I just got my June issue and was delighted to see the history of the SMN on page 78. Being an Indy local I remember those days as the funnest time of my life.
I was 16 years old in 1980 and was working for my father's transmission shop conveniently located on Shadeland Ave. So when the police would run us off, we would hide at the shop, wait a while and go back out cruisin. And seeing all the street machines at that age was a real life changer for me.
I do have a question about the give away cars in the early days. They mentioned the Mustang on page 82. But was there a Chrysler Le Baron or Cordoba one of those years? I was thinking  CC gave it a Nascar look or something like that.
Reason I'm asking, I think I know where its at. Every time I see it, I keep thinking it was a give away car.  

There sure was.  I'm thinking it was a Chrysler with a genuine Corinthian leather interior...I remember them making a comment about a trucker liking the graphics on the roof...

Hey they made the best with what was available in the late -70's -early 80's.  It was a cool car.

This month's article seemed to make no mention of the west coast Street Machine Nationals at Cal Expo Sacramento and in the San Fernando and Pomona Valleys...those events, long ago as they were, are part of the reason I still read Car Craft.

Was it blue?

This car sits in front of a house I drive by every couple of months. It has a Nascar style spoiler and the fenders are flared out a little.

I can get a picture of it, but I can say it's not a thing of beauty anymore.

Same here about reading Car Craft. I subscribed to get my entry in before the issue hit the news stands. Amazing the cut off was at 5,000 cars and I had to do that. Still haven't missed an issue.

Sounds like the Dodge Magnum they built in '78. I had one, a 360 in it, ran some headers on it. I was lucky I never killed myself or anyone else in it. Great car, just teenage driver!