The 1967 Plymouth “Hellvedere” blends golden-era looks with modern performance

In 2017, Chrysler introduced a crate-engined version of the 6.2-liter Hellcat, giving restomodders access to one of the finest supercharged V8s ever created. It’s no surprise that the mill has since found its way into a wide variety of Mopars, old and new.

When it comes to classic cars, the Dodge Charger and Challenger have been among the most popular, but their Plymouth counterparts have not been ignored either. I’ve already seen a couple of Road Runners equipped with the 707-horsepower V8, but you might also run into Barracudas and GTXs swapped out for Hellcats at your local car shows.

Mopar has also jumped on the bandwagon with a 1967 Belvedere. Built in 2019 to showcase the Hellcat’s classic potential, it was shown in a gorgeous turquoise finish with a mostly stock look at the Woodward Dream Cruise. It’s probably the best-looking Hellcat conversion in my book, simply because the Belvedere is often overlooked in favor of the more iconic Road Runner and GTX.

Accordingly, I was thrilled when I discovered the second Belvedere to receive the supercharged V8 beast. It's also a 1967 version, but it doesn't sport the stock look of the Mopar build. This Belvedere II is a full-fledged restomod that sports a custom paint job, modern wheels, and plenty of upgrades inside the cabin.

A bright, eye-catching shade of red, the hardtop has a massive hood scoop that reminds me of factory Super Stock race cars of the era. It’s most likely a practical solution, since cramming a Hellcat into a classic muscle car is no walk in the park, but it’s more than appropriate on this rig. Throw a set of beefy rear tires on this Belvedere and it’ll get you to the quarter mile in just 11 seconds.

Speaking of rollers, the owner opted for modern wheels wrapped in low-profile tires. The wheels are noticeably wider than the standard Belvedere “shoes” to help get all that modern grit to the ground. It looks pretty similar, and you’ll spot the “Hellcat” badges on the front fenders. Other than all of the above, this Belvedere is virtually identical to its factory 1967 siblings.

Things are radically different inside the cabin. While the dashboard and door panels are standard except for a few details, the regular seats have been replaced with modern bucket seats. A large center console has also found its way between the front seats. A sports steering wheel and Alcantara/leather upholstery round out the modernized cabin.

The Hellcat looks right at home under the hood, and I can't find anything that would increase the stock engine's 707 horsepower rating. It's still a significant improvement over the 1967 Belvedere, which was available with a long list of engines, ranging from a 225-cubic-inch (3.7-liter) slant-six to the iconic 426-cubic-inch (7.0-liter) HEMI V8, which had 425 horsepower on tap.

Unfortunately, we can’t hear this Hellcat-powered Mopar ride, but the footage below includes a dynamic walkaround. Press play to watch it shine (literally).