Drop-Top Revenge R/T Challenger is Ready for Vegas Baby!
September 12, 2009 by Luxury Auto Direct
Filed under Blog, News, SEMA Show
With the International Motor Show taking place this week, leaked photos and debuts from Frankfurt are common place. Here is the first of 2009 SEMA Show photos to be released. LuxuryAutoDirect.com is proud to be the first to get our hands on the images of the “Drop-Top Revenge” R/T Challenger by Droptop Customs (A division of Convertible Builders, LLC) that will make its debut at the 2009 SEMA Show. If it is anything like its 2008 sister car which won the Chrysler Design Excellence Award, it will be the Crown Jewel of the 2009 SEMA Show taking place in November at the Las Vegas Convention Center .
2009 represents a year of financial turmoil that spread like a wild fire across the globe. Chrysler, not unlike many other organizations was not immune to the chaos and soon joined GM as both giants were ushered by our Congress into bankruptcy. With a change of leadership and forced intervention by the US Government, Chrysler reorganized and quickly moved out of bankruptcy. Those faithfully following the recently reintroduced Challenger saw rumors of introducing a 2009 convertible crushed and the masses watched intently for signs of Dodge pulling out of further production and ending what will likely be this generation’s last great pony car war. Instead, America and the rest of the world got a glimpse of better times and witnessed the resurrection of a Mopar icon!!
Special ordered from the Brampton factory by Chrysler of Cortland, N.Y, Drop Top Revenge represents 1 of only 450, Deep Water Blue Pearl, 2009 Challengers built with a 6 speed manual Tremac transmission. The basic design that comprised the early Project N96 concept actually occurred months before the order was placed.
Using scrap paper during hospital visits and later, the time associated with the many sleepless nights that followed a life threatening motorcycle accident; from the Shaker Hood and the custom graphics, to the Hurst Shifter the intent up to this point was to bring back the Classic look of a 1970 Dodge Challenger, with an eye for new and modern electronic technology.
As a S.E.M.A. attendee for numerous years, the research associated with building Project N96 brought forth a certain show stopping car that won the Chrysler Design Excellence Award and had become the talk of the 2008 show. It was a Snake Green Creation that the Chrysler Corporation commissioned to be built by a company called Coach Builders Limited (now called Drop Top Customs) A company who has the reputation of being the oldest convertible conversion company that specializes in OEM look, fit, and finish. This car was also featured in the February/March 2009 issue of Luxury Auto Direct Magazine.
What happened to this award winning show machine? After S.E.M.A. this car was quietly scrapped by the Chrysler Corporation!
And so the final piece of the build fell in place…to cut a perfectly good roof from the car…and re-create the legendary look of the Dodge Challenger Convertible! The factory order was changed….the car was re-routed to Gainesville Florida instead of to his hometown dealership in Cortland. Having flown down to Gainesville to witness the first “cut”, here this build took its second and final turn! Hidden in the corner of the shop, under cover and away from prying eyes…the wheels! The wheels that were from the Original Drop Top Convertible of the 2008 S.E.M.A. show car. They sat on a pallet. You see, Chrysler did not own the wheels…so they were saved from the crusher!
It was decided then, between the owner and the builder, that this was to be more than a convertible, this would become a tribute to a car whose life ended just as it had begun to live.
The Foose Challenger Classic “shoes” and the addition of Snake Skin Green highlights as well as the custom Katzskin Leather Seats are a tribute to the “Big Brother” of this little Hemi that there is nothing little about.
The addition of Green Halo effect lighting creates an effect that catches onlookers by surprise. As though it stirs from within.
As though something lives within it. Perhaps the spirit of Drop Top has been re-awakened.
This vehicle represents all muscle car enthusiasts who are aware of the story of Drop Top, and it fills their need for…..REVENGE!
Photography and Graphics by Eyespike Design
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wow… nice. very original!!
You have got to be kidding! What an amazing machine! What is under that hood? Imagine seeing that thing with some babes going down the strip. That is the most beautiful ride i have ever seen and my bitch thinks it is fine too!
No way. It’s a real beauty — but who’s that guy leaning against the car??? I thought a car like that would be a girl magnet!!
Hot ride peoples! Julie P ->-> i think she is the ultimate gansta ride and wouldn’t want to meet the builder in a dark ally. look at the veins on his arms! I can tell who takes the steel out of the roofs! LOL
WOW nothing more can be said right?
WOW! Awesome car! Chrysler should be proud of this creation! It looks mean yet elegant! I can’t wait to see it in Vegas!
Looking at that car, it’s fresh and clean. It looks like something the factory would have built if it had been on track to make them. While the look is Old School, the lines and the quality is pure style for today. Well done to these guys for a ride we all can enjoy!
I stopped in my tracks when I saw these photos! This car looks amazing! You can almost hear the growl of the engine by just looking at it! Where can I see it at the SEMA show? Is there a booth there? It was a shame that chrysler had to trash the 2008 line but what a tribute to that car! This car looks like a BEAST in the best sense of the word!
OMG. The underground photo is PHENOMENAL!!! It has such power and class! I would love to have a poster of this! I haven’t seen a muscle car this hot in a very long time! I mean, the new challenger is nice but WOW! What a showstopper! No wonder it could be the premier car at SEMA this year! I liked the photos so much I had to come back and comment again.
WOW! What a fantastic tribute to last years SEMA car. Chrysler should be proud of this masterpiece. They took an awesome car and made it a beast!. If it sounds half as good as it looks….impressive!
what twisted emotions this car evokes!. Raw power! sleek style! you can almost feel the beast growling…wanting to be released. Just awesome man. Where can I see it in Vegas?
That thing is amazing!! It does look like a factory job. Do you think those guys in Florida will do the Camaro too?
Not what you typically find on this site. Very fresh and unique; deserving in its own way. I don’t understand the comment relating this vehicle to a factory job, but then again, I do not really understand the American car culture either.
They are doing a Camaro Convert!!!! I think the reference to a factory job means it looks just right and not over the top…the way the factory would do it. Chip, Carrol, the “boy” better look out…it seems a new player has entered the field and he plays for keeps. That it one sweet ride. “Hey Dodge…you lookin’? This is how it’s done!
My password was Ferrri. This is certainly not a Ferrarir! I don’t like this car. Then I do like it! It does look evil, I will give you that!
This has to be the best looking, and the best build of all the re-introduced modern muscle cars. Look at the side, the lines are amazing and the car just looks even better with the top down! Those guys have really create an instant-modern classic.