71 Dodge Charger-440 on 2040-cars

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1970 Hemi Challenger is a family heirloom with serious muscle

Petrolicious turns up the emotion in its latest video about a family's connection to their 1970 Dodge Challenger. The orange muscle car that gets the spotlight here is a remarkably beautiful vehicle, but the story of a father and his sons at the core of this clip might leave you feeling a little misty eyed. Juan Escalante is the current owner of this Challenger, but it belonged to his dad first. Juan's father spotted the iconic muscle car during the 1969 Detroit Auto Show and had to have one. He soon placed an order for the orange '70 Challenger R/T with the rare combination for that year of a 426 Hemi V8 and a four-speed manual gearbox. The family even brought the coupe with them when they moved to Venezuela in 1972, and local fans dubbed it El Hemi. However, parts were scarce for the muscle car in that country, and it returned to the US in 1996 for a restoration. Now, the rumbling Challenger with its Coke-bottle profile and black hood is the world's most awesome family heirloom for the Escalantes. In this poignant video, Petrolicious shows how the coupe connects Juan to his father. Related Video:

A Mazda Miata with a Hellcat V8 exists, and it can be yours

Mazda Miatas with V8 swaps aren't unusual. Kits are available to drop in LS V8s from GM, and some even let you drop in an old Ford 5.0-liter V8. But a Miata with a Hellcat V8 is something special, and this one can be yours. As Automobile spotted, it will go across the block at the Barrett-Jackson Las Vegas auction. This particular 1999 Miata has a build history you can check out for yourself, too. It was all chronicled on YouTube channel KARR. Obviously the Hellcat engine does fit between the wheels, but the hood had to be cut open for the intake manifold and supercharger to fit. The front bumper and lights have been changed to the 2001+ NB Miata design. According to the listing, it has suspension components from V8 Roadsters, a company that specializes in Miatas with twice the normal number of cylinders. In the middle of the car is a manual transmission, which connects to a Ford 8.8-inch differential that's been welded up. With that much power and an essentially locked rear diff, it should make for an excellent drift car. Fortunately it also has 10-inch wide wheels for more grip, and upgraded Wilwood brakes to stop it. It will go for auction at Barrett-Jackson's Las Vegas event, which runs Oct. 3-5. There is no estimated price for the car, which is understandable since nothing like it has crossed the block before. It will go to a new owner, whatever the price, as it is being listed as "no reserve." So if you want to win burnout contests or get loads of stares at next year's Woodward Dream Cruise, you could do a lot worse than picking up this tiny monster. Aftermarket Dodge Mazda Convertible Performance Hellcat

Ringbrothers 1969 Dodge Charger Defector is a mean green machine

The 1969 Dodge Charger is one of the most recognizable cars ever built. Its debut at the peak of the muscle car era, sleek bodywork, and roaring Hemi V8 represented everything that was wonderful about American cars from the 1960s. It was fast, loud and moved like a greyhound off the line in search of that mechanical lure. Ringbrothers, the shop behind cars like the De Tomaso Pantera "ADRNLN" and t he Chevy Chevelle "Recoil," have unveiled its latest project - the 1969 Dodge Charger "Defector". Like most Ringbrothers projects, a first glance doesn't show much more than some wheels, new paint and a different ride height. Like any good custom car, the devil is in the details. The Defector falls into the restomod category, meaning it has classic looks but has been updated with modern parts and technology. This is the first time the shop has done a Mopar product, and they wanted to knock it out with the first attempt. While it may look stock, the bodywork has been significantly altered. Compared to a standard '69 Charger, the trunk lid is two inches shorter and the wheelbase has been increased by three inches. That means the car has new rockers and new quarter panels. The car was then painted in a BASF color called "Greener On The Other Side." It wears a black vinyl roof and a black stripe around the rear. The stripe and grille both sport the Ring Brothers logo. The car rides on 19-inch HRE wheels and uses Baer brakes with six-piston front calipers. The new rear subframe comes from Detroit Speed. The ancient steering rack has been replaced with a new rack and pinion unit. We assume this means it won't steer like a drunken hippo in a mudslide. Like the exterior, changes to the interior are subtle. It looks stock, but the seats wear new upholstery and the dash has been fitted with an Alpine stereo with a touchscreen display. The new steering rack is fitted with a nice Nardi steering wheel. The most modern update rests under the hood. In place of the old V8, Ringbrothers have swapped in a new 6.4-liter Hemi V8. It's the same one you'll find in any number of modern Mopar products. It's been tuned by Wegner Motorsports and exhales through a new Flowmaster exhaust system. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.