Dodge Will Still Sell You a Hemi, So Long as It's Not in a Car

Bare Hellephant 426 and Drag Pak 354 engine blocks are now available to build the Hemi V-8 of your dreams.

Photo by: Stellantis

Christopher Smith

By: Christopher Smith

Oct 30, 2024 at 10:41am ET

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Dodge Direct Connection now offers the Hellephant 426 and Drag Pak 354 Hemi as basic engine blocks.
The Hellephant costs $8,815, and the Drag Pak is $10,570.
Order banks open in early 2025.

Dodge Direct Connection is rolling into SEMA with all kinds of Hemi engines. Unfortunately, none of them are in a new production car. But mechanically inclined individuals now have two new budget-friendly choices to build a monster V-8.

The key word there is build, because these are just engine blocks. For the first time, The Hellephant A30 426 and Drag Pak 354 Hemis are available in their most basic form, sans heads and other components. That translates to a basic price, too: the Drag Pak Hemi costs $10,570, and the Hellephant starts at $8,815. Dodge says the blocks have new construction that improves oiling, cooling, and strength.

For comparison, a fully built Hellephant 426 costs $29,995 and is rated at 1,000 horsepower. A partially built Hellephant long block (with heads and a few other bits installed) lists for $18,995. As for the race-specific 354, it costs just under $60,000 as a complete engine.

If you prefer your Hemi in modern 6.2-liter guise, Dodge Direct Connection will now sell you a Demon 170 supercharger on its own. The big 3.0-liter twin-screw supercharger is key to the Demon 170's 1,025-horsepower rating, but you'll pay dearly to get it. The supercharger kit costs $11,995 and includes a new throttle body, fuel injectors, and the components you'll need to install it.

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"Dodge is celebrating 50 years of Direct Connection by growing our performance parts offerings for enthusiasts seeking more horsepower on the strip or on the street,” said Dodge CEO Matt McAlear. “With the launch of Hellephant A30 and Drag Pak 354 Supercharged Crate HEMI engine blocks, Direct Connection continues to expand the brand’s portfolio of crate engine products.”

The new engine blocks go on sale in early 2025, but Mopar will display them next week at this year's SEMA Show. Also featured in Mopar's SEMA booth is an EV-swapped Plymouth GTX muscle car, just in case ground-thumping Hemi engines aren't your style.