There’s no arguing the fact that today, turbochargers are the hardcore hot-rodder's preferred power adder. Let’s face it: When you consider the bolt-on performance-enhancer “Big 3” (nitrous oxide, supercharger, turbocharger), the exhaust-driven windmakers are the most efficient, and in many ways, most economical choice for increasing an engine of any displacement’s power and torque. 

Today, turbos are extremely prevalent on street/strip cars and trucks with contemporary V-8 engines—Coyote 5.0-powered Fords, and Chevys with LS-based or big-block drivetrains (regardless of body style and vintage). Somewhat oddly, Dodge’s “Hellcat” engines are not similarly modified as much. Aftermarket supercharger systems have proved themselves to be viable and more popular as replacements for the 6.2-liter third-gen Hemi’s stock blower. 

Keeping our focus on Mopar, the 2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon is a street-legal, 9-second-capable drag car that purist-type enthusiasts feel should not be modified. Ever. Of course, we vehemently disagree with that sentiment, and we were excited to learn that our friend Herman “Demonology” Young (popular social-media and YouTube influencer, and three-time participant in the Direct Connection Grudge Match at MotorTrend Presents Roadkill Nights Powered by Dodge, in Pontiac, Michigan) planned to remodify his already far-from-stock “Black Ghost” Demon. 

 

The car, which actually came together using an '18 Demon body-in-white, has had every Whipple supercharger available for the third-gen Hemi, which, in this car's case, is a fully built engine. With the 3.0-liter blower, rear-wheel performance is said to be around 1,250 horsepower. There’s no doubt that is stout power, but, having seen the potential that turbos have with that engine, making the change was the next logical step for Demonology’s Black Ghost. Challenger/Charger/Demon guru Chris Baily and a few others have made the switch, and Hellion Turbos has developed an effective twin-turbo system for naturally aspirated late-model Challengers and to compound-boost Hellcat-powered cars, so Young is in good company already. 

 

 

Ever the showman, Herman decided to present a pair of HPT Turbochargers’ Model F3 76mm (compressor)/75mm (turbine) turbos in a hoodless manner that, as far as we know, is unprecedented for 2018-up Dodge Demons or Challengers: mounted on each side in front of the engine, with symmetrical and elaborate layout of aluminum and upsweeping Stainless Brothers’ stainless-steel and TiCon Industries’ titanium hot-side tubing, designed and executed by Taylor’s Insane Turbo Systems. 

 

A Holley EFI Hi-Ram intake manifold sits where the Whipple once was, and Nitrous Outlet solenoids are bam-smack in your face at the front of the powerplant, with nozzles plumbed directly into the 'chargers. 

 

As a grudge racer, Demonology is tight-lipped about the car’s quickest e.t. and top speed at the dragstrip. However, he did share that with the quick-spooling twin turbos, the engine now makes 1,230 horsepower with 15 psi of boost, where 28 psi was necessary for making 1,250 horsepower with the big supercharger. 

The saying “more with less” is an understatement here. Conventional awareness of power, weight, traction, and drag racing as a whole leads us to confidently guesstimate that this Demon runs solidly in the 4-second zone in the eighth-mile. 

Demonology’s Instagram and YouTube channel are worth tuning in to for their entertainment value alone, but be sure to dial up his pages and follow how this radically changed Demon performs.