Turning heads, and ears, with American muscle

When his 2000 Pontiac Grand Prix was no longer the car of his dreams, and all the modifications he wanted to make had outlived his interest, moving on to the next project was the perfect remedy. Another problem was that he never felt like it was “his car” and never was able to reach a place where he was completely satisfied with the work he did.

In January 2009, after a talk with his parents, who agreed to co-sign a loan, Ambrose went searching for a car he could truly call his own. He found himself torn between the allure of the sporty Chrysler Crossfire and the less sporty Hyundai Tiburon and Mitsubishi Eclipse. When a close friend told him all about the Dodge Challenger, however, the desire for American muscle soon became an obsession. But visions of V-8 engines dancing in his head and powering past traffic would not be in his immediate future. So Ambrose settled for the less-formidable V-6 in a 2009 Dodge Challenger SE.

The Challenger already supported an ample aftermarket of performance and styling parts. So it was left up to Ambrose, rather than what was available, what to do first. The first practical change came with the exhaust.

“I couldn’t stand how quiet the stock exhaust was, especially when I had one time forgotten my car was running because of how quiet it was,” Ambrose said.

So Ambrose looked to industry front-runner Flowmaster, which provided a 30 Series cat back exhaust system. A cold air intake was also installed to improve overall respiration. Road Magnet, a relatively new company, supplied a 2-inch lowering kit that created a low-profile look for the 20-inch Concept One Raven wheels wrapped in Kumho tires hugging the road.

Ambrose’s instinct for the car show scene drove him to purchase a light-emitting diode kit for both inside the car and underneath. The lights were strategically installed in the engine bay and also along the door sills and Challenger’s floor. The final touch was a VDI vertical door kit. The vertical door modification has become standard fare in the custom car community, but Ambrose hoped adding one to the brand-new third-generation Challenger would turn heads nonetheless. So far the reports have been positive, and Ambrose continues to work toward even more modifications.

Ambrose’s instinct for the car show scene drove him to purchase a light-emitting diode kit for both inside the car and underneath. The lights were strategically installed in the engine bay and also along the door sills and Challenger’s floor. The final touch was a VDI vertical door kit. The vertical door modification has become standard fare in the custom car community, but Ambrose hoped adding one to the brand-new third-generation Challenger would turn heads nonetheless. So far the reports have been positive, and Ambrose continues to work toward even more modifications.

What do you drive? I drive a 2009 Dodge Challenger SE.

Why do you drive it? I drive it because I love classic muscle cars like the Chargers, Challengers and GTOs. Once I saw this car, I was in love.

What makes this car so special? The new Challengers have a classic style but with a modern twist that makes them very unique compared to any other car.

What was the first vehicle you owned? The first car I owned was a 2000 Pontiac Grand Prix GT.

What music are you currently listening to in your car? I actually listen to a little bit of everything, except for country music because it makes me tired. I prefer to listen to Euro trance only because it’s very fast-paced and makes for great driving music.

And your first ticket? What was it for? So far I have no tickets. I have had a few warnings but thankfully no tickets, and I plan to keep it that way as well.