new Duster for 1970, sales were strong right out of the gate! The Dodge management clearly noticed this and they wanted a “Duster” of their own! How they were able to get it was a rather simple manner of unbolting the Valiant front clip (hood, fenders, bumper and grille) and bolting up a Dodge Dart front clip, which easily was accomplished. And in a different taillight design and Voila! A Dodge Demon, and it came late in 1970 for the 1971 production model run.
SPORT FURY CONVERTIBLE
A memner of the Mopar “C-body” family, this is a 1965 Plymouth Sport Fury convertible that runs on a 119-inch wheelbase and had a shipping weight of 3755 pounds. This surviving example is in showroom condition and had been updated with modern wheels and rubber, it’s a head-turning vehicle which is not often seen today!
ONE-OWNER STREET HEMI
A walk through the large park-like grassy area and there’s a 1966 Plymouth Belvedere II 2-door hardtop, with “cop car” steel wheels and “426 HEMI” emblems on lower front fenders. Cool car! Then it’s learned that it’s a one-owner car, and a nice conversation with the gentleman that purchased it all those years ago confirms it all. Black plate california car and this was the first year for the Street HEMI option.
Except for the battery, everything under the hood appears just as it did the day it rolled off the assembly line! A tell-tale feature of any 1966 HEMI car is that the driver’s side inner fender has a unique bracket that has two relays mounted to it, starter, horn, and a one-year-only design.
’68 GTX
For 1968 Plymouth’s “GTX” model was a premium performance car and pictured is the hardtop version, known in the order books as the RS23 model. The 440 “Super Commando” engine came standard, rated at 375 horsepower, and shipping weight with was listed at 3520 pounds. Base price before options: $3329.00. The GTX was the top level car in the Belvedere series and they are highly cherished today!
ROAD RUNNER HARDTOP
You simply can’t put on a Mopar show without a Road Runner in attendance! Here’s a ’69 Hardtop version, Road Runners are always a welcome sight at any car show especially a Mopar gathering.
’69 CHARGER
Wearing “Mr. Norm” license plates frames to honor the famous Chicago Grand Spaulding Dodge dealership, this California-based 1969 Charger sports a 440 Magnum and features a set of what is know as “day two” wheels, Cragar S/S in this case, very typical back in the day. The owner explained that it’s not a factory color, just the brightest yellow he could find in the paint chip books!
DART GT DRIVEN 438,000 MILES AND STILL GOING
This 1969 Dodge Dart GT was factory fitted with the venerable 225-cid Slant Six engine, and it retains a fresh, factory appearance now fitted with a set of Cragar S/S “mag” wheels! Wearing “DCMOPAR” personalized California license plates and as the sign says: Daily Driver and driven 438,000 miles!
1972 440 MAGNUM 4-SPEED CHARGER RALLYE
1971 Charger Rallye factory equipped with 440-cid Magnum with 4-speed transmission, backed by Dana 60 differential. A 1-of-167 car, a true survivor that is still driven and enjoyed!
PRISTINE MOPAR F-BODY ASPEN R/T
1979 Dodge Aspen R/T, Sable Tan Sunfire Metallic paint, and it’s still owned by the original owner! It was purchased in Canada with a listed price of $8,084 (Canadian) on the window sticker. This one is a 318/auto (rated at 150 horsepower) with 2.41:1 rear gearing (7 1/4-inch ring gear). These cars could bury the speedometer! Unfortunately it should be pointed out it was an 85-mph max speedometer. Still driven after some 250,000 miles and it continues to get the looks (and questions) where ever it goes.
Author: James Maxwell
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