SP Rides: A True Deal on Wheels
By Michael Kitchens
Name: Melvin McKinney
Age: 54
Occupation: Army Contractor
Hobbies: Pool, watch sports
Year/Make/Model: 2010 Dodge Challenger SRT-8
Color: Detonator Yellow
Engine: MOPAR Cold Air Intake, Borla Exhaust, DiabloSport Predator Tune
Exterior: T-Rex Front Grille, Advance Automotive Concepts Halo Lighting, LED undercarriage and underhood lighting, Willpak rear window louver, LED taillights
Interior: LED interior lighting, Tinted Windows
Suspension: AirRex Wireless Digital Air Suspension System
Wheels, Tires: 22-inch Giovanni Wheels, Front 265/30R22s, Rear 296/25R22s
Melvin McKinney has a true love for cars. Originally from North Carolina, he grew up in the shadow of an uncle who happened to be an established stock car racer. Tinkering with motors also helped young Melvin develop a passion for all things automotive, and that led to the eventual ownership of a number of various vehicles.
“It doesn’t matter what kind they are, as long as they look good,” said Melvin of his collection of rides. Interestingly, Melvin is something of a wheeler-dealer. While living in Colorado, he spent a ton of time driving through towns and neighborhoods searching for cars to deal for.
And then about two years ago, he came upon this 2010 Dodge Challenger SRT8 sitting in a dealer lot. Melvin has always been a Dodge fan and this MOPAR drew his attention immediately, in large part because the Challenger is one of the few muscle cars that truly hearken back to old school bodies.
When it comes to Melvin’s cars, he dislikes owning a stock model. “The things I’ve done to this car are to make it distinctive — to make it my own,” he said.
The most obvious change is the AirRex Digital Air Management System installed by Auto Customs. At the touch of a button, this entire ride can be dropped to the floor like a wet pancake. At the time, the system had to be custom-built by AirRex and was one of only three Challengers with an AirRex system installed.
With the drop came the need for some incredible wheels to match. Out went the stockers, and in came a serious set of eye candy — color-matched 22-inch Giovanni Wheels to fit over the massive slotted rotors and red Brembo calipers. The wheels are paired with Lionheart Tires (265/30R22s in the front, 296/25R22s in the rear). The orange LED lighting turns the wheels into a fiery image of molten metal raging within.
The look has been Melvin’s current focus so the exterior has been enhanced with several choice mods. The front grill has been replaced with a sleek T-Rex version. Halo lighting from Advance Automotive Concepts glow brightly from behind while the entire ride has been fitted with LED lighting. A Willpak rear window louver and custom LED taillights have been added for an aggressive look.
The Dodge SRT-8 already comes stock with 425HP/425TQ, so Melvin slightly enhanced the overall performance with a MOPAR cold air intake as well as a Borla Atak cat-back exhaust for a bit more oomph. A tech-savvy DiabloSport Predator tune adds an additional 20-plus HP/TQ to the already impressive numbers.
This car has the looks and Melvin has used this as an opportunity to share his passion with the local scene. “The feeling of driving a car that’s built the way I want it and having people enjoy it is what I like to do,” he said. “I like to buy cars and make them my own.”
