The “Hey Charger”
In 1971 and 1972, Chrysler Australia built and sold a two-door
hardtop coupe as the Chrysler VH Valiant Charger. Based on the United States
Chrysler A-body platform used for the Plymouth Duster and Dodge Demon, the VH
featured the same front suspension, but with wider front fenders and a wider
rear axle than United States A-body cars that gave a more muscular appearance. Chrysler Australia advertising used the tag line "Hey Charger!"
Owner Mario Ciarrocchi bought this car in 1986 as a 17-year old
and through the years envisioned a full custom with Ferrari design cues mixed
in with the timeless Chrysler design. Massachusetts-based Ben Hermance of
Hermance Design made renderings then Mario enlisted Justin Hills of Hills and
Company Customs of Taree, New South Wales to build his dream car. The “Hey Charger” appeared in the Mothers
Polishes outdoor booth at the 2019 Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA)
show.
The custom grille and custom front air dam show the Ferrari influence
while the molded-in rear spoiler and valance improve on the original Chrysler design,
topped off by a gas cap from a 2008 Challenger. All the custom bodywork including
the custom bumpers is covered in Ferrari “Rosso Corsa,” or “Racing Red.” The shine is preserved by Mothers car care products available at
Under the custom carbon-fiber hood is the 540 cubic-inch
engine that uses the “Indy Maxx” Indy Cylinder Head Products aluminum V-8 block
topped with 440 aluminum cylinder heads.
The induction is handled by custom
aluminum throttle bodies on an Edelbrock Six-Pack manifold controlled by the Fuel
Air Spark Technology (FAST®) EFI ECU system. The
jewel-like engine surrounded by custom-built black anodized inner panels, transmits
the power to the rear wheels through the TCI® six-speed 4L80E automatic
transmission.
The interior draws heavily on the interior design of a
vintage Ferrari 365 Daytona with a fawn-colored Hydes full grain leather interior
with black stitching and carpets, a custom dashboard and a leather-wrapped
Billet Specialties steering wheel backed by paddle shifters.
The car continues the Ferrari influence with Independent front
and rear suspension, power rack and pinion steering, while the one-off wheels designed
by Ben Hermance are reminiscent of the nineteen-seventies Motor Wheel Corporation Magnum
500 wheels used on many muscle cars.
Built by custom wheel manufacturer EVOD Industries, the front rims measure
18-inches diameter by 7-inches wide while the rear wheels measure 19-inches diameter
by 11-inches wide, wrapped in Pirelli P Zero tires. All four wheels are fitted
with Wilwood disc brakes and calipers.
Photos of the finished custom are by the author a proud member
of SEMA.
