THE SPEEDKORE HELLRAISER 1970 DODGE CHARGER IS KEVIN HART’S NEW MOPAR MUSCLE CAR

Back in September of 2019, Kevin Hart made headlines for something other than his comedic talents. That is because Hart was involved in a very serious accident while riding shotgun in his SpeedKore-built 1970 Plymouth Barracuda. The comedian and actor was severely injured in the crash, which the California Highway Patrol found was the result of reckless driving and improper use of 800+ horsepower. Despite the challenges he faced recovering from a broken back, the accident didn’t damage Hart’s love of muscle cars. In fact, he even had the folks at SpeedKore commission him a whole new build. Based around a Dodge Charger of the same vintage, we’d like to introduce you to the carbon-bodied, Hellephant V8-powered SpeedKore Hellraiser.

Like any project from these Wisconsin horsepower legends, this 1970 Dodge Charger turned SpeedKore Hellraiser build started with a new chassis. More specifically in this case, a custom frame with a 14-point integrated roll cage was chosen. From there, the team fit the muscle car with a C6 Corvette front suspension built by Detroit Speed, as well as their in-house four-bar rear suspension setup. Penske Double-Adjustable shocks support the car, as do some Detroit Speed sway bars. It might look like an old muscle car, but the SpeedKore Hellraiser certainly won’t drive like one.

With the chassis squared away, the team then moved onto the engine. For this special build, the team opted to utilize a 426 cubic-inch Hellephant V8 crate engine. In its current state of tune, the engine produces 1,000 horsepower and 950 lb-ft of torque. A step on from the 800+ horsepower Hart’s ‘Cuda was making at the time of his crash. The engine wears a custom billet aluminum supercharger cover, but remains stock beyond that. SpeedKore designed their own exhaust system and headers with some help from Magnaflow, which we’re sure make this thing sound as devilish as its name suggests. The engine is mated to a ZF 8HP90 8-speed automatic.

Other highlights include six-piston Brembo brakes at the front, and four-piston units out back. Those brakes hide behind a set of HRE S201 3-piece wheels, which measure 19-inches up front and 20-inches in the rear. All four corners are shod in Michelin Pilot Sport 4S rubber, which should help keep that 1,000 horsepower V8 under control. Inside the car you’ll find a custom interior complete with some retro Recaro GT Sportster seats and Simpson Racing 4-point harnesses. Considering Hart’s last SpeedKore project didn’t feature any seat belts, we’re sure the harnesses are a welcome addition.

Crashing a car is far from a pleasurable experience. Facing serious injuries as a result can keep folks out of cars for their rest of their lives. We’re glad to see that Kevin Hart has not only recovered from his crash, but that it had no effect on his automotive enthusiasm. We can’t think of a better way of moving past that horrific day than by building an ever crazier muscle car. When you have the help of SpeedKore, that isn’t going to be too tall of an order. Which SpeedKore-built Mopar would you rather have in your garage? Let us know in the comments down below!