1972 Dodge Demon 340 Coupe

Mr. Norm's Grand-Spaulding Dodge, the famed Dodge dealership, was located at the intersection of Chicago's Grand and Spaulding Avenues, and to many Mopar enthusiasts, remains hallowed ground. Established by Norm Krause in 1951, the dealership was one of the earliest high-performance new car dealers and one of the first with a high-performance parts department. An associate named Gary Dyer developed and drove one of the earliest and quickest 'funny cars' using a Chrysler altered-wheelbase car. The dealership also built the prototype 383 and 440 Darts among many other high-performance projects.

In 1972, Dodge announced that due to constricting regulations and safety concerns, the 340 cubic-inch small-block would under-go a power cut. Norm Kraus and Gary Dyer had other ideas and created the Paxton-supercharged GSS Demon for 1972.

This example is one of those special GSS Demons that sat for many years awaiting a restoration. The current owner acquired the car in 2003 after a lengthy search. It is the sole known example finished in Petty Blue, also known as Corporate Blue, the same color it wears today. Other original features include a console-shifted TorqueFlite automatic transmission, black bucket seats, black hood accents, and twin hood scoops.

The car was treated to a complete rotisserie restoration to period perfection. The original 340 had parted company with the Demon many years prior, so a date-coded unit was sourced and installed. The Paxton supercharger on this Demon is one of two NOS units specifically intended for the GSS with the trademark 'Mr. Norm's Supercharged GSS' legend cast into the carburetor housing. New seals were installed inside the blower for proper operation as well.

By Daniel Vaughan | Feb 2013