At the 2017 Du Quion Street Machine Nationals show, we got the chance to check out some awesome cars. One car was picked out as our Editor’s Choice pick, set to get an award during the Sunday ceremony, but we lost track of the car and owner by the time we circled back around to them. We did manage to get in touch with them after the show, and know you’re going to love this car. Mike and Rise Sahr’s 1963 Plymouth Valiant borrows the powertrain from a modern Challenger, a secret we did not see coming!

This is Mike’s story, in his own words:

I have been a car guy my whole life. My dad always had Chryslers, and I have gone that way too. I have built and owned two Chargers and a Cuda, but always liked post cars. When I found a Valiant I really liked, I snatched it up to build something different.

My inspiration for this build came from a 1966 Plymouth 2 door post I had built years ago. I wanted to keep it stock looking, but added a Hemi engine and 6-speed transmission to replace the powertrain, and updated the suspension to carry it.

A lot of people might look at the car and think it’s plain, but they don’t know what they’re looking at until they see the engine bay. The car was build on a budget with I made and saved from mowing 20+ yards and doing any odd jobs me and my wife could do. I always tell young kids at car shows that if they get out and work, they can have a car like this too.

We also interviewed Mike to see what makes him tick…

PPN: What makes you a Gearhead? How did you get into cars?

My father.

PPN: What was your first car?

1953 Chevy

PPN: When did you purchase this car? What kind of shape was it in?

2012, very solid car.

PPN: Why did you buy this particular car?

I wanted something different.

PPN: Did you build it or did a shop? How long did it take?

Had a shop build the car, it took 2 years.

PPN: What kind of trials and tribulations did you go through to get the car to its current state?

Too many to list!

PPN: What outstanding features make this “YOUR” car and different from all the others of that make/model?

It may be the only 1963 Plymouth with a Hemi engine and 6-speed transmission!