Photo: Bring a Trailer
You get to a certain point in life when you can't just go out and buy a Hellcat Challenger because you need the extra space for the family. Even the Hellcat Charger might be deemed too small by your loving wife, and so you find yourself looking at pickup trucks instead. There are a few fast ones out there, that's for sure, but perhaps a Raptor or a TRX might attract some unwanted attention. So, where do you go from that point?
It just so happens that someone might have had the same issue. Or maybe they were just keen on creating the ultimate sleeper truck. It all started with a 2020 Jeep Gladiator, which came from the factory in Rubicon trim. A 2021 Rubicon has got a starting MSRP of $44,140 (plus an additional destination charge of $1,495), but it only comes with two rather boring V6 options. So if you really want to pick out a Gladiator, but you also want a V8, there's only one thing left to do.
That's right, you need to resort to an engine swap. Now, this 2020 Gladiator that is being auctioned off was modified by Dakota Customs in Black Hawk, South Dakota, which went down that V8 road. A supercharged 6.2-liter Hellcat SRT V8 crate engine was brought in to replace the standard 3.6-liter V6. The engine has been tuned by Hemituner Performance in Massapequa, New York.
They even dyno'ed the Gladiator after work was done on it, and the results show 546 horsepower and 522 lb-ft (707 Nm) of torque. While the Hellcat engine is rated for slightly more than 700 horsepower, the results are most likely measured at the wheels. The custom specialist also reflashed the ZF eight-speed automatic transmission and installed LED headlamps. One user jokingly noted that: "Transmission will be fine guys, just keep it under 55 mph (88 kph)..forever!"
At this moment, the odometer displays less than 100 miles (161 km), and it seems like the truck is located in South River, New Jersey. The window sticker shows that the base truck was purchased for $59,670, including the destination charge, as there's a long list of features over the base price of $43,875. With seven more days to go before the auction is over, the highest bid stands at $55,000, but I'm pretty sure it's going to sell for more than that.
That's right, you need to resort to an engine swap. Now, this 2020 Gladiator that is being auctioned off was modified by Dakota Customs in Black Hawk, South Dakota, which went down that V8 road. A supercharged 6.2-liter Hellcat SRT V8 crate engine was brought in to replace the standard 3.6-liter V6. The engine has been tuned by Hemituner Performance in Massapequa, New York.
They even dyno'ed the Gladiator after work was done on it, and the results show 546 horsepower and 522 lb-ft (707 Nm) of torque. While the Hellcat engine is rated for slightly more than 700 horsepower, the results are most likely measured at the wheels. The custom specialist also reflashed the ZF eight-speed automatic transmission and installed LED headlamps. One user jokingly noted that: "Transmission will be fine guys, just keep it under 55 mph (88 kph)..forever!"
At this moment, the odometer displays less than 100 miles (161 km), and it seems like the truck is located in South River, New Jersey. The window sticker shows that the base truck was purchased for $59,670, including the destination charge, as there's a long list of features over the base price of $43,875. With seven more days to go before the auction is over, the highest bid stands at $55,000, but I'm pretty sure it's going to sell for more than that.
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