They are insurance adjusters, general contractors, small business owners,  teachers, information technology professionals, college students, truck drivers, police officers, and, of course, marketing proessionals.    Members of the NJ Mopar Group come from all walks of life.   Brought together by a common interest,  their cars, the group’s membership stays together because of their relationships with each other.     As Mopar enthusiast and Dodge Charger owner myself, I joined the group exactly a year ago after relocating to the Northeast from Texas.    The 3 year old, 230 member New Jersey group is one of several sister clubs across the eastern seaboard of the United States, including the PA Mopar Group,  as well as groups in Washington DC, Southern Maryland, and soon in New York all united under the Muscle Mopars Clubs of America banner.   Collectively, the group sports a membership of more than 500 Mopar enthusiasts in the region.

The word “Mopar” originated in the 1930s  as an acronym for “MOtor PARts”, the parts producing arm of the Chrysler Corporation.     Enthusiasts who raced Chrysler products of any make over the years have come to refer to their vehicles “Mopar” products rather than by their individual names, Chrysler, Plymouth and Dodge.    Mopar owners boast that the acronym has multiple other meanings such as “My Own Pure Adrenaline Rush”.      

I knew very quickly that the NJ Mopar Group was not a typical car group after attending one of the groups weekly “Meet and Greets”.      The Mopar group recruits new membership by attending car shows and by hand distributing invitations to other Mopar owners,  but it is  through a series of  “Meet & Greets” that take place on different nights throughout the week that prospective members really get a feel for the breadth and depth of the relationships that exist within the family-like organization.    The group’s calendar, updated daily on their website,  includes something for everyone:   car shows, charity events,  group modification weekends, family dinners,  play dates for the children of the members, pool parties, and weekend overnight trips as a group.     The kindred atmosphere is hard to miss.   Whether cruising together to enjoy an ice cream cone or to attend a large regional car show,  the group arrives for every event as a unified  and impressive caravan of classic and late modeled Dodge Chargers,  Challengers , Magnums,  and Chrysler 300s representing a rainbow of colors that is as diverse as the membership itself.    With military-like precision, the each vehicle, one-at-a-time,  backs perfectly into its assigned space is a domino cascading manner that has become well-rehearsed over time.   The doors open and trunks open , canopies are erected, soft drink coolers are placed, and lawn chairs are arranged before each family returns to their own Mopar to prepare it for show.    It is not uncommon to see dad detailing the car, mom shining the interior, and the kids polishing the wheels.    We are all, indeed, a stalwart assemblage of friends.

Giving back to the community is a key focus of each of the regional groups that reside under the Muscle Mopars of America umbrella.    In August the regional groups will come together to host the 3rd Annual Muscle Mopar Bar-B-Q.   Planned for Saturday, August 22^nd at Spruce Run State Park in New Jersey, the event is open to all Mopar owners and their families from across the Northeast and will include a car show, homemade food, fellowship,  and children’s activities, with all proceeds from the event  benefiting  St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.         

This weekend, the PA Mopar Group assisted sponsor High Horse Performance (HHP) to conduct a Welcome Home Day at the VA Hospital in Wilmington, DE for Afghanistan and Iraq troops.   In its second year, the event was free to the public and, in addition to the car show,  included a  military band, police dogs, Air Force helicopter,  and several events for children  from face painting to games.    We were surrounded by service members from every branch of the military, and from every generation.     Many were escorted to the outside festivities only with their aid of their nurse and IV poles, and it was clear they were very glad to enjoy the short break from their personal recovery and circumstances to enjoy a day that was arranged just for them.    Top honors at the car show were designated as  “Memorial Awards” , each named after  an armed services member who lost his or her life in Afghanistan and Iraq.   The gesture  gave each award very significant meaning and caused all of us to pause and think about what is really important in our lives:    our freedom and our relationships with each other.    I have never been more proud to be associated with my Mopar family than I was at this event. 

These are challenging times for many people.  Our lives are busier than they have even been in an economy that is impacting many families in ways they have never experienced.   It’s easy to become so focused on survival – on getting through the day, on getting through the week – that you forget that there is a lot of strength that comes from being with others who share a common interest and joining together for common causes.    The families that comprise our collective Mopar groups, whether from New Jersey, Pennsylvania, New York or elsewhere, are fortunate to have such a strong network of friends and counterparts, all united in our common passions that involve our cars and our communities, but also in our concern for each other.     

Membership in the any of the Mopar Groups represented under the Muscle Car Clubs of America umbrella is open to all Mopar owners and enthusiasts.  

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