Dodge had plenty to talk about the past few days; from the Challenger Droptop to the recently unveiled Dodge Hornet, it’s clear that Dodge is trying to boldly transition to a new era. But what if you’re a drag racer looking to build the track-slaying monster of your dreams but want to go about things your own way? Dodge has the answer with a new wave of rolling bodies that will allow you to do just that.
A Pair Of Options For Any Budget
Modifying and creating a drag racer can be a very pricey and intensive headache, but Mopar’s Direct Connection service aims to ease some of the stress with the availability of rolling Challenger Drag Pak bodies. These bodies are slathered in white paint, and an enterprising racer can buy one for less than $8,000. A prominent catch here is that the bodies don’t have VINs, so they cannot be registered to be used legally on the road. Buyers will also have to supply their own parts, but we suspect that won’t be a problem, especially with the extensive catalog of parts that Direct Connection has available.
In addition to the rolling bodies, Dodge will also be greatly expanding its roster of carbon fiber components for the Challenger. One part of this initiative is a partnership with SpeedKore, which has become well-known for its carbon fiber-sourced components. The company will build a new wave of carbon fiber components which will then be sold by Dodge to owners looking to cut some weight from their builds. For owners that have bigger wallets, Dodge will also be collaborating with Finale Speed with the latter getting the license rights from Dodge to produce full carbon fiber 1970 Charger bodies. This program will eventually expand to Roadrunner and Barracuda bodies but we get to wait a while for more information on those projects. As for the Charger bodies, they will also be offered through Direct Connection, but it’s unknown what kind of pricing we will see here, especially once all of them make their way to the catalog .
In other news, Dodge will also offer the 8HP70 eight-speed automatic (found in Scat Pack models) for all of its crate motors, with the Hellcat’s 8HP90 transmission appearing later. The addition of these two transmissions will not only add more flexibility to Dodge’s portfolio, but it’s also a nod to changing times and the fact that more racers are entering into the hobby that might not be able to drive a manual transmission.
Carl Malek has been an automotive journalist for over 10 years. First starting out as a freelance photographer before making the transition to writing during college, his work has appeared on numerous automotive forums as well as websites such as Autoshopper.com.
Carl is also a big fan of British vehicles with the bulk of his devotion going to the Morgan Motor Company as well as offerings from Lotus, MG, and Caterham. When he is not writing about automobiles, Carl enjoys spending time with his family and friends in the Metro Detroit area, as well as spending time with his adorable pets.