Swapping in a modern drivetrain into a classic car is a no-brainer these days. You get all the benefits of today’s technology and power with the looks of classic American muscle, and it’s hard to say no to that. But in a sea of LS, LT, Gen 3 Hemi, and Coyote swaps, how can one stand out from the crowd? This 1969 Plymouth GTX with the heart of a snake just might be the answer.
Photos: Purist Miami
Magnum Force suspension with QA1 coilovers give this B-body Mopar a killer stance.
Viper Warning
This ’69 GTX was built by Trans Am Specialties in Miami, FL, in 2010. During that time, it received a slew of modifications and upgrades. Most notably, its big block has been swapped with the 505 cubic-inch, 8.3-liter V10 and T56 6-speed transmission from a third-generation Dodge Viper SRT-10. The original output for this all-aluminum 10-cylinder monster from Dodge was 500 horsepower at 5,600 rpm and 525 lb-ft of torque at 4,200 rpm, but this slithering Plymouth has another trick up its sleeve.
Trans Am Specialties braced the chassis and frame rails to handle the 700-plus horsepower Viper V10.
A Paxton Novi 2000 centrifugal supercharger kit was installed during the swap along with in-house fabricated exhaust utilizing the stock tubular exhaust manifolds mated to a 3-inch stainless dual exhaust with magnaMagnaFlow mufflers. An Aeromotive A1000 Fuel system and AEM meth injection keep detonation at bay while running on 93-octane pump gas.
Unfortunately, the builder doesn’t provide any final dyno numbers. However, Paxton advertises that this kit on a stock 2003 Viper boosts output to 700 horsepower and 633 foot-pounds of torque on just 7-8 pounds of boost. All that grunt is sent via a custom heavy duty driveshaft to a Strange Engineering Dana 60 rear axle with a limited-slip differential to give this B5 Blue GTX a fighting chance at gaining all the traction it needs.
The Drivetrain
A drivetrain swap of this magnitude needs attention elsewhere, too. So, the team at Trans Am Specialties turned to Magnum Force in Moapa, Nevada, for the front and rear suspension. Their bolt-in front subframe features QA1 coilovers, tubular control arms with polyurethane bushings, and a Flamming River rack and pinion. The Strange Dana 60 in the rear received the same treatment with a bolt-in 4-Link rear suspension kit and matching QA1 coilovers. No more leaf springs or torsion bars; this beauty is now at home on the interstate or the race track.
Planting all that power to the road is no easy task with a classic car and requires extensive re-engineering and fabrication.
To stop the 700-plus horsepower B-body they went to Wilwood for their DynaPro Billet 6-piston calipers upfront and 4-piston in the rear with cross-drilled and slotted rotors. Trans Am Specialties stuck to the resto-mod look, mounted a set of Circle Racing Billet Magnum 500 wheels, and wrapped them in Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires. The wheels measure 18×9.5 in the rear and 18×8 in the front, and the rubber is 285/40R18 and 255/40R18, respectively. The next owner might want to invest in a set of drag radials for the track. Those Michelins are sticky tires, but with all that torque, those poor rear tires don’t stand a chance.
Other than a pair of small "Viper-powered" emblems on the hood, the clean exterior keeps what's under the hood a secret.
It’s All In The Details
The engine bay wasn’t the only area of the car that was treated to parts from the donor Viper. They swiped the leather and microsuede seats from the SRT-10 and covered the floorboards with custom embroidered ‘Viper’ floor mats. The dash was left stock, but trimmed with a carbon fiber inlay displaying Stewart-Warner Power Series gauges in black, silver, and blue to match the exterior. The driver looks at those gauges through a Grant Classic Series’ Tuff Wheel’ 15-inch steering wheel. The rest of the carbon fiber’s real estate is taken up by an array of toggle switches, Vintage Air A/C, and a Pioneer Bluetooth head unit. The center console received the same treatment as the dashboard, trimmed in the same carbon fiber and housing a Bowler Performance Transmissions Billet Shift Lever topped with a Mopar blue shift knob custom inscribed with “GTX.”
The interior is the perfect blend of modern and classic with Stewart-Warner gauges, carbon fiber, and Viper seats.
This 1969 GTX is currently for sale at Purist Miami in Miami, Florida, a dealer specializing in unique rides like this. It’s also listed on BaT and is expected to sell over six figures. A 1969 Plymouth GTX with the heart of a snake is sure to grab everyone’s attention at the next car show or classic-car meet-up, with the roar of a supercharged V10 instead of the traditional 8-cylinder rumble.
