This Craigslist Jeep Gladiator Has a 6.4-Liter Hemi V8 Under the Hood
The approach angle doesn’t help with the steep price, unfortunately
Engine swaps are often messy affairs that end with a cool albeit unreliable result. Typically, there's a reason why an LS7 was not offered in the particular flavor of Japanese hatchback the swapper (swappist? Swap artist? Sandwich artist?) has chosen. However, every once in a while a combination appears that makes us wonder why that combo isn't offered from the factory. This 6.4-liter Hemi V8-swapped Jeep Gladiator is one of them.
It's not just the logical combination of a V8 and Jeep's one and only pickup, it's the quality of the work that was done. A peek inside this truck's engine bay will tell you that these guys know what they're doing.
The engine was installed by America's Most Wanted 4x4, a shop that's been doing swaps like this one for over thirty years. If you're wondering about this truck's $115,000 dollar price tag, that's because the swap itself costs $78,235. With the cheapest Gladiator possible and the price of the swap, the price out the door is just shy of $110,000. This particular Jeep is far from the lowest trim level, though—it's a Rubicon, starting at $43,875.
The Gladiator's only engine option from the factory is a 3.6 liter V6 putting out 285 horsepower. That's exactly 200 fewer than what the new 6.4 liter offers at 485 hp/470 lb-ft of torque. Along with the engine, the truck's suspension is upgraded as well with Evo Manufacturing long arm kit all around and King Coilovers up front. This particular truck also has an 11,000-pound Smittybilt winch to pull itself out of sticky situations.
Along with these off-roading upgrades, there's a series of other additions that are typical of any modified Jeep, including an assortment of lightbars, bigger tires, but thankfully—and I do mean thankfully—a distinct lack of an angry-eyed grille. I suppose an omission isn't really an addition, but it definitely helps.
This truck is located just outside of Buffalo, New York, and at right around eleven thousand miles, it's practically new as well. The price is steep, but you are getting as close to factory V8 performance as possible. As for why Jeep didn't offer a V8 in the first place—it doesn't offer one in the Wrangler to start with, and the Hemi's glovelike fit in the Gladiator's engine bay leaves absolutely no room for a front crumple zone. But does it matter when a Jeep looks and sounds this good?
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