Roadkill Garage - S02e04 The Off Road Challenger [top]
This technical summary details the build and exploits of the "Off-Road Challenger" (ORC) as featured in Roadkill Garage Season 2, Episode 4 The Vehicle: 1970 Dodge Challenger Originally a clapped-out dirt-track circle racer
: The goal was to take the clapped-out Mopar and test its limits in the desert, specifically navigating lava flows and a massive The Carnage
that was previously a mundane . To make it desert-ready, they cut into the bodywork to accommodate oversized rubber and prepare it for high-speed desert runs.
To fit the aggressive off-road rubber, the duo skipped precise measurements and went straight for the cutting tools. They hacked away massive chunks of the iconic 1970 Challenger sheet metal. They also fabricated a completely custom front grille utilizing cheap garden fencing and threw in extra sets of headlights for a rugged, post-apocalyptic look. The powertrain remained a stock, un-killable Dodge 318 V8 backed by a functional automatic transmission. Desert Testing and Environmental Chaos roadkill garage s02e04 the off road challenger
However, the fun was cut short by an unpredictable weather disaster. A massive, historic sandstorm rolled into the area with . The storm was severe enough to strip paint off vehicles, shred exposed skin, and make breathing nearly impossible.
The second half of the episode is the payoff. They haul the lifted Challenger to an off-road test track—a dusty, rutted trail with berms, jumps, and high-speed straights.
The project center on a 1970 Dodge Challenger that had originally been a dirt-track race car. Because the car was already "clapped out" and not a candidate for a standard restoration, the duo felt no guilt in modifying it heavily for the dirt. Sheet Metal Surgery: This technical summary details the build and exploits
: The extreme conditions were so harsh they stripped paint from the car and shredded the participants' skin and eyes.
: A base-model 1970 Dodge Challenger with a factory V-8, an A904 automatic transmission, and a light-duty 7-1/4 rearend.
Before landing in the Roadkill Garage , the Challenger was complete but heavily weathered, having spent years sitting idle. It was powered by a low-compression, 318-cubic-inch small-block Mopar V8 that produced a meager estimated 140 horsepower in its original state. Despite its lack of straight-line speed, its rugged, stripped-down state made it the perfect canvas for an extreme budget transformation. The Build: Cutting Up an E-Body They hacked away massive chunks of the iconic
The car featured a 318ci engine that was estimated to produce only about 140 horsepower due to low compression (6.9:1) and stock components. Off-Road Setup:
"Roadkill Garage" The Off-Road Challenger! (TV Episode 2017)
By the end of the episode, the Challenger proves to be a surprisingly capable off-road machine, capable of keeping up with dedicated Jeeps and trucks on mild trails. It remains a running, driving symbol of the "do anything with nothing" motto of the show.
If you want to watch the sheet-metal-hacking mayhem unfold for yourself, you can stream the full episode of Roadkill Garage Season 2, Episode 4 on Max. Let me know, and I can help you find what you need! The Off-Road Challenger Is Reborn! | Roadkill Garage
