The weather - it was amazing! The people - some of the best on the planet. The parts shopping - unmatched and the cars - hands down were the cream of the crop! The 2018 Carlisle Chrysler Nationals raised the bar and set the standard for future Chrysler events at the Carlisle PA Fairgrounds. Held July 13-15, the event really got started on July 12 with guests rolling in from around the world. Most states in the U.S. were represented, nearly every Province of Canada can claim at least one attendee and Australia had at least 6 guys who made the day-long airplane ride to America’s Automotive Hometown!

So what was the draw? How about a record setting 2,752 (common not period) show cars spanning Mopar production history. There was also the star studded cast of guests that included not only celebrity cars like the famed Hemi Under Glass, but in the flesh personalities like driver Bob Riggle, the Ram Chargers and Golden Commandos race teams, Herb McCandless, Dave Rea of Velocity TV fame, Miss Hurst Golden Shifter Linda Vaughn and many more.

Special car displays also offered a “wow factor” to the show. Building T featured some of the best of the best via the general invitational display, while also hosting 50 Years of the Super Bee and Road Runner. Next door, Building Y boasted some of the best 340 engine based cars anyone has ever seen and just two blocks west of the fairgrounds, the Carlisle Expo Center hosted the 2nd Hurst Nationals. This show within the show offered 100 or so Hurst Prepared and Hurst Equipped rides plus memorabilia, displays, guests and more.

Along with the guests and cool cars, there were seminars-a-plenty. Free once on-site were more than a half a dozen sessions focused on everything from how to get your ride featured in a magazine to value trends of the Super Bee and Road Runner, restoration techniques and some great first-hand stories from the Ram Chargers, Golden Commandos, Herb McCandless and more!

The sights and sounds of the event were palpable too, with engine revs, horn honks and tires squealing all weekend. Some of the best sensory moments came from Dodge via their wildly popular thrill ride program, while the Saturday afternoon burnout offered what’s believed to be a first at Carlisle (for any show); a female enthusiast was the winner! If the ears and nose didn’t get enough, the eyes were treated Saturday too with a special parade lap with Linda Vaughn atop the famed Hurst Shifter car! Crowds gathered to watch this living legend parade by before stopping at Building R for the annual celebrity lunch. It truly was amazing!

The Dodge Charger – America’s only four-door muscle car and the sales leader in the large car segment for five years running is an American muscle car icon.

Charger began its street-muscle saga in 1965, as an option package for the Dart GT, though many point to the 1966 Coronet as its first true incarnation. Charger was mothballed in 1978 and returned in 2006 as a nostalgic re-imagining of its heyday. The inaugural ’65 Charger earned its rep by stampeding out 230 horses, and the 2018 SRT8 Hellcat version more than triples that original power output.

Following a 28-year hiatus, Charger charged back in 2006 and now in the 10th year of its current run, seventh year in the current generation, Charger has gained a loyal current-day following as it awaits a full redesign, expected for 2020 or 2021.

With tweaks made every year, Charger fully enhances in 2019 with upgrades inside and out. Among the 2019 changes will be an all-new grille design, which extends the sinister-looking front end to accentuate visual width and reflects Charger customers’ continuous demand for standout exterior design. 2019 Charger GT and R/T models receive a full complement of race-bred chassis upgrades and features along with new performance looks, such as a performance hood with air induction, styled fascia, sculpted side sills, decklid spoiler and seats.

But there’s plenty to like about the 2018 Charger, which has been named as the Edmunds Best Retained Value® Award for the large car segment – recognizing new 2018 vehicles and brands with the highest projected residual values after five years. The ’18 Charger has also been selected as one of Strategic Vision’s “Most Loved Vehicles in America” list for the fourth consecutive year.

New for 2018 are a standard Parkview rear back-up camera and Parksense rear park assist on all models; new grille and fender badges on the SRT Hellcat; a standard 300hp set-up on the Charger GT; new cosmetics, interior upgrades, wheel packages and colors on various models and larger touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto on the base SXT.

Assembled in Brampton, Ontario, Canada, with a unitized steel body and aluminum hood, Charger pays homage to its past with architecture inspired by the iconic second-generation Charger from the late 1960s. Drawing on cues from the historic 1969 model, Charger’s Coke-bottle design and scalloped body sides, work in concert with the robust hood, fenders, front and rear fascias, headlamps, tail lamps, front doors and spoiler to provide the vehicle with a chiseled, nimble and lighter-weight appearance.

Measuring 200.8 inches long, 75.0 inches wide and 58.2 inches high on a 120.2-inch wheelbase with a curb weight of about 4270 lbs. for my R/T, and ground clearance of a scant 4.9 inches, Charger turns heads with its muscularity, while its wide body hugs the pavement from highway to track.

Charger has been all about muscle for more than half-a-century, and the 2018 version muscles up with several engine choices. The standard Pentastar 3.6-liter V-6 engine rates at 292hp and 260 lbs-ft of torque for an EPA rating of 18/city and 27/.hwy for AWD. The optional Super TrackPack upgrade bumps the power to 300hp and 264 lbs-ft. The 5.7-liter HEMI V-8 that powered my R/T trim Charger stampedes out 370 horses and 395 lbs-ft or torque. The HEMI system was rated at 16mpg/city and 25mpg/highway and my mixed-use tests averaged 22.2mpg. The super-powered SRT trim utilizes a 6.4-liter HEMI V-8 that muscles out 485 hp and 475 lbs-ft of torque for a rating of 15/city and 25/hwy and blazing speed. The Hellcat versions supercharge their 6.2-liter HEMI for a thundering 707hp and 650 lbs-ft of torque for track-worthy speed and performance.

I prefer a muscle stick, but my 5.7 HEMI was mated to a responsive TorqueFlite 8-Speed Automatic Transmission. The push-button start prompts a throaty exhaust note, and engaged, the system kicks in with immediate speed. Highway passing was proud and dominant, and on the track, a zero-to-60mph sprint took only 6 seconds during a 14.4-second quarter-mile.

The driver-oriented interior is well-crafted with premium, soft-touch materials, a full-color 7-inch customizable driver information display gauge cluster, and an instrument panel center stack with the newest Uconnect system. The cabin was comfortable with 38.6 inches of front headroom and 36.6 in the rear seats, 41.8 inches of legroom in row one with 40.1 in row two, and shoulder room of a wide-body 59.5 inches in the first row and 57.9 for second-seaters.

Safetywise, Charger offers more than 80 available safety and security features, including advanced multistage front airbags, Full-speed Forward Collision Warning , Adaptive Cruise Control with Full Stop, Lane Departure Warning with Lane Keep Assist, ParkView rear backup camera with dynamic gridlines and 9-1-1 call/Assist Call.

With 11 trims basing from $28,995 for the 292hp SXT to $67,995for the 707hp SRT Hellcat. My370hp test 2018 Charger R/T was fifth on the trim list, base priced at $35,495.

In Go Mango (orange) exterior paint, with Black cloth seats, options added on included the Beats Audio Group for $1095, with Beats™ premium speakers, subwoofer and a 552-watt amp. The Driver Confidence Group added Blind Spot power heated mirrors, Blind Spot and Cross-Path Detection, Auto-Dimming Mirror and more, for $1295; The Navigation and Travel Group with GPS navigation and SiriusXM® Traffic Plus added $995; a Power sunroof added $1295; and a trunk cargo net added $30. Adding Destination charges of $1345 put the sticker-as-tested at $41,500, but regional incentives are available to discount your cost.


Visit www.CarlisleEvents.com for more on the automotive hobby.

Mike Blake, former editor of KIT CAR magazine, joined Carlisle Events as senior automotive journalist in 2004. He's been a "car guy" since the 1960s and has been writing professionally for about 30 years.

Yenkos and Copos and Novas...oh my! The Carlisle Chevrolet Nationals have come and gone and in 2018 the bevy of special displays were jaw-dropping! Held June 22-24 at the Carlisle PA Fairgrounds, the event hosted 118 years of production on the National Parts Depot showfield and all types of rides that are now recognized under the Chevrolet umbrella. From Team Chevrolet to Stacey David, automotive authors and, of course, the cars themselves, the show really did have it all.

Despite a less-than-favorable weather forecast, the show and guests persevered. Gates opened at 7 a.m. on Friday and from there, it was non-stop fun. The day opened with a sensory stimulating edition of Nitro Fest with NHRA legend Bruce Larson. From there, UMI Performance had folks going for the ride-of- a-lifetime on the autocross track. In addition, engines were revving non-stop via the on-site dyno machine.

What really had guests turning their collective heads though, was the amazing Camaro display showcased by Team Chevrolet. The “brass” from HQ brought 2019 models to Carlisle as well as the smoking hot Hot Wheels edition Camaro. There were other hot rides at Carlisle too, including special displays in the pavilion with the Nova’s at Carlisle show, in Building T as part of the 100 Years of Chevy Trucks showcase, LS engine display, 60 Years of the Impala and more. One of the real gems in T was a car that was a Riddler Finalist in Detroit earlier in the year. The Nickelback Camaro, as it’s known, was simply put AMAZING!

Of course, the Solid Lifter Showroom is a fixture at the Chevrolet Nationals too and Building Y was jam-packed with some of the best rides in the world! In fact, there was so much demand for space in the SLS that an adjacent tent was used to host even more cars.

As Friday transitioned to Saturday, it was all about competition. Friday wrapped with the annual Real Street Shootout on the autocross track and Saturday hosted even more runs on the autocross track, plus the always popular burnout and beauty contests at the stage. Plus, throughout the day, the cars on the showfield were judged via participant balloting, making way for hundreds of awards being doled out as part of Sunday’s awards parade.

Complete show info, including photos, a winner’s list and more can be found online at www.CarlisleEvents.com.

Starting July 13 in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, the automotive spotlight shines in a pair of events, the Carlisle Chrysler Nationals and Carlisle Hurst Nationals. Chrysler weekend runs July 13-15, while the Hurst event is July 13-14. Both events host rare and unique cars and both afford over 50,000 guests from around the world the chance to learn even more about the cars they love, while also taking a trip down memory lane. Some of the education comes from peer-to-peer conversations, while others come from industry experts. It’s those experts that make the weekend so unique. Nearly a dozen seminars/Q&A sessions are planned between the two events and break down as follows:

Chrysler Nationals
Dash and Heater Restoration from the Pros - Learn from the professionals, Mr. Heaterbox and Interior Restoration Services, how to restore your own dash and interior items, including wiring, instrument clusters, switches, steering columns and heater/ac units. Learn tips, techniques and basic how-to's that will help you in making your car not only look better but work as good or better than when it was new. Learn how to avoid common pitfalls, how to prevent potential dash wiring fire issues that concern many vintage Mopar owners and troubleshoot common problems.

Q&A and Stories with Herb McCandless - Herb McCandless is a true legend in the Mopar hobby and this session will help you with your technical questions by asking the man himself. Rather than spending an hour talking about random topics, Herb would rather have the audience ask him specific questions. Be sure to arrive early as Herb’s seminars fill up quickly.

Plymouth Road Runner Value Trends - The Plymouth Road Runner was an instant success and it’s just as popular today. It was actually produced for over a decade and engines ranged from the 225 Slant Six to the 426 Hemi. They could also be optioned as a bare bones muscle car or loaded to rival the GTX. Auto Appraisal Group will explain the current trends and values of the various years. AAG is a nationwide and certified appraisal group that can help you avoid an expensive mistake.

Chrysler Drag Program R&D - There was a time when the manufacturers had the biggest effect on performance at the track and the “independents” were always hoping to get their hands on that information, parts, etc. Not only were the Ramchargers supported by Chrysler, they were employees. That’s as close to the factory as you can get. Join the Ramchargers to learn exactly what made them so successful. This is the story of how they went about developing and testing the hardware necessary to get the job done.

Better Racing Through Chemistry - In the Golden Era of Drag Racing, brains were a big factor in going quicker and faster. Sure, it took money to race but this was really a time of innovation. Teams were reading between the lines of the rule books and trying to come up with new ways to beat the competition. The Ramchargers’ High & Mighty could probably be the poster child for mechanical wizardry, but the Golden Commandos had the brain of Ray Kobe. Ray found ways to improve their fuel and lubricants. Don’t miss this chance to hear these speed secrets directly from Ray and the rest of the Commandos.

Restorers’ Roundtable - Sit in with some of the best Mopar restorers in the business as they share their secrets...FOR FREE! Have you ever wondered what products the pros use? Do you want to know how they perform a certain procedure? If so, this is your golden opportunity to ask those questions and you get to ask them to an entire panel. These are literally the folks who restore the cars that appear in magazines or end up in high-end collections. Ask questions or simply sit and listen. Either way, don’t miss out.

3rd Gen HEMI Swaps - There’s no denying that the hottest trend in the Mopar world is 3rd Gen Hemi Swaps. But the reality for most of us is that the electronics might as well be brain surgery and even the mechanical side of it has some people confused. Catch a panel of experts who have performed this swap, from pros to Joes, and they’ve used a variety of methods. They’ll share tips that they’ve learned from doing it and answer your questions. If you’re even thinking about this swap, you need to attend. Trust us, you can do this!

Hurst Nationals
How to Get Your Car in a Magazine - Just about every car enthusiast wants to see his or her car in a magazine, or maybe in an online article. Rich Truesdell has been an automotive journalist and editor for more than 30 years so he knows a thing or two about the publishing world and what it takes to get your ride in print. Join Rich for his seminar where he will provide tips that can help you in your quest.

Hurst Employees Panel Discussion - There are lots of great stories in the automotive world but the best ones come right from the source. This is an extremely rare opportunity to hear from not just one or two, but an entire panel of former Hurst employees and engineers. These are the guys who were there during the glory days of the company. Sit in on stories about their time at Hurst, the projects they worked on and the other jobs they performed such as repairing Hurst shifters at the track between rounds. The current list of Hurst employees attending the show includes: Joe Barone, Marty Danko, Don Glover, Jim Kerr, Howard Maseles and Don Morton. The list keeps growing and additional names will be added as they are confirmed. One common theme among all of the Hurst employees is that they loved working for Hurst and they were one big family.

Additional activities and seminars may be added between now and event weekend. Complete details on both shows, a schedule, links to buy tickets or register to be part of either show are available now at www.CarlisleEvents.com or by calling 717-243-7855.

Dodge has been building trucks since 1917, and it introduced the Ram to the light-duty market in 1994. Formerly called the Dodge Ram, the Ram truck was launched as a stand-alone division in 2009, and has steadily emerged as an industry leader with trucks that are proven to last. Ram’s ruggedness is proven by the metric that over the last 30 years, Ram has the highest percentage of pickups still on the road. And according to industry reports, Ram enjoys the highest loyalty of any half-ton pick-up.

I reviewed the 2018 Ram 1500 Rebel, understanding that Ram will change significantly for 2019, with overall weight reductions totaling nearly 225 pounds. Next year’s Ram will have a new look, new grillework and new wider and longer design; a tweaked interior and center stack; a new frame featuring 98 percent high-strength steel to improve durability, weight and rigidity for improved handling; improved aerodynamics and handling dynamics; next-generation, class-exclusive air suspension for enhanced fuel efficiency, ride and stability; and a gain in fuel efficiency from its engine choices.

But that doesn’t mean Ram has remained the same for 2018. New enhancements and upgrades for 2018 include:
• A new Ultra-luxurious Limited Tungsten edition
• Sport model appearance upgrade
• Factory-installed leather interior option on Rebel models
• 8.4-inch radios with 4G LTE, HD Radio, Android Auto, Apple Car Play, USB Flip, pinch to zoom and improved resolution
• Sirius Guardian with SOS Call, Roadside Assistance, Remote Services, Send and Go, and Vehicle Finder
• Remote exterior switch in truck bed to activate LED bed lights
• Backup camera now standard on all models
• Fleet Telematics Module for vehicle tracking efficiency

Offered in 11 trims, with 12 color options, three engine choices, 2WD or 4WD configurations, three cab sizes and three bed sizes, the 2018 Ram 1500 really presents a choice – hundreds of choices -- for anyone who is truck savvy.

The Ram 1500 Rebel displays an aggressive off-road design, presenting a custom truck with mainstream capability. The 5740-lb. Ram 1500 sports a muscular, forward-sculpted attitude, large angled headlights and a power bulge in the hood. Measuring 229 inches long, 79.4 inches wide and 75.7 inches high, with ground clearance of 9.3 inches on a wheelbase of 140.5 inches, the Crew Cab’s bed is only 5.7-feet long, with the tailgate 34.9 inches above the ground.

Ram can power up with either an efficient turbocharged EcoDiesel 3.0-liter V-6 engine that produces 240 horsepower and 420 lb.-ft. of torque, for towing up to 9,200 pounds while delivering fuel economy of 29 mpg on the highway; or a 3.6-liter Pentastar V-6 engine with variable-valve timing that offers 305 horsepower, 269 lb.-ft. of torque and fuel economy of 18mpg/city and 25 mpg/highway. And for those of us who believe Ram means HEMI, my Ram 1500 Rebel muscled up with the legendary 5.7-liter HEMI V-8 engine with fuel-saving cylinder shut-off and VVT. The system thunders out 395 hp and 410 lb.-ft. of torque for an EPA rating of 15mpg/city and 22 mpg/highway.

My test Ram 1500 Rebel was attentive, quick and powerful. Smoking tires when asked, I completed a zero-to-60mph dash in 7.3 seconds and finish off a quarter-mile in 15.4. During a week of stomping on it, passing at speed and flexing its muscles, my Rebel averaged 15.7mpg.

The well-appointed interior provides 41 inches of front Crew Cab headroom and 39.9 inches in row two; legroom is 41 inches up front and 40.3 inches in the rear, and shoulder room is 66 inches and 65.7. Among cabin amenities are dual-zone air conditioning, power windows, power locks, speed control, a media center with a 30-gigabyte hard drive, and heated and ventilated front seats.

Ram 1500 attends to safety with standard front airbags, front and rear side-curtain air bags and seat-mounted side pelvic-thorax air bags with Enhanced Accident Response System, knee bolsters, seat-belt pretensioners and ParkSense rear park assist. The 2017 Ram 1500 also includes standard electronic stability control, all-speed traction control, trailer-sway control, hill-start assist and an anti-lock brake system.

The base 2017 Ram 1500 Tradesman starts at $27,095 in 4x2 configuration with a 6-ft.-4-in. box, and 305-hp engine, and moves through 11 trim levels to the $53,695-base Laramie Limited. My test Ram 1500 in Rebel trim is the ninth trim and starts at $45,095 in 4x2. In 4x4, the price started at $47,595 with the 3.6-liter 305-hp engine, automatic trans, a Crew Cab and 5-ft.-7-in. box. Moving up in power to the 5.7-liter HEMI V-8 engine added $1450 and upgraded to an 8-Speed automatic 8HP70 transmission for $500.

Flame Red and Black two-tone exterior paint added $200; Black tubular side steps added $595; and the $695 Luxury group added an Auto-Dimming Exterior Mirror; Exterior Mirrors with Turn Signals and Courtesy Lamps; Glove Box Lamp, LED Bed Lighting; Overhead Console with Garage Door Opener. Power Heated Mirrors with Power Fold-AwayRear Dome with On / Off Switch Lamp; a spray-in bedliner added $495; and Uconnect® 4C NAV with 8.4-Inch display added $795; and a rear window defroster added $195.With destination charges of $1695, my Ram Rebel truck-as-tested stickered at $53,965 before incentives, which could discount by as much as $2,000.

You can see 101 years of Dodge/Ram trucks and nearly 3,000 vehicles from all eras of the Chrysler brand, as classics, muscle cars and high-performance new models all converge at the Carlisle Chrysler Nationals, at the Carlisle (PA) Fairgrounds, July 13-15. Special displays include “50 Years of the Plymouth Roadrunner,” “50 Years of the Dodge Super Bee,” “50 Years of the HEMI Dart and Barracuda,” and tons of half-tons and full-ton trucks.


> Visit www.CarlisleEvents.com for more on the automotive hobby.

Mike Blake, former editor of KIT CAR magazine, joined Carlisle Events as senior automotive journalist in 2004. He's been a "car guy" since the 1960s and has been writing professionally for about 30 years.