Wednesday, August 3, 2016

Want a Hellcat-Powered Ram 1500? This Canadian Dealership Will Build It.


Note: Image above is a rendering that shows what we think an official Ram 1500 Hellcat would look like.

Shortly after Dodge released the Hellcat versions of the Charger and Challenger, we put together a rendering of a Hellcat-powered Ram 1500. The idea was tantalizing: 707 horsepower in a lowered pickup with the attitude and presence of the Viper-powered Dodge Ram SRT10. Sadly FCA has been rather coy on the idea of a HellRam… or HellHauler? It seems all hope is lost.

But one Ram enthusiast fabricated his own hope; he had his local Canadian Ram dealership build one. Yes, a man from Ontario built the first known Hellcat-powered Ram 1500. Road & Track reports the Midland Chrysler purchased a Hellcat crate engine from a dealership in South Carolina for the steep price of $45,000.

The dealership then went to work replacing the Ram’s stock drivetrain with the supercharged Hemi and beefed-up ZF eight-speed automatic. What’s more, the dealership integrated the pickup’s stock 4WD system, making this the first 4WD Hellcat ever. (Save for the one Jeep is currently developing.)

This was no plug-n-play engine swap, however. Technicians have been working since November of 2015 to shoehorn the 6.2-liter V-8 into the Ram 1500’s engine bay. Because of the tall supercharger, a body lift had to be added for clearance. This currently has the truck looking like an off-roader, but future plans including a suspension lowering kit.

And with any proper build, all the conventional components in the Ram still work, including HVAC, the radio, all the gauges, and other electronic gadgets. While this was technically a one-off build, Midland Chrysler says it’s already had plenty of requests for similar builds. According to R&T, Midland’s general manager says an identical Hellcat-powered Ram would cost around $90,000 out the door. That ain’t cheap, but 707 horsepower with 4WD ain’t slow, either.

Continue reading for more information.





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