LAS VEGAS, NV — Tuesday was a big day for the Mopar group.
The Jeep Wrangler was named the SEMA Show’s Hottest Off-Road Vehicle (again) and the Dodge Charger was named Hottest Sedan. At its late-afternoon press conference, Mopar showed off six new custom vehicle concepts and unveiled a new restoration parts web portal that will allow vintage Mopar restorers to access parts more easily.
The biggest news of the day, though, was Mopar’s new crate HEMI engine kits. These kits are built to allow enthusiasts to easily plug a 5.7L or 6.4L Gen. III HEMI engine into a 1970s and earlier Mopar vehicle.
The crate HEMI kits include a power distribution center, a powertrain control module (PCM), engine and chassis wiring harnesses, an accelerator pedal, O2 sensors, ground jumper, charge air temperature sensor and in-depth information sheets on installation. The Mopar 345 Crate HEMI Engine Kit bumps horsepower to 383 and torque to 425 ft.-lbs. for the 5.7L HEMI engine. The 392 Crate HEMI Engine Kit keeps the 6.4L HEMI steady at 485 horses and 472 ft.-lbs. of torque. Mopar Crate HEMI Kits are designed and optimized for use with manual transmissions. Automatic transmissions such as the Torqueflite 727 and 904, while not optimal, can also be adapted for use.
Mopar also offers additional engine accessory hardware components enthusiasts will need to suit their individual installation, making it even easier to pick a Mopar Crate HEMI Engine Kit and install a modern-day HEMI. Available hardware includes a power steering expansion kit, AC expansion kit and rear sump oil pan kit, among other components.
According to a Mopar press release, both crate HEMI engine kits are available at a suggested retail price of $1,795.
Check out the entire press conference below to learn more about these new crate engines and watch an actual installation in a ’71 HEMI ‘Cuda. You can also have a closer look at the two vehicles Mopar used to showcase the kits: a ’71 Dodge Challenger and Jeep Wrangler.
Dodge Shakedown 1971 Challenger
The Dodge Shakedown Challenger combines design cues from the past and present to create a uniquely original Mopar creation. The blend of yesterday and today is visible on the outside and continues under the hood, where Mopar installed its new 392 Crate HEMI Engine Kit to install a 6.4L HEMI.
The Shakedown Challenger drives 485 horsepower to the pavement via a Viper Tremec T6060 six-speed transmission, and the Mopar 392 Crate HEMI Engine Kit-enabled 6.4L HEMI is enhanced by a Mopar concept cold air intake and Mopar custom dual exhaust with black powder-coated Mopar exhaust tips. The custom front and rear suspension is lowered, dropping the Shakedown closer to the road or track.
Jeep CJ66
Take a Jeep Wrangler TJ frame, hang a 1966 Jeep Wrangler CJ universal Tuxedo Park body on it, add in Wrangler JK elements and power it all with a Mopar 345 Crate HEMI Engine Kit-enabled 5.7L HEMI. That’s the recipe for Mopar’s Jeep CJ66 concept. The concept is clearly meant to show that Mopar’s new plug-and-play crate HEMI engine kits aren’t meant just for the road and track. With help from these kits, your modern Gen. III can conquer the trail, too.
Have a1974 cj5 jeep bought new . Could I put one these mopar hemis in it?
Hey Dan, a few folks have done Gen III Hemi Swaps into Jeeps. Pretty sure I read an old article from JP magazine that featured a swap and Jeep itself brought a Gen. 3 Hemi-powered CJ to the Easter Jeep Safari a while back, the CJ66. It’s an intensive project that requires some fabrication and a lot of other parts. You can read this article on a Hemi-Swapped Javelin or this article on a Henry J to get an idea of some of the logistics you’ll have to address.
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Conversely, I’ve personally met folks who’ve LS swapped a CJ and they reported that the swap was pretty straightforward, similar to the effort it took to SBC-swap a CJ. (You can get more LS Swap info here.)