‘Murika, and more muscle!

Everything is bigger in the land of the free and home of the brave, and that’s the ace in the underpinnings of this Dodge Challenger.

We’re no strangers to the wonders of American marques with big Vee engines and even bigger bodies – especially if you’re old enough to remember the jingle ‘Braaivleis, rugby, sunny skies and Chevrolet’ or the popular saying ‘1 ℓ brandy , 2 ℓ coke and a 3 ℓ Cortina.’ For some enthusiasts, the idea of being able to park a Dodge Challenger in their garage might be a dream come true, but the owner of this particular example wasn’t going to rest on his laurels. If you’re fond of going fast from time to time, but also want to enjoy yourself on a dirt playground, and only have space for one toy next to your daily drive, then you could possibly put yourself in his shoes. You might wonder why this guy chose to use the 1972 Challenger’s body on top of a 1987 Chevrolet M1009 CUCV military vehicle – or the frame and axles of that Chevy to be specific. The CUCV (commercial utility cargo vehicle), basically started life as a humble Chevrolet Blazer SUV that was then decivilianised to support vehicles like the famous Humvee. But after seeing how much detail has gone into this built and how cool it looks, what you should ask yourself is: why not? The problem is that the M1009’s 6.2 ℓ diesel V8, while bulletproof, doesn’t make for exciting driving with its 120 kW output, especially with the gearing set at a long and slow 3,08 final drive. To add some excitement, the motor was replaced with a more modern 5,7 ℓ petrol V8. The motor, also from the General Motors stable, sends torque to all four wheels via a shorter ratio automatic transmission. What makes this a pukka 4x4? Well you can’t argue its credentials thanks to the transfer case that allows you to switch from 2H to 4L or 4H, and the front and rear lockers. There’s also a Skyjacker Black Max suspension system that lifts the body enough to accommodate mammoth 37” BF Goodrich KM2 tyres. Obviously, by dropping the militaryprepped Chevy shell for the nostalgia of the muscle means that the owner has sacrificed its ability to withstand rifle rounds and no longer has space for a machine gun turret, but he has invested in new panels inside, custom gauges and seats and a full audio system when he gets tired of listening to the V8’s growl. It sounds like he’s has enough fun over the past few years and is ready to part with his pride and joy, as it’s been listed on Craigslist. After investing more than R750 000 into the build, his asking price is R500 000.