Wednesday 2nd November 2022

Up to 1100hp from new Hellephant crate lineup

Dodge has also announced HurriCrate - bringing Stellantis's new 3.0-litre straight six to a wooden box

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We’ll admit this one isn’t a priority on the UK consumer news front, but it’s very hard to resist writing about enormous crate engines. Probably it’s the kind of American phenomenon we should politely ignore, like giant soft drink containers or NASCAR. But when they offer up 1100hp and are endowed with fantastic names like Hellephant and HurriCrate, it’s hard not to feel a pang of intense jealousy on this side of the Atlantic. Over here we have to get excited about 2.0-litre four pots; over there, Dodge is still merrily attaching superchargers to Gen III HEMI V8s, and selling the result direct. 

In fact, it’s now called its performance parts lineup ‘Direct Connection’, and has used the SEMA show to launch the most powerful range of crate engines to date. The core offering is the 426 Supercharged HEMI, which, as before, is 7.0-litres of aluminium block V8 with a lot of supercharger attached. In A30 format you’ll get a 1000hp from premium fuel. But you can also get the A170 variant with an upgraded fuel system that Dodge reckons will deliver 1100hp with E85 petrol in the tank. 

Evidently, the Hellephant has been popular because its manufacturer is expanding the lineup to include a 376 cubic-inch - or 6.2-litre - cast iron block, which has been heavily upgraded to produce 900hp on premium gas in C30 spec, or 1000hp with E85 as the C170. Dodge says this V8 features a new 3.0-litre supercharger and improved intercooler, and has been specially modified to improve cylinder pressure capability - not least in the cylinder heads, pistons and connecting rods. 

But it’s not all about hulking V8s, primarily meant for the drag strip. The all-new HurriCrate series is based on Stellantis’s 3.0-litre twin-turbocharged straight six, which itself was only introduced in March of this year, and is aimed specifically at people (‘restomod builders’ among them) looking for a high-power-density crate engine, presumably to replace a longitudinal V8 - which is exactly what the Hurricane unit was designed to do elsewhere in the Stellantis lineup. 

To that end, the ‘Cat 1’ grade of HurriCrate appears to be a standard output version of the brand-new motor, producing the same 420hp and 468lb ft of torque. It is left to the ‘Cat 3’ version, with uprated Garrett turbochargers and forged aluminium pistons, to output an improved 550hp with 531lb ft available from 3,500rpm. And if those outputs sound a little modest compared to the honking Hellephant, rest assured Dodge already has plans for a racing variant, the HurriCrate Cat X crate. That will doubtless look to grow those figures exponentially. 

Or as Tim Kuniskis, the brand’s CEO puts it: “We’re bringing the Hellephant back and adding new HurriCrate engines to augment the Direct Connection lineup with two new families of crate engines. The demand from enthusiasts for performance parts for the street and strip continues grow, and Direct Connection will continue to be there to feed it.” All we need now is an outpost in Milton Keynes next to DHL. Then we’d all be happy. 

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• Hellephant 1,000hp Hemi V8 available to order
• Dodge Durango Hellcat - seven get 710hp

[Gecko1978]

Ok so what in the UK would fit one of these would an old 406 fit the 3.0 engine

[Scrump]

Gecko1978 said:

Ok so what in the UK would fit one of these would an old 406 fit the 3.0 engine

Yeah…
but no…
but yeah!

[dibblecorse]

Could you fit one in the back of a VW Caddy van ????

[Groaver]

Gecko1978 said:

Ok so what in the UK would fit one of these would an old 406 fit the 3.0 engine

A 108.

[donkmeister]

Gecko1978 said:

Ok so what in the UK would fit one of these would an old 406 fit the 3.0 engine

Depends how much work you want to put into it... For a 406 it's going to involve a bit more than making an adaptor plate and welding in new engine mounts, as I doubt you would get a transverse straight 6 into a 406. For such a swap, unless you can find something on the same platform then it's generally better to start with something RWD with a longitudinal engine.

[BigChiefmuffinAgain]

I happily admit to know very little about engines, but how are they getting more out of a 6 cylinder supercharged engine than Bugatti were managing only about a decade ago from a 16 cylinder 8 litre with 4 turbos ? Have things really moved on that much ?

[J4CKO]

BigChiefmuffinAgain said:

I happily admit to know very little about engines, but how are they getting more out of a 6 cylinder supercharged engine than Bugatti were managing only about a decade ago from a 16 cylinder 8 litre with 4 turbos ? Have things really moved on that much ?

Thats the V8 making 1100 bhp and folk have been doing that with V8s for a long, long time, the Bugatti engine was different as it was designed to produce 1000 bhp from the outset, have four wheel drive, be civilised, stay cool, handle, brake in all situations rather than just go fast.

It is a complete product where a crate engine can be put in pretty much anything and produce a very fast car, but it isnt a Bugatti or anywhere near.

Big power gets cheaper and more accessible with every passing month, in terms of ICE but especially with EV's, imagine 600 bhp cars for 50/60 grand or equivalent 20/30 years ago ?

[Draxindustries1]

Great to see the Mopar V8 still going strong. The USA has a massive following of big lumps like these, long may it continue.

Edited by Draxindustries1 on Tuesday 1st November 12:01

[RazerSauber]

I love that Dodge released a bit of electric car news, it caused a bit of a stir then they've gone "f*** it, here's an 1100BHP crate engine that'll do 25 inches to the gallon and sound like you're kicking Satan in the danglers." I wonder if they'll try to classify the alternator as a hybrid element to keep the green people happy..

[Sandpit Steve]

Love that the Americans will still sell you an engine in a box, from a price list, intended for use in all sorts of non-standard applications. Long may it continue!

[munk]

I hate to think what the cost of one of these imported would be (or the level of divorce inducing man-maths that would involve), but very glad these exist. Love the whole crate engine vibe though, a very American phenomenon. Always thought it a bit sad that we don't get many crate-engines over here, but then again we don't quite have the same culture as the USA does - or right type of homes for them. I understand that over the pond they have all sorts of finance packages for these which makes them (relatively) attainable for average Joe / Josephine.

[edoverheels]

munk said:

I hate to think what the cost of one of these imported would be (or the level of divorce inducing man-maths that would involve), but very glad these exist. Love the whole crate engine vibe though, a very American phenomenon. Always thought it a bit sad that we don't get many crate-engines over here, but then again we don't quite have the same culture as the USA does - or right type of homes for them. I understand that over the pond they have all sorts of finance packages for these which makes them (relatively) attainable for average Joe / Josephine.

Plenty of importers for crate engines over here. I'm doing the man maths at the moment.

[Dynamic Space Wizard]

Gecko1978 said:

Ok so what in the UK would fit one of these would an old 406 fit the 3.0 engine

Monza

[Arsecati]

We used to have our own 'crate' engine over here............. it was called the Rover V8!

[jenkosrugby]

I have a Westfield with a V8 in it (rover), that's lively enough, but my goodness, wouldn't be fun with one of these :-)

[MrGeoff]

The engine would be fun in a S30 (Datsun).

[Ocho]

Caveat - I know nothing about engine building.

But I can't help thinking of old solid ornate gates and really chunky Le Creuset kitchenware when I hear these engines are made with a cast iron block. Just sounds so old fashioned and more to the point really heavy!

Is that what most engines are made from - surely there must be a lighter alternative now?

[Gecko1978]

donkmeister said:

Gecko1978 said:

Ok so what in the UK would fit one of these would an old 406 fit the 3.0 engine

Depends how much work you want to put into it... For a 406 it's going to involve a bit more than making an adaptor plate and welding in new engine mounts, as I doubt you would get a transverse straight 6 into a 406. For such a swap, unless you can find something on the same platform then it's generally better to start with something RWD with a longitudinal engine.

I suggested 406 only because selantis is Peugeot also lol but thank you

[Arsecati]

Ocho said:

Caveat - I know nothing about engine building.

But I can't help thinking of old solid ornate gates and really chunky Le Creuset kitchenware when I hear these engines are made with a cast iron block. Just sounds so old fashioned and more to the point really heavy!

Is that what most engines are made from - surely there must be a lighter alternative now?

Here ya go.

https://www.hotcars.com/pros-and-cons-of-iron-vs-a...

[anonymous-user]

Shame GM stopped making the LSA and LS9, but you can get one of these purpose made for 15lbs boost and 1000hp with just a couple of turbos

https://www.jegs.com/p/Chevrolet-Performance/Chevr...

Iron block and 6 bolt heads, forged crank, cross bolted mains etc. In the states they’ve pushed these to over 2000 hp.