Here’s a buyer’s guide to car “lingo” in the classic car world.
- Air Grabber: A pop-up driver activated hood scoop like those introduced by Plymouth in 1970 on the 1970 Plymouth Road Runner and GTX.
- B-Body: 1960’s and 1970’s rear wheel drive, full size Mopar’s such as the Coronet, Belvedere, GTX, Charger, Road Runner and Super Bee.
- Bow Tie: Any Chevrolet vehicle because of the shape of the Chevrolet emblem.
- Bumpstick: Camshaft.
- Carter AFB: AFB stands for aluminum, four-barrel carburetors found on many muscle cars.
- Clone: A re-creation or one body made to look like another, eg a Tempest turned into a GTO.
- COPO: Central Office Production Order, which is Chevrolet’s general order system, used mostly for fleet sales and special higher-performance models not otherwise available.
- Detroit Locker: A heavy-duty locking differential used in high-performance Fords.
- Dual Quads: Two four-barrel carburetors.
- Dyno Tuned: An engine that has been precision tuned on a Dynamometer, which is an energy-absorbing device that measures torque and translates that information into horsepower.
- E-Body: The designation of Mopar Pony Cars since 1970, eg Barracuda and Dodge Challenger.
- Elastomeric: Chrysler’s term for the flexible, body-colored bumper covering on the 1970 models, like the “Cuda.”
- Endura: GM’s name for their body-colored urethane bumpers.
- F-Body: GM’s designation for Camaros and Firebirds.
- Fastback: Two-door body style with a sloped rear window and smaller trunk lid than the traditional coupe or sedan.
- Goat: Nickname for the Pontiac GTO.
- GS: Grand Sport, a term used by Buick on its high-performance models.
- GT: Gran Turismo or Grand Touring; a term used by European sports coupes and later on domestic models.
- GTO: An abbreviation for the Italian term “Gran Turismo Omologato” for GT (Grand Touring) cars that have been officially recognized for racing, ie Ferrari and then Pontiac GTO.
- GTX: Plymouth’s top Belvedere hardtop and convertible models from 1967 through 1971.
- Headers: high-performance exhaust manifolds designed for superior exhaust gases scavenging.
- Hemi: Although manufactured since 1951 in various cubic inch varieties, the term mostly applies to the 426 cubic inch “hemispherical cylinder head combustion half-sphere chambers” that allow ample room for large valves.
- Hi Po: High Performance.
- HO: A term associated with various “High Output” Pontiac engines.
- Hurst-Olds: A limited edition, high performance Oldsmobile upgraded by Hurst Performance and offered in a variety of distinctive color schemes.
- Judge: Pontiac’s 1969-1972 option package for the GTO.
- Kar Kraft: Ford’s outside production facility that completed the special edition Fords models like the Boss 429.
- Mag Wheels: A general term for any custom wheel, most commonly made of aluminum. Note that true mag wheels are made of magnesium.
- Mopar: Generic term for any Chrysler product. Mopar has been a Chrysler trademark since 1929 and is a short form of “Motor parts.” The term gained favor in the 1960’s and 1970’s when referring to Plymouth and Dodge muscle cars.
- Muncie: General Motors’ four-speed transmissions, built in Muncie, Indiana.
- NOS: New Old Stock, a reference to original unused parts as opposed to reproduction parts.
- Numbers Matching: A term that refers to a car with all of the original components and their correct stamped or cast serial numbers.