Car Craft Adds Hellcat Power to a 1972 Challenger
Challenger will pack modern power and chassis components for a more complete performance vehicle.
Swapping a Hellcat Hemi into a classic Mopar muscle car has become the most popular route for many hot rodders today and the team at Car Craft is the latest to tackle such a build. In their case, they are installing a “Hellcrate” into a 1972 Dodge Challenger and in the video below, car builder Kevin Tetz and Hot Rod Editor John McGann detail the first steps of the project on the Motor Trend YouTube channel.
Before getting into the build, Tetz points out that this 1972 Dodge Challenger is a remarkably clean machine with no rust anywhere, although the car has obviously been redone in the past. From what we can see in the panning shots which open the video, this E-body looks great inside and out, but we don’t get a look at the engine bay. Based on how high the front end is sitting before the Hellcat Hemi crate engine is installed, we would guess that it came as a roller without an engine.
Challenger Gets Modern Suspension
The video begins with Tetz discussing the difference in tire size between the 1972 Dodge Challenger and a new Hellcat model. The classic rides on skinny 15-inch steel wheels and the widest tire that would fit on those wheels would provide little help in putting down 707 horsepower. With that in mind, the team plans to swap to 18-inch wheels and tires, but they have to first figure out what size they need.
Tetz uses a backspacing tool which mounts inside the tires and bolts up like a wheel. That tool allows him to make adjustments to allow for proper turning space up front and a nice stance all around. He finds that the 18-inch tires will work on a 9-inch wheel up front and a 10-inch wheel out back, with 5.25 inches of backspacing in the front and 5.5 inches in the back. Once wrapped in the low profile rubber, these wheels will allow the 1972 Challenger to get better traction and to corner better.
Of course, new wheels and tires can only help so much with the antiquated suspension setup of a 1972 Dodge, so this Challenger is being fitted with an aftermarket suspension setup from AJE. This front suspension system does away with the heavy crossmember and torsion bars, introducing coilovers and lightweight tubing to reduce weight and improving handling.
This suspension setup also makes room for bigger brakes, but installing it does require some cutting and drilling, all of which is shown in the video. Most importantly, the new front suspension system has multiple engine mounting options, making the installation of the Hellcat crate engine a bit easier.
Installing the Hellcat Hemi
Finally, this first installation of the project ends with Tetz and McGann setting the Hellcat Hemi crate engine down into the engine bay of the 1972 Dodge Challenger. They explain that this engine comes with many of the components needed for installation, including the electronics, the exhaust manifolds and the clutch assembly. They also remind us that this engine delivers 707 horsepower and 650 lb-ft of torque.
To make the installation a bit easier, the team removes the exhaust manifolds from the engine and the battery tray from the engine compartment. When they lower it down, they learn that the factory front sump oil pan will not fit with the aftermarket crossmember, so they will have to get a rear sump pan. In the meantime, they removed the factory pan and set the Hellcat Hemi on the engine mounts, allowing us to get a look of how it will sit under the hood when everything is all bolted up.
There is a ton of work left on this 1972 Dodge Challenger project, but when the Car Craft team is done, it should be a crazy quick classic Mopar muscle car that will handle almost as well as it launches.
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