Twin-turbo Viper V10 Swap In a 1969 Charger Is Pure Madness
Starting life as a damaged car, this Charger evolved over the years into a V10 swap, twin turbo monster.
Hand me downs aren’t always the worst thing in the world. Dave Trevisan is one example of this. He essentially had this Charger handed down to him from his older brother. But according to HotRod, it was a hand-me-down that took 31 years to complete. While Trevisan’s older brother had been in possession of the Dodge through the ’70s and ’80s, the 383 under the hood was improved and the car was drag raced often. However, it went into storage for over a decade, till 2006 when its next life would begin with a younger sibling.
Naturally, when one thinks of potent Mopar motors, a 440 makes the list. The problem with that motor, to Trevisan at least, was that it was a bit predictable. The other big motor in the Mopar stable was the Viper’s V10. While an interesting project, that motor is large and would need a lot of custom work just to make it fit. Trevisan was ready. He was determined to do a V10 swap on his Charger.
When taking on a project of this caliber, nothing is straight forward. Fabrication was the mainstay of the whole project, with an entire new style front suspension installed just to make room. The engine location itself was also pushed a bit forward. Over the course of a year, everything necessary for the V10 swap was complete, but by this time, plans evolved slightly.
Enough horsepower is never enough, so Trevisan envisioned that his Viper engine swap would have power increased with a twin-turbo setup. The idea of the turbo setup was easier said than done. Since space was already limited, it took some time to figure out where the turbos would go. That location ended up being in the front of the engine bay, bringing the exhaust piping up and over the valve covers.
It also created one of the car’s most interesting features. What looks like a Mopar Six-Pack air-filter on a high-rise intake is no such thing at all. In fact it is an air chamber that is fed by the turbos. Inside the air chamber is a trio of throttle bodies from a Dodge Dakota. Yeah, a Dakota. But no matter which way you look at it, this Charger is a masterpiece.
Photos: Hotrod
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