We’ve all heard the concern about the next generation- How they aren’t carrying the torch for traditional hot rodding, how they don’t work on their own cars, how they are more focused on their phones than their rides. We get it!
But, there are a few young guns who offer a refreshing flashback to how we remember ourselves. A friendly, respectful young person with motor oil flowing through their veins can really give us hope for another generation. Mason Stoermer is one of those kind of guys.
As a 16-year old high school sophomore, Mason is still learning the basics. His 1973 Dodge Dart Sport proves he’s been paying attention. The basic 318ci V-8/4-speed manual transmission combo is super durable and provides enough potential to make this ‘first car’ a lot of fun.
Mason and his father 
worked together to upgrade to a Holley Sniper EFI setup, and this allowed for some quality education while improving the car’s cold start, fuel economy, and throttle response characteristics.
Like most of us, Mason will keep learning as the car gets more modifications and upgrades. He wants to change the car’s color from yellow to blue, which will offer lessons in sanding, masking, sanding, spraying, sanding, and buffing. Since the interior is also decked out in yellow, we’ll assume some upholstery work will show up next on the list once the paint and bodywork is complete.
We hope he ditches the goofy bumper guards and fills the mount holes while the car is being straightened and sprayed. The Dart Sport models shared a lot of parts with the Plymouth Duster- maybe some earlier-year bumpers would bolt right up without the unsightly rubber chunks? We’ll leave it to Mason to figure out what’s best for his own car. We’re confident he’s on the right path, and with a bit more help from Holley Performance, it’ll be a cooker and a looker!
Keep up the good work, Mason. Please send us an update when the car is further along!
After spending almost a decade in the aerospace industry, Scott Parkhurst chose to learn about racing engines by working in some of Southern California’s most respected engine shops. He took on the role of Tech Editor at Popular Hot Rodding magazine back in 1998, and was instrumental in the development of both the Engine Masters Challenge competition and Engine Masters Quarterly magazine. He was also the founding Editor of Street Thunder magazine and Author of the V8 Horsepower Performance Handbook before he arrived at Timeless Muscle.
