Pony Car Wars II (the 80's Challenger Don't Count)

Pony Car Wars II (the 80's Challenger Don't Count)

So it's starting to creep up on us; the next generation ponycar wars. For many fans of the late 60's domestic ponycars this is like a dream come true. In a year or so the streets will be flooded with brand new Dodge Challengers, Ford Mustangs and Chevrolet Camaro's. Now, I was too young to be a part of the first ponycar wars so I can't give a first hand account of what happened. But what I can do is tell you what happened after: Cars sucked. Now don't get me wrong there were some bright spots (the 1970-1981 Camaro/Firebirds), some low spots (Mustang II King Kobra? Com'on!), and some things the mind tries to forget (Dear God Why!?!). But what if you wanted a ponycar, and not the garbage-mobiles that were being produced around that time? Let me take you back to the mid 1980's. I was in junior high and in no place financially to buy a car.

5000. Today that might buy you the shell) and who wanted to suffer the humiliation of buying one of the 'weak' 1972-1974 cars? For a thousand bucks you could buy a 1974 Barracuda and pretend you were in a big-block Mopar. Bleh, that felt like cheating. Anyways, after a few years I got a job and by my senior year in high school I was ready to buy a ponycar. By that time I was really starting to notice the late 60's Mustang Fastbacks so I kept that option in mind. 2500. Too much for a Mustang, I thought. Late 60's Camaro's were starting to heat up price wise by then, but I never had much interest in them at the time, but you could get 'buy-one/get-one free' deals on mid 70's Camaro's and Trans-Ams just about everywhere. Nope. Not distinct enough for my taste. So I started shopping around for my Barracuda, a 'fixer-upper' that I could afford to buy and drive at the same time. 1500, but I thought it was too much work.

So I ended up buying a 1969 Coronet 383 that was rough but workable, and decided I'd just buy my ponycar a little later down the road. Ha. No. How about those 1960's Mustang Fastbacks, they made hundreds of thousands of them? 15,000, if you're lucky. 20,000, but I'm still not into them. But what if you want something to drive everyday, with air conditioning, and a factory warranty, and air bags? Well the Big 3 have finally (read: about damn time) answered our prayers and will offer us retro-ponies at a price we can afford. Now, that's exciting by itself, but, it will be even better when all three cars are on the road at the same time. You can rest assured most of them bought the cars because they loved or used to own one of the originals, or maybe they just want to look cool. I own a 2005 Mustang with the V6. I know it's just a nice driver and not a pavement killer. Every time some kid pulls up next to me in a clapped-out Cavalier or a shiny four door Civic, or even an Aztek for Pete's sake, then suddenly it's on! They rev there engines and try to power break (almost killing the poor things) then break loose when the light turns green. All the while I just hang back in amazement thinking, "why are you trying to blow your car's engine through the hood?" My Mustang laughs at me, because she knows she's the one that picks the fight. If you think I'm overreacting then just watch the first time you see one of the new Dodge Challenger R/T's and Camaro SS' meet at a light. I'm going to enjoy the peace and solidarity while it lasts.

First let me apologize for taking so long to get back to you on this. As far as your charging issue goes, it sounds like your problem is with the wiring going from the alternator to the regulator, probably in that section of it that goes inside the frame rail that is underneath the radiator. All sorts of ugly things can happen to a wiring harness in an environment like that. I would start by checking the white wire going from the field post on the back of the alternator. If that is broken, corroded, or shorting itself out somehow down there, your car would do exactly what you are describing. So, my car seems to have a combination of charge light/non-charge light wiring. I have traced the charge light wiring both ways (from ignition switch and to regulator) and everything checks out fine. However, the light never comes on. The white/black wire from the alternator is missing.