New Hemi Engine Swaps: How to Swap 5.7L, 6.1L, 6.4L & Hellcat Engines into Almost Anything (The Performance How-to, SA522)

Have you made plans for a new Hemi swap into your classic car? Maybe you’re just curious about the process and want to know how much work is involved. Either way, New Hemi Engine Swaps: How to Swap 5.7L, 6.1L, 6.4L, and Hellcat Engines into Almost Anything has you covered!

Even casual enthusiasts are aware of how many people are swapping modern technology into vintage chassis. Successful LS swaps have been common for more than a decade. They seem to be everywhere among GM enthusiasts.

On the Mopar side, the new Hemi platform is now 20 years old, so plenty of salvage-yard cores are available. With the introduction of the new Hellcat in 2015 (as well as a more robust crate-engine program in recent years directly from Mopar), aftermarket manufacturers have recently seen the wisdom of making peripherals and parts to simplify the process of this swap. Suddenly, swapping a crate Hemi seems as achievable as an LS swap.

In New Hemi Engine Swaps: How to Swap 5.7L, 6.1L, 6.4L, and Hellcat Engines into Almost Anything, expert Joseph Hinds guides you through the process of turning your vintage ride into a modern street machine. The essentials are covered, including engine mounts, transmission crossmembers, headers that actually fit, and solutions for other common issues. Also covered are fuel-supply items (pumps and tanks) and engine-compatibility concerns (oil filter locations and oil-pan accommodations). Finally, the biggest concerns for most are the wiring, modern powertrain control modules (PCMs), computer controls, and fuel injection, all of which are covered here as well. There are even step-by-step instructions to fit a modern Hemi into an early-1970s-era Duster as well as a feature about programming aftermarket electronic fuel-injection (EFI) systems.

Now that the difficulty in performing these swaps no longer requires a degree in computer science with welding certifications on the side, many are looking at their vintage Mopars in a new light. Whether you want to do this yourself, farm it out to a professional, or if you are just curious about how it is done, this is the guide for you.

Joe Hinds is a technical services team lead for Holley Performance Products. Joe has been a lifelong car guy and has over 37 years of experience repairing, restoring, and modifying cars. He began his professional automotive career working for Year One and Mustangs Unlimited, and he ran his own shop for many years. Now, his shop time is spent mostly on his own projects. This includes a 1955 Chevrolet Bel Air that is getting a Hilborn EFI-equipped big-block Chevy engine as well as his son’s wild Gen III Hemi–equipped 1972 Gremlin X that is being built to race in hill-climb, drift, and land-speed events and possibly some drag and drive events.

This is his second book for CarTech. His first book, GM G-Body Performance Upgrades, marked him as a GM guy, but he is a lifelong hot rodder with little brand loyalty and a great appreciation for anything mechanical.