Hemi

[tonysrich]

I’ve been driving my brother’s XR8 around for about a week and I’ve got to admit to having developed a severe case of engine envy. Not that the Ford motor is all that powerful or particularly sophisticated or even all that fast for it’s displacement but the big surge of lazy torque that is delivered at the slightest pressure on the pedal is pretty nice and definitely addictive. Of course the crackling, popping sound coming from the exhaust when you rev it to around 5000rpm is pretty horny too even though it sounds a lot faster than the speedo actually indicates.
So I started looking for Hemi Conversions on the net but unless you are loaded you can forget it. For a start most kits wont fit Ozy RHD’s. The only dedicated RHD hemi conversion I can find is from Burnsville Offroad http://www.burnsvilleoffroad.com/ but it is $11,950USD just for engine and the conversion kit. As you still need to pay for shipping and installation I reckon you wouldn’t get any change from $20K but while the hemi is out of reach for most of us the U-Tube video’s are still there for all of us with a weakness for “Jeep Porn:”
Check out this 6.1 JK Hemi http://youtu.be/PGXN5q2abm0
A 6.4 JK Hemi http://youtu.be/rl3YPy49IyM
A Hemi conversion down under http://youtu.be/j24PHK_O5xk

[reyzor]

there is a guy in WA who is putting a hemi in his jeep..... also there was one that went into a 4 door in QLD...... it cane be done, however, likeyou said... it'll cost ya

[Steve F]

Supercharger? There is a club member who sells kits and has a supercharger on his JK. Maybe try and get a demo next club meeting.

Cheers
Steve

[tonysrich]

The US conversion kits are supposed to be plug and play but from what I've read in magazines about engine conversions there is no such thing as a plug and play conversion, no mater how god or well developed the conversion kit there will always be unforseen problems in swapping engines from one car to another.

The previous editor of 4WD Action (I forget his name) made a competition rig when he put a V6 commodore engine into a Suzuki Sierra. He said that for whatever you work it out to cost on paper an engine conversion will always wind up costing you about twice what you plan for. Plus even once you get a hemi into your JK can you imagine the cost of parts and servicing? It is hard enough to find a decent mechanic for your JK in standard trim. How many mechanics in Oz would know their way around a hemi motor, but a Holden 5litre V8, now there is something to consider.

[tonysrich]

Supercharger? There is a club member who sells kits and has a supercharger on his JK. Maybe try and get a demo next club meeting.

Cheers
Steve

Lets face it, the standard JK V6 is a dog so I'd be very interested in looking at a supercharger for my JK. Any chance of a few details about the supercharger kits this guy sells?

[reyzor]

the only reason many go for the hemi option is cos it matches up with the JK computer..... if i didnt have to worry about that side of things it would be a blown LS2 for sure.....