I first saw March's car a few years ago in early 2014 at a Cars & Croissants in Berkley Heights, NJ. Since then, Tony Esteban's 2009 Dodge Challenger SRT8 "Sinister" has been a staple at key C&Cs, as well as a usual suspect at his own gathering of pals, the Wednesday night North Jersey Mopar meet. Sinister has evolved over the years and is in the operating room as we speak. Please take a moment to get to know a little more about Tony and his SRT, and make sure to say hello at the next C&C you see him at.
If you own a Mopar and live in the North Jersey area, then it's worth your time to check out the NJM meet. They are a solid group of individuals who are welcoming to new members.
What's the exact model of your car? Where does it fit into the production history?
Sinister is a 2009 is a third generation Dodge Challenger and is based on the 1970 Dodge Challenger R/T. From the factory the 2009 SRT8's were equipped with a 6.1L HEMI V8, an optional 5 speed auto-stick transmission, a limited slip differential and so much more. Right off the showroom floor this car was a monster, producing 425 hp and 420 lb-ft of torque!
Here's a little fun fact that helped make the 2009 SRT8 a bad ass car - Mercedes had ownership of Chrysler during the production of the 2009 SRT8 Challenger so a good amount of Mercedes components and technology (such as the transmission, suspension, etc.) were utilized for the build.
On warm weather Wednesdays, you can find the Sinister SRT and a slew of other Mopars at the Lowe's in East Rutherford, NJ.
How long have you had the car? What is the mileage? How often do you drive it?
I've enjoyed this car for several years now and surprisingly for a 2009, the mileage is fairly low. I believe the odometer is showing around 40k right now. Sinister is basically a weekend warrior for me. I usually take it out to a car show or a cruise with my car club (North Jersey Mopar) on the weekends, but then right back in the garage!
This was the first image I captured of the Sinister SRT, as indicated by the earlier watermark and the younger looking Tony behind the wheel.
What is special about your car? Is it a collector's vehicle? Have you customized it?
There are a few special features to my Challenger. First, Sinister is equipped with a Magnuson Supercharger, a custom boost cam made by Inertia Motorsports, Eibach adjustable coilovers and sway bars, a solid aluminum drive shaft, Brembo brakes, a 3.92 read diff with carbon fiber clutch packs, strut tower bracing under the hood and trunk made by Razors Edge, as well a lot of custom made and engraved aluminum parts like the valve covers, coil pack covers, fuse box cover, all the fluid caps and so much more, all made by Billet Technology. The tires are Pirellis and the wheels (staggered) are from Vossen. There is also a custom hood as well as custom carbon fiber parts on the car. Most of the build was done by Mike Galiano of EMP (Extreme Mopar Performance) and then custom tuned by AJ, the "HEMI Tuner".
The late day sun really does a great job of highlighting the carbon trim and the Vossen wheels.
What have been the worst and best experiences with this car?
Worst experience so far has been the blown transmission! (Currently under construction). Best experiences so far have been having the opportunity to meet cool people like you and all the other car enthusiasts out there. I also enjoy chatting with people on Facebook from all over the world who follow my cars page (currently over 6k followers). Probably the best experience out of all of this has to be my car club, North Jersey Mopar. NJM is a great crew of respectful people and I appreciate each and every member. If you own a Mopar, you should definitely check us out!
Imagine seeing this supercharged modern muscle bearing down on you in your rear view mirror.
Any other thoughts about your car?
I think that's really about it! Shout out to Mike Galiano (owner of EMP), Heidi Tetzlaff-Miller (owner of Billet Technology), Alexis Schiavello (for helping me run NJM), all the members of NJM and last, Ralph Gilles and Dodge!
Nothing like a sleek, black muscle machine set in front of a sunlit city skyline.
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