The Rise and Fall of Muscle Cars

Although the muscle car era quickly wound down in 1972, the Challenger carried its good looks from previous years with minor design changes to update the car’s appearance. Climbing insurance rates combined with emissions regulations brought an abrupt end to those high-line days of high performance, so throughout the 1970s, the future of hot rodding looked bleak. It wouldn’t be until after the turn of the 21st century that change would once again positively impact modified muscle cars on a big scale. For Mopar fans, this change came in the form of the new Hemi engine released by Dodge in 2003 for its full-size pickups. This new combination produced 345 hp and displaced 5.7 liters, but a new monster was set to debut and rock the Mopar world.

Enter the Modern Hemi Era

First placed in the ’05 SRT8 models, the new, larger 6.1-liter Hemi produces 425 hp and featured increased reliability and fuel economy over conventional Dodge V-8 engines. DaimlerChrysler did a good job fitting the engine into a variety of production vehicles, including pickups and Jeeps, as well as making the engine available in crate form.

Paula Blake’s Challenger Dream

Paula Blake sought after her pride and joy, a ’72 Dodge Challenger, just like the one she had in high school. Her husband, Greg, has owned a few hot rods and helped pick out the perfect car to have built. From there, the search was on to find a Challenger and have it constructed to Paula’s liking.

Choosing Modern Performance

Noticing the awesome performance of the new 6.1-liter Hemi, Paula decided it would be the engine of choice for her newly obtained ’72 Dodge Challenger. She bought the car with hopes of building a car to duplicate what she drove in high school, only better, with a modern engine and suspension, combined with a new wheel-and-tire combination. The Blakes, who live in Royse City, Texas, contacted a local rod shop, Hot Rods by JSK (903/994-2251), and enlisted help from its crew. Blake shared her opinions and hopes for the Challenger, and the Cumby, Texas-based shop did its best to re-create her vision.

Suspension and Handling Upgrades

Dodge Challengers came from the factory with a nice stance that offered better handling than the other models offered at the time, but that doesn’t mean they handle well by today’s standards. So, in an effort to improve on this, Hot Rods by JSK made several modifications to the unibody structure and its components. A car’s original suspension can be modified to a certain degree, but in the case of Blake’s Challenger, it was time for a complete update. The stock suspension has the potential of handling well, but the addition of the Magnum Force tubular K-member increases those possibilities immensely.

Braking and Wheel Setup

The new K-member was modified to fit the redesigned subframe and rids the Challenger of its original torsion bar front suspension, replacing it with tubular control arms. Offering a firm ride with a wide range of adjustment, the QA1 coilovers damp the suspension and bolt to special mounts fabricated by the crew at Hot Rods by JSK. Another technique to get the Challenger in the weeds without sacrificing ride quality or handling was bolting up a pair of Heidt’s 2-inch-dropped spindles. Major braking power comes in the form of huge drilled and slotted rotors controlled by polished Wilwood calipers. Tucked neatly in the fenderwells is a pair of 17×7-inch Billet Specialties wheels.

Rearend Rebuild and Modern Drivetrain

The rearend and its components saw a fair share of modifications as well, beginning with the addition of the triangulated four-bar setup to keep everything steady and substitute the original leaf springs. A Ford 9-inch housing replaces the original Dodge unit and holds a set of 3.89 gears with a limited-slip differential. Another pair of QA1 coilovers controls the ride quality and handling, while braking is managed with Wilwood calipers and rotors. The Billet Specialties wheels out back were increased in size, measuring 18×10 inches, with traction supplied by sticky Nitto tires.

Enhanced Engine Performance

Wanting a modern drivetrain for her newfound Challenger, Paula chose the 6.1-liter Hemi, and when the engine arrived, Joey Crumpton began to modify it, giving the Hemi more power and better looks. Crumpton ported and polished the heads, allowing for increased airflow on the intake and exhaust. The bottom end remains stock, but a Comp cam was installed along with a set of upgraded Comp valve springs, giving the Challenger an aggressive idle and improved throttle response. Originally, the new Hemi engine received air through a small filter assembly that greatly restricted airflow, so the guys at JSK fabricated a custom ram-air setup to import fresh air from the scoops in the R/T-style hood. Street & Performance headers were bolted up, allowing the Hemi to exhale with an unrestricted passage. A custom driveshaft made by Jerry Edwards transfers the Hemi power coming out of the Dodge five-speed automatic transmission and distributes it to the rear tires.

Bodywork and Paint Perfection

Although Paula’s Challenger was a nice, driveable car when it entered Hot Rods by JSK, it still needed to be straightened and smoothed to perfection. Most body men know that early Dodge vehicles came from the factory with their own waves and ripples, so great care was taken to get the panels perfectly straight and precisely aligned. Although the floor was constructed to gain 3 inches of ground clearance, the modifications didn’t affect the exterior, but additional massaging was necessary to smooth the transitions. The rear floor pan and surrounding areas also were modified to allow more room for rear suspension travel and the extra-wide rear tires. JSK flush-fit the taillights that ride in the rear panel and fabricated a custom rear pan that acts as a belly pan.

Final Details and Stunning Finish

After the modifications and paint preparations were complete, Jeff Edney applied the PPG Aventurin Orange and black paint, with a Get ’Em Green stripe to separate the two. The spectacular color combination gives the Challenger an aggressive appearance, making it stand out from the regular Mopar crowd. Continuing to make progress, Hot Rods by JSK installed the reshaped and tight-fitting bumpers along with the tri-bar headlights housed in the original grille assembly. To keep the Challenger’s body simple, only the emblems and small trim pieces were removed, with a pair of stylish mirrors being fitted and installed.

Interior Elegance

Looking finished from the exterior, Paula’s Challenger was starting to take shape, but the interior had yet to be covered or installed. Shawn Cook from Murphy, Texas, performed the upholstery work, which involved covering the ISS seats with Ultraleather and hound’s-tooth material. Beautifully stitched, the black-and-orange covering blends nicely with the exterior paint colors that flow across the handmade steel console. A nice collection of Auto Meter gauges rides in the stock-style dash, while a ’77 Cadillac steering column mounts just below them, offering a tilt and telescope feature. This allows adjustability in the driver’s compartment, just in case Greg decides to slide behind the wheel and take the Challenger for a spin. If the Hemi doesn’t make enough music, the Blakes can crank up the audio thanks to a Pioneer head unit combined with a Rockford Fosgate amplifier.

Preserving Memories and Creating New Ones

In a little over a year, Paula and Greg Blake had a wicked Dodge that would not only bring back old memories of their high school years but would also create new memories with trips to rod runs and car shows. The results of all the effort put forth by Hot Rods by JSK are remarkable and give the old car a new life with its modern drivetrain and suspension. Just like Juan Grube and his red ’53 Dodge, Paula Blake can drive a car similar to what she had years ago but with modern conveniences to increase the fun factor. Regardless of what brand of car you associate yourself with, the Mopar shown here, along with Grube’s older ’53 Dodge, are proof that car enthusiasts are a special breed of people. No matter what techniques are used, they are all in it for the same reason, and it just doesn’t get any better than that.