Despite a relatively huge price tag of $ 30,000, the 1000-horsepower supercharged Hellephant box engine from Mopar was sold out within 48 hours. Some enthusiasts may have missed the crazy motorcycle due to lack of money, or they just thought there would still be a number of Hellephants in line. But don't worry, alternating gear heads. There are enough V8 & # 39; s in the world to choose from and we have highlighted four favorites. They are not that powerful, but they are all cheaper and still have a lot to offer.
Mopar 6.2L Hellcrate
Chances are that future Hellephant buyers are Mopar fans to start with, so we start the list with the most exciting offer: the Hellcrate. This is the same Supercharged 6.2-liter V8 found under the hood of the Dodge Charger and Challenger Hellcats and the Grand Cherokee Trackhawk. It makes 707 horsepower and 650 pound-foot torque like those cars too. It's also about $ 10,000 cheaper than the Hellephant engine for $ 20,020, and that leftover money can be used to complete the project or for aftermarket upgrades to get it closer to the Hellephant's output.
GM LS9 6.2L
The Hellcrate is not the only factory-started crate motor on the market. The supercharged 6.2-liter LS9 V8 comes from General Motors. This is the engine that was used in the C6 Corvette ZR1. At 638 hp and 604 pound-foot torque, it doesn't deliver as much power or torque as the Hellcrate. But it has a dry crankcase oil system. So instead of pumping oil from a pan at the bottom, the engine uses a remotely mounted oil tank that pumps oil into the engine. This means that the motor is generally shorter and can be mounted lower for a better center of gravity. It also means that there is almost no risk of running the engine dry in turns, as can happen with a normal oil sump, where the oil can splash to the side without the oil pump. In short, it offers a number of important benefits if you want supercharged V8 power for a race track car. It is also a tad cheaper than the Hellcrate for $ 18,149. But get one, because GM only sells what was left of it when it was building the C6 ZR1.
Ford Aluminator 5.2XS
Our choice of the Blue Oval lacks a booster, but that makes up for with a flat crank. Yes, the Aluminator 5.2XS looks a lot like the 5.2-liter engine under the hood of the Shelby GT350 Mustang. The difference is that this version is actually better. A few changes, including the use of a Cobra Jet intake manifold and throttle body, revised cam profiles and various connecting rods, pistons and head bolts, make it 580 hp and 445 pound-feet of torque. For comparison, the GT350 only makes 526 horsepower and 429 pound-foot torque. The Aluminator engine is still running at an amazing 7,800 rpm, and it won't sound like any other American V8 on the market. It barely fits in price between the Hellcrate and the LS9 at $ 19,995.
GM LS7 7.0L
Before there was the GT350 and the Aluminator engine, there was the C6 Z06, Camaro Z / 28 and the LS7 engine. Although the Aluminator and the Voodoo engines of the GT350 darken the LS7 in revs and power, the 505 hp engine, the torque of 470 pounds and the redline of 7,000 rpm are still impressive. It is an engine that at least one of our editors is still fantasizing about. It also brings a dry crankcase oil system to the table such as the LS9. To sweeten the deal, it's the most affordable of the engines on our list at $ 13,293.28. We are not entirely sure why GM decided to put it down to the penny, but it doesn't really matter to us with this classic power plant.