Mario focussed on with the build. “One of the main
things I wanted to do was reduce the weight of the
car, so instead of doing a 1000hp engine, I’ll go the
other way and do a 600-650hp engine and lower
the weight, especially at the front,” he says. “The
carbonfire bonnet and all-aluminium engine and
the Magnum Force front end takes about 150kg
out. We haven’t weighed it yet, but I reckon it
weighs about the same as when it had the six-
cylinder in it – but it’s got double the horsepower.”
By now you’ve probably figured out that the 265
and triple carbs are gone and seen the stonking
big-block tucked neatly into the engine bay. Built
by Tony Khattar from All Cylinder Head Services,
the 540-cuber is based on an Indy block and heads
from 440 Source. There’s still a Six-Pack, but this
time they’re F&B Performance throttlebodies
controlled by a FAST XFI 2.0 ECU. Even the engine
bay copped some Ferrari styling, with wrinkle finish
on the rocker covers and custom-made intake
bellmouths. “I didn’t want any bling – it’s an engine
bay for crying out loud; it’s going to get dirty,” Mario
says. “If you look at a Ferrari or a Lambo, you don’t
see a lot of bling. You see a lot of dark stuff, you see
all the mechanicals, the engineering that’s there.
That’s where your eyes go.”
Proof of how sympathetic the build was to the
original design can be found in the comments from
Bob Hubbach, the Charger’s original designer,
after Mario sent him some photos: “Your car
looks sensational in the photos you sent. Did you
perchance send these photos to the authors of
the Hey Charger book – Gavin Farmer and Gary
Bridger? I’m sure they would like to see them and
that they would be as impressed as I am.”
“My idea for the car was to keep all the
beautiful things about the Charger and just clean
it up a bit and make it look more modern,” says
Mario. The end result? A classic Aussie muscle
car with European styling and Yankee big-block
power; a real triple threat – or should that be
triple treat? sMY IDEA WAS
TO KEEP ALL
THE BEAUTIFUL
THINGS ABOUT THE
CHARGER BUT JUST
CLEAN IT UP A BIT
AND MAKE ILOOK
MORE MODERN
MARIO CIARROCCHI
VH VALIANT CHARGER
Paint: Glasurit Ferrari
Rosso Corsa
DONK
Type: 540ci big-block Chrysler
Inlet: Edelbrock
Injection: F&B Performance
ECU: FAST XFI 2.0
Heads: 440 Source Stealth
Valves: 2.14in (in), 1.81in (ex)
Cam: 254/[email protected]
Pistons: Diamond flat-top
Crank: 440 Source
Conrods: ScatSHIFT
Gearbox: TCI six-speed auto
Converter: 2500rpm stall
Diff: Heidts 9in IRS, 3.7:1 gearsBENEATH
Front end: Magnum ForceRear end: Heidts IRS
Shocks: Coil-overs (f & r)
Steering: Rack-and-pinion
Brakes: Wilwood 13in discs
and six-piston calipers (f),
Wilwood 12in discs and four-
piston calipers (r)ROLLING STOCK
Rims: Grip Equipped by EVOD;
18x7 (f), 19x11 (r)
Rubber: Pirelli P Zero;205/45/18 (f), 305/30/19 (r)
THANKS
The following suppliers: Indy,
440 Source, F&B Performance,
FAST, Holley, Edelbrock, Scat,
Diamond Pistons, Crane Cams,
Lokar, Milodon, Magnum
Force, Heidts, TCI, Wilwood,
Infinitybox, Classic Instruments,
Fesler, New Vintage USA, Grip
Equipped, EVOD industries,Bliss Custom Machining, Pirelli,
Drake Automotive, Clayton
Machine Works and Greening
Auto Company; the following
builders and designers: Justin
Hill at Hills & Co Customs,
Ben Hermance at Hermance
Design, Tony Khattar at All
Cylinder Head Services and
Scott Briggs at Trik Trim; my
wife for the support throughout
the six-year buildThere were no major changes to the
original design, but everything has been
tightened up for a much more modern
look. Ben Hermance designed the
front spoiler, which was then expertly
recreated in steel by Hills & Co Customs<