Dom Toretto, played by Vin Diesel, is one of the most famous movie characters of all time. And he, of course, has driven plenty of iconic cars in the Fast & Furious franchise. But all roads seemingly lead back to the iconic Dodge Charger.
Far more than just a movie prop, examples of Toretto’s Chargers do exist. And it is the Petersen Automotive Museum that is lucky enough to be able to host the muscle car in ‘A Fast & Furious Legacy: 25 Years of Automotive Icons,’ a special exhibition based around the franchise.
The museum recently uploaded a video to its YouTube channel, with presenter Bea documenting Toretto’s Dodge Charger Daytona, discussing the story behind this automotive icon. The car seen in the film is a far cry from the one first introduced by Dodge as they looked to dominate NASCAR in the late 1960s.
Diesel’s character, Toretto, has driven a lot of cars over the years since the original film. Yet it always seems to go full circle and lead back to a Charger. The Charger that the museum showcased in its video was used in Fast & Furious 6, and it quickly became one of the most recognizable hero cars in movie history.
How the Fast & Furious Story Started
The original film was released in 2001, following undercover cop Brian O’Conner, played by the late Paul Walker, as he tried to infiltrate a group of street racers led by Toretto. The franchise then grew into a global sensation across a range of films, with this 1969 Dodge Charger Daytona being one of the most recognizable cars from the films.
This car was used in Fast & Furious 6 and is very different from the 1969 original designed to compete in NASCAR as one of the iconic ‘aero cars’ of the era. But it was perfect for Toretto. Under the hood of this particular car is a GM LS8 V8 engine, making 500hp. If that wasn’t enough, it is equipped with a full NOS system, including two NOS Electric Blue bottles and a 500 hp-rated NOS supercharging kit.
The car even has a NOS carbureted plate system. As Bea herself put it, “In other words, they weren’t planning on being subtle.” There really is absolutely nothing subtle about this custom Charger Daytona. It even sits on custom magnesium wheels, with Brembo brakes, and its structure was reinforced thanks to the addition of a roll cage. The car is finished in a gorgeous DuPont Candy Red with a black base, giving it a deep and aggressive vibe.
The Car Was Modified To Differentiate It From the Original Daytona
Exterior-wise, it does look similar to the original 1969 muscle car. However, the film wanted it modified externally to help differentiate it from the original muscle car. The rear spoiler and front nose were shortened, and the custom fiberglass nose was fabricated by Dennis McCarthy. This was done to resemble the original, but also to reduce front-end weight. 1960s muscle cars were historically quite front-heavy, so this was an effort to reduce that problem for the film.
Custom brakes were made by Brembo for the car, while Magnaflow created a custom exhaust that runs through the rear cabin of the muscle car and exits via some very neat side vents. The car still has the vibe and spirit of the original car, thanks to how synonymous it is with Toretto in the film.