Hellcat Engine in a Classic Jeep Grand Wagoneer—Yes Please!

Texas Jeep shop yanked the original 5.9-liter V8 out of this Grand Wagoneer and replaced it with a 707-horsepower ‘Hellcrate’ V8.

Dodge‘s Hellcat engine was such a hit when it came out that it became the central character in many a car enthusiast’s most far-fetched fantasies. Over the years, it’s been in the Challenger, Charger, and even the Jeep Grand Cherokee, but that has only made some people want the Hellcat in even more vehicles, no matter how outrageous the end result would be. Ever daydream about a Hellcat-powered Chrysler Pacifica or Ram 1500? You’re not the only one. A Jeep shop in Texas went a different route and put a supercharged 6.2-liter “Hellcrate” V8 with 707 horsepower and 645 lb-ft of torque in a Grand Wagoneer.

On Saturday, November 23, this monster crossed the block at a Worldwide Auctioneers auction in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. It started life as a 1989 Grand Wagoneer with Bright Red paint and Light Tan upholstery.

According to the auction site, that hasn’t changed. Worldwide Auctioneer’s official description states it still has “its shiny original factory paint and luxurious soft leather and cloth interior.”

When this Grand Wagoneer rolled off of the assembly line, it had AMC’s 5.9-liter V8 in it. The 360’s 144 horsepower and 280 lb-ft of torque helped the big beast lumber down the road and over trails. Over the years, the big V8 racked up less than 52,000 miles.

Then the folks at Black Mountain Jeep (BLKMTN) and Gas Monkey Garage got their wrench-turning hands on this classic rig and transformed it into “Hellwagon.” They left the red paint and faux woodgrain alone and focused on putting more power under the hood. That meant yanking out the original engine to make room for something more potent.

Few engines are more potent than a Hellcrate and that’s exactly what they installed between the front fenders. It breathes through Grand Cherokee Trackhawk exhaust manifolds and routes its ridiculously high output through a three-speed automatic transmission and part-time four-wheel drive. Since its transplant, the Hellwagon has only covered 500 miles.

Bidding at the Riyadh Auction for this fever dream of a custom got up to $160,000. Apparently, someone felt being able to stun and humiliate Porsche and Ferrari drivers off the line was worth that kind of dough.

Photos: Worldwide Auctioneers

Join the Dodge Forum now!

Derek Shiekhi

Derek Shiekhi's father raised him on cars. As a boy, Derek accompanied his dad as he bought classics such as post-WWII GM trucks and early Ford Mustang convertibles.

After loving cars for years and getting a bachelor's degree in Business Management, Derek decided to get an associate degree in journalism. His networking put him in contact with the editor of the Austin-American Statesman newspaper, who hired him to write freelance about automotive culture and events in Austin, Texas in 2013. One particular story led to him getting a certificate for learning the foundations of road racing.

While watching TV with his parents one fateful evening, he saw a commercial that changed his life. In it, Jeep touted the Wrangler as the Texas Auto Writers Association's "SUV of Texas." Derek knew he had to join the organization if he was going to advance as an automotive writer. He joined the Texas Auto Writers Association (TAWA) in 2014 and was fortunate to meet several nice people who connected him to the representatives of several automakers and the people who could give him access to press vehicles (the first one he ever got the keys to was a Lexus LX 570). He's now a regular at TAWA's two main events: the Texas Auto Roundup in the spring and the Texas Truck Rodeo in the fall.

Over the past several years, Derek has learned how to drive off-road in various four-wheel-drive SUVs (he even camped out for two nights in a Land Rover), and driven around various tracks in hot hatches, muscle cars, and exotics. Several of his pieces, including his article about the 2015 Ford F-150 being crowned TAWA's 2014 "Truck of Texas" and his review of the Alfa Romeo 4C Spider, have won awards in TAWA's annual Excellence in Craft Competition. Last year, his JK Forum profile of Wagonmaster, a business that restores Jeep Wagoneers, won prizes in TAWA’s signature writing contest and its pickup- and SUV-focused Texas Truck Invitational.

In addition to writing for a variety of Internet Brands sites, including JK Forum, H-D Forums, The Mustang Source, Mustang Forums, LS1Tech, HondaTech, Jaguar Forums, YotaTech, and Ford Truck Enthusiasts. Derek also started There Will Be Cars on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.

Twitter