Jeep Renegade Gets The V8 HEMI Engine Swap It Deserves

This V8 HEMI-swap Jeep Renegade is the engine swap the little SUV deserves. No longer is it a tiresome, small capacity offering. It's now on its way to being a proper performance vehicle packing American muscle.

By JBENS — 18/09/2023

An overhaul this intensive meant lots of DIY fabrication was needed. Luckily, the engine bay on the Renegade is sizeable enough to fit such a big V8. Custom engine mounts were needed to ensure everything fits nice and snug.

Mike, the owner and man behind the conversion, kitted the engine up with an aftermarket camshaft courtesy of Texas Speed & Performance, lightweight Manley valves, and a functional Holley high ram intake for an uninterrupted air supply. It’s fair to say the engine bay looks much meaner than factory thanks to the HEMI.

Teaming up with the engine is a ZF 8HP eight-speed automatic transmission. The finishing touch materialised in the form of a front subframe sourced from a 2016 Dodge Charger R/T, and a rear differential plucked from an undisclosed Hellcat model. As a rear-wheel-drive entity in its current state, the Hellcat setup will promise to be insane - no doubt lots of smoke.

You can check out more of Mike's HEMI Renegade in the video below - and we’re sure you’ll agree with us that this little fettled Jeep is way better than it was from the factory.

JBENS

Front and centre or behind the scenes, JBens has near on 20 years of experience in media related to all things automotive. With a growing collection of Commodores, (he has no idea how many he actually owns), including a couple of cracking '80s projects, the GMH love runs deep. JBens' passion for cars extends further than the good old Aussie Holden though. As former editor of Hot4s Magazine, he's just as likely to get excited about a classic rotor or SR-powered Datsun as he is a blown VK. Typically spotted in his trademark sunnies, flanno and hat, he’s difficult to miss. Just listen for the cries of “Maad!” and tag along for the inevitable chaos that follows.

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