Ok, I see there is quite an interest in the 6.1 / 5.7 Hemi conversions as of lately.
Just happens to be raining a lot today here in Hawaii and I finally had some spare time to be able to give an outline on the swap.
All of the information I have received and learned came my way from Herb McCandless (at Chryler’s @ Carlisle ’07 Hemi Seminar), Dave Weber (Modern Muscle), Arrington Racing Engines, Tony Squier @ Squier Inc., Street & Performance, Pete (Moparts: Autodynamics), Gdemon (Jerry), Rob @ Weldtech and I am suree I am forgetting someone…


What I am going to outline here is what it took to get a 6.1L Hemi complete engine (off the assembly line) installed into a ’71 Cuda 340 with factory A/C.
Just before the swap, the ’71 Cuda had a new 360 Magnum 395hp engine w/ Demon 850 annular carb & Built 727 w/ bolt-in sprag, TF-2 and Dynamic 9.5” converter.

The engine was great, very responsive, nice lope and made great power. But it had many faults the wife wasn’t to crazy about. Cold start pumping the carb, wait for it to warm up a bit, marginal power brakes when coming down a long steep hill and other old technology symptoms.

To make this Cuda more wife friendly (and an excuse to build a new project), I decided a late model 6.1L Hemi would kill ALL birds with one stone. Make more power, easy cold starts, excellent driveability, 140amp generator, small efficient a/c compressor and an abundance of readily available parts.

Many options to acquire a 3rd generation Hemi. Wreckyards or new from the dealer as a complete off-the-line assembly engine with intake, injectors, fuel rails, sensors (minus Intake Air Temp Sensor) or you can buy Direct Connection’s Crate Engine with wiring harness and ECM which is not all that cheap.
I chose the 6.1L Hemi engine off the assembly line pn# 5037400-BA. It lists for $6735 and not available at all dealers. Only select dealers can get them.
My buddy Josh @ Champion Chrysler Jeep in Missouri got me a screaming deal which was a fraction of the list price. He even helped me get it freighted to Hawaii for a very good price. Another bonus, the engine comes in a large crate which Josh stuffs all the extra parts in to save on shipping.