John finally had a chance to track down the Challenger S/S for some better pics and as you can see, SEMA has something for everyone. For anyone who remembers when Mopar dominated the NHRA Super Stock ranks, this one brings back a flood of memories. Painted in the classic Ronnie Sox colors, the "new" Challenger S/S was built to showcase the 392 HEMI crate motor and remind everyone of a time long ago when sex was safe and racing was dangerous.
The 392 HEMI crate motor, in all of its 525 hp and 510 ft-lbs of glory, was installed in this beast by Gaffoglio Family Metalcrafters in cooperation with the DCX Skunkwerks team, Mopar Performance, UAW Local 412 and MPR Race Cars. The motivation provided by the hood-scoop-fed, fuel-injected 392 HEMI is put to good use through an A999 automatic transmission and the classic DANA 60 solid rear axle hung by Mopar "Super Stock" leaf springs and spinning 15" Goodyear Eagle racing slicks. This setup replaces the independent rear suspension to "reduce wheel hop and improve straight line performance"... read: survive! Check out the wheelie bars!
We can't wait to see one of these with the front wheels high in the air like the Super Stockers of the late 60's and early 70's. Could 2009 be the pony car resurrection of 1969? By then we should have a Mustang, Camaro, and Challenger back on the streets and tearing up the drag strips of America once again!
See John's great pics after the jump!
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Typesbad @ Nov 2nd 2006 1:31PM
Its nice to see a homage to the great Sox & Martin Super Stocks of the 60s. And if it helps them increase their crate engine bussiness, more power to them (so to speak). It doesn't really do anything for the upcoming Challenger IMHO, though.
Andy @ Nov 2nd 2006 1:44PM
I am happy Dodge made a SEMA presentation for its Challenger concept car, but I find it ghastly to look at. The colors and the hood scoop look terrible, and damage a conservative, yet handsome, vehicle's aesthetic quality.
iQuack @ Nov 2nd 2006 1:45PM
The upcoming Challenger will be a letdown. A few people will overpay during the early months to be first in their neighborhoods to own one, then Dodge dealers will have lots full of redundant Challengers offered at huge discounts.
The Challenger wasn't a great car when it was on the market decades ago, and "nostalgia isn't what it used to be" as the joke goes.
This car is an over-sized, big on the outside and small on the inside toy that won't be around very long.
Think Thunderbird here.
zYpRea @ Nov 2nd 2006 1:51PM
I think it will make a nice sports car, diff from the stupid mustangs. Its just nice to see something else try to make it in the sports car class.
Down with the Camaro and the Mustang.
njf @ Nov 2nd 2006 1:53PM
"You can put lipstick on a pig, but that doesn't mean it will win a beauty contest."
holy god am I tired of that saying already. One persn says something stupid and all of a sudden 100 other paeople think it's coold to say the same stupid thing.
The challenger is nice btw. The 15s look weird on such a big car but they're there for a reason. The chin spoiler would look nice in a T/A version of the challenger.
iQuack @ Nov 2nd 2006 2:03PM
Njf: I agree.
Mascara looks more natural on a pig than lipstick, too.
KGA @ Nov 2nd 2006 2:11PM
Ghastly to look at? First off, who actually uses the word "ghastly"? Its an attention grabber - nothing more.
The people bagging on the nostalgia movement I'm assuming are the primmadonna pansies that wouldn't know a '70 Charger from a '77 Pinto. Get back in your Volvo and run along.
I love it - and think the whole movement is great.
Tire dealer @ Nov 2nd 2006 3:08PM
one of the best designs ever for a retro.
kab @ Nov 2nd 2006 3:20PM
"We can't wait to see one of these with the front wheels high in the air like the Super Stockers of the late 60's and early 70's."
And then watch it stop, due to the seperate subframes not being able to take the stress of the landing impact.
SEMA = "hey, here's more cool spinoffs of our initial concepts. Hopefully you'll keep these in mind when we sell you the watered down version for way too much money. Oh, before you get too misty-eyed, we sorta forgot about how many dozens of states would never allow a newer modded car like this Challenger to pass inspection, but hey... who cares?"
P to the C @ Nov 2nd 2006 4:34PM
Oh lord, why wasn't I born during the time of great Detroit muscle and style instead of being thrown into a world of junky 4 banger civics with no exhaust and 20 somethings that think a Camry is cool? Save us Detroit, save us from the vanilla loving zombies we've become and deliver us from a FWD econobox hell.
SickandTired @ Nov 2nd 2006 4:59PM
#10...Idiot. It's built for drag racing moron. The first thing you do is weld in sub-frame connectors. That statement alone shows your ignorance to what the car is about. Then you show even more ignorance when you say something retarded like it's not going to pass state inspections. It's not a street car you IDIOT.
If you don't know squat about racing or muscle cars then just scroll on down to the Honda or Camry blogs. You may have a small amount of knowledge of them you can show off.
iQuack @ Nov 2nd 2006 5:02PM
"11. Oh lord, why wasn't I born during the time of great Detroit muscle and style......"
-------------------------
Well, P to the C, I was around for all of that and had a nice '68 383 V8 Dodge Charger, too. But trust me, cars are much better today.
Acceleration times for 4 and 6 cylinder cars are generally faster now than for all but the largest gas hogging and often troublsome V8s of the '60s that couldn't cope with emission control plumbing required then.
And those old pieces of Detroit iron didn't handle well and had lousy brakes compared with almost any car you can buy today. And safety? Well, new cars are and old ones aren't.
The good old days are good because they're intertwined with your youth. As for automotive technology, the good old days were lousy compared with today's technology and today's cars.
Big Rocket @ Nov 2nd 2006 5:09PM
Quote: The 392 HEMI crate motor, in all of its 525 hp and 510 ft-lbs of glory... is put to good use through an A999 automatic transmission....
I have heard from many critics who have decried the performance deficiencies of automatic transmissions. Or are they mere crybabies without a clue?
JETSOLVER @ Nov 2nd 2006 8:32PM
I like it. It has a clean, purposeful look that doesn't try and hide its flaws with elabourate styling gimicks. It pays honest tribute to the past. And who doesn't love that 70's homage we love so much, the big n' littles thing. Reminds me of why fuselage styling was so popular the first time around. And BTW , I am a past SVT COBRA fanatic.
70mopar @ Nov 2nd 2006 10:20PM
Atleast someone has some "bawls" to bring back some style. Most of you can't touch an original e-body Mopar's price tag. Look at what appreciates & depreciates... OLD MOPAR values are sky high. Show me a 70's Datsun...ha...ha.
Campisi @ Nov 3rd 2006 3:48AM
When it comes to Stock class drag racers, automatic transmissions are not decried anywhere near as much as they are in circuit racing. Automatics can be tuned to shift much faster than any human can, and since all it's doing is upshifting down the strip you don't need to worry much about proper downshifting algorithms for turns and such. GM's TH350 (or Turbo 350) is a three speed automatics widely regarded as an excellent automatic for high-powered muscle cars due to its quick shifting and bulletproof internals.
Dodge Challenger @ Nov 8th 2006 1:02AM
This thing was bad ass in person. Only problem was, I believe the slicks did not even fit under the wheel wells, which tells me it will never see actual drag strip duty.
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