Dropping a Hemi in Your Car

Dropping more powerful engines into cars is a pastime that has been going on since the early days of automobiles. In the 1940s, it was becoming so popular that a name got attached to it: engine swapping. It became the route to go if you wanted a more powerful car, say for towing, or just wanted a car that was sportier and accelerated faster.

In the old days engine swapping was easier. The older engines were simple. If you wanted to remove it and put in new one, it was within the ability of most do-it-yourselfers and it became the favorite activity among the hotrod set.

All this changed, when engines got complex, though. Any recently-built engine is covered with electronic sensors and actuators, and is run by a dedicated computer (ECM). Because they are so complex today, swapping an engine almost requires that you be a trained mechanic (and a good one at that says Stones Town and Country of Rexburg, a local Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ram dealer in Rexburg, ID.

Chrysler Corporation just recently addressed this issue with an ingenious concept.  Mopar, Chrysler’s parts division, is offering a kit that allows do-it-yourselfers to mount one of their new Hemi engines in an older car. This is a game changer for the DIY hot-rod community and a fabulous marketing move by Chrysler.  After all, having thousands of people installing Hemi engines in their cars can only add to the Hemi mystique.

The “Mopar Crate Hemi Engine Kit” works with the 2014 and up 5.7-liter and 6.4-liter Hemi V8 engines. The kit includes all the parts necessary to adapt the engine to your car and there’s also a full, illustrated installation manual.

Chrysler says that a lot of engineering work went into the Mopar Crate Hemi Engine Kit but there are a few caveats. First, it is best if the engine you are transplanting is mated to a manual transmission.  Chrysler says you can pair it up with an automatic, but it won’t be an “optimal installation.” (A kit for an automatic transmission installation is in the works.) And for pricing, it comes in at $1795. This may seem like a lot of money but just look at the time and money it will save you.

Is it worth doing? Well, it’s a lot of money to stuff a Hemi into your car or turuck but a Hemi isn’t just an ordinary engine; it’s a world-famous engine with a lot of history behind it. If you want more power from a vehicle, you’ve got it. And just imagine the bragging rights you have when you are finished.  “It’s a Hemi.”