With the 2008 SEMA Show just weeks away now, rumors are
soaring about what we will and might see at the largest automotive aftermarket
show in the world.One thing is for sure
from these rumors, the Dodge Challenger will likely be “the car” to show across
the floor, and long-time Mopar legend Mr. Norm has announced that there will be
two of the new Challenger at the show from his shop, featuring not only
stunning appearance upgrades, but some nasty tuning efforts.Like the Mr. Norm cars of old, like the Grand
Spaulding Sport Dodge Demon with packed a Paxton supercharged 340, the new
models will make big power with a supercharger. (Shown in photos)
The first, Mr. Norm’s Super Challenger, will pack the 6.1L
Hemi found in the SRT8 variants, and with the help of forced induction, it will
pack somewhere in the area of 900 horsepower, and there will be upgraded
brakes, suspension, and tires to help this Super Challenger handle the
competition in any racing venue, from the road course to the drag strip.
The second car, the Mr. Norms Super Cuda, will offer a very
similar (if not the same) drivetrain. However, where the Challenger receives some aesthetic upgrades to help
it stand out, the Super Cuda will call on the looks of the 1971 Plymouth
Hemicuda, as well as some of the options of the 1970 AAR Cuda, all added to a
new Dodge Challenger to essentially create this new model.Since the Challenger was debuted as a
concept, people have been hoping (and in some cases, praying) for a new Cuda,
and Mopar displayed a one-off Cuda at the 2007 SEMA Show built by a private
owner, but this Super Cuda could help bring back the car that helped cement
Plymouth in the record books.
While the only images released by Mr. Norm thus far are
sketches, you can be sure that DodgeForum.com will be quick to bring you actual
pictures and full details of the Super Challenger and Super Cuda from the SEMA
Show.
Stay tuned for more information upon the debut in Las Vegas from DodgeForum.com, your source for SEMA 2008 event coverage!!
"Before I was old enough to walk, my dad was taking me to various types of racing events, from local drag racing to the Daytona 500," says Patrick Rall, a lifetime automotive expert, diehard Dodge fan, and respected auto journalist for over 10 years. "He owned a repair shop and had a variety of performance cars when I was young, but by the time I was 16, he was ready to build me my first drag car – a 1983 Dodge Mirada that ran low 12s. I spent 10 years traveling around the country, racing with my dad by my side. While we live in different areas of the country, my dad still drag races at 80 years old in the car that he built when I was 16 while I race other vehicles, including my 2017 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat and my 1972 Dodge Demon 340.
"Although I went to college for accounting, my time in my dad’s shop growing up allowed me the knowledge to spend time working as a mechanic before getting my accounting degree, at which point I worked in the office of a dealership group. While I was working in the accounting world, I continued racing and taking pictures of cars at the track. Over time, I began showing off those pictures online and that led to my writing.
"Ten years ago, I left the accounting world to become a full-time automotive writer and I am living proof that if you love what you do, you will never “work” a day in your life," adds Rall, who has clocked in time as an auto mechanic, longtime drag racer and now automotive journalist who contributes to nearly a dozen popular auto websites dedicated to fellow enthusiasts.
"I love covering the automotive industry and everything involved with the job. I was fortunate to turn my love of the automotive world into a hobby that led to an exciting career, with my past of working as a mechanic and as an accountant in the automotive world provides me with a unique perspective of the industry.
"My experience drag racing for more than 20 years coupled with a newfound interest in road racing over the past decade allows me to push performance cars to their limit, while my role as a horse stable manager gives me vast experience towing and hauling with all of the newest trucks on the market today.
