This car was built to run in the 160mph class of the Silver State Classic (a +90 mile run through the Nevada desert at Ludicrous Speed™) by Dave Engle and Steve Nowaczek. They didn't have huge amounts of money, or experience, so they built it in a fairly low-tech, old school manner....
'68 Charger:
What makes it seriously cool to me is the fact that it uses nothing remotely high tech to reach the 191mph speed it recorded in the competition. Aerodynamics-wise, they blanked off the grille (2nd gen Charger grilles are an aero nightmare) and stuck a front spoiler on it to kill front end lift and direct some air into the radiator. The A-pillars have aluminium covers over them, the air inlet for the cabin has been half-blanked off, and that's about it. As for the motor:
440 RB motor (standard Mopar block), bored .030 over. Standard rods and crank. TRW pistons, Crane cam with 312 duration and 0.650 lift. Ported 915 heads (iron), 2.14in intake and 1.81in exhaust valves with triple valve springs. 12.5:1 compression. Carb is a Barry Grant modified Dominator. Nothing too excessive in the horsepower department - apparently made just 505hp on the dyno - but rather effective. Gearbox is the good old Mopar A833 4spd manual with a dual disc clutch. Rear end is a 2.76:1, 8 3/4in. Wheels are Basset stock car steels, 10in in the back and 8.5in up front wearing the older style Goodyear slicks all round. I believe after the photos were taken the car was switched to 9in wide wheels at each corner to run the newer style Goodyears with inner liners.
Want one. I think it'd look better with four lamps (as on the '69 Charger 500) and with the wheel arches cut in the same way they used to for NASCAR competition, but aside from that....perfect. Want one.
'68 Charger:
What makes it seriously cool to me is the fact that it uses nothing remotely high tech to reach the 191mph speed it recorded in the competition. Aerodynamics-wise, they blanked off the grille (2nd gen Charger grilles are an aero nightmare) and stuck a front spoiler on it to kill front end lift and direct some air into the radiator. The A-pillars have aluminium covers over them, the air inlet for the cabin has been half-blanked off, and that's about it. As for the motor:
440 RB motor (standard Mopar block), bored .030 over. Standard rods and crank. TRW pistons, Crane cam with 312 duration and 0.650 lift. Ported 915 heads (iron), 2.14in intake and 1.81in exhaust valves with triple valve springs. 12.5:1 compression. Carb is a Barry Grant modified Dominator. Nothing too excessive in the horsepower department - apparently made just 505hp on the dyno - but rather effective. Gearbox is the good old Mopar A833 4spd manual with a dual disc clutch. Rear end is a 2.76:1, 8 3/4in. Wheels are Basset stock car steels, 10in in the back and 8.5in up front wearing the older style Goodyear slicks all round. I believe after the photos were taken the car was switched to 9in wide wheels at each corner to run the newer style Goodyears with inner liners.
Want one. I think it'd look better with four lamps (as on the '69 Charger 500) and with the wheel arches cut in the same way they used to for NASCAR competition, but aside from that....perfect. Want one.
