When General Motors resurrected the Camaro right around the time of the auto industry bailout, not even the most wildly optimistic Chevrolet executive could have foreseen the new muscle car era the model would help to revive. Today, car buyers can stroll into a dealership and buy a range of incredibly powerful models, from the Shelby Mustangs being sold by Ford to the Challenger and Charger on offer from Dodge or even, arguably, the mid-engined Corvette from Chevy (given the Corvette needed to make the change because the rest of the field got so big and powerful all of a sudden).
But there's still something about the old classics that new muscle cars can't match—partially because of the simple fact that a number of older brands have gone under since the 1960s and '70s. That truth explains the rising popularity of restomods today, but also aggressive projects like this 2014 Challenger that's been extensively modified as a tribute to the original Plymouth Superbird from 1970.
Plymouth Superbird And Dodge Daytona Inspiration
Both the Plymouth Superbird and its contemporary rival, the Dodge Charger Daytona, stood out from the crowd thanks to their massive rear wings and nose cones, modifications that were made to allow for higher top-end speeds at longer NASCAR tracks. In some ways, it would have made more sense to build this 2014 Challenger into an homage to the Charger Daytona, though the currently available Charger now sports four doors.
Engine Output Boosted Thanks To A Shaker Hood
This car is currently for sale by Streetside Classics and the listing claims the modifications were performed by HPP Cars. Under the Shaker-style hood, the iconic air intake system reportedly adds an additional 20 horsepower to the 5.7-liter Hemi V8's factory rating of 375 horsepower. That grunt is routed to the rear wheels through a six-speed stick shift with an HPP pistol-grip-style shifter and a rear differential equipped with 3.92 gearing.
Modern Interior To Match Performance With Amenities
The modern interior wears trim pieces to match the bold Mopar Blue exterior paint job, while creature comforts like power seats, keyless entry and ignition, a sunroof, power steering, independent suspension, and four-wheel disc brakes with ABS round out the list of features that will undoubtedly make this car much more comfortable to drive than an original Superbird or Charger Daytona.
Sources: streetsideclassics.com and hppcars.com.