When I owned my 2005 Mustang GT, I learned that VFN Fiberglass made an entire S197 Mustang body. Thoughts ran through my head of planting said body onto a Ranger frame, stuffing a high-revving V8 into the front end, giving it shock travel like a Class 8 desert truck, and ripping through the dunes out at Glamis in the monster. Apparently I’m not the only sick and twisted individual that has thought of such ideas. Joey Ruiter has thought pretty much the same thing, and has put out this concept, the Dodge Challenger A/T, as a study of feasibility. Instead of the basic idea of dropping a car on a truck body, though, Ruiter wants to use the car platform and modify it to handle the off-road tasks. In addition to the shocks, skid plating, rock sliders, external off-road lighting and body armor would be added to toughen up the car, while the fenders will get flared to clear proper off-road tires. And here’s the kicker: This isn’t just a rendering. Ruiter is actually working on the pieces to modify Challenger, Camaro and Mustang. The only vehicles that I believe could compare with an A/T-modified muscle car would be the Ford Raptor and the Local Motors Rally Fighter. And that would be with the basic V8 model. Ruiter has said that he’d use the V6 versions for weight and balance, and for that reason I can understand, but think of a Hellcat-powered off-road screamer. Just picture it.
I’m drooling over the idea of a Challenger SRT 392 with the new stripe packages and shaker hood done up like the Challenger A/T concept. It has a little Mad Max vibe to it, a little of the Banshee Olds racers theme, and I would love to see the reactions as I drove one into the Mopar Nationals. I think that would be a riot.
Here’s the official press release:
CONCEPT, Dodge CHALLENGER A/T UNTAMED | Aug 2014
Combining our love of American muscle and off-roading.
When products work well in the worst extremes, it will work that much better in normal use. No curb, parking gate, city ramp, pot-hole, or incline will ever be an issue.
WHY SHOULD A CAR BE LIMITED TO THE ROAD IT DRIVES ON?
Meet the CONCEPT Dodge Challenger A/T with more muscle than ever. It’s sleek enough for the city nightlife and rough enough for the off-road landscape.
New Products developed for the 2015 challenger:
• Front long travel arms
• Rear trailing arm with links
• Body armor with rock sliders
• Fender flares
• Front skid plate
• Integrated lower light bar
• A/T logo badge
Body Modifications:
• Wheel well trimming
• Inner fender wall construction
• Exhaust tuck and reposition
• Spare tire truck mount
• Graphic twin striping
• Off-road tool storage and details
• Safety equipment
We pushed the performance, power and capabilities of the iconic Challenger from the street to the dirt. From body armor to racing seats, this ride is customized from top to bottom and ready for some serious use.
No matter where you’re going, this car will get you there. So pick your road, we’ve got the car.
We would love to build one for you.
This is awesome but not original. We’re all (Joe Ruiter included, I’m sure) familiar with the Rally Fighter, I’d hope? Hell, I’ve seen more than one Camaro on K10 chassis in my life.
Shrug.
If I had the money, I’d buy one – but let’s not all pretend it’s a brand new concept, putting an off road suspension under a muscle / sports car body & powertrain.
Oh, we’re very familiar with the Rally Fighter. I’ve auto crossed in their parking lot in Chandler, AZ before. Badass ride but when it’s closing in on $100K and you are required to put it together so it can be street legal…well, there are some hinderances that some people won’t deal with. Nobody was trying to pretend it’s a new thing…just a new way to raise some blood pressure for purists.
Fingers crossed I win the lotto cause there would be one less new ZL1 camaro sitting at stock height
You know I’m a huge fan of BAJA stuff and putting cars up in the air to clear tires for offroading. Hot Rod has been running some coverage of vintage offroading cars here and there. Stuff that competed in BAJA. I sort of wish we had more stuff like this. I kinda dig it. At least it isn’t another one of those cars that seem useless.
I met a person from Ripleys believe it or not out at butter cup on interstate 8 who was en route to meet with Jay Leno. He was going to sale him an old Stingray Corvette it was 4×4 with a big lift kit. The car had alot of power and street legal.
Looks like one of those Hurst Scramblers or Olds Cutlasses that James Garner used to race at Baja back in the day. I dig it!