A 2018 Dodge SRT Demon convertible is for sale in Florida.
It may not be wise to convert an 840-horsepower coupe into a convertible, but one crazy enthusiast has done just that by commissioning a drop-top version of a 2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon.
The car in question is Demon number 2,762 of 3,300 built and is currently for sale in Coral, Florida.
The car is being sold by a Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and Ram dealership in Cape Coral, but a salesman named Jason Jance told Motor Authority that the car is actually being sold on consignment.
CarFax reports that the purple Demon is now in its second owner; the first owner was a dealer in Michigan; the second owner registered the car in Indiana with only 14 miles on it, but Jans says the owner is now in Florida. He said he lives in Florida.
The conversion to a convertible was done by Droptop Customs of High Springs, Florida. The company was founded in 1976 and is best known for the two Challenger convertibles commissioned by Shaquille O'Neal.
Larry Moran, sales manager for Droptop Customs, told Motor Authority that the company did not simply cut the top off a Demon to make it convertible. To make a conversion, you have to know where and how to add reinforcement. This Daemon project required adding a lot of metal to restore the structural rigidity lost by the roof and to offset the effects of all the horsepower and torque.
The frame rails inboard of the lockers were reinforced on both sides with 1x2" metal strips and metal braces were added underneath mounted at an angle to control torsion. Structural support was added to the front edge of the trunk, the front and rear shock towers were reinforced, and the connection between the front rail and engine cradle was boxed. To prevent the long, heavy doors from moving, the store added gussets to the rear lower corners of each door.
When Drop Top Customs cut off the top, Moran says the store left a little over four inches of metal behind the windshield headers to provide a solid perimeter The three-layer soft top features a heated glass rear window. It is operated by manual latches on either side of the windshield and moved by a hydraulic motor. Raising and lowering the top takes about 20 seconds and can be done at low speeds, but it is recommended that the vehicle be stationary.
Moran did not elaborate on how much the conversion cost, but the Demon originally sold for $84,995 plus destination, and this car is listed for $145,995 with only 172 miles on the odometer.
While it may not be wise to cut the Demon's top and spend $146,000 to own it, those who purchase this conversion will have a one-of-a-kind muscle car.