At a twist of the key, the big block power plant cranked over in Mark Christopherson’s newly rejuvenated 1969 Charger 500. A powerful growl echoed through the quiet Basin neighborhood  — the kind of rumble that brings gearheads out of the house like kids chasing the bells of an ice cream truck.

In Charger red, Basin’s newest beast is drawing crowds wherever it goes. Even trips to the post office can wind up taking half the morning as fans of the model come out of the woodwork for photos.

“It definitely turns heads,” Christopherson said last week, just days after swapping out the transmission for better performance.

What many don’t realize is the rarity of the Charger 500. The model was redesigned on the fly in 1968 to increase performance for NASCAR races. While extremely popular for its design, the original Charger was found to be a disaster on the track. Builders realized they needed more than just raw power to win in the series, turning to wind tunnel testing to find a solution to stability issues.

Creative Industries, of Detroit, was called in to quickly install a flush grille, front spoiler, chrome a-pillar covers and a plug for the rear window, making it more stable at high speeds. The plug changed the depth of the rear trunk lid and the overall look of the model. The work was being done so quickly that surviving cars have been found with the broken glass from the original back windows in the trunk, said Dwain Christopherson, Mark’s father and owner of Performance Auto in Burlington.

The 500 wasn’t built for discriminating motorists; it was built to get the cars on the market to meet NASCAR’s requirement of 500 production units to qualify for stock car racing. Somewhere along the way, they forgot to count accurately. “Only 392 of the cars were sold [to the public],” Dwain said.

Even more rare was the way Mark came to own the car. A friend from Powell — who was getting older and doubting he’d ever see the project car finished — simply handed over the keys to the known fan of classic Chrysler muscle, knowing it would soon be back on the road. The friend, who wishes to remain anonymous, loved the car and its history more than the big stack of cold cash he could have charged any number of people in the business.

“I can't believe you're doing this,” Mark told the friend at the time, shocked by the generosity.

The gift elevated plans to rebuild the car to the top of his priority list. For a year, Mark and Dwain took the car from a shell to a piece of sculpture. Every detail was attended to — even the right color for bolts in the engine bay.

“Because of what he did for me — the gift — I wanted to respect that and do the best job I could, doing it as close to original as possible,” Mark said.

There are few perfect things in this world, including cars. But the father/son team is trying. “It never ends,” Mark said.

When they finally got it ready for paint, yet another benefactor stepped in to help with the project. John Cooley, owner of JC Repair in Powell, took on the job.

Fortunately for the Christophersons, Cooley had extra time on his hands after the pandemic shutdown slowed business to a crawl. “I said, this would be an excellent time. You bring the car out and I’ll work on it,” Cooley said.

He spent an entire week with the car. The first two days alone were spent wet sanding the surfaces. He was inspired by the gift from their mutual friend, as well as being a huge fan of the model. With a similar model of his own needing to be finished, Cooley worked to make the paint job as special as the car.

Endless amounts of cash and time make up for a lot when chasing perfection. But Mark, who works at Wyo-Ben (a Big Horn County business making bentonite clay-based products) and has a young family, isn’t made of cash. Cooley didn’t charge the Christophersons a penny for the job and the original owner ponied up for the paint and material costs.

The original owner also helped the Christophersons with finishing the project, offering labor and consultation on keeping the car as close to original as possible. When there was a need, he was there, Mark said.

The car looks and runs like a champ, but the work will continue. Mark noticed a slight wave in the hood from a mistake he made during restoration. Trying to find the ever-so-slight ripple is hard for the untrained eye. But he knew it was there. So he purchased a new hood and will have Cooley paint it before making the swap.

Mark also spent hours with his father tuning the car perfectly and swapped out the transmission two weeks ago to ensure the perfect combination of transfering the power from the engine to the wheels. Everything is new or restored, including the interior. The team did take the opportunity to change the original “rusty red” interior to a more classic white (also available in 1969). Mark also added a larger “500” badge on the front, which he says irritates some, but he likes it.

If he wanted, he could leave long, black stripes on the pavement with a slight push of the gas pedal. But Mark treats the Charger like a baby. He refuses to test its limits or race the car out of respect for the rarity of the model and love for the effort by everyone involved.

“That’s when things get torn up,” he said.

Mark sees his father’s reflection in the chrome pieces they found together after months on the hunt. He remembers his family’s and friends’ bright eyes when the new engine first turned over. And he knows what it was before starting the project and what it now is, realizing the transformation was more than just hard work, but a reflection of love for the special car and shared among lifelong friends, especially his father.

Mark plans to share the gift in future parades and community events. But one thing is certain: This gift will stay in the family forever. “It’s not for sale,” he said.