In the past, we’ve often had to search around to find Halloween feature cars—like an obsessed Thing, a seemingly immortal Duster, and this obligatory lady.
This time however, the proverbial phone call was coming from INSIDE OUR HOUSE!
Yup, you can imagine our shock when we spied this custom 1999 Plymouth Prowler outside our office window creeping around the Summit Racing Retail Store parking lot.
Though it wasn’t exactly discreet—with shaved bumperettes, vibrant paint job, and custom grille, this factory-issue hot rod did its best to be conspicuous.
We cautiously tiptoed up to the car and decided it had to be a Lot Shots feature.
Admittedly, we’ve become fans of the Prowler. Indeed, the years have been kind to this polarizing Plymouth.
While some folks point to nitpicks like V6 power and an automatic shifter, you have to appreciate the fact that a car like this exists—that a major automaker made such a big effort to knowingly produce a low-volume seller.
Sure, it had some federally-mandated concessions, notably the plastic bumperettes up front that housed the indicator lamps, but the production model Prowler remained remarkably true to the original concept that wowed the gearhead world way back in the early 1990s.
Not that this one here is factory fresh. As alluded to earlier, it’s ditched its bumpers fore and aft, which makes the car look 100 times better (in our opinion, anyway). The front suspension bits are now shrouded by a slick set of cowls that also house the relocated indicator lamps.
This particular Prowler has also traded in the stock plastic grille for a striking chrome one.
In other words, this one is probably closer to what the original Plymouth designers wanted to make.
The two-tone paint is also a nice custom touch.
While we’re not entirely sure, it appears that this Prowler wears the factory purple up top, with the Plymouth-issue orange on its flanks. It’s a look reminiscent of the special “Woodward Edition” model that was only available in 2000.
And those wheels are a continual reminder that American Racing Torq-Thrusts look good on dang-near everything.
Look closely and you’ll spy a Foose badge on the fender too—a clear nod to hot rod icon Chip Foose, who as a student at the Art Center College of Design, penned the Hemisfear coupe that was a major influence on the Prowler silhouette.
This particular Prowler also wears a Hot Wheels badge on its dash. We’re not sure of any official connection with the beloved toy car brand, but the car itself certainly looks like a Hot Wheels car, so it’s a nice complement here.
We couldn’t track down this Prowler’s owner to get the full details, but we’re going to assume the rest is mostly stock.
Since this is a 1999 model, it means there’s an upgraded 3.5L aluminum block V6 that’s good for around 250 horsepower—which was enough giddayup to hustle the roughly 2,800 pound roadster to 14s in the quarter mile.
Power goes through a rigid torque tube on its way to the aforementioned four-speed automatic that’s tucked into a transaxle in the rear of the car. That rear transaxle layout helps improve the car’s overall weight balance and similar setups are found in other sports cars like the C5-C7 Corvette, along with the Porsche 924/944 and 928.
Out back, you’ll see that this Prowler’s rear bumpers have been removed as well, creating a visual effect similar to the bobbed fenders of a classic prewar hot rod.
Draw in closer and you’ll notice the trailer hitch—undoubtedly a handy accessory given the notoriously tiny Prowler cargo area.
All told, seeing a Prowler out in the wild nowadays is a rare event, and seeing one so tastefully modified is a fantastic homage to the original spirit of the hot rods that inspired it.
Yeah, it can creep around our parking lot anytime.
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