One of the coolest custom rides at the 2016 SEMA Show outside of the official Mopar area is the Hellfire Ram 1500 from Dallas Speed Shop, which as you might guess, is powered by the supercharged 6.2L Hellcat Hemi from the Challenger and Charger. This is a very different Hellcat Ram than the Ram Rebel TRX Concept introduced by FCA earlier this year with Hellcat power, but for those diehard Hellcat fans who want a truck that will tear up the street and strip – this is the vehicle that they want.
The Dallas Speed Shop team started with a new Ram 1500 R/T, removing the 5.7L Hemi with 390 horsepower and installing the 6.2L Hellcat Hemi. In stock form, the supercharged Hemi makes 707 horsepower, but thanks to a set of Kooks long tube headers and a good tune, this blown Hemi makes 775 horsepower.
Next, Dallas Speed Shop added a performance suspension system that gets the Ram 1500 much closer to the ground – improving handling and giving it a far more menacing street truck look. Combining in that aggressive stance is a set of 24” Forgeline wheels wrapped in Continental tires and behind those bright red wheels is a Rotora high performance braking setup. Keeping those huge tires under the body is a set of custom wheel flares, which also play a key role in the badass appearance of this truck.
Finally, the Hellfire Ram gets an in-house splitter from the Dallas Speed Shop, a set of custom wheel flares to make room for all of that rubber and a matte black paint package from Vastine’s paint garage.
This is only a show truck built by Dallas Speed Shop, but there is no denying that this is the evolutionary replacement for the old Dodge Ram SRT10. From top to bottom, this truck is a perfect modern representation of the SRT10 – with far more power, of course.
"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.
