Call it what you will: mountain dew, white lightning, hooch…moonshine just might be the drink of motorsports. The high-proof liquor is the stuff of legends and is responsible for sowing the seeds of what is now NASCAR. In order to out-run revenuers, moonshine distributors turned to high-power, specially modified vehicles that could haul the weight of the load of liquor and still outrun (or at least out handle) the authorities. Junior Johnson’s fame behind the wheel of a race car is explicitly tied to his stint as a shine-runner, something he had been doing ever since he was fourteen years old. That was decades ago, however. Johnson sells his own brand of legal moonshine, as do other companies. There’s a reality TV show about people running “illegal” moonshine operations. And if you do know someone who is still crafting the clear stuff under the radar, you keep your mouth shut.
But there is something missing nowadays…the cars. The cars were legendary: 1940 Fords with a rake in the back due to extra springs for hauling the whiskey. Jerry Rushing’s 1958 Chrysler, nicknamed “Traveler” after Gen. Robert E. Lee’s horse, was the inspiration for The Dukes of Hazzard’s General Lee Charger. Willie Clay Call’s 1961 Chrysler New Yorker. You don’t see the super-sleeper sedans anymore, because there isn’t a market for truly illicit hooch anymore. But even as recently as the 1980s, running moonshine was viable and paid well, provided you had the car to support the distribution operations.
So what kind of weirdness am I on about this week? A type of car that you don’t see anymore that would be a riot to build: a shine runner. The concept: it’s a super sleeper, based on a midsize or full-size car, with plenty of room for product, looks that would have flown under the radar at a church banquet meeting, and enough engine under the hood to scare just about anyone, yourself included. The suspension has to be modified to take a brutal beating and survive high-speed maneuvers and it can’t be something so trick that you wouldn’t be completely broken-hearted if it had to go away.
Take this 1973 Dodge Coronet, for instance. Other than the KC Hilites, slot mags and Demon 340 twin-nostril like hood scoop, this is basically a very clean taxicab. But it’s also a Mopar B-body, which means that a Chrysler big-block or Hemi will fit with no heavy work. Between police package parts and the muscle car aftermarket, there’s plenty of suspension parts and if it weren’t for the fact that we haven’t seen a four-door 1970s B-body that clean in…well, in my case, ever…none would be the wiser. This Coronet has had me in fits ever since I’ve seen it.
Or, for another example, take this 1971 Ford Galaxie that was just on eBay. Visually, this is more like it: it appears to be an aged big coupe, the kind or car someone’s grandpa bought new, owned, loved, and then it got put up for a few years and forgotten about. Is there room for some jars? Hell, there’s room for half of the still. The brown paint and white roof isn’t giving anything away, and these cars came with big V8s factory, so seeing a Ford 429 under the hood, like this one has, isn’t a surprise. I don’t have to tell you what a 429 can be built into, so use your imagination there, and picture it. Leave it looking like it does and running like the devil was on it’s tail with lights on. Sound appealing to you? If so, what would you build up?
Hell, using one of those cars you’ll stick out like a sore thumb! You need to use one of the late models like a Charger, Crown Vic, or a Caprice. With aftermarket parts available for all these cars, you can slide under the revenurer’s radar!
Find out what the revenuers are driving and use that as a camouflaged moonshine car – hide in plain sight as it were…
Think minivan…….
LS engined, AWD, Astrovan
Hmmm, 300C SRT-8 with regular 300C bodywork and wheels swapped on, quiet exhaust, sticky tires and a supercharger. Back when ol’ Mayor Bloomberg was planning on banning 16oz or larger sodas in NYC (Yes, for those of you not aware, that was a thing) I was planning on running 2 liters into the city
I am building my 74 nova along these lines
You know where my stance is on this…that Ford has been haunting my dreams since you tipped me off to it…
I built a moonshine style Satellite model car back in the late 80’s. With hundreds of spare model parts around It turned out awesome. Wide nascar style steel wheels, black with a tan interior and flat black chrome. Since then I’ve always dreamed of a moonshine inspired build…
Hate to go japasleezy on you guys but a WRC spec’d Subaru Outback , my best lesbian costume (flat top wig and flannel shirt) and 2 bumper stickers, one a rainbow pride sticker and the other a “proud parent of a honour student at Columbia Law” sticker.
Didn’t Top Gear USA have a moonshine challenge ? I seem to remember them bombing around a course in a 1970’s Cadillac
As much as I love the idea of either of these, you’d stand out like dogs nuts in these. To do it today I’m thinking Subaru Forester – it’s basically a WRX with a taller roof – and go nuts with engine and suspension tuning. They’d never suspect a thing, because after all nobody who drives a sensible suv type thing would ever do anything bad…
I’d use a late model Dodge Charger ex police car as a moonshine runner.
As much of a GM guy as I am it would have to be a Chrysler. What about a black Fifth Ave or Diplomat?
2014 Black Dodge Charger Police Pursuit car, with a 392 swap. This is without a doubt my choice, I’ve given it a bit of previous thought.
1995 Buick Roadmaster Estate. Light Blue with pealing wood grain sides and the towing package. Lots of room for shine, plenty of power with a cam swap and bigger throttle body, plus super comfy seats.
Some kind of Jap luxury sedan. Lexus or Inifinty. Airbags in rear springs to compensate for a load. Then have a decoy car. Some beat up POS, 4 door, with a confederate flag and hunting/fishing stickers. The more meth user it looks the better.
Back in the day, tankers were built to blend in with all the rest of t he common vehicles so as not to draw attention.
What’s the most common vehicle out there? Pick up trucks of coarse!
Monster big block with power assets, air ride and super gripper hides.
And all that space in the bed for “fuel” tanks? Agreed.
1990’s Chevy Caprice Classic Wagon, police part galore, airbag rear boosted suspension, and that 5.7 interceptor with a few go fast parts plus NOS, just incase, widened factory steelies with factory hubcaps just to look more plain and tinted back widows and a fake rear floor to hide the load
Please do this! I have been wanting to do one of these builds for years myself, and I have just never gotten around to it.
galaxie for sure. They had cop car option parts that you can still find in the catalogs. springs sway bars shocks etc.
big block 460 and a 4 spd. note: 71 was the last year option to get a 4 spd in a galaxie. SUPER RARE these days, I believe less than 5 cars exist still.
trunk will hold 5 beer kegs. I know this for a fact.
my first car 72 galaxie w/ 351cleveland.
I made it fast and handle great.
DV