What is mopar car? Mopar is a mashup of the words “motor” and “parts.” It was first used around the 1920s as a short for Chrysler Motor Parts Corp. However, it gained popularity only in 1937 when Chrysler came out with their flagship product – Antifreeze.
It might not seem like much today, but during the Great Depression, a product that would help poverty-stricken Americans travel hassle-free was something almost like a godsend. Now the brand boasts a complete range of motor parts, from engine parts to waxes cleaners, filters, and much more.
It is a subsidiary of the Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FAC) Global Service and Parts division which manufactures and distributes authentic replacement components, accessories, and parts for vehicles manufactured under the brand name Fiat, Chrysler, Jeep, and Dodge.
What Is Mopar Car?
The Mopar brand grew significantly by the 1960s and was a known name in drag race events. Direct Connection was founded by some Chrysler engineers and was later renamed Mopar Performance Parts. A complete catalog of performance parts allowed mail orders for the company’s vehicles to come through.
Mopar helped motorheads squeeze more power out of their vehicles. Mopar soon became synonymous with the cars manufactured under Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge, Fiat, and Ram. Therefore, despite being a brand that sells motor parts, it started to represent the wide range of classic cars from the Chrysler family, including Dodge and Plymouth.
However, you can still find that there are licensed restoration parts suppliers for owners of vintage cars under the Jeep, AMC, and Chrysler brands. The company still uses the brand and offers everything from badging to skirting to decals to carpeting and body trims. Mopar also provides manuals for Do-It-Yourself projects.
History of Mopar Car
The term was created by an internal activities council and was first used by Chrysler in 1937 as a product name to put on cans of Chrysler Motor Parts Antifreeze. This new branded product became known as “MoPar antifreeze” a portmanteau of the terms “motor” and “parts”.
Mopar parts are original equipment manufactured parts for FCA US LLC vehicles. The term “Mopar” has passed into broader usage among car enthusiasts as an unambiguous reference to vehicles produced by former parent company Chrysler Corporation/Chrysler Group LLC/ FCA US LLC, now known as Stellantis.
The term has thus become an inclusive word for any Chrysler-built vehicle—most any Dodge, Chrysler, Plymouth, Imperial, DeSoto, Fargo (Canada-only in later years) or Dodge Trucks/Ram. By extension, it is also used for Jeep and AMC vehicles built after Chrysler’s 1987 buyout of American Motors Corporation, including the short-lived Eagle brand.
In Canada, Chrysler parts were sold under the “Chryco” and “AutoPar” brands until the Mopar brand was introduced into that nation’s market, starting in the late 1970s.
The Rarest Mopar Muscle Car
The jury is still out on the rarest Mopar of all time, but if we look at the most desirable of them, it’s the 1971 Plymouth Hemi’ Cuda four-speed convertible. Currently, the three A883-equipped four-speed cars are about 6 million dollars. The 1971 Plymouth Hemi’ Cuda still competes with the 1969 Dodge Daytona and 1970 Plymouth Superbird for first place.
Mopar Performance Parts
Mopar sells performance parts for Jeeps and other muscle cars. There are specialized performance packages that include Drag Paks and performance stage kits. There are various packages, including drag-ready wheels, tires, brakes, transmission, driveshaft, seats, unique graphics, rear axle, and more.
These can be sold as kits or piecemeal. The performance stage kits are available in 3 levels, out of which stages 2 and 3 are not street-legal.
Chrysler doesn’t have a separate performance division like Ford, Toyota, and General Motors. However, the core parts of their OEM manufacturing are entirely different divisions. Mopar has an extensive catalog of non-performance parts, but its history of racing and muscle cars puts them in conversation like other performance kits.
Except for Maserati, the original-equipment replacement parts are sold through Mopar. The company also sells original-equipment parts and accessories for Alfa Romeo, Ram, Chrysler, Fiat, Dodge, and Jeep. These are sold through official Mopar Parts Channels and dealership service departments.
These parts match or exceed the requirements of the vehicle. These are brand recommended and also keep the factory warranty intact, so you can clearly bank on the exceptional quality of the parts for use in vehicles manufactured under the brands mentioned above.
Custom Mopar Cars
Mopar does not have dedicated assembly lines. There are 13 Mopar Custom Shops that install customer-chosen accessories on their vehicles prior to delivery.
There are also limited-edition Mopar versions of FCA vehicles. These are marketed featuring custom paint and equipped with numerous Mopar performance and cosmetic modifications.
An example was the 2013 Dodge Dart finished in black with an offset Mopar Blue racing stripe and featuring sport-tuned steering, exhaust, premium brakes with slotted rotors, lowered sport suspension, and gloss black 18-inch aluminum wheels with low profile performance tires. The Dart had production plans for 500 units.
A special edition Mopar 2017 Dodge Challenger was introduced at the 2017 Chicago Auto Show as part of 80th anniversary of the Mopar brand. A total of 160 were built: half were finished in contusion blue with pitch black effects and the second half in billet silver with pitch black accents.
Sponsorship
Over its 80 years, Mopar has sponsored a number of racers in a variety of motorsports series.
In 1996, Mopar sponsored the No. 30 car of Jimmy Hensley in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. From 2004 to 2007 Mopar sponsored the No. 9 car driven by Kasey Kahne in the Nextel Cup Series for the Bank of America 500 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. They also sponsored his sprint car.
In the United States and Canada, Mopar participates in Formula D. Formula Drift drivers are Samuel Hübinette, and in Canadian Drift Championship Vanessa Ozawa, Kevin Huynh, and John Yakomoto. Mopar had sponsored NHRA drag racer Allen Johnson in that series’ Pro Stock division for 20 years, but for 2016 season they sponsored Jegs Coughlin Jr. and Erica Enders-Stevens.
Mopar remains active in drag racing events. It sponsors Don Schumacher Racing drivers, such as Tony Schumacher, in the Funny Car and Top Fuel classes of the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series. Drivers of the Mopar Dodge Challenger Drag Pak are eligible for a variety of Mopar contingency awards and benefits.
Mopar sponsors the Mopar Mile-High NHRA Nationals held each July in Denver. It is the longest-running sponsorship in all of drag racing.
FAQs
Why are cars called Mopar?
Mopar is a mashup of the words “motor” and “parts.” It was first used around the 1920s as a short for Chrysler Motor Parts Corp. However, it gained popularity only in 1937 when Chrysler came out with their flagship product – Antifreeze.
Which car is a Dodge Mopar?
Eventually, it transformed into a term that they used to refer to any vehicles produced by Chrysler. These included Dodges, Plymouths, Rams, and, in more recent years, even Jeeps.
Is Mopar high quality?
With MOPAR parts, you are not going to have to worry about things like the parts not fitting, parts not being made specifically for your car, and parts that might not be of the best quality. MOPAR parts are going to be of a better quality.
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