Ringbrothers 1969 Dodge Charger CAPTIV packs a Hellcat V8
When it comes to taking old derelict cars and bringing them back to like-new condition, there are many ways that a car can be restored. For example, some people want to restore classic muscle cars from the 60s to completely stock condition just as they were from the factory. However, some people want to take iconic muscle cars like a 1969 Dodge Charger and combine its classic old-school looks with modern hardware and appointments, something known as a restomod.
There are several companies on the market today that will completely restore a car to factory condition, and there are plenty who will do a restomod. Sitting at the top of the heap when it comes to building incredibly clean and well-built restomods is a company called Ringbrothers. Their latest car is a 1969 Dodge Charger called CAPTIV.
1969 Charger "CAPTIV"
The 1969 Dodge Charger is one of the most iconic muscle cars from the era, made famous by the iconic TV show "The Dukes of Hazard" that every child of the 80s will be familiar with. CAPTIV looks nothing like the General Lee from that TV show. It was built for a lucky buyer named Greg Murphy, a motorsports legend and TV personality from New Zealand.
It's unclear exactly how the 1969 Dodge Charger made its way to New Zealand, but Ringbrothers says the disassembly and preparation for the project started there. We don't have any before pictures of the incredible project, but it did require extensive metalwork, as would be expected from a 1969 automobile. Many climates are not kind to classic steel, with rust and corrosion common.
One of the most noticeable features of the car is its bright yellow paint. That's no off-the-shelf color; it's a custom BASF hue called "Pile Up Yellow." One of the coolest design decisions that Ringbrothers made with the car was integrating a supercharged 707 horsepower Hellcat crate engine from Dodge and a Tremec six-speed manual transmission. That engine peeks through the hood when it's closed.
CAPTIV Specs and Suspension
A supercharged Hellcat V8 with 707 horsepower and a manual transmission will make for an incredibly fun ride. To control the modern engine and transmission inside the classic 1969 chassis, Ringbrothers turned to a MoTeC engine management system that also powers custom gauges. On the suspension front, all of the classic Dodge hardware was tossed out, and modern adjustable shocks were added. The car was also fitted with Baer six-piston disc brakes.
Those big and beefy modern brakes are much better at stopping 707 horsepower than anything built in the 60s. The wheels look like something you may have found on a car in the 60s, but they're custom HRE units that are fitted with Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires. None of the original drivetrain was up to handling 707 horsepower from the supercharged crate engine. So the original driveshaft was replaced with a QA1 carbon fiber driveshaft able to withstand all of the horsepower and torque.
Custom Parts and Interior
Undoubtedly the coolest thing that Ringbrothers does is build incredible cars like CAPTIV. However, the bulk of their business comes from custom billet parts built and sold for classic muscle cars. A horde of Ringbrothers billet parts were incorporated into the Charger, including a custom steering wheel. Custom steering wheels are something new for the company, and they are built using modern technology such as a 3D printed horn button, carbon fiber hoops, and billet aluminum spokes and hub.
Many of those custom billet parts are available to car enthusiasts customizing their own Dodge Charger. The car's interior looks as modern as the Hellcat engine under the hood. While it looks very modern, it also fits exceptionally well with the ride's classic 60s muscle car theme. The interior is quite attractive but minimalist and simple at the same time. Most of it is done in black with black leather seats with yellow stitching matching the car's exterior color.
The tall shift lever is capped with a bright yellow knob, and the car has a number of what appear to be polished billet trim pieces. The seats are modern units, but there's no indication where they came from. The car also has a modern audio system and what appears to be a modern knob-based infotainment control beneath the shifter. It appears that the ignition switch is in the center console and utilizes keys that look like those you might find on an ATV. The dark upholstery is offset with lighter gray carpeting. Overall the interior is every bit as well-done as the vehicle's exterior.
There's no indication of how much this project cost, but you can guarantee it was extremely expensive. We also have no indication of performance specifications for the vehicle, but with 707 horsepower under the hood and a manual transmission, it should be quite fast.