Remember when we told you you could purchase Fiat Chrysler’s beastly, 1,000-horsepower Hellephant crate engine last week? Well, you’ve missed the window. After just a few days of availability, Mopar’s mightiest engine is entirely sold out.
According to Allpar, FCA’s inventory was depleted within 48 hours of pre-orders opening for “Hemi Day” (April 26th) after third-party sources began saying the motor was no longer available. The outlet posited that the $29,995 hand-built unit was likely produced in extremely limited numbers and reached out to the manufacturer for verification about its availability.
“Given the high demand and the hand-built, time-intensive build process, we have closed preordering for the 426 Hellephant Supercharged HEMI crate engine. Based on preorders, the engine sold out in just two days,” the company responded. “Customers can visit www.cratehemi.com to receive future information and updates on the ‘Hellephant’ engine.”
From Allpar:
No sales volume was offered, but with these 1,000-horsepower engines being hand-built, we would guess that the production numbers will be fairly low. Industry insiders have told us that they believe that Mopar may be making around 100 examples of the Hellephant during this initial production run, but with the engine proving to be so popular — even with a list price higher than that of a base model 2019 Dodge Challenger — it would make sense for the company to figure out a way to make more examples of this 1,000-horsepower crate engine. Of course, we want to point out that the count of 100 engines is not an official figure from FCA.
FCA debuted the Hellephant at last year’s SEMA event, wedged inside a resto-modded 1968 Dodge Charger. For its $30k base price, customers receive the motor, flywheel, oil pan, water pump, injectors, ignition coils, 3.0-liter supercharger and throttle body. For an extra $2,265, Mopar provides an engine kit, which adds a powertrain control module (PCM), power distribution center, engine wiring harness, chassis harness, accelerator pedal, ground jumper, oxygen sensors, charge air temperature sensors, fuel pump control module, and CAN bus interface device.
If you’re interested in owning one of these monsters, you’ll have to wait for the company to build another batch. Fortunately, rumor has it that Mopar is considering a second Hellephant production run for 2020.
[Images: FCA]
I was wondering how many of these they built. Mark Worman is supposedly doing the first installation, into a ’58 Plymouth Fury – the reveal was done the other night on Graveyard Carz.
If I’d sold all my stock in 48 hours I’d be kicking myself in the a$$ for setting the price too low.
or not having built more.
Either way, it’s a heck of a good problem to have.
I don’t understand how or why this would need to be production limited. Build as many as they can sell.
I sure hope they will build more. I am seriously considering buying one to replace the Dodge 440 in a Southwind Motorhome. It’s beginning to smoke a little bit, especially under heavy load.
The 440 we have is the original engine rebuilt twice since the coach was bought by my dad in 1973 and has already been bored to .030 oversize. That doesn’t leave much metal around the water jackets.
I can’t tell if you’re serious or not, but…
…please, Please, PLEASE do this.
NoID, I’m serious.
A locally-based train engineer I know owns a 1934 Motorhome that was initially purchased by his grandfather and he has kept it going over the decades, including upgrading the powertrain.
But looking at his Coach or my Coach you can’t tell that either is a rolling antique because of all the upgrades over the years.
I’m sure they’ll make more, as soon as they’re able.
We will look back someday when stuff like this is no longer made. Mopar, make more! If I hit a good-sized jackpot I’ll put one in my Fury!
Could the limited number of these engines have something to do with the CAFE rating? FCA probably would not want it too low. Could these engines be used in boats, generators, and industrial applications too?
These are not sold in street legal vehicles and don’t count against CAFE.
Yeah it could be a good drag boat engine, this would be a very poor choice for a stationary application, or any other industrial use.
Drag racers must be giggling. “1000HP from 10L? Ooo!”
Huh? 426 ci is 7.0L
Plus a 3L blower.
But it actually has coolant passages and won’t overheat if driven more than 1/4 mile. Not to mention it runs on pump gas.
Someone should put one in a Boss Hoss bike.