What Would You Stuff Dodge’s 1,025 Horsepower Demon 170 Crate Motor Into?

Demon 170 Crate Motor Autopian Asks
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The Dodge Challenger SRT Demon 170 might be the greatest American achievement since putting Neil Armstrong on the moon. Four figures of horsepower, an eight-second quarter mile time, and a factory warranty, all in a freaking Dodge. This insanely powerful Challenger may only be available to a select few customers, but you can now buy the hellacious 1,025 horsepower Demon 170 engine and build your own spawn of Satan.

Technically called the Hellephant C170 Crate HEMI Engine, it’s the same force-fed, corn-fueled 6.2-liter V8 found in the Dodge Challenger SRT Demon 170. As such, it gets a three-liter IHI supercharger, beefy pistons and connecting rods, and fueling set up for a blend of 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline to crank out an astonishing 1,025 horsepower at 6,500 RPM and 945 lb.-ft. of torque at 4,200 RPM.

Needless to say, this is one badass engine. Oh, and that’s not all — at $27,695, it’s actually reasonably priced for a 1,000 horsepower crate motor. No, really. The market for passenger vehicle crate motors with a comma in their output is actually quite small, and looking at the brief history of OEM entries, the Hellephant C170 Crate HEMI engine is the cheapest of the bunch.

For comparison, the 1,000 horsepower Hellephant 426 crate engine carried a price of $29,995, while the 1,004-horsepower Chevrolet ZZ632 10.3-liter crate motor retails on Summit Racing for $30,383.97. Sure, limited E85 fuel availability may be a downside to the Hellephant C170 Crate HEMI Engine, but saving a few grand and still getting 1,000 horsepower is a big plus. However, it’s still up to buyers to find the right chassis, so we’re asking you, what would you put this 1,025 horsepower beast into?

It shouldn’t be a surprise that we love dajibans, modified Dodge Ram Vans that haul motorcycles to the track in Japan and then haul ass around the track themselves. The typical recipe is to take a 1994 or newer Ram Van, drop it down low on a set of RS Watanabe wheels, beef up the power and brakes, and then simply rip. It’s endlessly entertaining watching these things go round, and 1,025 horsepower ought to make one just the right sort of scary. Sure, your knees are the crumple zones, but just don’t crash and you’ll be alright.

demon 170

Of course, you probably have your own idea of what to put this absolute unit in. Perhaps you want to build your own modern-day interpretation of the AC Cobra, fulfil your monster truck fantasies, or even build the world’s fastest street-legal Chrysler Cordoba. Whatever it is, we won’t judge, we just want to hear it.

(Photo credits: Stellantis)

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133 thoughts on “What Would You Stuff Dodge’s 1,025 Horsepower Demon 170 Crate Motor Into?”

  1. Put it in a vintage Rolls Royce, then answer every question about power output by saying it’s “sufficient”. Worked for their marketing for decades, might as well stick to tradition.

  5. Since @World24 already posted the idea for a mid-engined Omni, here’s my two:

    A big. blowsy, brightly-colored Exner/Engel (I prefer Elwood Engel’s version. but I get the appeal of Virgil Exner’s) Imperial convertible, although I’ll accept a ’65 (movie) or ’66 (contemporary TV series) Black Beauty – not really my taste, but it certainly fits the context.
    A Dodge Challenger, but not any of the ones you’re thinking of – the Dodge Colt Challenger, or its badge-engineered stablemate Plymouth Sapporo, both stemming from the Mitsubishi Galant Lambda. I’ll also accept versions of the Mitsubishi Station or Dodge-Plymouth-Chrysler Conquest that replaced them.

    1. Out of every vehicle I could’ve chosen, I’m surprised someone else would also like a mid-engine Omni!
      Plus, mentioning the Mitsubishi Galant Lambda is a cool plus, and one hellva good idea!

    2. I loved the little Sapporo I had—but the thought of dropping 945 driveshaft-twisting torques in one is, well, I’ve lived this long: kinda committed to self-preservation.
      Still, the thought also made me chuckle (no: not like a super villain—not at all)

  7. BMW Isetta. Granted, it’d be the only thing “in” the car, but I’m sure you could rig it up as a tow vehicle for a Radio Flyer or something to sit in.

  8. Keeping it Stellantis, the answer is obviously Citroën.

    But which Citroën?
    One of those 2cv vans like that one with the Ferrari engine would be a hoot and a half, but really the Citroën SM is the proper home. I’d settle for a DS though. Or an H van, yeah.

  9. Classy choice: Jenson Interceptor. A Hellephant would be a natural replacement for the original 440.

    Bonkers choice: Toyota Hilux, late 70’s/early 80’s era. Pull the bed off and put the engine behind the cab. Leave the 22R to power the stereo/AC, leaving all 1025 HP to spin the rear wheels.

    2. Oh, Jenson Interceptor, hadn’t thought of that. Along similar lines a Monteverdi High Speed also used the 440.

      Facel Vegas came with Hemis, that would be pretty nice too.

  16. Hilariously dumb idea: Omni, behind the front seats.
    Actual cool idea: Trailduster. Make a Baja-inspired Trailduster with that engine?! Talk about some fun!

      1. Realistically, I would try and find a Turbo 3 to put into an Omni to create the “ultimate” (obviously, others would argue) 80’s hot hatch.
        But an American Renault mid-engine hatchback would be cool to see!

  18. Put it in a DeTomaso Pantera and make the sketchiest car known to mankind. It’s already designed for a big ol’ pushrod V8, so this should drop right in. Just imagine the questionable Italian suspension trying to handle 1025hp, it would be hilarious.

  19. I’d put it in an old Supra to troll the JDM bros or an RX-7 to troll the rotary enthusiasts, or I’d swap it with a Cummins or whatever the diesel bros drool over. Something like that

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