Mopar is ringing in SEMA 2024 with an “electromodded” take on a 1967 Plymouth GTX, made to show off the potential of its e-Crate conversion kit. The e-Crate initiative raises a path forward for owners to keep their classic E- and B-Body Mopars on the road—at least in spirit—and the team has done a remarkable job with the appearance of this restomod. Yet, with a mere 335 horsepower on tap and max range of 250 miles, this particular build isn’t likely to sway old-school muscle diehards.
This ’67 GTX concept is packed with a ton of subtle but dramatic exterior design changes. The most notable are the widened rear wheel arches that make the BTG Vintage Bronze forged magnesium wheels and Pirelli P-Zero tires look right at home. Dual side mirrors as well as the flip-up “fuel” cap, accents on the carbon fiber hood, and a deep front splitter further differentiate this show car from a stock GTX. Other changes include the shaved bumpers and blacked-out trim that blend beautifully with the Frostbite Blue paint.
The Plymouth GTX package was introduced for the Belvedere in 1967. It was a high-trim, high-performance spec for folks who wanted to go fast and feel classy. As such, Mopar’s designers have worked their magic on this concept with a custom interior that’s loaded with premium materials, accents, and features.
The basic layout isn’t that far from a factory GTX. The dash and door cards look like the original equipment with some modern hardware. However, the custom seats, steering wheel, and center console represent major updates. The three-link suspension and beefy Wilwood brakes on all four corners offer a driving experience that matches the modern styling.
The scaleable battery-electric conversion kit powering the GTX consists of a 400-volt, 250-kilowatt electric drive module (EDM) and four battery packs made up of 384 lithium-ion battery cells. The entire system is rated at 73 kilowatt-hours. The EDM lives under the hood, sending 335 horsepower through a 3:1 gear reducer; Mopar didn’t disclose torque figures. The designers whipped up a clean look, complete with a custom cover that pays tribute to the Hellcat and Demon.
Like Chevrolet’s eCrate conversions, Mopar’s conceptual system puts builders on the fast track to achieving a net-zero car with classic muscle appearances. In this case, it’s a swap for E-or B-body Chryslers, which would include the Challenger and ‘Cuda alongside the Belvedere, Coronet, and Charger. Unfortunately, it loses steam when you compare performance, weight, and range to the older cars.
For starters, 335 hp rivals that of a 1968-70 four-barrel, 383-cubic-inch V8 Chrysler B engine. This will annoy purists a little more than the whole conversion already does. The GTX came standard with the 375-hp 440, with the optional 426 Hemi producing 425 hp. Four batteries weighing 230 pounds each also puts this powertrain on par with Hemi weight.
Again, these are factory figures—builders could easily pull far more power out of the older engines with basic mods and a weekend’s work. Not to mention, everything easily fits right at home, and the archaic operating systems keep hookups really simple. Mopar also hasn’t shared an estimated cost for this. While the EDM’s scalability may offer the potential for higher performance than what we’re seeing here, we can only assume it’d still be more economical to reuse old power. And that’s without considering how much room is actually available for additional motors.
As for range, the 440 was rated to yield 11 mpg while the 426 promised 9 mpg, according to Automobile Catalog, and the GTX could carry up to 19 gallons of fuel. On paper, that would mean the 440 could go as far as 209 miles on a full tank of gas, and the 426 could go 171 miles. Again, though—that’s a factory rating on a factory tune. The right tune and a light foot can get more out of the mix, all without electronic fuel injection or overdrive. For example, the 440 in my 1969 Dodge Charger gets around 14 mpg with dual Carter four-barrels on top, and a stock four-speed and 3.55 gears out back, yielding a range of 266 miles with a similar size tank.
All that to say, Mopar may have put together a slick-looking GTX for this experiment, but it also lost the plot. The zero-emissions factor is hard to beat at the tailpipe, and sure, you’ll spend a lot less on recharging this than you would at the pump. But Dodge told the world it went all-electric with the Charger Daytona to benefit performance, not just efficiency, and at a minimum this concept needed to outperform its namesake from almost 60 years ago. It’s simply easier and more affordable to get more power and go further with factory Chrysler equipment.
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