LX and Beyond Nationals

Rab McLarnon is not your average Dodge enthusiast. He spent most of his formative youth in a land known for its lush green highlands and mid evil castles. Therefore, it’s hard to fathom that a country that produced great warriors such as William Wallace or romantic poets like Robert Burns could also be the birthplace to a passionate diehard gear head for American V8 muscle. Rab’s destiny with U.S. bred horsepower began in 1973 when he immigrated to Canada from Scotland to build oil rigs in Halifax, Nova Scotia. However, it was 1987 in which he began his automotive career first at AMC building Jeeps and then eventually Chrysler. When the LX platform was in the design and pre-production stages, Rab was part of the launch team in our Auburn Hills headquarters. He was one of many hardworking individuals that made sure everything was just right before production was kicked off. Right away he was impressed with the looks and performance of the new 5.7L HEMI® Charger R/T. After his stint in Michigan, Rab returned to his adopted country and began working at the Brampton Assembly plant (home the Charger, Challenger and our Chrysler cousin, the 300) in a variety of positions including an inspector and line specialist. When he saw the first Chargers rolling off the line, he knew he had to have one.  His first choice was a ‘Sublime’ Daytona but ‘Go Mango’ won him over, and he immediately went to the local dealer and purchased his dream car. “I loved the power…the looks and once I owned it, I really loved how it turn heads everywhere I drove the car,” said Rab. Soon he was active in the LX club scene and began networking with fellow enthusiasts regarding modification tips and suggestions. He even helped facilitate plant tours for club members to see firsthand how their beloved Chargers and Challengers are built with pride.
 

However, it’s always been a dream for Rab to attend the ultimate LX event, the Spring Festival in Orange County, CA. Here, hundreds of owners from all over the country and Canada come together for the biggest single day gathering of Challengers, Chargers, Magnums and 300s. The Spring Festival also includes numerous vendors and manufacturers including our friends from SRT and Mopar. When his original co-driver bowed out, he thought about simply flying but what fun would that be? It was his wife Laura that convinced him that he should still take his Daytona and she’d help him with the driving. They packed their bags, fueled up the car and programmed the nav and hit the highway. The 5,000 plus mile cross-country round trip for this weekend’s event will take him from Brampton, Ontario through the Midwest and Southwest along Interstate 40 along with side excursions along parts of historic Route 66 on their way to California. For individuals to make such an arduous journey not only exemplifies their passion for these cars, but also their love of this great community of fellow LX gear heads!