A trip through the Mopar Nationals only a few years back would have turned up almost no street machines and a ton of restored cars. Fans of Chrysler products are justifiably loyal to their vehicle's stock status since it's always been the way to protect or build the car's value. While the '70s and early '80s saw some Pentastar projects with Pro Street modifications, it's just not a big target for the aftermarket.
Yet, as musclecar owners found that swapping out those 14- or 15-inch wheels for 17s can drastically improve the car's handling and braking characteristics, the Mopar fans have been the last to consider it--until now. Matt Delaney's V-10-powered '68 Charger g-Machine has changed the minds of many Mopar fans. PHR Street Machine of the Year contender? We'd have to say, "Yes!"
Delaney, a hard-core enthusiast who makes his living as a commercial real estate executive in Shreveport, Louisiana, didn't realize the outrageous response he'd get from enthusiasts and the automotive aftermarket when he followed through on the notion to build a classic musclecar that drove like a new Viper.
The project started in typical fashion (for a guy with the means for these dream cars); he'd sold a 528ci Hemi Cuda, then bought both a rough-but-original '68 Hemi Charger and a 383 Charger parts car. A business trip to Las Vegas changed the plans for that project. You know those "Rent-a-Sports Car" lots on The Strip? Delaney took a Viper GTS for a quick spin in the desert, and his automotive interests were changed forever. He absolutely, positively had to have a vintage Mopar that accelerated, handled, and had braking like that Viper. Nothing else would do.
One call and a big check sent to the Viper Connection (770-533-9770) produced a 441hp, 488ci aluminum V-10 mated to a T-56 six-speed manual gearbox and the required computer, right out of the Mopar Performance catalog. "When I opened the crate," said Delaney, "I was overwhelmed! I didn't know what car I could put it in, but I'd gone too far to stop.
After looking at every B- and E-Body that I could find, I soon realized that my 383 car was the best candidate." At the same time, his careful measurements brought the conclusion that the entire front suspension would have to go. That turned out to be a great realization, deciding to start with a clean sheet--the tubeframe K-member in this car made it easier to build, stiffer, and much more unique.
"My friend, Brad Emmons, owns a chassis shop (Bossier City, Louisiana) and front-halves cars frequently, so he built a rack in which to set the engine and put the car in the exact position necessary without the front suspension in place," said Delaney. Emmons also figured out that the firewall would have to move. "I didn't care if I had to sit in the back seat--I wanted that motor in that car."
The growing team for this buildup figured out that the V-10 from a Viper is so darn tall that you don't put the steering rack in front of the motor--you put it under the motor. After a few weeks spent mocking up a typical Mustang II rack, it was obvious that it didn't have enough travel for the turning radius that Delaney wanted. The solution was with stock car supplier BRT Racing Products, who built a custom rack with 7 inches of travel. Combined with a set of Magnum Force's adjustable upper and lower control arms, the front geometry was completed by fabricating a cradle to support and mount all of this stuff. The result was the perfect front suspension that was a cross between a stock car and a road racer, with double-adjustable, coilover Strange shocks to control bump, rebound, and ride height. The Charger's subframe had been securely connected to that new front K-member, creating a rigid foundation from which to tune, too.
The rear suspension could be made just as complicated, but there's no engine to make room for back there. They kept it simple and focused on chassis rigidity, as Delaney and friends braced the car wherever possible. They fabricated a set of 32-inch ladder bars between which was mounted a narrowed 8 3/4-inch rearend (with a 3.91:1 rear ratio and Moser axles). Wait, no independent from a Viper? No crazy three-link setup from a stock car? This ladder bar arrangement doesn't provide the ideal geometry, but combined with the strengthening project, it provides a consistent foundation for the Strange coilovers (with 400-pound springs) to do their job. And, it looks bitchin!
The wheel, tire, and brake package on this car is the first thing people notice, and even the most staunch fans at the Mopar Nationals (where this ride debuted) admitted that they'd really hit on something! Delaney used the single biggest ultra-high-performance tire on the market, Michelin's Pilot Sport in a 345/35/18 dimension. You have to see this car in person to appreciate just how big this rear tire really is! Delaney originally wanted to use the wheels from a Viper ACR, but BBS refused to alter them. A search of the Web and a scan of other custom g-Machines brought him to custom builder Kinesis Wheels, in Vista, California, who produced a 18x12 for the rear and an 18x8 for the front (with a matching 245/45/18 Michelin Pilot).
Those big wheels would leave room for giant brakes. At the time, no company had a giant Mopar fitment, however. Matt showed up at the Nats with a set of Wilwood 10-inch rotors and four-piston calipers. Great brakes, but they looked flat-out dinky! POPULAR HOT RODDING stepped in with Wilwood and showed them the car, and all involved knew a set of proper 12-inch brakes need to be on this cutting-edge street machine. Thanks to Delaney's team and a proper job of building a prototype, you can get them now! The rear brakes remained at 10 inches, and the system works just killer, thanks to a Mopar Performance master cylinder and booster.
With the car basically mocked up, including a Griffin cooling system and 19-gallon fuel cell, the Charger was blown apart for a dipping process (to remove the old body caulk) and bodyman Mike Harris took it down to bare metal. "All of the trim was restored to concours standards and what wasn't restorable was purchased as NOS," said Delaney, who's proud his car has zero rattles and amazing fitment. Eagle Paint, in Shreveport, gets credit for shooting the factory Viper Silver and period-perfect red stripe.
Modern touches in the interior would be appropriate after all of this work. "The Auto Meter gauges had to be centered to the real Viper steering wheel, so I cut and sectioned the panel with more material," said Delaney. Scat seats provided a vintage look (the rear seat was covered to match), but they provided the bolstering required for a g-Machine. That killer pistol grip shifter is actually a modified B&M Ripper underneath.
"Gunslinger came to my rescue and built me both a long and a short shifter handle. The short one helps for quicker shifts, but to be honest, the long one is more fun to play with," Delaney confessed. A Vintage Air system is carefully plumbed through the Charger to make comfortable road runs with the windows up and the stereo cranking.
Delaney and his friends are still playing with the suspension settings, camber gains, and ride height. Getting all the grip possible from such an adjustable combination like this makes for fun testing, but keeping a ride height that makes passers-by happy with the stance isn't easy. What is easy is actually driving this Charger--it's fast, fun, safe, and squeak-free.
Will this car bust open the g-Machine trends? Will enthusiasts go to the lengths Delaney went to engineer performance as well as style into unique combinations like this '68 Charger? Man, do we hope so.