FCA didn’t just drop the mic when they revealed the “Hellephant” Hemi at SEMA, they grabbed their nuts with one hand and used the other to flip everyone off, too. Seriously, a solid thousand horsepower out of a crate engine, ready to go…just plug everything together and get ready to play. Sounds that easy, right? Surely, 950 foot/pounds of twist can make even the worst of Chrysler’s mid-1970s wheeze-mobiles back-road terrors that can throw down with the best of them. A Volaré Road Runner was all but gutless, but add Hellephant, and the next thing you know it’s instant respect. Picture one in a late 1970s Monaco cop car. Oooh, I know…rip out the four-banger from a late 1970s Mitsubishi-sourced Challenger, shoehorn the automotive equivalent of Tsar Bomba underneath the hood, and prepare for warp speed…
Whoa, hold yer horses there, cowboy. Look, everybody who gives even half a care about anything Mopar instantly went into their mental reserve to pick out a car worthy of shoehorning the 426ci Gen III into. Lord knows I did…I pictured the Raven Imperial stripped down, looking more than a little like Buddy Arrington’s #67 1983 Imperial stock car, painted black, with NASCAR rolling stock at all four corners and a huge pipe on each side of the car announcing a thunderous fanfare that bordered on deafening. Let the earth shake, let the engine rock, let the DOT workers figure out what made those long black marks on the fresh asphalt. But here’s a problem: the engine itself. If someone at FCA lost all of their marbles and sent me, free of charge, the full compliment that is needed to get one of those monsters up and running, I’ve still got problems by the boatload. First off, what trans is going to hold that beast in place? Would you trust a manual behind it? I wouldn’t. I’d be studying the automatics used in the Unlimited class on Drag Week to get ideas for something that can live longer than the first hammer drop. Rear axles, suspensions, the body structure…all of it must be taken into consideration. The Imperial would twist like a pretzel without putting up a fight, the 8.25 axle would turn to dust, and longitudinal torsion bars with 1,000 horsepower? Yikes. The structure would have to be tied up, the body strengthened, and so on and so forth. No joke, I’d consider pulling a play straight from Roadkill: buy a retired stock car and swap bodies. It’d be easier and I’d have a cage that could keep me alive as a bonus.
It’s easy to get excited about the prospect of the engine itself, but the question sticks: what would you stick that crate mill into that will actually be useable in the long run? For the sake of argument, whatever the vehicle is must be street-legal when it’s all said and done. You want to be able to show off 1,000 horsepower, after all! Would you go find a one-ton dually and hope the frame is tough enough? Would you start from scratch and build everything to survive the power onslaught?
A 2019 Chrysler 300!
My 1957 Plymouth Savoy 4 door sedan. It’s a one family car, and my first car. It has a 100 hp flathead six. Multiplying the horsepower by 10 would really help that car out. Plus, since it doesn’t have a/c or power steering, there is less to restrict the belt drive and sap power.
Anything I own as long as somebody else pays for it.
Every vehicle I own.
Here are a couple of possibilities that come to mind:
1. An A-body with a built 8 3/4″ rear and appropriate suspension work. Maybe a ’71-’72 Dodge Demon, or late ’60s notchback Barracuda. Set up about like the SS/AA Hemi cars, or possibly with a four-link.
2. Start with a T-bucket like car for NHRA Altered class racing, stretch the wheelbase a foot or so for more stability, add lights and other requisite street equipment.
3. Build a clone of the M4S mid engined pace car.
I have a great place for that modern hemi: My 1968 Plymouth Barracuda fastback which is currently powered by a 340 and is by no means stock (was 318 auto 13\” wheels) now 340 4spd,15\” wheels sway bars front and rear 8 3/4 rear end 3.55 gears, etc….
I like the ’68 Cuda or Dart idea. Make a recreation of a Don Grotheer or Arlen Vanke Super Stock.
I would put it in my dad’s 67 Notchback Barracuda
A Plymouth Arrow done up in late 70’s Bob Glidden livery.
The ls can suck it, that would be awesome in a viper-any viper
My Jaguar XJS?
correct answer is Jeep Wrangler rubicon, the new one, 2 door, softop.
( would the rest of the drivetrain take the power ? )
Hahahahaha…..
wait, you were serious?
Throw 40s on the stock axles while your at it! Haha!
Stretched wheelbase1977 colt ala Don Carlton
Put it into a Viper if you want to go left and right. 1968 Hemi Super Stock a-bodies are currently north of 900 hp, so a currently competitive SS/AH chassis would be a good candidate. A cuurent SS/DA e-body would also be a good choice.
My 74′ AMC Matador Coupe would be perfect! I’d probably swap the rear for a 9′, and put one of the Monster rebuilds in the 727. Though a sleeper 2500 single Cab Dodge would be sick. Imagine the meats you could tuck in those dually fenders.
Like to see it in a 1965-71 dodge half ton long bed truck. Stick shift, Dana rear. Great sleeper!!
BLASPHEMI !!!!
A Chrysler supercar to knock that over-priced Volkswagen off its perch!
Alfa Romeo Barracuda — I know, FCA hasn’t announced a Barracuda yet but a guy can dream and the 8C is the company’s best candidate IMHO.