Viper-Swapped Dodge Challenger Is Just Plain Wrong

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We’ve seen some bad choices in car builds before, but this 2013 Dodge Challenger with a Viper V10 engine swap is one of the worst. We want to ask the owner so many questions, most of them shouted. Obviously, we’re not the only ones who feel this abomination should never have been created because at a recent auction the Mopar mashup failed to meet reserve.

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It’s almost like people think engine swaps for the hell of it is interesting. Well, we’re here to tell you they’re not. The 8.4-liter V10 in the final Viper is a great engine… for a Viper. Put it in a muscle car and everything that makes it special is just watered down, including its position in the car’s layout.

Then there’s the obvious: why get a Challenger with a Viper engine swap when there’s such a thing as a Hellcat? Yeah, we know it has two fewer cylinders, but thanks to a massive supercharger, the V8 whips out way more power. It fits the persona of a muscle car far better.

What’s worse is this abomination uses a Hellcat hood and bumper covers. But there are Viper logos affixed to the hood, while the fenders has ACR and “Powered by Prefix” logos. But the rear has a Viper logo. It’s just one confusing decision after another on this Mopar.

Since this is was built using a Challenger SXT, the interior features cloth upholstery, not leather. It goes perfect with the rest of the rental car-grade cabin, which is such a far cry from what you get in a Viper. But that’s not even the worst of it.

Listed on Bring A Trailer, this build got picked apart. Among the more brutal criticisms was someone pointing out poor spot welds on the chassis, possibly leading to failure at speed. That would be enough to ruin your day, week, month, year, and possibly life.

A lot of people took issue with the exhaust. It has rust spots all over and some of the welds are ugly enough we’d question if there aren’t tiny leaks.

We wonder just how well it runs and handles. That’s something you can’t try out in such a marketplace. Ultimately, people bid little on the weird contraption, the high bid reaching on $25,750 which we’re sure is a long way off from reserve.

Images via Bring A Trailer