The joy of project vehicles is incredible. They are the result of love, take an unimaginable amount of work to do perfect, and nearly always have a hint of frustration throughout the project’s existence. The same can be said about “Tater,” a 1968 Dodge Charger that began as YouTuber Westen Champlin’s lofty goal but spent years falling short of expectations.
The Tater had more noise than performance, and the Dodge had a mediocre powertrain. With an old-school supercharger and a Hellcat engine swap, a recent project sought to change all of that and turn the vintage Mopar into a burnout monster.
From Hemi Powerhouse To Motorhome Relic
In order to create place for an update, Tater’s old engine—a RV antique that produced a lot of noise but little power—was abruptly removed. The focal point? a Hellcat engine with 85,000 miles that was changed out from another build. But the construction involved more than simply installing a new engine. By adding a huge, vintage 8-71 blower to the Hellcat motor, Westen’s crew took things a step further.
The construction was everything from simple. The restoration wasn’t simple, including everything from battling ventilation problems in the Charger’s old floorboards to battling with exhaust and transmission clearance. With inverted fuel lines, misplaced sensors, and other typical issues associated with bespoke builds, wiring the system proved particularly difficult. However, the Hemi came to life after several modifications, late nights, and hours of debugging. At last, Tater was prepared to take to the road for its intended use.
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But it’s never really that simple, is it? The burnout exercise was expected to be the ultimate reward, with the squad wearing helmets and fire suits. The intake manifold, however, abruptly erupted and broke in two under the tremendous pressure just as they were about to start. The burnout ended abruptly due to the catastrophic failure, leaving behind a mound of broken intake components and a column of smoke. The crew promptly evaluated the damage and discovered a bright spot despite the setback: the Hellcat blower and motor were intact.
The 1968 Dodge Charger is unquestionably one of the most attractive vintage muscle cars available for purchase, even if there are many more rivals for the title. Thanks to the “coke bottle” appearance, the Charger truly took off for the ’68 model year. But ability keeps the appearances in check.
1968 Dodge Charger R/T Key Specifications
| Engine | 440ci V8 |
| Power | 375 hp |
| Torque | 480 lb-ft |
| Transmission | 3-speed automatic |
In an effort to provide customers a car that was as comfortable on the road as it was on the racetrack, the ’68 model year was also the first Charger to come with the R/T package. To put it mildly, the ’68 Charger R/T’s standard 440 “Magnum” V8 engine, which produced 375 horsepower, was powerful for its day.
But even after all these years, the 1968 Dodge Charger is a vehicle that is ideally suited for customization. Because it’s dependable, easy to work on, and has many aftermarket choices to make it into anything you desire, enthusiasts have worked tirelessly on this specific charger. If nothing else, Westen Champlin appears to think along such lines.
