My 1969 Dodge
Charger project car is about to get big Hemi power. I yanked this car out of a field as a teenager, and it’s every bit as greasy, mean, and rough around the edges as you’d expect. Between the industrial paint job and the pro-touring suspension systems beneath it, this car’s a seriously killer backroad basher that I also use as a daily driver. Now that I’ve got my hands on one of BluePrint Engines’ Gen III Hemi-Compatible crate engines and the support of some of the biggest names in the business, I’m taking it to a whole new level.
We’re kicking off a project car series here at HotCars where I’ll be documenting this swap every step of the way. My goal is to showcase just how far the aftermarket has come in making swaps like this easier than they’ve ever been, with the hopes of inspiring readers to get out and start slinging wrenches on their own cars. To commemorate one of the coolest advertisements of all time, featuring a 1968 Charger R/T Hemi car, we’ve dubbed this project Ramrod. Let’s get into it.
My 1969 Dodge Charger Project Car
I pulled my
1969 Dodge Charger
out of a field when I was a teenager. A mix of mud and Pennsylvania winters chewed away at it for years, and there was barely anything to work with when I found it. I was a cocky kid who was in way over his head, but I forged ahead anyway. It’s come a long way since then. It’s far from perfect, but I still find it hard to believe that this car and I started where we did.
I owe much of who I am to this car and vice versa. I picked up many of the skills I have under my belt when putting this car together. It taught me the virtues of discipline, dedication, and hard work. It’s even to thank for the career path I’ve been fortunate enough to follow, and in return, I saved it from a shallow, muddy grave.
Project Car Highlights
-
1969 Dodge Charger
SE, originally small block car with an automatic transmission.
- Currently powered by a 440 that’s been worked over with a 4-speed behind it.
- Modern upgrades include Heidts protouring suspension systems, Wilwood disc brakes, and Vintage Air system.
- Has a ‘68 grille, but is a ‘69.
A major factor behind my blind obsession with this car is that it was my dad’s when he was a teenager. All of the stories he made behind the wheel had a huge impression on me growing up, inevitably leading to me rescuing the car from the pasture it was left in.
Since then, I’ve done quite a few things to it. For starters, I put a lot of new sheet metal on it, including floor pans, quarters, and portions of the roof. I also shot a coat of DuPont Imron paint on it to keep the rust from reclaiming it. I’ll be the first to admit that my skills in this department are juvenile at best, and I’ll eventually need to go back and redo it all, but it’ll do for now.
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One of the most radical aspects of this car is that it’s currently riding on a pro-touring suspension setup. It’s a Heidts Pro-G IFS up front, with a matching four-link out back. It’s also got Wilwood disc brakes up front and a proportioning valve to ensure proper balance. Another modern update this car’s seen is the addition of a Vintage Air system under the dash.
That’s not to say that it’s totally modernized. The driveline is pretty typical Mopar stuff. It has a low-compression
440 cubic-inch V8
under the hood that has been upgraded to make a little more power with closed chamber heads, a bigger cam, headers, and a dual-quad intake. Behind it is the tried and true A833 4-speed, that’s sending power to an 8.75-inch differential equipped with a PowerTrac carrier and 3.55 gears.
BluePrint Engines Gen III Hemi Compatible 426
This car is a really fun driver, but the 440 is tired. It’s leaking from pretty much anywhere it can, and is long overdue for a trip to the machine shop. Because its casting date is the same as my mom’s birthday, I have every intention of doing so. In fact, my decision to pull it out now is to ensure there’s enough to work with when I do. Plus, I’ve been lucky enough to get my hands on a BluePrint Engine’s crate motor to put in its place.
BluePrint Engines Gen III Hemi-Compatible 426 Specs
|
Displacement |
426 Cubic-Inches/7.0 Liters |
|
Horsepower |
610 HP (Advertised) |
|
Torque |
525 LB-FT (Advertised) |
|
Engine Family |
Gen III Hemi-Compatable |
|
Part Number |
PS426CTF |
The motor in question is a BluePrint Engines Gen III Hemi-Compatible 426 cubic-inch motor, part number PS426CTF. It’s based on a BGE block that’s been outfitted with a forged bottom end with a 4.090-inch bore and 4.050-inch stroke, bringing it from the 6.2-liter base displacement to 7.0 liters or 426 cubic inches.
BluePrint Engines threw a few more performance goodies at this combination. It’s got the Apache aluminum heads with a 10.48:1 compression ratio. It also has a big cam and a monstrous tunnel ram intake manifold. It’s advertised to produce 610 horsepower and 525 FT-LB of torque. However, the dyno sheet that came with my engine specifically shows it makes 650 horsepower and 565 LB-FT of torque. Seeing as my Charger hit the scales around 3,700 pounds with me in it, this should be more than enough to get it moving like never before.
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To make sure it’s a true match for this car, I had my mom stamp “2, 3, GO” into the side of the block and named the engine Gail Force after her. That’s a phrase from my childhood that she’s repeated back to me my whole life whenever I was about to take a big jump in life. “GO” also happens to be her initials, making it the perfect thing to scribe onto this engine. And the fact that she did it herself makes it far more meaningful to me than a coincidental date.
Forging Ahead
As primitive as the 1969 Dodge Charger is, slamming a late-model engine like this into it is no nuts-and-bolts job. I need to upgrade every system attached to it, from the fuel and cooling systems to the driveline. Even the chassis needs to be reinforced. It’s going to take a lot of dedication and hard work to get it done. To make things even more interesting, I’ve set the deadline for having the car done by July for the Carlisle Chrysler Nationals.
While I’m doing this all myself in my home garage, I’m not doing it alone. I’ve been incredibly fortunate to have Holley Performance Brands, AMD, Pypes Performance, Yukon Gear, and Axle all chip in to support the project. All of these offer the parts and support you need to make this as close to a bolt-in
engine swap
as possible, which is why I’m confident enough to set such a short deadline. That said, I’ll be taking you all along for every step of the way. I’ll be writing regular updates on the process as the project continues, as well as posting to HotCars and my personal social media. Stay tuned to see if we make it.
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