Wild 1955 Dodge Wagon Combines Classic Styling & Hellcat Power

Dodge wagon is still in the works, but it is becoming one of the most unique Hellcat swaps we’ve seen.

The supercharged 6.2-liter Hemi known as “the Hellcat” has become the most popular modern engine for classic swap projects, creating a great many vintage Mopar machines with big modern power. At first, folks looking at add Hellcat power had to find a wrecked car to source the engine, but over the past few years, the “HellCrate” from Mopar has made it even easier to install the supercharged Hemi in a classic car or truck. We have seen A-bodies, B-bodies, E-bodies and a handful of trucks that have had Hellcat power implanted and at this point, things like a classic Challenger or Cuda with the supercharged Gen III Hemi are becoming relatively common.

However, from time to time, we come across a Hellcat swap that is special by today’s standards and this two-door 1955 Dodge station wagon falls into that category. We came across this car when the owner, Wayne Boyd, shared a Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat dashboard in a Facebook group that specializes in Hellcat items for sale. Boyd stated that he was selling the dashboard because it wouldn’t fit in his 1955 Dodge wagon.

Of course, we had to ask why he was trying to put a dashboard from a late model Charger in an antique wagon. That was when he explained that he was adding Hellcat power, but the dashboard didn’t work out. Fortunately, the rest of the project is going as planned and he provided pictures of the car before and after the Hellcat swap.

1955 Dodge Wagon from Mecum

Wayne Boyd explained that he bought this car back in 2018 at the Mecum Indianapolis auction. Based on the information on the Mecum website, this car had a closing price of $39,050. When he bought it, this antique wagon featured a classic exterior look with modern wheels, but on the inside, it was heavily modernized with Ron Mangus interior bits, including custom seats, dashboard and door panels.

Under the hood was a 360-cubic inch Magnum V8 that we imagine came from a second generation Ram 1500 pickup. The most significant addition of that V8 was a Vortec supercharger that surely made this 1955 Dodge a ton of fun to drive, but that isn’t the only major upgrade over stock. This old school wagon also features a custom tube chassis, a Mustang II front suspension setup and an Air Ride triangulated four-link damper setup.

Prior to being bought by Boyd, this 1955 Dodge wagon had been subjected to a full frame-off restoration before entering the collection of former racer Fast Eddie Schartman. After the Indy 2018 Mecum event, the car went home with Boyd, who spend the past two years enjoying the supercharged wagon.

Adding Hellcat Power

In January 2021, Boyd decided that it was time for a change in the form of a newer supercharged Mopar V8. While the blown 360 surely packs solid power, it falls well short of the output of the Hellcat Hemi. Adding the Hellcat adds power, the distinct sound and plenty of “wow factor” at car shows, but it wasn’t as simple as pulling the 360 and installing the Hemi.

To get the Hellcat Hemi and the ZF 8-speed automatic transmission to fit in the 1955 Dodge wagon, there was some massaging done to the chassis and the underside of the body. Of course, it also took some custom mounts for the engine and transmission, all of which were done with the body removed from the custom chassis.

In addition to adding all of that Hellcat power, Boyd has also added 13-inch Wilwood front brakes, so this classic Dodge wagon can stop as well as it accelerates.

Current Status

This picture shows the Hellcat Hemi-powered 1955 Dodge wagon in its current form. The engine is in place, the body is all buttoned-up and it looks like it is ready to hit the street, but they aren’t quite there just yet. Boyd explained that the final step of the project is to install the wiring harness and computer system from Mopar, but he hopes to have the car up and running sometime in May. When that day comes, we have little doubt that Wayne Boyd’s 1955 Dodge will be a popular attraction everywhere he goes.

Photos: Wayne Boyd

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Patrick Rall

"Before I was old enough to walk, my dad was taking me to various types of racing events, from local drag racing to the Daytona 500," says Patrick Rall, a lifetime automotive expert, diehard Dodge fan, and respected auto journalist for over 10 years. "He owned a repair shop and had a variety of performance cars when I was young, but by the time I was 16, he was ready to build me my first drag car – a 1983 Dodge Mirada that ran low 12s. I spent 10 years traveling around the country, racing with my dad by my side. While we live in different areas of the country, my dad still drag races at 80 years old in the car that he built when I was 16 while I race other vehicles, including my 2017 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat and my 1972 Dodge Demon 340.

"Although I went to college for accounting, my time in my dad’s shop growing up allowed me the knowledge to spend time working as a mechanic before getting my accounting degree, at which point I worked in the office of a dealership group. While I was working in the accounting world, I continued racing and taking pictures of cars at the track. Over time, I began showing off those pictures online and that led to my writing.

"Ten years ago, I left the accounting world to become a full-time automotive writer and I am living proof that if you love what you do, you will never “work” a day in your life," adds Rall, who has clocked in time as an auto mechanic, longtime drag racer and now automotive journalist who contributes to nearly a dozen popular auto websites dedicated to fellow enthusiasts.

"I love covering the automotive industry and everything involved with the job. I was fortunate to turn my love of the automotive world into a hobby that led to an exciting career, with my past of working as a mechanic and as an accountant in the automotive world provides me with a unique perspective of the industry.

"My experience drag racing for more than 20 years coupled with a newfound interest in road racing over the past decade allows me to push performance cars to their limit, while my role as a horse stable manager gives me vast experience towing and hauling with all of the newest trucks on the market today.

"Being based on Detroit," says Rall, "I never miss the North American International Auto Show, the Woodward Dream Cruise and Roadkill Nights, along with spending plenty of time raising hell on Detroit's Woodward Avenue with the best muscle car crowd in the world.

Rall can be contacted at QuickMirada@Yahoo.com

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