“Drastic” is a word designer David Salvaggio Jr. uses to describe his sometimes-controversial approach to designing cars and building them with the crew at Perfection Autosport. In fact, this ominously deceiving ’68 Dodge Charger R/T is nothing if not drastic in a subtle sort of way, and so, appropriately enough, it’s called Drastic Subtlety.

Eye-Catching Paint: Salvaggio Psychedelic Gold

The first thing that grabs people’s attention is the paint, a rich and distinct combination of the deepest-pigment black offset with a gold that could be described as 24-carat. The guys around the shop have dubbed the paint “Salvaggio Psychedelic Gold,” and it’s definitely a trip! The mixture of gold paint, gold metallic, and gold pearl doesn’t get any richer, especially when framed in a sea of blackness. PPG should be happy with the way its products were used here, as its flawless finish reflects quality in both the materials and the workmanship.

Major Modifications: Hidden in Plain Sight

So nice is the bodywork and paint that many, even the most ardent car enthusiasts, overlook the major modifications that set this ’68 Charger apart from every other one pounding the pavement today. The most notable and overlooked aspect of this creation can be measured between the bumpers, where some 20 inches have been removed. Done in the name of improved vehicle dynamics, Perfection Autosport believed that by shortening the front and rear proportions and retaining the stock wheelbase, the response time to driver inputs would be greatly improved. So, in effect, changes made for the sake of performance also have a profound effect on the makeup of this Mopar.

Rear Quarter Panel and Roof Modifications

To achieve their goals, this creative team first removed 10 inches from the rear quarter panel directly behind the doors and below the rear C-pillars. This required removing the entire roof panel, including the A- and C-pillars, to facilitate the necessary changes. At that point, the lower panels were heavily massaged to retain the original design and even mask these relatively radical changes. Then came the considerable effort of reworking the roof, which needed to be moved forward 4 inches to compensate for the shortened rear area. Of course, this required sectioning the front of the roof to offset the forward movement, and as complex as the top was, it also was dropped 2 inches, and yet most enthusiasts would be hard-pressed to describe exactly how these drastic modifications have been achieved. Beyond this, the A-pillars were laid back 1-1/2 inches to bring everything into alignment, at which point all the alterations were finish-welded.

Nose Modification: Shortened for Performance

Another less-than-prominent change can be found at the nose of this Charger, as it too has been shortened by 10 inches, every bit of it ahead of the front wheels. Here, it’s hard to see exactly what’s missing, although it is clear there is a change around the abbreviated nose. Although this is certainly one of the most controversial aspects of this Charger, it is another example of the lengths Perfection Autosport’s crew went to in order to achieve their goals. Fitted with a custom grille spread between single headlights, the nose still says Charger even though it differs greatly from others out there.

Hood and Trunk Lid Re-Creation

Next came the re-creation of the hood to fit its smaller opening, which, as you might expect, was no easy feat, because doing so required retaining the original contours. In keeping with this work, a similar plan was made around the trunk lid, although it eventually became clear that fabricating a new trunk lid from aluminum would be the best route for this project, as altering the original would be much harder—although sandwiching expanding foam between the aluminum panels to retain its contours was not as easy as the results might suggest.

Finalizing the Body Panels

After the major modifications were completed, there was still a great deal of work necessary to finalize the remaining body panels, as every panel required endless hours of smoothing and prepping for the paint job that would follow. Even though this car was almost entirely rust free, but for a little in the floors and lower quarter panels, it’s amazing how much work is needed to achieve anything close to perfection.

Chassis Work: Achieving Perfect Balance

It goes without saying that with so many changes to the body, the chassis would require its own special care, and the team of professionals at Perfection Autosport went to great lengths to bring it together with the same proficiency. Looking to achieve the handling of the smaller E-bodied Barracuda or Challenger, while retaining the ride quality and stability the B-bodied Charger originally offered, the stock wheelbase was retained, even though the frame was reworked in numerous ways, including being sectioned to accommodate the length changes in back.

Front and Rear Suspension Enhancements

Once the foundation was solid, the front suspension was reworked with new springs and bushings, QA1 shocks and the obligatory detailing that is expected on a car such as this. In back, the changes are more involved, including the replacement of the stock suspension with a 9-inch Ford centersection from Heidt’s Hot Rod Shop set between its specially fabricated independent suspension. Utilizing custom tubular control arms and half-shafts along with another set of fully adjustable QA1s provided the obvious benefits.

Powerful Wilwood Brakes and Custom Wheels

As expected, powerful Wilwood disc brakes have been fitted all around, with four-piston calipers leveraging the 13-inch front rotors and inboard 10-inch rotors. Their effort is applied through 18×8-inch Symbolic rims mounted with 235/35ZR19 Pirelli P-Zeros in front, while wider 20x10s put the power down through 275/35ZR20s.

Driven to Perform

While some people might believe the effort that went into the suspension to be unnecessary, the fact is this car was built from the start to be driven, and so it has on numerous tours across the nation. Powered by a highly detailed late-model Hemi supplied by Mopar Performance, changes were also made here, including the expansion of the effective cylinder area to 472 ci. Breathing with the added gusto of Hilborn electronic fuel injection, this new-age historian made an impressive 625 hp at 5,500 rpm and an equally staggering 635 lb-ft of torque further down on the tachometer. As a result, a suitably geared transmission was ordered from Tremec to make the most of that incredible torque down low and the horsepower at the top end, well in excess of triple the national speed limit.

Luxurious Interior: Combining Comfort and Style

From behind the wheel, it’s unlikely anyone would be lulled into thinking they’re in a standard Dodge Charger, especially once the injected Hemi is fired and the barking exhaust demonstrates the drastic aspect of this creation. At that point, it’s easy to recognize other differences, such as the use of exotic leather throughout, including the Fiji Seagrass inserts in the black leather bucket seats. In addition, the rear seats went away in favor of a sports-car appeal and reduced weight. Add the beautiful chamois material used across the headliner and trunk, and there’s no question the approaches inside and out follow a similar theme. Add the Alpine audio system, complete with CD, DVD, MP3 and GPS capability, and there’s no denying the capabilities and comforts of this E-body Charger.

Continuing Innovation at Perfection Autosport

With other projects under way since this car was finished, including a special Dodge Challenger, there’s been little time to look back on this hard Charger. Then again, having achieved something so drastic with this car definitely served as motivation for the crew at Perfection Autosport to continue creating, and that has attracted customers since day one. In their words, “Don’t just dream it, drive it!”