NASCAR Nose

Built for only two model years, Steve explores a 1978 Dodge Magnum XE and defines what Lean Burn was all about. Did Richard Petty approve? Watch and see!

[@chipper442]

Steve sweating it out for the people. Thank you Steve

[@sandwichbar8226]

I wouldn't be able to resist the urge to brush off those pine needles!

[@Glenn_123]

Thinking the same.... I wanted to do it the whole time I was watching the video!

[@DuneRunnerEnterprises]

What an interesting construction,the battery "cooler",the "spark controller",very early.

[@googleusergp]

My grandparents' 1980 Volare had the battery shield like that. It's common on vehicles now (My Pontiac G6 has a plastic cover to go over the battery). Trouble was on the Volare, when you went to get a replacement battery, sometimes it had to be trimmed to fit the replacement. I remember my dad installing a Diehard battery in place of the original and it had to be slightly trimmed. Not bad, but it had to be done.

[@googlesucks5318]

I had a 78 Magnum XE with the 400 4bbl. It came with an 8 1/4 and 2.45 gear ratio. Installing 3.21's woke It up.

[@79tazman]

Yeah 2.45 would be a turd off the line but the top end would of went on for days lol! but I would rather have a little more get up and go then real low RPM on the highway

[@googlesucks5318]

@@79tazman Actually top end was better with the 3:21 by the time you got a little over 100mph, the 2.45's were not able to push through the air any more in third gear. never topped it out but with the 3.21's it was still gaining speed at 120mph. I also picked up gas mileage going with the 3.21's go figure.

[@jamesblackwell703]

Yes had the Cardoba with the high output 400 took it a mile or so but it would put the speedometer back around and bounce around 40

[@78d100]

I had a ‘76 Cordoba with the 400 in high school in 1984. Crushed green velour interior. It had the round headlights. It had air shocks and Cragar SS wheels. I still miss that car.

[@truthserum5310]

I have fond memories taking a coast to coast 2 month long summer road trip in 1978 when I was 9 years old with my Grandparents in a 1977 Cordoba. My grandmother religiously set the cruise control to a leisurely 55 mph to comply with the laws of the day.

[@77yogurt]

It probably felt like rolling down the highway on your living room couch, huh? 👍🏻

[@johnbarron1329]

I always liked the Dodge Magnum look especially the GT version with those super coupe wheels and T-tops made them even more attractive to me! 🏁💯

[@SteveMagnante]

I totally agree!

[@79tazman]

The GT's are a rare car I have a article in a old mopar mag I have that talks about the difference between them and there were not many made of the GT version compared to the other version.

[@budlanctot3060]

@@79tazman I have a black 78 Magnum w/400 4bbl and a metal sunroof. I also have a black 79 Magnum GT t-top w/360 2bbl. Obviously, I like them. I also have 4 79 Chrysler 300's. They're all great cruising cars. Great for long trips. After you've been driving all day, you're still pretty fresh, especially compared to an a-body, or even an e-body.

[@johnhicks1969]

Most people hated them I love the magnum and the Cordoba

[@rickross9661]

Had a 78 Cordoba for about 3 years, I bought it for $1500 off a neighbor and drove the wheels off it. Never skipped a beat going to the store or from Canada to Tennessee. Had a snowstorm so bad that my 13 Jetta was frozen shut, got in the Doba, started that 360 up no problem and she drove right out of a 3 foot snow drift. Sold it last year and regret the hell outta it but I hope I see her again. It’s always nice to see her sister get a feature. Thank you, Steve

[@mcdonaldm73]

Just got a 1 year only, 1986 Pontiac Grand Prix 2+2. It's got a funky nose and rear end. You either love it or hate it. I love it! You never see another one at the gas station or a car show.

[@77yogurt]

Wasn't it called the "Aero-coupe"? Or was that the Monte Carlo?

[@mcdonaldm73]

@@77yogurt .Just the Monte Carlo was called the Aero-coupe. The Pontiac was called the 2+2

[@timmebruer5205]

Friend of mine has a 79 magnum gt. 360 4 barrel auto on the floor. White with red stripes. Sits in his barn all alone

[@allanyoungstein4227]

I had a 78 small Monaco. The catalytic converter rusted out. We replaced it with a “test pipe”. Had the car until the late 80’s. Every year it passed the emissions inspection. I guess the lean burn was that good .

[@79tazman]

I have a friend that has a few old mopars from the 70's that has lean burn and they still work and run great. There was two different versions of the lean burn system the early one and the late 70's they went to a different one that had more stuff but worked better but all the mopars I had with lean burn I would take it off put points ignition in it or standard electronic ignition on them just because I did not want the hassle with it even though some of the cars ran good with it.

[@rgpark69]

I remember an ad in the back of car magazines with a reward for one that was stolen this is about 35 years ago. They were looking for that car about 10 years. I'm keeping an eye out for it just like I'm looking for the copper 1943 penny.

[@JimmyMakingitwork]

Those Magnum wagons were super cool! Should have been more popular…I’m thinking Magnum Demon!

[@josephdipalma5989]

I remember being impressed with the headlight covers on these cars as a kid. They etched vertical lines in them, so there was no missing them. The NY State police had the 4 door version of these, the St Regis. I remember thinking those headlight covers were quite an excess on a fleet vehicle, but they looked amazingly cool.

[@jaymes1]

The st regis was dodges luxurycar, shameful the police department ordered them, might as well ordered Cadillacs 🤦🏻‍♂️😔

[@alantrimble2881]

@@jaymes1LOL. Chrysler Corp. was grateful for the sale at the time. Then they begged Congress for a loan guarantee.

[@67L-88]

Back in the day, someone called those cars "the nails used in the coffin of Chrysler"

[@Ollywood00]

Thats what fiat/stellantis is doing today with whats left to Chrysler

[@Freedomquest08]

I always thought of the K cars as that, the Carter era when Climate change was a thing, oil was going to run out, and govt. mandates transgendered cars into being people moving appliances. Enter FJB. Here we go again...

[@oops1952]

I had a '79 360 with the lean burn system. No power...no gas mileage...terrible drivability...and no exhaust valves. I replaced the valves, took it back to the '74 set up, and life was good again!!!

[@mromatic17]

Steve since my dad was an asshole im gonna use you as my father figure that i never had. I thought i knew a lot about car history but you blow anyone away and i love going to the junkyard they are so cool seeing all the old cool cars and trucks!

[@barbaratodd1288]

Papa Steve lol

[@larrykroger3100]

Ahhh..yes, and nothing but the finest "Corinthian leather" for the interior appointments...

[@NathansMoparGarage]

The R bodies which are just a 4 door B-body went from 79-81 with the same chassis and longitudinal torsion bars. These were the Chrysler Newport, New Yorker, Dodge St. Regis and the Plymouth Gran Fury.

[@googleusergp]

Correct, and they were the last vehicles made at the Lynch Road plant in MI before it closed in the spring of 1981.

[@NathansMoparGarage]

@@googleusergp They were also built in the Windsor plant.

[@googleusergp]

Yes I believe so. Fleet business was keeping Chrysler going by 1981 until the K car could get the sales ramped up again. It was an awful time in the automotive industry in general, and Chrysler was among the worst of the worst back then. They really had some financial problems.

[@77yogurt]

Oh how would you know?!?! LoL JK 😜

[@79tazman]

@@NathansMoparGarage Yeah they were I had family that worked in the windsor plant back in those days my grand father and a couple uncles too my father worked there for a bunch of years but he quit to become a cook. one of the dumbest things I think he did even though he made more money cooking and that.

[@joegallo9658]

Thanks Steve for this video, had a discussion about these cars with a buddy, told him his magnum was a badged Cordova, he thinks the magnum had different windows, I told him no, same cars with the exception of the front nose. I didn't argue with him, some will believe what they want and ignore the facts.

[@DjangoFett138]

The only other actual difference are the bulges on the doors are a bit more "aggressive" as they stick out more. But other than that, it's a 78-79 Cordoba lol

[@Welcometofacsistube]

Actually the hoods and doors are different and unique to the magnum

[@bonniebairn844]

@@Welcometofacsistube Yes, that's correct.

[@bradkay]

"some will believe what they want and ignore the facts." No doubt about that. We see it right in these videos!

[@bradkay]

@@Welcometofacsistube And tail lamps. But clearly not all the same except for the header as Steve said. You'd think with a Cordoba and Magnum sitting side by side... oh well

[@charlespalavros6952]

I had a 79 Doba triple black beautiful car

[@Olds_Gold]

Brought back so many memories ! My dad and I had one of these when I was about 8 years old. His was a T-top car. We are driving down Highway 52 on the Lafayette bridge by downtown St Paul and the passenger side T-top blew right off the car, and I watched it shatter on the freeway. My Dad pulled over got out and ran about a half a mile to pick up that T-top latch and partial frame. Mind you this was back in 87 or 88 and he told me back then how hard it was to find parts for that car

[@kc-6837]

I appreciate you sharing your Mopar knowledge! Please keep them coming!

[@SteveMagnante]

More to come!

[@kc-6837]

@@SteveMagnante 👍

[@tihspidtherekciltilc5469]

I bought a black with red interior and red graphics 79 Dodge Magnum XE-GT at an impound yard for $200 because of the security system. They had a jumper wire from the alternator to the ballast resistor to start it. About a week later I found two red wires and a black wire with a big yellow wire nut. Took the black wire out and everything worked. After going through it and stripping the other Magnum the yard gave me I drove that car all over the country and only got a flat. Best highway 85mph cruiser that I've ever had but lost it in a flood from Hurricane Emily in 93. I really need to go to that yard.

[@66balsam]

I drove a friends triple black Cordoba 400 BB in 78, it was beautiful! He later wrote it off during a seizure.

[@BSWThunder6]

That would make a great Marty Robbins clone stock car!

[@frankbeach9745]

Hey Steve, can I make a suggestion.....a battery powered leaf blower to remove some of the pine needles! Mopar To Ya

[@xlr8carlife127]

I have one of those 1978 Magnum XE's with the factory 400... Last mid size car from any manufacture with the big block.

[@rayjames6096]

Back in the day someone was driving that around riding tall and feeling proud.

[@Welcometofacsistube]

When I was about 17 I saw a 78 white/ red interior t top magnum gt. I vowed to own one one day. Today however I own 2 of 228 made 1979 t top 300's. Love the forgotten b bodies

[@klwthe3rd]

You gotten add a Magnum XE to your collection!

[@Welcometofacsistube]

@@klwthe3rd oh trust me, I keep my ears open. At one time I had 4 79 t top cordobas

[@bonniebairn844]

I have a '79 300 t-top built to Canada specs (E58, factory 150 mph speedo, tachometer, power seats, no catalytic converters, etc). The Cordoba, 300 and Magnum could all be ordered the same but I suspect very few actually were built.

[@Welcometofacsistube]

@@bonniebairn844 I'm Canadian in Saskatchewan and both my 79 300's we sold new in Saskatchewan. In Canada those cars were catalytic converter deleted cars. Says so on my fender tags. Best information I could find on product t top 300's was 228 made out of the 5000 made for US/Canadian market. They are a very rare car

[@Welcometofacsistube]

@@bonniebairn844 and you could order the 79 300s with the 318/ 360 two barrel or the e58 360 in Canada You could also get white interior instead of the red interior. I stripped a car and still have the full white interior. US was only white on red e58 360 cars. Rumors say that 12 red on white 300's were made for the Canadian market but I have never seen one

[@adamtrombino106]

A P code 400 4bbl GT from 78 is the 1 to have. It was essentially a 2dr cop car, with HD brakes, steering, suspension, 3.21 axle, wider rims, and true non lock up 727. Ditch the ELB for an old fashioned Mopar Orange box electronic ignition system, and that mill really came to life.

[@budlanctot3060]

Essentially the same as a 79 300, except it came with police(E58) 360 4-bbl.

[@Slowgroovin]

Friend of mine back in high school had the Cordoba. His had the 400 engine. These cars were clearly aimed at Monte Carlos, etc.

[@b.abrackus6403]

Bobby Joe Long...the Florida serial killer...Had a Dodge Magnum just like this.. the last woman that he abducted reported that she seen the word ( Magnum) on the dashboard..it helped narrow the search down considerably...

[@klwthe3rd]

I always thought these cars were so beautiful! I loved those clear headlight covers that pivoted downward when the headlights were turned on. I miss the days when automakers had kewl touches like that.

[@AtomicReverend]

We all miss style on cars Ken, The only new cars that have any style are mimicking the cars from the 1960s and early '70s (Mustang, Challenger Camaro) and a few full size luxury SUVs. Unfortunately I don't see style ever taking precedence ever again, today it's all about world platform sharing and badge engineering. I guess I get it from a cost point of view for the manufacturer as it's a lot easier to manufacture one car using parts from all over the world and just glue a different badge on it for its perspective market but from a car guy standpoint it sure sucks that a Ford van in the USA looks just like the one in Europe today.

[@77yogurt]

@@AtomicReverend I agree. Back when cars were made out of car!

[@will7its]

@@AtomicReverend Its all about fuel mileage and eliminating oil use.....

[@christopherbero3388]

Can’t get enough Mopar history - intro much better - get right into it - I will always be “present and accounted for”…when you have new vids!

[@rustyshackleford6811]

I have a rebuilt 440 4brl in the barn that would love that car..

[@inmate666]

I ran a 1978 magnum for and Enduro car .what a tank! It had all the police goodies with a 440 . It lasted 3 seasons before I killed it off in a derby. I'm not much of a dodge guy but I'd buy another one.

[@danielmarek4609]

I can remember when the Magnums came out. I even considered buying one but never did. The headlight covers were needed back then because federal law prevented the use of non-sealed headlights like what's allowed today. I remember the auto manufacturers when they lobbied congress to make what we know today as headlights allowed. The big obstacle to the halogens that came after the old sealed beams wasn't the bulb itself but was the individually molded plastic housings. It was the high cost to replacing a broken head light that held things up. Aerodynamics was the reason the auto manufacturers wanted to change from the old sealed beams.

[@marcusdamberger]

Composite headlights indeed. They had them for years in Europe starting in the 70s. That's why so many great looking European cars looked so off for the American market, they had to substitute sealed beams in place of composite, plus the 5 m.p.h. bumper standards made everything look worse.

[@googleusergp]

Watch the movie "The Longest Yard" with Burt Reynolds which came out in 1974. It features a Citroen SM which at the time eventually was no longer imported due to headlight covers and other exemptions that Citroen thought the regulators in the US would give them. Nope. They just stopped importing them. They were junk anyway. One scene in the movie has Burt Reynolds leaving his girlfriend's house in a huff after slapping her and taking her Citroen and eventually plunging into the river. Fast fun fact: The song playing on the radio is none other than Lynyrd Skynyrd's "Saturday Night Special" which was written for the movie. The song talks about "Saturday Night Specials" which are cheap hand guns often used for nefarious purposes. Lead singer Ronnie Van Zant although a gun enthusiast actually shot himself in the foot accidentally and told an interviewer, "I think we should sink all of them to the bottom of the sea" and says so in the song's lyrics. Mr. Van Zant died in the band's plane crash over Gillsburg, MS in October 1977.

[@leakygoalie44]

My brother had a 1978 with a t top and cb option

[@Welcometofacsistube]

Very rare

[@chuckwhitson654]

Steve covers the stuff that NOBODY ELSE DOES

[@BeerHunter1953]

A co-worker of mine had a new 1976 Cordoba triple black. Very classy personal luxury car in its day.

[@fubarmodelyard1392]

I really miss the 78 xe I bought new. 360, floor shift, leather interior, most comfortable seats I've ever encountered. Those headlight doors operated with authority

[@fifthlomat717]

Magnum in Mexico was a 2 door diplomat that could of been ordered with a 360 4 speed and cop car suspension

[@scootosan]

Steve you missed a major selling point that is the "Rich Corinthian Leather"

[@dand3975]

Kyle Petty won his first ARCA race at Daytona in a 78 Magnum. It was a former Richard Petty Nascar race car.

[@winteroutside7014]

cool fact kyle and richard petty are not related

[@Ron_Lockwood]

Thanks for the knowledge,Steve.❤

[@markcheek5006]

I had both a magnum and Cordoba, I'd love to have both of them again

[@bradkay]

2:12 (concerning the 400 "it went away after 78 as Chrysler got away from building V8s in fact they scrapped their tooling as part of their agreement with the government to focus on fuel efficient cars" Chrysler had no agreement with the government for product for the 79 model year. It was only after the loan guarantees passed that they had any product agreements with the government. 2:29 "except for heavy truck use" Ah, so they DIDN'T scrap the tooling!!! 2:58 "in 76 and 77 was so effective Chrysler Corporation cars didn't need catalytic converters". Some models were certified with catalytic converters, some were not. 3:03 "in 48 states" No. There were 49 state federal emission standards, California emission standards, and high altitude emission standards. There was no such thing as 48 state emission standards. 3:17 (lean burn) "and what they do is monitor the fuel" Lean burn is strictly a spark control device. It has no effect on fuel. 3:48 (lean burn) "These tended to run a little warmer" How could that be? A 75 Charger 318 which is not a lean burn and a 78 Magnum 318 which is a lean burn have the same AC Delco thermostat, part number 1319. 4:34 (parts commonality with Cordoba) "the same doors" No. The Magnum door carries the lower body line from the fender and quarter into the door and they takes it up to joine the upper body line. 4:48 (Re 79 B bodies) "And the final Chrysler cars with lontitudinal torsion bars" No, the Newport, New Yorker, St Regis, and Gran Fury had them through 81.

[@bradkay]

Now Steve, you proved you can do on screen edits when you added 100 mph to the speedometer comments. How about fixing some of this other stuff. (The Hudson video is crying for help.)

[@adamtrombino106]

Yes indeed Magnum doors were different. The lean burn cars did run hotter because combustion chamber were hotter due to very lean mixtures, especially in 2bbl engines.

[@sonofelohim9857]

I had. "78" Monaco really nice smooth ride and semi sport luxury

[@SteveMagnante]

Very nice!

[@prepper-bc4zr]

I had a 1979 magnum gt. Had a 360/727. Loved that car. Changed the intake and carb. She was a great car. My friend had a 1978 Daytona charger. We used to stir up all kinds of trouble in Memphis in the early 1980s

[@SteveMagnante]

Hello prepper 1212, I mis-spoke about the Magnum GT's wheel flares. They were NOT rigid fiberglass but rather very flexible polyurethane that was something like the soft "facias" used on cars like the 1980 - '81 Firebird and Camaro. Your GT was a RARE car! Most Magnums were the "dignified" XE models. Your "sporty" GT must have been a looker! Thanks for watching and writing. -Steve Magnante

[@prepper-bc4zr]

@@SteveMagnante wish I could find the pictures of it. Painted it dark blue metallic. Had 15”cragar ss rims 7” front 10” rear. G 50s on the back with air shocks. Front lowered 1 1/2 inch with the torsion bars. I wish I could find another one in decent shape. I would build it just like it.

[@user-ct4wc6ut5v]

Love the magnums..both the old and new..and love Steve's videos...al.ost as much as the stabs at motor trend...

[@allanperry6507]

Damn Steve your looking warm buddy 🥵 .Hope your staying hydrated and taking a few breaks between videos. Stay cool 😎. Smiles 😃 from Huntsville Ontario Canada 🇨🇦

[@sombra6153]

I’ll give it to Chrysler for trying to avoid the cats. A noble effort anyway.

[@anibalbabilonia1867]

Those magnums looks kind of cool! They had some nice styling to them!

[@1987glhs]

Re. Mexican Magnums, they also had a K based one. They were 2 door coupes with blacked out trim and 2.2 TIs. Very sharp looking cars, kind of looked like a Buick Grand National.

[@dodgesportsman772]

These cars have always been on my cool list for decades

[@robbchastain3036]

You are the King of Rusted Cars, Steve, thanks and I really enjoy your visits with these relics. And the Magnum was the end-of-the-line for the big ol' full-size stock car? Maybe not officially but the downsizing was about to start. And in my little thumbnail of me at age 15 in a military housing area in Frankfurt, West Germany in early '75--we had moved from California just a few months earlier when my Dad got a job over there as a civilian civil engineer--I am wearing a pair of team-issue pants worn by the Petty pit crews in '73, I think it was. The pants were red with STP Oil Treatment graphics down each leg over a white stripe. It was the closest I could get to something flashy like Evel Knievel and my Dad got the gear because he worked with the Pettys when they ran Riverside and Ontario in the early '70s.

[@SteveMagnante]

Hello Robb Chastain, those "Petty Crew Pants" were cool and you were one lucky kid to have them. The next best race garb was the STP / Andy Granatelli Indy Turbine stuff of 1967 or maybe the AMC race team shirts of the early 1970's. Thanks for watching and writing. -Steve Magnante

[@robbchastain3036]

@@SteveMagnante Thanks, Steve, and indeed, it was a thrill to be a kid--one of thousands in that era--whose father had something to do with cool cars. And tho' he had been raised in Detroit--his father was career GM in accounting--my parents were part of that big migration to California in the early '60s, so California was my childhood home and my Dad--still with us as a living-large retiree--was a true racing enthusiast, SCCA and such and in San Francisco he moonlighted as Chastain High-Performance Engines and as a little kid I remember him working on a '55 Chevy engine for a customer. And then at the end of the decade, he lived his engine-building dream full-time by working the '69 Indy for a team which fielded the Federal Engineering Special and then got a job with Gene White Firestone in Atlanta, building Camaro engines for Pete Hamilton and Pete's success on the Baby Grand circuit. And then, incredibly, my Dad was hired by the famed Bud Moore team in Spartanburg as one of two engine-men for the 1970 Trans-Am season, the big one which Parnelli won in that orange-and-black Factory Ford Boss Mustang. And then, grateful for having had the experience of big-time auto racing, my Dad contentedly hit the trail back to California, all of us in the family '65 Mustang. And then, as mentioned, he did keep his hand in it a bit with work for the Pettys at Ontario and Riverside. And while I don't have those '73 pants any longer, I do still have his Petty team shirt from the '72 season, very understated in comparison to '73, lol. And one of the wildest days of my life was one in '71 in Fresno. I'm riding in the backseat as my Dad and his friend are talking racing and talking engines. And the car stops at a warehouse-looking building and the gent opens a giant door and there's a car under a sheet of plastic. And it was THE Hawaiian funny car. And that was my favorite funny car. And my mind was blown. And it was fun to see it all. And in the '90s, I got to show my appreciation to Mr. Moore for his role in my father's life by doing some photographic work for his team at a handful of tracks up North. And at the July running of Pocono in '94, I captured a moment of conversation between Mr. Moore and his crew chief, Donnie Wingo, and on a visit to the shop several months later, my Dad said that photo was on display and Mr. Moore told me over the phone that it was quite a shot. And I was honored to do that for Mr. Moore, a D-Day veteran who crafted some of the coolest hot rods in all the land.

[@Piggypong367]

My friends dad had a white one I remember the clear headlight covers. Thought it was a cool feature.

[@brucejones7389]

2 door personal luxury car of the 70s 😏

[@williamroberts4049]

We had the Cordoba with the Corinthian red leather 😁

[@88SC]

I love salvage yards like this, but my OCD causes trauma when I see the pine needles and moss. 😱

[@wreckerjonny6144]

There's a 78 magnum with a 400 big block in it . They drove it in and took carb off. It's solid and red on red. Was white exterior color. It's at my local salvage yard

[@sadwingsraging3044]

Snap it up.

[@DaMagnumguy]

Where are you located? I collect these jewels. Seriously. I own 5 currently ;)

[@chriscollins327]

I'm making a new t top roof and sail panels for a 76 magnum! Love these cars! My buds had his since the 90's. Not putting the vinyl back on it. Love the channel Steve. Thank you for what you do!

[@SteveMagnante]

Right on

[@AtomicReverend]

I have always liked these, I don't remember them being new I was probably conceived in the seat of a new one lol I have always wanted to clone a NASCAR with this car, I could picture one of these doing a budget build with a mean sounding 360 small block (a big cam and straight pipes), a five-speed manual out of a later truck transmission (because they are in the junkyard and they bolt up), wide black steel D hole wheels with some Goodyear or BFG white lettering tires, gutted interior, roll cage and some sort of defunct company's advertising all over it along with obviously some sort of numbers on the doors. Drop the car just enough to give it the stance and some fiberglass bucket seat(s). I always figured it'd be really fun getting about four or five buddies all with these cheap 73 to 78 era vehicles and do them up NASCAR style and then roar them down the freeway to a car show. Being that I live in California unfortunately this will probably never happen because smog checks are on everything 76 and newer. Maybe a ulgy big t-bird, or a cougar could be a possibility.

[@allaylan7498]

I've got a 78 Magnum GT with the 400 engine, awesome car in great shape.

[@michaeldaniels5533]

Great segment! I had a 78 Magnum XE with the awful 318 Lean Burn System. Mine was black with a red interior. That car never ran right but I loved the style of that car, I wish I still had it today.

[@79tazman]

Yeah there was many that the lean burn system would give issues but there were some that run like a top. A friend of mine has three mid to late 70 mopars with the lean burn system on it and they run like a top and never a issue with them so it was all a hit and miss but the computer under the hood did not do it any good putting it there with the heat and cool and moisture

[@greggcollins4215]

Back in 2010 I saw a Magnum in Mission Ks. with a daytone style wing added to the rear.

[@Justacogg]

Thanks again for a great video Steve!

[@daveridgeway2639]

The Chrysler Cordoba out sold the Dodge Charger/Magnum two to one because Chryslers advertising agency hired Ricardo Montalban to promote the Chrysler Cordoba. You could actually buy a Charger or Magnum a bit cheaper with the same options for that reason. The Chrysler 400 big block replaced the Chrysler 383 big block, but did not have as much power, you were better off with the Chrysler 360 small block for overall performance and fuel economy. The Chrysler "Lean Burn" system had some drivability issues in the early stages of development at first, but one big issue was that when mechanics installed an "aftermarket" spark plug wire set, the electrical field the wires produced would interfere with the low voltage/low amperage of the Lean Burn control module that was located on the air cleaner. You had to use OEM "original equipment manufacture" (Mopar) spark plug wire sets. Dave...

[@77yogurt]

Very interesting about the lean burn system.

[@unclemarksdiyauto]

I didn’t realize the Magnum headlight plastic covers folded down out of the way. I remember them, never owned one but seen many. This is a great video series and classroom! Thanks!

[@Daniel-fd3wp]

How many words per minute does Steve put out there off Great Content. Great Videos.👍

[@dubiousf00d]

My 76 Chrysler started life with the lean burn. Wanted more reliability in a simplified form. So away it went

[@Guns_N_Gears]

Steve, you impress me with your ability to remember numbers. I can barely remember the combination to my luggage. When I forget, I watch SpaceBalls🤣

[@SteveMagnante]

Hello Guns N Gears, I Thank You for complimenting my memory buuuuut, if I'm completely honest, I do use occasional notes scribbled onto glass and other areas on the car to prompt me and (hopefully) keep me on track and somewhat accurate. Other times I can't see what the camera is showing and flub, like in this Dodge Magnum video where I say "85 mph speedometer" and the reality is a 100 mph speedometer. Thankfully Super Shane Richardson (ace camera operator and editor) saved the day with that graphic insert showing the bold white "100 MPH" correction. So THANKS AGAIN for watching and writing. -Steve Magnante

[@Guns_N_Gears]

@@SteveMagnante Thanks for the reply Steve. It's OK to not be perfect in an imperfect world, your the 👌 best!!!!

[@GreyRockOne]

Thanks Steve! My dad had a 78, I loved that car!

[@willhorting5317]

I remember, when the Magnum came out, I thought it was a good looking car and I wanted one. Trouble was, I was just a teenager and couldn't afford to buy one.😎 Thanks for the lesson today! I didn't realize that they were only made a couple of years. And I didn't know that those headlight covers came down! I don't recall ever seeing one with the headlights on.😁

[@scoobyroorogers]

Same here. I also thought the covers were solid mount. Weird.

[@willhorting5317]

@@scoobyroorogers 😎

[@77yogurt]

@Will Horting so you're saying you've never seen one in the wild? 😄

[@gillboardman8998]

I live in a small town in Eastern Washington and there's one of the 78/79 Cordoba's a couple streets away. Nice shape but a "calico". Runs, too, because the guy has moved it from the street to his driveway once. Sadly it's just still there where he moved it.😔

[@jameshall4385]

My neighbor had one. He never drove it, he just started it up every once in a while

[@jimmartin735]

Can almost smell the rich Corinthianleather

[@felixlafuente9714]

Very courious car. Thank you Steve

[@feelinfine1973]

Thanks Steve for this 2 for 1 episode!! ✌️ from Iowa!!

[@No1414body]

Always liked the magnum and the Mirada

[@brandonwinter2094]

Absolutely love these videos! Keep it up

[@baezn88]

Good morning to all!!!

[@DanEBoyd]

I never knew that those covers retracted like that!

[@obryan240]

I had the 400 in my 78 magnum. 318 in my 79 Cordoba.

[@jcpad1797]

Awesome videos

[@danw6014]

Well no one else has said it so I will. " the Chrysler Cordoba has fine Corinthian leather". Ricardo Montalban

[@MrMaintmgr]

Magnum is one of my bucket list cars. There were actually two different 400 V8 engines in 1978. From a MT article "The GT had the E64 400ci 4-barrel with a lock-up converter and an 8.25 axle with tiny 2.40 gears. The XE, however, could be had with the A36 trailer tow option. While that might not sound like an exciting package, it offered the high-performance E68 400ci four-barrel engine built by Chrysler Marine paired with a non-lock-up converter with 2,300-stall and a 9.25 axle fitted with 3.21 gears" With the tow package on the XE you actually got a bit of muscle.

[@michaelnazaruk4100]

Wow, bud! You must really love these Dodge Magnums for them to be on your bucket list! I can think of 5 cars I would love to have on my bucket list, and a Dodge Magnum isn't one of them.

[@MrMaintmgr]

@@michaelnazaruk4100 I'm a fan of all "Malaise" era cars. Affordability being one of many reasons. Would I like a 1971 Road Runner with a Hemi? Who wouldn't?! With only 55 produced the odds of me ever owning one are slim. My "Bucket list" is full of obtainable cars that I can beat on. And I will beat on them. Without any of the trailer queen guilt.

[@madmike2624]

Another great video Steve! We got a two for on on this edition, Great job!! What happened to the intro with the weed wacker and the deer head?? LOL

[@RockymountainRobert]

My dad had a Chrysler Cordoba, the digital clock in the dash was like the coolest thing for that time in a car. 😆

[@howardhudson7214]

I had a 79 magnum with a red and white paint job. Very similar to the Starsky and Hutch paint scheme.

[@79tazman]

I had a 1978 Dodge Magnum it you to sit on the street a block from my house and one day the guy was out and I asked him if he was selling it and he said yeah give me 700 bucks so I did. He was the original owner it was black with tan vinyl interior had a 360 with a 727 in it and had the magnum rims that were like the slotted police rims anyway the car ran like junk because the carb was all messed up and found out the guy almost had his face blown off from a big backfire out the carb when his face was over it and he had scars to prove it too anyway it was a great car once I fixed the carb and I had it for two years and sold it to a good friend of mine that still has it today.

[@Scotiapilot1966]

My first car was a 1976 Charger Daytona with 400HP, 9 1/4 LSD and console shift.

[@ZebsterP43]

Kyle Petty won Daytona ARCA race in one of those

[@michaelgreer8659]

Loved those cars

[@patmayer7222]

,,,yes,,,cool.......my good buddy bought his magnum brand new,,,and still owns it today!...great car,,,his brainbox failed and had to replace it,we remember doing that!...still a good looking car,don't see ANY on the road up here in n. Mich..that car is in Washington state now,repainted,New rims,still runs(318)ci....!..tnx,pat,,,land o' lakes,wi.

[@mikedimaio1237]

Looking pretty hot there Steve.

[@vmaxes]

I had a 76 corduba, was a little on the beater side but it would start all winter not being plugged in. Minus whatever temp. ....... i put dual batteries in it! 17 yrs old then.

[@davidpayne4315]

What a wonderful car