https://www.clevelandpap.com/shop/e...gine-turn-key-pallet-8-speed-auto-trans/

So they show this running on the pallet, with the transmission and everything.
if I wanted to drop this in an old car, what is the catch?
I mean specifically to get it running, not putting it in or mods to the body etc.
will it just run with warning lights going? do I need the dash and steering column for some reason?
if I swapped the ecu for the mopar kit one, would the trans run with its controller or are they tied together some how?

My take is that if you want to use that engine and transmission you need to install most all of that stuff in the old car.

That is unless you replace the engine and transmissions controllers with aftermarket units.

Never done any of this just observation of what was required with early Hellcat swaps before current aftermarket parts were available.

I don't think there is a way to show you the engine running without having all of that stuff connected.

The catch is all the fine details of the swap that everyone leaves out. What mounts to use (Holley, vs TTI vs make your own), Stock K member or?, how much of the car to cut, what fits with what (back to the mounts and k-member decision), the shift points in the trans probably don't work with the rear end in your car, wiring and more wiring, what are you doing for a speedometer, and lot more stuff you'll find that you don't even know yet.

Holley probably has the best solution for engine and trans by moving it forward a bit so there's less of the car to cut. You might consider the Holley engine control and wiring. If you used the stock stuff they give you you would need all of it and probably more will need to go into the car, because it all feeds and talks to one another. The trans wont do anything without seeing the shifter. I'm not experienced using the stock wiring straight from a car, some of the Roadkill and Gas Monkey episodes indicate the stock controllers are looking for HVAC, radio and light bulbs. Here you either program the control unit or find a simpler aftermarket solution.

If nothing else doing that swap will probably teach you patience and empty your wallet...but it is cool!

thanks, I get it that how to fit it into the car is going to be a challenge and it will be different per car.
but my question is if it runs on the pallet, how much do I need for it to run in the car? do I have to figure out how to put everything on that pallet into a car.

you have allot of legit questions. but you need to sit down and figure out what and how the swap wants to be when done. I think the link shows a 6 speed as a trans. If it comes down to just engine management than that's easy lean on Holley. if you run the automatic 8 speed then sound German auto needs to be involved. If you just read this site and over on for A Bodies only you will get most of your questions answered. I did the swap 4 years ago and did bare minimum. allot has changed since then and yes, I will be doing it again but at a much higher level of completion. my goal is to do a red eye swap in my demon. won't be easy and that one will take a long time.

you just need to figure out what and how you want it to turn out. then start planning it all out on paper first. collect as many parts as you can, then find someone if you can't do it to execute your plan.

keep in mind you can put this motor in front of a 727 or a 904 either one well built with do the duties.

it is fun to drive and gets lots of looks when the hood is open. it is becoming a very common practice to see Gen 3's in older mopars.

I want to do this with as little custom stuff as possible. lol.
I did the 5.9 efi swap just as the hemi's came out, so that has been a pain. Today I can buy a whole new engine managment system out of the box and not do much better than the cobbled together stuff I have.


but if I can figure out how to use a running "driving" setup then maybe.
so if I need the gas tank, dash and steering column, then it probably isn't going to happen.
if I can swap parts/sensors off of those things into an old car, then maybe.

if I have to buy a whole new engine managment system and a whole new trans setup, adding another 4k to it, then also probably not worth it. I will stick to my 5.9 mag motor.

I would probably do most of the work myself, over time, but really I wanted to see how far away I was from running on a pallet to running in a car.

Thanks though. it doesn't seem that it would be that simple.

If you do not want to use an aftermarket controller of any type then I believe you need everything on that pallet to make it run right. The factory computer has to check alot of boxes for things to run at full power.

I think the easiest way to get going with a Gen III in an older vehicle is a salvage engine and wiring with something like this. https://www.diyhemi.com/product-page/2015-2021-car-quickhemi-harness

I haven't done it but I somewhat follow this stuff. I

that is pretty amazing. thanks for the link.

you can buy the mopar performance ecu and wiring for $2k or more
you can buy hotwire auto's unlocking and wiring harness for about the same
You can buy Holley controller for about the same

$1000 to Sound German for TF8 controller. Plus you need to acquire the oem shifter.

I keep going back and forth between my original plan to turbocharge a 5.7 with a 392 cam or go hellcat. either way would be for my Coronet race car so my plan is a 727.

my first go at this i used a junkyard 5.7. ran the MSD hemi 6 controllers. mounted my Cope race prepped 904 behind it. It ran great on just that. then i rebuilt the motor, changed to the MS gold box and really stubbed my toe. i have it lined out now but am thinking of changing to the Holly terminator X when the hair dryers go on. I still run the 904 with no issues whatsoever. there are many ways to skin this cat. I also purchased the Tanks Inc gas tank for EFI fits like a glove with the in tank pump. I can run E85 or race gas as well at 92 pump swill.

i did all this on the cheap as well. I was proving a point to my GM LS buddy that the hemi can be run right out of the junk yard on the cheap like the LS guys claim to.

you can do anything just set a path and a plan and research this to make sure this is something you want to tackle. It took me about 6 months to complete the swap. not working on it every day. maybe one day a week.

if you have questions just ask them its really not that hard to do. the Holley aftermarket support has gotten way better.

I don't quite understand why you would want all those additional items, such as the gas tank, steering column, dash display, etc. In my mind, all it does is increase your price from them and also increase your freight price. Don't get me wrong, it is nice knowing you are getting a running package, but is it worth all the extra junk? I've seen guys selling hellcat take outs complete with trans, harness, and ecu for about $10K less than this company. If I were to buy one, I know who I would purchase from. Companies like DIY Hemi can make the stock ECU work like the mopar crate ECU, so why not go that route?

I don't know much about the swap at all.
when I first looked years ago, prices were crazy for just the engines.
I found this site and it seemed reasonable for a turnkey job where the engine ran and transmission ran all together vs piecemealing parts and stuff from 5 different places in the hopes that it would run.
It doesn't seem that unreasonable if you look at it as a time/money thing finding all the stuff to make it run vs having one running.
but that is also why I asked. If I am throwing most of it out and spending another 5k on aftermarket parts to make it run, then it isn't really that good a deal.

Andrewh,
Do yourself self a favor. Get a list of things needed then bounce that cost off what you need to put this pallet option as well.
Here was my list
Motor(used)
Headers(pending for what car, tti or jeep srt headers, not sure the year)
Motor mounts buy or fab your own(tti or holley)
Adaptor plate for motor to trans
Computer
Harness
Trans if you need to buy one or use what you have
Efi tank and pump(holley has a nice one)
Oil pan for swap
Radiator and hoses

Even if you buy the pallet option you have other things that add up for you just to put it in and get running. Somewhere either on moparts or on for a bodies only there is a list that someone created. Its a big list but can be smaller if you want it to be. One thing you didnt mentin was your budget. I did my first swap for under 5 grand. It was tuff but i did it. It has evolved since as i stated above. If i have time i will pull my book and share my detail list of parts and costs. I will try to pm that to you. I had some of the efi portion as i had efi on the car when it was raced. That was not factured into the cist, but the factory tank with efi was.

Pm me if you want.

Thanks, but I was just seeing if I was playing in the same ball park.
not a serious want to build at this time.
I get if I pieced it together, I could probably come in well under the 10k for that pallet.
but I am not at the point where I want to drop that kind of coin on my car.

$5k wow! That's a record

Headers are $1k, oil pan $500, motor mounts and the list goes on forever.......

headers are not $1000 I bought the uncoated long tubes, at the time they were around $680 ish motor mounts were only $275 ish. when i did the swap things were not as pricey as they are today. looking back at what i purchased minus the headers I would take the time to fabricate everything i could. also the MSD6 box was cheaper a few years ago as well.

I also stated I had the EFI system already. so yes 5 K is very easy to hit.

The junk yard motor was $150 bucks (I got Lucky)

I did everything on the cheap if you take your time to plan it out the cost does not have to be 10k. it will if you do a bunch of unnecessary machine work and do impulsive purchases. and I don't add my time to the build as this is my hobby not my living.

Yes, I have spent more money in the last few years on upgrades but that's after the first fire up and a summer of driving the car to shake it out. i think it's been 3 years running this junk yard motor.

I would say now that i made changes and upgrades to the motor over the last few years I have reached that $8k area.

So this now starts to make sense, $8k, not including a motor.
Most people don't add up all the details, it's a hobby so that's fine.
But you'd be hard pressed to do this swap for less than $10-12k.
Not trying to be a d*ck, but people need to go into this eyes wide open.

I've kept a detailed spreadsheet and will be lucky to keep it around $15k.

I did something similar with a 1972 Powerwagon crewcab. Bought a low mile 5.9 Magnum which was OBD 2. Removed a complete wiring harness from an early Dodge 1500 with OBD 1. Less sensors. From headlights to taillights including column and dash, fuel tank etc. Installed it all, primed the fuel system and it fired up the first time I hit the key. The worst part was removing the wiring harness from the Dodge. IF I wanted to do what your thinking about that is the route I would go. Buy a whole car and start moving things. All the aftermarket stuff is great but it's not the only way.

If it runs on the pallet and you get everything hooked up like it is on the pallet it sounds to me that all you need to do to make it work in your car is mount all the stuff that is hooked to the motor now on your car
But, I haven't tried doing anything like that so what do I know
You can do THIS