Supercharged V8-Swapped 1959 Cadillac Drag Races Widebody Dodge Challenger

The Series 62 Convertible in the featured video is a little more special for it boasts the LSA supercharged V8 from the second-generation Cadillac CTS-V sports sedan. Based on the LS9 from the sixth-gen Corvette ZR1, this lump cranks out 556 horsepower and 551 pound-feet (747 Nm) of oomph.

A tasteful restomod in every conceivable way, the land yacht currently runs a Hydra-Matic 6L90 automatic transmission and 3.73 rear gears. Believed to weigh approximately 4,500 pounds (2,041 kilograms) in this one-of-none specification, the Caddy regrets challenging a Challenger (pun intended) to a quarter-mile drag race. The Dodge-branded muscle car is a T/A 392 Widebody, which is pretty darn expensive at $49,090 sans options.

Based on the Challenger R/T Scat Pack Widebody, this fellow is rocking 3.09 gears, an eight-speed TorqueFlite, and a curb weight in the ballpark of 4,300 pounds (1,950 kilograms). The 6.4-liter HEMI brings the driver smiles to the tune of 485 horsepower and 475 pound-feet (644 Nm) of torque, numbers that aren’t exactly bad for a free-breathing V8 motor with pushrods.

With the rear tires warmed up, the Challenger T/A 392 Widebody hooks up like a charm thanks to 305/35 by 20-inch rubber shoes and a better-tuned rear suspension. The fixed-head coupe edges ahead by the halfway point of the strip, and keeps going strong until the race comes to a conclusion. The ETs are 11.96 seconds at 113.01 miles per hour (182 kilometers per hour) and 12.95 seconds at 94.98 miles per hour (153 kilometers per hour) for the heavier but cooler Cadillac Series 62 with a Cadillac CTS-V engine swap.