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Hellcat-Swap 1964 Dodge 440 Drags Modern Muscle, Teaches All (but One) a Nitrous Lesson

Unless you are a Mopar enthusiast, chances are the classic second-generation Dodge 440 slipped off the muscle radar screen by now. No worries, though; here is a crimson one that will remain imprinted on your retina for quite a while.
Nitrous Hellcat-Swapped 1964 Dodge 440 drags Mustang, Charger, Challenger on DRACS 61 photos
Photo: Drag Racing and Car Stuff / YouTube
Nitrous Hellcat-Swapped 1964 Dodge 440 drags Mustang, Charger, Challenger on DRACSNitrous Hellcat-Swapped 1964 Dodge 440 drags Mustang, Charger, Challenger on DRACSNitrous Hellcat-Swapped 1964 Dodge 440 drags Mustang, Charger, Challenger on DRACSNitrous Hellcat-Swapped 1964 Dodge 440 drags Mustang, Charger, Challenger on DRACSNitrous Hellcat-Swapped 1964 Dodge 440 drags Mustang, Charger, Challenger on DRACSNitrous Hellcat-Swapped 1964 Dodge 440 drags Mustang, Charger, Challenger on DRACSNitrous Hellcat-Swapped 1964 Dodge 440 drags Mustang, Charger, Challenger on DRACSNitrous Hellcat-Swapped 1964 Dodge 440 drags Mustang, Charger, Challenger on DRACSNitrous Hellcat-Swapped 1964 Dodge 440 drags Mustang, Charger, Challenger on DRACSNitrous Hellcat-Swapped 1964 Dodge 440 drags Mustang, Charger, Challenger on DRACSNitrous Hellcat-Swapped 1964 Dodge 440 drags Mustang, Charger, Challenger on DRACSNitrous Hellcat-Swapped 1964 Dodge 440 drags Mustang, Charger, Challenger on DRACSNitrous Hellcat-Swapped 1964 Dodge 440 drags Mustang, Charger, Challenger on DRACSNitrous Hellcat-Swapped 1964 Dodge 440 drags Mustang, Charger, Challenger on DRACSNitrous Hellcat-Swapped 1964 Dodge 440 drags Mustang, Charger, Challenger on DRACSNitrous Hellcat-Swapped 1964 Dodge 440 drags Mustang, Charger, Challenger on DRACSNitrous Hellcat-Swapped 1964 Dodge 440 drags Mustang, Charger, Challenger on DRACSNitrous Hellcat-Swapped 1964 Dodge 440 drags Mustang, Charger, Challenger on DRACSNitrous Hellcat-Swapped 1964 Dodge 440 drags Mustang, Charger, Challenger on DRACSNitrous Hellcat-Swapped 1964 Dodge 440 drags Mustang, Charger, Challenger on DRACSNitrous Hellcat-Swapped 1964 Dodge 440 drags Mustang, Charger, Challenger on DRACSNitrous Hellcat-Swapped 1964 Dodge 440 drags Mustang, Charger, Challenger on DRACSNitrous Hellcat-Swapped 1964 Dodge 440 drags Mustang, Charger, Challenger on DRACSNitrous Hellcat-Swapped 1964 Dodge 440 drags Mustang, Charger, Challenger on DRACSNitrous Hellcat-Swapped 1964 Dodge 440 drags Mustang, Charger, Challenger on DRACSNitrous Hellcat-Swapped 1964 Dodge 440 drags Mustang, Charger, Challenger on DRACSNitrous Hellcat-Swapped 1964 Dodge 440 drags Mustang, Charger, Challenger on DRACSNitrous Hellcat-Swapped 1964 Dodge 440 drags Mustang, Charger, Challenger on DRACSNitrous Hellcat-Swapped 1964 Dodge 440 drags Mustang, Charger, Challenger on DRACSNitrous Hellcat-Swapped 1964 Dodge 440 drags Mustang, Charger, Challenger on DRACSNitrous Hellcat-Swapped 1964 Dodge 440 drags Mustang, Charger, Challenger on DRACSNitrous Hellcat-Swapped 1964 Dodge 440 drags Mustang, Charger, Challenger on DRACSNitrous Hellcat-Swapped 1964 Dodge 440 drags Mustang, Charger, Challenger on DRACSNitrous Hellcat-Swapped 1964 Dodge 440 drags Mustang, Charger, Challenger on DRACSNitrous Hellcat-Swapped 1964 Dodge 440 drags Mustang, Charger, Challenger on DRACSNitrous Hellcat-Swapped 1964 Dodge 440 drags Mustang, Charger, Challenger on DRACSNitrous Hellcat-Swapped 1964 Dodge 440 drags Mustang, Charger, Challenger on DRACSNitrous Hellcat-Swapped 1964 Dodge 440 drags Mustang, Charger, Challenger on DRACSNitrous Hellcat-Swapped 1964 Dodge 440 drags Mustang, Charger, Challenger on DRACSNitrous Hellcat-Swapped 1964 Dodge 440 drags Mustang, Charger, Challenger on DRACSNitrous Hellcat-Swapped 1964 Dodge 440 drags Mustang, Charger, Challenger on DRACSNitrous Hellcat-Swapped 1964 Dodge 440 drags Mustang, Charger, Challenger on DRACSNitrous Hellcat-Swapped 1964 Dodge 440 drags Mustang, Charger, Challenger on DRACSNitrous Hellcat-Swapped 1964 Dodge 440 drags Mustang, Charger, Challenger on DRACSNitrous Hellcat-Swapped 1964 Dodge 440 drags Mustang, Charger, Challenger on DRACSNitrous Hellcat-Swapped 1964 Dodge 440 drags Mustang, Charger, Challenger on DRACSNitrous Hellcat-Swapped 1964 Dodge 440 drags Mustang, Charger, Challenger on DRACSNitrous Hellcat-Swapped 1964 Dodge 440 drags Mustang, Charger, Challenger on DRACSNitrous Hellcat-Swapped 1964 Dodge 440 drags Mustang, Charger, Challenger on DRACSNitrous Hellcat-Swapped 1964 Dodge 440 drags Mustang, Charger, Challenger on DRACSNitrous Hellcat-Swapped 1964 Dodge 440 drags Mustang, Charger, Challenger on DRACSNitrous Hellcat-Swapped 1964 Dodge 440 drags Mustang, Charger, Challenger on DRACSNitrous Hellcat-Swapped 1964 Dodge 440 drags Mustang, Charger, Challenger on DRACSNitrous Hellcat-Swapped 1964 Dodge 440 drags Mustang, Charger, Challenger on DRACSNitrous Hellcat-Swapped 1964 Dodge 440 drags Mustang, Charger, Challenger on DRACSNitrous Hellcat-Swapped 1964 Dodge 440 drags Mustang, Charger, Challenger on DRACSNitrous Hellcat-Swapped 1964 Dodge 440 drags Mustang, Charger, Challenger on DRACSNitrous Hellcat-Swapped 1964 Dodge 440 drags Mustang, Charger, Challenger on DRACSNitrous Hellcat-Swapped 1964 Dodge 440 drags Mustang, Charger, Challenger on DRACSNitrous Hellcat-Swapped 1964 Dodge 440 drags Mustang, Charger, Challenger on DRACS
The Dodge 440 full-size was born in 1962 as the premium version of the brand’s Dart nameplate, but for 1963 and 1964 (the last year it was produced), it quickly broke out on its own because the latter was not only new but also smaller. But, alas, it was not for long, as the Polara soon took its place.

Some do remember these quirky models, and the owner of this red 1964 Dodge 440 example probably wanted people to never forget it. According to the description and the small initial walkaround in the Drag Racing and Car Stuff video embedded below, he proceeded to a raft of changes, chief among them being the 6.2-liter supercharged Hemi V8 SRT Hellcat swap.

There are others, as well, such as the splashes of nitrous that are visible at times during the numerous races it took heads-up style or in the bracket category (where you try to predict the time for each pass in advance). As such, do expect this nine-minute video that features excerpts from DiabloSport Horsepower Wars and Modern Street HEMI Shootout to include a veritable galore of old-school vs. modern muscle action.

Everything took place at Orlando Speed World Dragway, both during the day and at night. We should warn you, though. If the vintage muscle is not your thing, then better look away until the very last pass featured at the 8:17 mark because that is the only time this Dodge 440 lost a race, and it was against the contemporary Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat. Plus, that was during the King of the Hill finals, a competition that was solely reserved for prior class winners!

But let us not get ahead of ourselves because we also need to highlight a couple of other skirmishes. One would be against an equally feisty and crimson Ford Mustang at the 1:10 mark, where the two had a veritable photo finish: 8.52s for Dodge’s 440 and 8.56s for Blue Oval’s S550! So close, right? Well, during one of the equally feisty bracket races (which kick off after the second walkaround at 4:12), the 440 fought another Challenger, and the win was separated like this: 8.611s (440) vs. 8.616s (Challenger)!

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About the author: Aurel Niculescu
Aurel Niculescu profile photo

Aurel has aimed high all his life (literally, at 16 he was flying gliders all by himself) so in 2006 he switched careers and got hired as a writer at his favorite magazine. Since then, his work has been published both by print and online outlets, most recently right here, on autoevolution.
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