Dodge makes arguably the coolest retro-modern muscle car of all time, the Challenger. However, Mopar fans are still in love with the icons from 50+ years ago, and it’s not unusual to mix and match. That’s how this 2010 Dodge Challenger R/T ended up looking like a 1971 Plymouth GTX.
It’s frankly amazing how creative Challenger builds have become. You’ve got your convertible chops, Daytona nose swaps, Cuda grilles, and now this. I’d like to think this wouldn’t happen if Dodge didn’t keep the model in production for 14 years.
You’ve heard of a restomod, right? It’s the process of adding modern technology to the best-looking muscle cars and classics from the past. Well, this is a reverse restomod, where the classic styling is put on top of a modern car.
The 2010 Challenger R/T was customized by Steve Mirabelli of Hendrick Motorsports, who documented the whole process on YouTube. Basically, the fabricator added the steel body panels of a 1971 Plymouth GTX to the modern Dodge, which is way more complicated than it sounds.
That’s why the general proportions of the Challenger are there, but almost none of the lines match up. The crease down the side is gone, and the fender openings are more square. Even the roof looks different.
Of course, the most obvious change is the front end, which not only borrows the trademark grille of the GTX, but also replaced the spoiler, headlights, and lower bumper. And to fully sell the mirage, this fake Plymouth also has a cowl hood and some of those famous hood-to-fender stripes.
Unfortunately, the front end also seems a little off, as the Plymouth GTX nose doesn’t curve down like that. This may be the result of matching a design from over 50 years ago to a modern car that has to meet modern safety standards.
The rear end of the Challenger also got converted to a GTX look with the addition of a spoiler and bespoke taillights sitting lower than on Dodge’s modern muscle car. To bright everything together, the builder chose to paint his new sheet metal in Tangelo Orange of House of Kolor and fitted staggered 20-inch five-spoke Coys wheels.
Powertrain-wise, this 2010 R/T model comes with a 5.7-liter HEMI V8 and a 5-speed automatic. If this kind of reverse restomod is your thing, know that the counterfeit Plymouth GTX is for sale on Bring a Trailer, shipping out of Sarasota, Florida.
While the car is undoubtedly unique, it’s worth pointing out that the donor Dodge vehicle hit in 2011, struck a deer in 2013, and was a “Total Loss” in 2017 after sustaining another crash and some fire damage. Bidding is currently at about $37,000.
