FCA Offers 1,000-hp “Hellephant” Crate Engine at $30,000

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV’s Mopar parts unit is taking pre-orders for its “Hellephant” crate engine, with prices starting at $30,000.

The supercharged 7.0-liter V-8 aftermarket engine kicks out 1,000 hp and 950 lb-ft of torque. FCA claims the engine is the first OEM-built crate engine to reach 1,000 hp.

Designed for pre-1976 vehicles, the engine features an all-aluminum block with 4-inch stroke and 4.1-inch bore. Mopar says about 1,000 people have expressed interest in the engine since it was announced last October at the Specialty Equipment Market Assn. show in Las Vegas.

The engine assembly includes a water pump, flywheel, front sump oil pan, supercharger, throttle body, fuel injectors and coil packs. The supercharger displaces three liters and has a high-efficiency rotor that produces 15 lbs of boost.

A $2,300 installation kit adds a powertrain control module, power distribution center, engine wiring harness, chassis harness, accelerator pedal, ground jumper, oxygen sensors, charge air temperature sensors, fuel pump control module and cam bus interface device. Other options include a front-end accessory drive system with an alternator, power-steering pump, belts and pulleys.

The Hellephant name is a combination of Chrysler’s 1960s-era 426-cu-in (7.0-liter) “Elephant” V-8 and the 6.2-liter Hellcat V-8 launched in the 2015 Dodge Challenger and Charger muscle cars.