This is a 1968 Dodge Charger that now benefits from a years-long rebuild into the car you see here today – a 528 Hemi-powered muscle car producing an estimated 620 – 650 bhp and 600 to 620 ft lbs torque.
Even the most highly-specced versions of the 1968 Dodge Charger, the 426 Hemis, were only capable of 425 bhp and 490 lb ft of torque. The car shown here also rides on upgraded Hotchkis TVS suspension, and it has Wilwood disc brakes, a Strange Engineering Dana 60 rear end, and plenty more.
Fast Facts: A 528 Hemi–Swapped 1968 Dodge Charger
- This 1968 Dodge Charger underwent a complete restomod rebuild that finished in 2025, centering around the installation of a high-performance 528 Hemi V8. Power output is estimated to be between 620 and 650 bhp with torque figures around 600 to 620 lb ft, far exceeding the original 426 Hemi’s factory rating.
- The 528 Hemi is an aftermarket evolution of Chrysler’s 426 Hemi, which was originally introduced in 1964 and gained motorsport fame in NASCAR and NHRA. The 528 version uses a 4.5 inch bore and 4.15 inch stroke, along with forged internals and high-flow aluminum heads, offering modern performance in a decidedly vintage package.
- Cosmetic upgrades include black paint with red tail stripes, a Six Pack-style hood, hideaway headlights, LED lighting, and 15″ steel wheels with BFGoodrich Radial T/A tires. A full replacement of trim, glass, was also completed.
- The car now has Wilwood four-wheel disc brakes and a Hotchkis TVS suspension system with uprated sway bars, lowering springs, and new subframe connectors. Power is delivered through a 727 Torqueflite automatic to a Dana 60 rear axle with a Trac-Lok differential. The car is now offered for sale out of Las Vegas with documentation and a clear Montana title.
The 528 Hemi V8
The 528 Hemi V8 was never offered in a Chrysler production car, it’s essentially a modern continuation of one of America’s most storied V8 engine legacies. The 528 Hemi can trace its family tree directly back to the second-generation 426 Hemi V8, introduced by Chrysler in 1964. That engine earned a reputation as a dominant force in both NASCAR and NHRA racing, thanks to its hemispherical combustion chambers, high-flow heads, large valves, and seemingly bulletproof bottom end.
The 528 Hemi can trace its family tree directly back to the second-generation 426 Hemi V8, introduced by Chrysler in 1964. Image courtesy of Chrysler.
The 426’s power and reliability made it a legend in its own era, but it was produced for only a limited time, between 1966 and 1971 in street-legal form – largely due to the fact that emissions regulations were being implemented in the 1970s that mostly killed off America’s formerly great big block muscle car V8s. It’s worth noting that it was in use in racing form from 1964 onwards, two years before it was fitted to mainstream production cars.
As time went on and demand for vintage-style high-horsepower V8s remained strong, the team at Mopar Performance responded by developing larger-displacement crate versions based on the same layout as the original 426 Hemis.
Among these aftermarket engine designs, the 528 has always stood out. With a displacement of 528 cubic inches (8.6 liters), it’s typically built using either a reinforced cast iron or aluminum block, with a 4.5 inch bore and a 4.15 inch stroke.
Like the 426, it uses the traditional hemispherical chamber design with oversized intake and exhaust valves, but upgrades it with forged internal components and high-flow aluminum heads for a lower overall weight and better heat dissipation. Most builds are equipped with dual four-barrel carburetors or modern EFI systems, allowing for easy tuning depending on the specific use case.
In naturally aspirated form, these engines can produce well over 600 – 650 bhp and 600+ lb ft of torque, figures that can climb significantly in forced induction or drag racing setups running nitromethane.
What makes the 528 special, perhaps more than anything else, is its combination of vintage aesthetics with modern levels of reliability and power. It’s now become a favorite among builders of Pro Street cars, Super Stock replicas, and high-end Mopar restomods.
Power output is estimated at 620 – 650 bhp and at least 600 – 620 ft lbs torque by the seller, and these numbers fall inline with what you would expect for a 528 Hemi built to this level.
The 528 Hemi–Swapped 1968 Dodge Charger Shown Here
The car you see in this article is a 1968 Dodge Charger that has been rebuilt from the ground up into what most would call a restomod – that is, a car that has been both restored and significantly modified over its original specification.
Restomods used to be controversial in some circles, as they typically involve significantly modifying a desirable classic. In more recent years they’ve seen widespread acceptance, and well-built examples can sell for even more than a restored, numbers-matching original car.
The Charger you see here was rebuilt over a number of years and was completed in 2025. The build included new black paint with vinyl red tail stripes, and the grille, chrome trim, passenger glass, side mirrors, door handles, weather seals, and wipers were replaced.
The car also now has a Six Pack-style hood, hideaway headlights, round side-marker lights, as well as LED headlights and taillights. It rides on reproduction 63-series 15″ steel wheels shod with BFGoodrich Radial T/A white-letter tires (measuring 245/60 in front and 295/50 in back).
It has four-wheel Wilwood disc brakes, and a Hotchkis TVS suspension kit with a revised front sway bar, shock absorbers, subframe connectors, and lowering leaf springs. It’s also fitted with a Borgeson steering box and CalTracs traction bars.
Perhaps the most important upgrade lies under the hood, where you’ll find a Gen II 528 Hemi V8 with a Callies iron block, a Molnar rotating assembly, forged Icon pistons, and Edelbrock aluminum heads It also has a powder-coated Hemi-branded air cleaner atop a Brawler 950 CFM carburetor, a Mopar Performance intake manifold, and Manton pushrods, a hydraulic roller camshaft, a Champion four-row radiator, and an MSD ignition.
The Charger you see here was rebuilt over a number of years and was completed in 2025. The build included new black paint with vinyl red tail stripes, and the grille, chrome trim, passenger glass, side mirrors, door handles, weather seals, and wipers were replaced.
Power output is estimated at 620 – 650 bhp and at least 600 – 620 ft lbs torque by the seller, and these numbers fall inline with what you would expect for a 528 Hemi built to this level. Power is sent back through a 727 Torqueflite 3-speed automatic and a Strange Engineering “Black Beauty” Dana 60 rear end with a Trac-Lok differential.
The car is now being offered for sale out of Las Vegas, Nevada with a service manual, build records, and a clean Montana title in the name of the seller’s LLC. If you’d like to read more about it or register to bid you can visit the listing here.
Images courtesy of Bring a Trailer
Articles that Ben Branch has written have been covered on CNN, Popular Mechanics, Smithsonian Magazine, Road & Track Magazine, the official Pinterest blog, the official eBay Motors blog, BuzzFeed, Autoweek Magazine, Wired Magazine, Autoblog, Gear Patrol, Jalopnik, The Verge, and many more.
Silodrome was founded by Ben back in 2010, in the years since the site has grown to become a world leader in the alternative and vintage motoring sector, with well over a million monthly readers from around the world and many hundreds of thousands of followers on social media.