Sometimes, a car comes along that makes me question my ‘less is more’ taste in modified vehicles. Johan Eriksson’s 1968 Dodge Charger ‘RTR’ is one such car – it simply blew me away at Club de Ultrace 2024.
It may appear to ‘just’ be a clean Charger from a distance, but up close, it takes a moment for your brain to recalibrate to the sheer scale and presence of this slab of Swedish-built Americana.
After all, this was a 5.2-metre-long car with a nearly two-metre width when it rolled off its Detroit production line back in the day. That’s a big car, made even bigger since Johan has had almost every exterior panel fabricated and altered to meet his vision.
A 40-millimetre roof chop should hint at the detail that went into the build. As should all of the bespoke billet aluminium details around the Charger, from badges and trim pieces to clamps and fittings dotted around this ‘Viking Blood Red’ beast.
The custom bodywork front and rear hide the radiused outer and tubbed inner wheel arches, which have been implemented so smoothly into the exterior lines that it took me a second pass to notice that Johan’s Charger had been widened. Not only that, but the drivetrain and suspension are mounted onto bespoke subframes at both ends of the car.
That explains how the Charger effortlessly swallows up the custom 22×11-inch and 24×15.5-inch split rims wrapped in 295/30 and 405/25 profile tyres respectively. Behind the wheels are bespoke brakes comprised of modified Bentley Continental GT callipers at the front and Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 (front) callipers at the rear.
Side note: I’ve never seen road-legal tyres with a width beginning with a 4 before…
An air suspension setup allows Johan’s Charger to drop down onto its wheels, but there’s no air tank on show. Instead, the boot is full of Pioneer subwoofers and amplifiers in a fabricated enclosure with windows revealing the comprehensive install, something I can really get behind.
Note the bespoke American flag panel on the inside of the boot lid. It’s just one fun feature of this larger-than-life build.
The interior is also an incredible display of craftsmanship. It’s filled with billet aluminium pieces that contrast against the black leather surfaces, like the entire steering wheel and the custom centre console running the length of the cabin.
There’s also a leather-covered roll cage and individual rear seats with their own billet cup holders. Rear passengers deserve comfort too.
The 21 Pioneer speakers in the car ensure Johan would never be able to hear passengers over his music, but even if the audio system was turned off, the 8.4-litre Dodge Viper V10 engine would have the same effect. That is unless the passengers were screaming during a wide-open throttle pull.
A V10 alone would never be enough for a build this comprehensive; a pair of hidden BorgWarner turbochargers make a package easily capable of 1,500hp, though Johan is running a conservative tune of around 1,000hp.
The Charger is a real powerhouse, and under the bonnet is gorgeous too. From the sheet metal of the engine bay and slam panel to the billet rocker covers and intake, there’s something special everywhere you look. Even the bonnet catch is bespoke, made to look like a Viking dragon boat’s bow.
The exhaust manifolds have begun to turn gold from heat staining, a wonderful sight to see from use. Johan wasn’t the first person to drive the Charger, though, because as soon as it was completed, it was shipped out to America to be displayed at the SEMA Show.
The first driver? Jay Leno for a Jay Leno’s Garage feature. What a story, eh?
Johan’s build is a real show car through and through without losing the character of a ’68 Charger. Little wonder then that it won a Top 16 award at Ultrace this year; it’s incredible.
Mario Christou
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