posted 12-30-2013 09:19 PM                  

With that want to personally thank all of our friends here on POA all of the support and feedback! I cannot express how much and helpful everyone has been throughout the journey! When you take the car that you love, that is in perfect showroom condition and do something so radical with no guareentees its really a big risk.

What did I learn! There is nothing easy or simple going fast in a prowler! But with big risks can come big rewards and sometimes you just have to think out of the box and follow your dreams and some day they just might come true!

In 2013- a Ton happened and recapping our epic tail highlights below from the hemi prowler Facebook site. www.facebook.com/hemiprowler

From final testing, to racetracks, failed trans, huge car shows to epic journeys and we tried to do it all and make a long term dream become a reality!

All Started in Jan 2013

After 16 months of building, testing and trial and error I make my final journey to North Carolina for final testing.
Today most people just see the end product and smile but the truth is building a 1 off custom Hemi prowler took 1000’s of man hours and trial and error!
Most of which looked more like this!

Jan 2013 was a month worth celebrating! All of the time, patience and had work paid off with it being my final trip to Performance Innovations!
I Ended up doing over 430 miles of final road testing across the Carolinas coast and gave the car my final seal of approval! Everything was perfect and what an experience and feeling !! Success!

Check out the videos on you tube

Final Driving test video http://youtu.be/I2HR5xwNVxs

Final build walk through video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yD6u1IPJ51o

posted 12-30-2013 09:38 PM                  

Arrival day!! in NJ

First drive From home in West Orange NJ overlooking NJ and NYC skyline!!

Ordered a bra from the POA- Prowler store! and started driving even in winter!!! Was like the first time owning a prowler again! Had to learn how to drive it all over again!
A completly different car. Everything front the pedals, breaks, power, sound! it was completely different and ready to bite you! You learn quickly to drive smart not just fast!

posted 12-30-2013 10:04 PM                  

We reveal the car officially for the first Time and the NE Rod and custom car show in Philadelphia PA.

This is a premier event of some of the top Custom cars in the entire North East!
See link below for some of the high end caliber of cars at this event!
http://www.hotrodhotline.com/node/6877/9117/

The Hemi Prowler was a hit and we took a top Award at the event and was one of the only show cars and actually drove vs being trailered!!! We did a good 300 miles round trip. Bra on and in show rood condition! Awesome event!

Show set up!

Engine Shot!

Here goes a complete Car overview video! from the show
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tFfIho5mCw0

posted 12-30-2013 10:16 PM                  

What is it really like to drive the Hemi Kat?
Very different. The main thing is driving smart. Its like having double the engine in the same light car.

With its light weight you never need more than 1/2 a throttle
When i dyno'd the v6 got 196 to the wheels with a ton of add ons.
In perspective with a 6.1 hemi 425hp engine I have easliy seen at times over 200Hp in 2nd gear just driving around around with little effort.

So with that We watch the gages a lot and drive it smart. Below we share some videos to give you an inside look

Video 1: Prowler drive by launch video! This is how we launch the car from a start. You can hear the sights and sounds! Feel the power!
See video on you tube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ppZ4hocc32Y

Video 2. Videos from real life road testing- view from passenger seat and local roads

Check out this video on youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hq5PmpWvqJY

Video 3: Driving recap video of driving recent action- and a drivers perspective

Check video on youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TbM6XIe0X7g

posted 12-30-2013 10:19 PM                  

With the excitement of the car we get invited by SRT to attend the NY international autoshow as special guest during press days and represent the Prowler world.
Here is a picture of Ralph Giles and the guys from Motortrend during and interview of the Viper T/A. Had a chance to meet up with Mopar elite and ton of people from the press and see all of the new cars Cool and report on it here on POA!

Time to Race!
Well most people with a 1 off custom car may take it easy! We wanted to make it real and take it to the track! Now we are not talking a drap strip in a straight line but a real track day on a top US Race track. Lime Rock in CT!

Lime rock is 1.53 mile facility is a roller coaster ride that deserves its nickname as the Road Racing Center of the East. From the challenging uphill, to the fast 90 degree West Bend turn, to the exhilarating downhill turn - this track has it all.

Here I'm with my "custom one off Hemi Kat" With a professional Porsche driver and track instructor. He actually drove the Hemi kat at Lime rock raceway After I did to test it out! He was impressed! None of the other drivers or instructors could believe that an actual person would bring a prowler to a race day better yet a 1 off custom one with a Hemi!

I got special permission by having a hard top and running in the novice class with a instructor.

The Hemi Kat was Pushed to the limits at a day of full blow track conditions with turns not just a straight line. Top speeds way over 100 on straights.

Most of the other drivers that came any distance trailered in! By the way we also drove our car over 300 miles- about 150 miles each way to the track (lime rock ct from Nj) and back! No trailer with a bra on! Pushed it all day long on over 4 different track runs!! No overheating and made it home in one piece!

posted 12-30-2013 10:38 PM                  

Weather is clear and we hit local NJ car shows every weekend!
NJ/NY is great for it. With so many people in the Metro NY area there is car shows and cruise ins pretty much everyday in north jersey. We did as many as we could!! The feedback was great!

check out this video on you tube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3zH1qjS39jo

posted 12-30-2013 10:49 PM                  

Now every car story you here always talks about the good stuff well in June we learned the concept of the prowler tranny!

In short the hemi kat puts out 425 hp and 420 ft lbs of tq in a 2900 lb car.

A challenger weighs 1500 lbs more with a solid bolt to the motor tranny vs a small one in the rear (Picts below) In a hemi prowler you barely need to push 1/4 of a throttle to go flying! Well the pinch point on a prowler is 4th gear and weak clutches! We were out coming back from a show in June! just one month prior to the big Chrysler nationals show! Was in 4th cruising playing around a bit much and burned out some clutches! Not fun!

The great thing is early on thanks to Mike K from POA,I brought a brand new back up trans and left it at the shop! So all i had to do is order it up and had it built to performance spec. With that was able to just drop the old one locally and put the new in to get back on the road! Once it's built the clutches are not that bad if you need to replace. Just labor and shipping cost.

along with that I learned a few things about how to drive a hemi prowler.
When diving aggressive i put it in manual mode to control shift points. 4th gear is the pinch point so its important to drive it smart! Power up to 3rd use 4th as a overdrive!

The complete story on the trans can be found here! http://www.prowleronline.com/ubb/Forum2/HTML/004650.html

Yes it is a pinch point but we have the best trans you can build with the existing drive train. 2 upgraded shift kits, hardened internals, upgraded tq conv etc but it has its limits! and this is the truth!

posted 12-30-2013 11:10 PM                  

Well what a month we were invited by Speedlogix and Modern mopar magazine to join them on Mopar alley to showcase the hemi kat at Chrysler nationals!
And a scramble it was. Literally the new trans arrived from NC the monday before the show around july 4th. Took the car to the shop dropped the trans put the new one in! And got it all done on friday the day of nationals!

You have to remember this was the 1 year anniversary of us revealing the car to the world in 2012.

see video from 2012 below http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NqxkDHOoebQ

I had a uhaul truck and trailer ready but never drove or loaded a car before!
As soon as i got the car finished i drove it to uhaul Friday pm of the show.

Pulled the car up to uhaul and it didn't clear the ramps! After about 2 hours of playing found some 2/4s and lifted the ramps and cleared it!

What an adventure!
We got on the road and drove out to the big show to meet up with our fellow prowlers and 1000s of Mopar fans!!

Had and awesome time!
Meet up with SRT again
Steve Mags from Speed, tons of Mopar folks and Prowler friends!

Video with SRT team comments from one year later!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MejCyJIGDP8

Best of all outside of the show just being able to hang out, eat and cruise with fellow prowler friends!!

posted 12-31-2013 05:30 PM                  

This one was bear mountain cruise night in NY. On top of the hill!! Awesome views!
Video from the Mountain!! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1RfQNTEwwM4

Video from Mopars at Etown http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5OpyTOD_9Pk

Video of people giving there point of view in sommerview http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O3aDJVQIEv8

posted 12-31-2013 05:45 PM                  

Here is a video of the concours. They actually checked the cars with white gloves!! I actually drive mine! Here is behind the scenes at a guys actual home!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P4ZHxL52OgI

posted 12-31-2013 06:21 PM                  

Tried to send this as a PM, didn't work..smiles. Check out the hole in the hood.

click on photo

posted 12-31-2013 07:04 PM                  

Great day to prowler and enjoy Prowlin with friends! which is the best thing we can do with our car!!

Epic great day! We will do it again!

Mtn video- click link for a vid walk with the prowler Mopar crew at highest point in Nj high point state park
Check out this video on YouTube: http://youtu.be/CpExicEvioU

posted 12-31-2013 07:19 PM                  

Shaker view of prowler- wild bill and dan in lead! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJmhKYlDiRU

Ground view- of hemi kat http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3HxTnbxZi2s

NJ Dan the man on a pass in yellow http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PVJ4kqy80rI

Boy wasn't this a great day!
More of the daily fun at! www.facebook.com/hemiprowler

posted 01-01-2014 10:16 AM                  

Congratulations on all you and the team of performance oriented people did in the past 3 years.

You deserve all the attention it has created.

Have a Happy and Fun 2014

------------------
Larry & Sue Mayes

posted 01-01-2014 02:35 PM                  

Ed's cat- All I can say is thank you too. One drive in your 5.0 changed my view of the prowler forever. My goal was to get close to your "Miles of smiles concept"

Gort thanks for the share- that was a Sema project car that Ralph Giles and team worked on along with the premier of the 392 hemi.

Wildcat- Thank you for your feedback and support- I remember some of your posts very early on in the project back on the year long blog. http://www.prowleronline.com/ubb/Forum9/HTML/003447.html

It has been along time in the making do you remember this one?

In the end the final product sure is fun!
Some times you have to dream big and roll the dice!

quote:

---

Originally posted by padroo:
Happy New Year Treyb, looks like it has been a busy year. What are your plans for 2014?

---

Padroo- you also have been following this one for awhile so thanks
In reality have not planned anything yet. The goal will be more to enjoy it completed. Now that 2013 is wrapped the Kats out the bag. I have hit most of the major shows in the region, most folks that are interested have seen the posts, pictures, websites and blogs. The magazines and online folks also have featured it many places.

So with that I would expect for less fan fair in 2014 and getting back to just prowlin again.

I will look to keep up the regional events, do some epic drives, just cruise and enjoy in 2014. If I get some major invites outside of the region I'm also open. So we will see!

Until then we will keep the prowlin!! If any one is ever in the North Jersey / NYC area. Send me a note, we can catch up and take a cruise!

Here goes some of the favorite local spots!!

Manhattan Skyline Video from West NY http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W_SrCYDcNPg

All the fun daily at! www.facebook.com/hemiprowler

posted 01-02-2014 05:36 PM                  

quote:

---

Originally posted by silverkat:
Trey What was your best quarter mile time in the Hemicat to date? Just wondering.

---

Silverkat- here goes a long answer to a simple question but it's the truth. Also you not that far away someday lets hook up.

Answer:Honestly have not attempted it yet. Though I have been very tempted. The trick for a drag strip is launching it right and not blowing anything up.
Drag racing puts the most strain on a engine and drive train since your going from a dead stop to full out power.

I will keep it simple my car with a 6.1 Hemi puts out over 425hp and 420 ft lbs tq. From a factory Srt engine.
To put it perspective the v6 prowler at 252hp and about 255 ft lbs tq.

Dyno Truth- A stock prowler puts out less than 180hp to the wheels.
The 42le prowler Trans axle was developed and put in the back to make it rear wheel drive.

Top Typical Hemi motor with a bolt on Trans
Bottom Hemi prowler version with custom hand built bell housing adapter.

prowler rear open (with trans)

This prowler Trans axle was put in the back to make it rear wheel drive. No matter what you have seen any one that has pushed 1/4 mile records or high hp on a prowler has had tranny challenges on a prowler. The Srt challenger weighs over 4140 lbs with a strong bolt on tranny to the motor to take the shock of a hard launch or tq hit. My prowler 2950lbs same engine! Now your talking a big difference. To figure out another Trans swap would be 25k or more and I'm not ready for that as mine does work.

Truth- If I would do my old v6 racing ways and slam it to floor for a 1/4 mile launch, it's a guarteneed burnt up tranny. I have a spare but don’t want to have to use it just to set a record!

Does it work yes. Do I drive it hard yes, and with many miles yes! Over 3000 miles in less than a year as well a full blown race day.

The difference with a racetrack is I'm in gear mostly 3rd and 2nd and rolling. With turns and high power, I keep it out of 4th gear (overdrive) while pushing top speeds or making turns. I control the car in (manual auto shift mode) to get the best performance.

So when I do launch it, I launch it smart. Ease into it controlled, and with (I can tell you less than 1/4 to 1/2 a throttle will be quickly to over 100mph and over 250 hp without even blinking). With The car being only 2950 lbs it flies.

I have an actual onboard real time performance monitor called Scan gage that tells me all aspects of the car live while driving. Including Temps, RPMs, HP etc and I do keep an eye on it!

This is hard to explain in writing. So to make it more real for everyone, here is some real life reference point videos that should help explain better, how you have to drive the beast!
Take a Watch and listen to these videos carefully.

Video 1- drive bys.
In the beginning watch and listen on how I launch the car manually . It's a long first gear, you will hear a slight hesitation into 2nd, why? I let off the gas a bit, bang it into second and punch the gas back in. That protects things. in the rest of video all the fly bys are in third vs 4th because I'm pushing it fast! This is what driving smart means, with a ton of power. I use 4th for highway cruising at speed.

check out this video on you tube http://youtu.be/ppZ4hocc32Y

Video 2- Exhaust note- rear view
Listen again for shifts points. Same thing driven more like a manual under control. As the prowler Trans computer still thinks a bit v6 if pushing it and the Hemi has a much more powerful rpm range. Prowler Trans computer is pretty simple works of Rpms and speed doesn't care what motor. That's why we can make it work.

check out this video on youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQKZnlAC5Bk

In summary:
Im not planning to be a drag strip King with the hemiprowler. It's very fast, I can smoke most cars, it will throw you into back into your seat and if your not careful it will bite you quickly.
With so much invested, I drive smart have nothing really to prove. My new motto is to be the fastest and coolest looking cruiser on the street! I'm ok with that.

It's a one off custom car at heart!