Yahoo Autos Brotherhood of Hustle: Mopar Debuts 1968 Dodge Super Charger Custom with Crate Hemi
Mopar’s new 1000-hp 426 Supercharged Mopar Crate Hemi engine is impressive, but without the proper display case, it’s just another megamotor on a stand at SEMA. So, to address that situation, the company's product design office took a 1968 Dodge Charger and crafted from it the Super Charger concept as a platform to welcome the modern Hemi era. Pumping out 1000 horsepower and 950 lb-ft of torque, the "Hellaphant" Crate Hemi is mated to a stock T-6060 six-speed manual transmission and a shifter cribbed from the Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat.
Featuring front and rear fiberglass wheel arches and bumpers, the Super Charger builds on the original car’s long and low profile. More than just an illusion, the front wheels are pushed forward two inches, extending the classic’s wheelbase from 117 inches to 119 inches, and the body sits 3.5 inches lower in the front and 2.5 inches lower in the rear. A fiberglass hood with steel underlayment from the donor car sports a hood scoop modeled on that of the Dodge Challenger SRT Demon; a custom fiberglass front chin splitter also uses the Demon for inspiration, while the custom rear spoiler is inspired by that of the modern Charger R/T. Streamlining efforts include shaved door handles, a trunk lock, and drip rails and the replacement of the door vent windows with one-piece glass. If the door mirrors look familiar, it’s because they were pinched from the 1971 Dodge Duster.
To maintain the classic grille treatment that could go from boss to bogus when the panels were flipped up at night for use, the stylists devised a way to permanently mount a set of Challenger SRT Hellcat lamps behind the grille. The paint is called De Grigio Grey Metallic, and the vehicle graphics and badging are rendered with satin-black vinyl decals. The Challenger SRT Hellcat also provides the rolling stock, the front stockers measuring in at 20 by 11 inches while the rears are upsized to 21 by 12 inches and custom milled in the same devil’s-wheel pattern. Six-piston Brembo brakes reside at all four corners.
One of the Super Charger's coolest details is the routing of the exhaust through the rear valance, exiting through Alfa Romeo Stelvio 5.0-inch dual-walled exhaust tips placed where the taillamps previously resided. The brake-lamp function is now handled by LEDs positioned around the tips that illuminate when the brakes are applied.
Dodge Viper seats are fitted with four-point Sabelt black racing harnesses, and a custom roll cage strives to hug the original body lines without stealing too much of the daylight opening. The door panels and interior trim are satin black, and the door panels and Viper steering wheel both sport the Hellaphant logo, while the dash gets a full array of Mopar gauges. The ignition button and toggle switches for the headlamps, wipers, fog lights, and hazard lights are all from the Challenger SRT Hellcat.
While currently there is only one 1000-hp Super Charger concept under the sun, we’re hopeful the tuner and builder community will get busy with the Hellaphant ASAP and start cranking out some equally sano vehicles tout de suite.
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