Chopped and Glued: Man Rebuilds Stolen Dodge Demon 170 From Pieces, Still Waiting for That First Roar

Lee Carter purchased a stolen-and-modified Dodge Demon 170 for $20K. Following six months of labor, will the engine with its 1,025 horsepower HEMI finally start up?

A YouTuber known for reviving broken and abandoned vehicles has spent over six months painstakingly rebuilding a 2024 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon 170 that had been cut into sections by criminals—after securing the leftovers at an auction for merely $20,000.

Lee Carter, who chronicles his efforts in this way Scrapped LifeLee I came across a YouTube video where they found the stolen and dismantled Demon 170 in an auction lot during autumn. Police reports suggest that the vehicle was probably taken right off the dealership floor, had its Vehicle Identification Number removed, and was cut into pieces for spare parts—but fortunately, authorities managed to reclaim and reconstruct most of it prior to the auction.

What Carter purchased turned out to be quite a conundrum: an assortment of mismatched body parts, a powerful 6.2-liter supercharged HEMI V8 engine, a gearbox, along with different electronic components—not all compatible with his desired model. In jest, he mentioned in a video that he believed he would receive a budget-friendly Demon. Instead, as he put it humorously, "All I ended up with was a lesson in aggravation."

Produced in small quantities—only 3,300 were made worldwide—the Demon 170 was introduced boasting an impressive 1,025 horsepower and a reported acceleration from 0 to 60 mph in just 1.66 seconds. As vehicle number 0032, this particular model rolled off the assembly line early on. However, all that might not matter if it fails to turn over when you try to start it.

To rebuild the car, Carter obtained a shell from a Hellcat, carefully pieced together the original components, and then painted it in a bold Panther Pink. The original had been completed in B5 Blue.

The true difficulty arose when dealing with the wiring system. The thieves had taken away the Engine Control Unit (ECU), body control module, key fob, and harness—all essential parts needed to get the vehicle operational. To make matters more complex, the substitute wiring had been sourced from a Dodge Charger, adding another layer of complication to the assembly process.

Following numerous unsuccessful tries and more than 100 hours of work, Carter eventually enlisted an expert who successfully programmed the vehicle’s components. Currently, the group has power going to the starter and a digital display indicating only 61 authentic miles. However, they are unable to turn off the car correctly, and the engine has not started up yet.

"If it doesn’t crank," Carter jokes, "there’s a boat ramp a quarter mile away. This thing’s going in."

Despite setbacks, Carter says he’s not giving up. With new parts arriving and steady progress made, he's determined to make the HEMI roar again—no matter how long it takes.

Currently, the Demon 170, prohibited by the NHRA due to its excessive speed which requires a parachute, stays parked—their 1,025 horsepower contained. However, under Carter’s control, it won’t be long until this beast breaks loose.

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