Attracting entrants from as far afield as Western Australia and Queensland, the 33rd running of Chryslers On The Murray featured 795 of Australia’s toughest and prettiest Mopars.

While remaining in the border region, this year the event moved from it’s previous home at Gateway Lakes Park on the NSW side of the dotted line, to a new home at the Wodonga Racecourse and Recreation Reserve on the Victorian side of the border. Over the years the racecourse has seen plenty of racing of the four legged kind but we’re betting that more horsepower rolled through the gates over the COTM weekend than the venue has seen in the past 20 years combined.

Moving the event to the racecourse had several benefits with better facilities for both entrants and spectators. The new location features a large pavilion that allows for the premium cars to stay out of the weather, and for the unveilings to happen indoors away from the dust and flies.

The three day event began on the Friday with the hugely popular track day that included time trial laps around the DECA circuit at Barnawartha. Friday’s activities continued with “The Great Reveal” at the Racecourse pavilion with the covers coming off some of the latest and greatest Chrysler builds in the country. The event continued throughout the Saturday and Sunday with the regular show and shine, swap meet and trade stands in and around the main pavilion.

As has become customary at COTM one particular group of cars is placed under the spotlight and this year was the turn of the Aussie Chargers, celebrating the 55 th year anniversary of the model’s inception. This included a cruise to the nearby town of Beechworth for a photo shoot on Saturday, with more than 200 Aussie Chargers making the journey to the historic gold town.

Here are ten standouts that caught our attention over the weekend.

1. David Moore’s PRO 72 VH Charger

David Moore’s Hot Mustard VH Charger has been in his family since new and was originally his Grandfather’s car that left the dealership with a 245ci auto combo.

These days it runs a 340ci turbo small block Chrysler built by Kanaris Engines making 1016hp at 16psi.

David told us: “It’s an R3 block with a Bryant crank and Brodix heads, and an 850cfm C&S blow through carby. I went with water methanol injection instead of an intercooler because I didn’t want to cut the front of the car up.”

The Charger also features an ATI cased Powerglide and 9in rear, with a John Lang built roll cage and chassis connectors to help tie the car together.

2. Adam Watson’s “Barn find” E57 VK Charger survivor

Looking like it had just driven off the dealers lot in 1976, Adam Watson’s “Barn find” E57 VK Charger survivor made the trip down from Sydney for the weekend festivities. “I’ve owned it for seven years and had it back on the road for six years,” Adam said, “When I got it the Charger had been sitting in a garage for 33 years and it had been last registered in 1986. To top it off it only had 96,000ks on the clock.”

Adam spotted the car while working as a plumber across the road when the original owner opened his garage door. Buried in amongst the boxes, mattresses and dust, the factory 360ci V8 Charger was almost totally original, so Adam wasted no time in snapping it up

3. Chris Lenihan’s 1971 Dodge Challenger R/T tribute

Chris Lenihan brought his 1971 Dodge Challenger R/T tribute down from Canberra for the weekend. The car is immaculately detailed and oozes cool with it’s classic Dodge stance.

It runs a 440ci big block, 727 TorqueFlite transmission, and an 8.75In rear end. “The car had a full rotisserie rebuild in New York, in 2019,” Chris said. “I’ve made a few changes since I’ve had it, adding Holley Sniper EFI and Wilwood brakes.

We do the show scene with it and just enjoy cruising it around.” Inside the interior is trimmed in traditional styled black vinyl with a B&M shifter grafted into the console.

4. Carl Cox’s 1971 Plymouth Cuda

Unveiled on the Friday at “The Great Reveal” was world renowned DJ and motorsport enthusiast Carl Cox’s 1971 Plymouth Cuda styled pro mod drag car.

The car was built in the USA and runs a Jerry Bickel chassis, powered by 520ci Pro Line Racing engine featuring a crank driven Pro Charger supercharger pumping out 3500+hp. Carl has already run mid 5.8 second ¼ mile passes in the car.

5. Dave Johnson’s 1968 Plymouth Road Runner

Another car unveiled on the Friday was this recently completed and immaculate 1968 Plymouth Road Runner belonging to Dave Johnson (pictured with his son Callan), from Corowa NSW.

“The car has been in the family for 20 years,” Dave said. “It was my dads car, he passed away 10 years ago and we’ve just finished rebuilding it. It was a full rotisserie build by Rise Up Restorations and is painted in HOK Tangello Pearl.

The engine is a 508ci stroker built by Frank from Dandy Engines, with a 727 TorqueFlite transmission and a nine-inch rear end. It’s running Weld Wheel Forged rims and has been fitted with Wilwood brakes. It also has a Haltech UC10 dash.”

6. Anthony Van Kalken’s HEMRAGE VJ Valiant Charger

This VJ Valiant Charger – nicknamed HEMRAGE – was the overall event winner, taking home the coveted ‘Car of the Show’ trophy. Anthony Van Kalken (pictured below with wife Renee) has owned the Charger since 1992.

Under the bonnet is a 8/71 blown 354 Hemi, backed by a turbo 400 trans’ with a nine-inch rear end and triangular four-link rear suspension.

The VJ has an array of custom body work including a custom nose cone, spoiler, bonnet, firewall, inner guards, floor, transmission tunnel and flush fitting Kindig door handles. Inside there’s a full custom interior with AMG seats and Dakota Digital dash. Keep an eye out for a full feature on the car in an upcoming edition of Street Machine.

7. Joe Anzini’s 1970 Dodge Charger R/T

This Sublime Green old school 90’s style pro-street 1970 Dodge Charger R/T belongs to Joe Anzini from Guildford in NSW. “I’ve owned it for 14 years,” Joe told us. “It’s a genuine factory 440ci big block R/T and was a drag car back in the day in the USA. The transmission is a full manual 727 TorqueFlite with a Gear Vendor over drive unit on the back of it.”

The rear of the Charger is tubbed and runs 15×15 rear wheels with 33×19.5 tyres, the diff is a shortened Dana 60 running three-link rear suspension with coil overs.

8. Rohan and Kylie Hawley’s 1973 Plymouth Duster

Rohan and Kylie Hawley, have recently returned to Australia with their 1973 Plymouth Duster.

Rohan said: “Kylie is in the Australian Air force and was stationed in the [United] States for a few years, so we built the car while we were over there. We brought the car back with us and it’s only been in the country a few weeks.

It’s a factory 340 powered H coded “Space Pack” optioned car with the fold down rear seat, factory air conditioning and power steering. We did Drag week in 2023, 2024, 2025, as well as Sick Week and some other drag and drive events.

We had a ball doing it. Kylie does all the race driving, the quickest it’s run is a 12.7 sec quarter-mile, but it wasn’t about being the fastest, it was about the lifestyle, we did over 15,000 miles in it in the States.”

9. Cameron and Belinda Sell’s 1970 Plymouth Road Runner Superbird

One of the most iconic, desirable and instantly recognisable Mopar muscle cars on the planet is the rare as the proverbial hens teeth 1970 Plymouth Road Runner Superbird.

Owned by Cameron and Belinda Sell, this genuine 440-6 pack, four-speed, 3.54 Dana spec’d Plymouth was unveiled and on display in the pavilion, even though it is still currently in the final stages of its restoration.

10. Dean Bastian’s, 1967 Plymouth Barracuda Formula S

Dean Bastian’s 1967 Plymouth Barracuda Formula S has been around for a few years now but is still an immaculate work of art, with a smooth understated style. Dean gave us a run down on the car:

“It’s a factory Formula S that was originally Daytona Bronze in colour when it left the factory. The paint is now BMW Dakar Yellow with Formula S stripes. It’s a bit of an older restoration, I completed the build on it back in 2013.

It made the top 5 at COTM in 2015 and 2017, taking out car of the show in 2017.” While the air cleaner decal may say 273ci the Barracuda currently runs a solid-cammed 318 with roller rockers and ported cast iron heads, and runs high 12s over the quarter.