Select Page

Thanks to its astounding 707 horsepower output, Chrysler’s 6.2-liter supercharged Hemi “Hellcat” V8 is the talk of the town. Of course, you can get this remarkable engine in a new Dodge Challenger or Charger but what if you want to install it in a project car? Well, the good folks at Chrysler have got you covered.

Hellcat crate engines
At the 2017 SEMA show, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles’ Mopar parts group announced that it would sell the Hellcat engine as a “crate motor.” Crate motors are brand new engines that come right from the factory and frequently are shipped in crates, hence the name. Crate motors can be purchased from most car manufacturers and have been appealing to car enthusiasts for decades. No longer is it necessary to find a low mileage engine at a scrapyard or a high mileage engine that you rebuild. With a crate engine, all you have to do is drop it in your project car and plumb everything up.

Cool name
The Hellcat engine is actually named after the Grumman F6F Hellcat, which was a Navy fighter plane in World War II. The F6F Hellcat was an ace maker during the war. With over 5,000 claimed kills and only 270 lost in aerial combat, the Hellcat made 305 pilots aces. The Hellcat was also the first plane ever used by the Navy’s Blue Angels.

The “Hellcrate”
The folks at Reedman-Toll of Langhorne, a local Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ram, Fiat in Langhorne, PA filled us in on the Hellcrate. The Hellcrate basically is a kit. Your Hellcat engine comes with all of the electronics needed to install it in your project car. This includes a powertrain control module (PCM), power distribution center, engine wiring harness, chassis harness, accelerator pedal, ground jumper, oxygen sensors, charge air temperature sensors and fuel pump control module for the 6.2-liter supercharged Crate HEMI Engine. The PCM is unlocked and set to the factory 707- horsepower calibration. The Hellcrate Engine Kit is optimized for use with manual transmissions, such as the Tremec Magnum transmission kit. In addition to the electronic wiring harness, Mopar offers an essential Front End Accessory Drive (FEAD) Kit, which includes an alternator, power steering pump, belts, pulleys and more.

Other engines are available too
Got an older car you want to hop up but don’t need 707 horses? Fiat Chrysler has you covered on this also. At SEMA, Mopar showed off a 1968 Plymouth GTX and 1937 Dodge pickup truck featuring its smaller 6.4-liter and 5.7-liter Hemi V8 crate engines.

How much does all this wizardry cost
The Mopar Hellcrate 6.2-liter supercharged Crate HEMI Engine assembly (Part Number 68303089AA) is available for a Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) of $19,530. The Mopar Hellcrate 6.2-liter supercharged Crate HEMI Engine Kit (Part Number 77072452AB) is available at an MSRP of $2,195.
 
The Mopar Hellcrate HEMI Engine Kit and Mopar Hellcrate 6.2-liter supercharged Crate HEMI Engine assembly feature a Mopar three-year/unlimited mileage warranty when purchased together.

Earthgarage – Greener Car. Fatter Wallet.