Dodge Charger with 1,000-HP Hellephant Swap Redefines Restomods

This 1968 Dodge Charger stuffed with the mighty Hellephant and numerous other upgrades is pure restomod perfection.

Restomods have been all the rage in the automotive world for quite a few years now, and for obvious reasons – who doesn’t want a company like Dodge to build something like a brand new, first-gen Charger? Unfortunately, that’s not likely to happen, so we’re forced to do so ourselves, though the good news is, the aftermarket has everything we need to build a killer restomod. However, this 1968 Dodge Charger put together by the folks at The Hot Rod Barn takes things way further than the tried and true process of slapping a modern motor and some bigger wheels in/on a classic car.

This 1968 Dodge Charger does indeed pack a crate engine under its hood, but it isn’t just any old boring, naturally-aspirated V8. Instead, Hot Rod Barn opted for Mopar’s killer 426 cubic-inch Hellephant V8, which is a supercharged monster cranking out a cool 1,000 horsepower and 950 pound-feet of torque. The mighty powerplant breathes through a set of custom headers and a stainless steel 3.5-inch exhaust, sending its power to the rear wheels via a Tremec Super Magnum six-speed manual transmission and a 9-inch rear end.

Hot Rod Barn didn’t just bless this classic Charger with four-digit horsepower and call it a day, either, as the vintage machine rides on a brand new Art Morrison MaxG chassis, which has been fitted with the front suspension components from a C6 Corvette, as well as a Watts three-link rear suspension. Stopping power is provided by six-piston Baer brakes, too.

Of course, a machine like this needs some visual and comfort upgrades as well, and it has those in the form of a stylized front valence, a custom hood, a custom rear spoiler, and EVOD Industries custom three-piece wheels, which complement the deep black paint job. Inside the cabin, Stitch Girls crafted new threads using a variety of premium materials such as Napali Nero leather, Alcantara, and German Square Weave for the carpet.

The result of all that labor is easily one of the coolest restomods we’ve ever seen, as well as one of the more capable. After all – who wouldn’t want a gorgeous, first-gen Charger that’s way more powerful and comfortable than a ’60s muscle car has any right to be?

Photos: The Hot Rod Barn

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Brett Foote

Brett Foote has been covering the automotive industry for over five years and is a longtime contributor to Internet Brands’ Auto Group sites, including Chevrolet Forum, Rennlist, and Ford Truck Enthusiasts, among other popular sites.

He has been an automotive enthusiast since the day he came into this world and rode home from the hospital in a first-gen Mustang, and he's been wrenching on them nearly as long.

In addition to his expertise writing about cars, trucks, motorcycles, and every other type of automobile, Brett had spent several years running parts for local auto dealerships.

You can follow along with his builds and various automotive shenanigans on Instagram: @bfoote.