The Dodge Challenger SRT Demon’s 9.65s quarter-mile time means this remains the world’s quickest internal combustion engine production car (those pesky Teslas!). However, if we were to seek out the vehicle currently holding the (more or less official) title of the world’s quickest Demon, we’d find out this is not a Challenger. In fact, it’s not even a Dodge, as we’re looking at a Ford Mustang packing a Demon HEMI V8.
Sure, some of you might argue that the combo mentioned above does not make for a Demonโit should be the chassis, not the engine, that dictates the label. And while you’re probably right, we prefer to focus on the idea of having a Demon’s 6.2-liter V8 switching camps (this was installed in an ex-generation Ford Mustang) and one-upping actual Demons on the drag strip.
The Dodge Demon-swapped S197 Ford Mustang was built by Gearhead Fabrications
We’re looking at a Ford Mustang S197 II (the facelift built between the 2010 and 2014 model years), which was built by Florida-based Gearhead Fabrications. And, to make sure the HEMI swap if taken all the way, the company threw in a pair of turbos.
The red Demon emblem on the front wings alone might not tell one much, since an enthusiast could always expect this to be some sort of visual trick. However, things change once you check out the details of the Ford. We have drag-specific wheels and tiresโrear beadlock wheels holding massive rubber in place and skinnies up frontโa parachute, a cowl hood, and a front bumper “pierced” for cooling purposes.
Despite being introduced about the same time as the modern Challenger, the S197 skips the Dodge’s independent rear suspension. Instead, the Ford comes with a live rear axle, the sort of hardware that helps with getting off the lineโjudging by what we can see in the video below, this sort of configuration has been maintained.
Twin-Turbo, Demon-Swapped S197 Ford Mustang Goes Drag Racing
The clip at the bottom of the story, which was brought to YouTube by Drag Racing and Car Stuff, shows a recent hooning session at the Bradenton Motorsport Park in Florida. Based on what Gearhead Fabrication posted on its Instagram page, it looks like the Demon-swapped Mustang was completed last summer, so enthusiasts still aren’t familiar with the kind of terror this can deliverโyou’ll find a post below.
We’re talking a 7.6s quarter-mile time and a trap speed of up to 169 mph, and, given the recent nature of the project, we can expect these numbers to be taken even further. Based on these figures and the expected weight of the car, that twin-turbo 6.2L HEMI should develop in excess of 1,500 HP.
We can see the machine drag racing a Fox Body Mustang, as well as a Dodge Challenger that was also built by Gearhead Fabrications last yearโalas, while this white Dodge delivered similar performance to the S197 during testing back in 2021, this seemed to be experiencing some technical issues while battling the ‘Stang.
Gearhead Fabrications has a history with all-Mopar builds
Gearhead Fabrications is no stranger to Mopar builds. In fact, the shop put together the engine for what remains one of the quickest/fastest (Elapsed Time/Trap Speed) Dodge Demons in the world, namely the Speedkore Lucifer, an 1,593 hp twin-turbo beast that can deliver quarter-mile numbers as impressive as 8.06s and 159.54 mph.
Now, the Lucifer is some 600 lbs (270 kg) lighter than stock thanks to a carbon fiber body. And while we’re not sure how much this Mustang S197 weighs, we can tell you that the said generation’s factory-supercharged model (the heaviest one), the GT500, is over 400 lbs (180 kg) more scale-friendly than a stock Dodge Demon.
The company is also responsible for the 7.0-liter HEMI animating Kevin Hart’s latest ride, a Salvaggio Design-built 1969 Plymouth Roadrunner.