Lucas Bell 
When the Jeep Gladiator made its official debut at the LA Auto Show in 2018, fans of the brand immediately rejoiced. As the first truck offered by the brand since the Comanche disappeared from dealerships in 1992, the Gladiator enjoyed quite a bit of initial success. And while the JT Gladiator is certainly an enthusiast vehicle, the truck is somewhat lacking in the power department. Thankfully for the seven-bar faithful, America’s Most Wanted 4×4 can help with that. The Holly, Michigan-based shop has been engine swapping Jeep products for years, and currently offers a litany of engine swap options for Gladiator owners in need of a bit a lot more oomph. Such as dropping the all-mighty Hellcat V8 into the engine bay.
In fact, AMW4x4 currently offers four different Hemi engine options for those looking for a turn-key swap project. The range starts with the 6.4L Apache V8 engine, which can currently be found in the Wrangler 392. That said, the 392 on offer from AMW4x4 produces 505 horsepower, compared to the 470 horsepower on offer from the V8-powered Wrangler. The team also offers the obligatory Hellcat V8 swap, which promises to bring the full 707 horsepower on offer from the supercharged 6.2L Hemi. For those who are able to get their hands on either a Demon V8 or a Hellephant crate engine, AMW4x4 also offers packages for those ludicrous engines. That said, customers might have a hard time sourcing those limited-production motors.
The Hellcat V8 swap then is perhaps the most enticing package on offer from America’s Most Wanted 4×4, though it isn’t exactly cheap. The package starts at $58,500, though that does include the price of the motor. It is worth noting that the price also assumes that you will provide the JT Jeep Gladiator needed for the build, though AMW4x4 are more than happy to source a truck for you. Package highlights include: a heavy duty 8HP75 eight-speed automatic transmission, an upgraded billet transfer case, an upgraded Hellcat fuel system, a patented “Stressflex” performance radiator, and a complete 3.5-inch stainless steel exhaust system. In order to help alleviate some of the heat coming from the 707 horsepower V8 engine, AMW4x4 also fit the Gladiator with some unique hood vents and louvers.
The AMW4x4 Hellcat V8 package also includes a ton of factory-spec hardware from Mopar, including all of the necessary computer modules needed to make the truck run like stock. That is a huge plus, considering the fact that a factory-built Hellcat Gladiator doesn’t seem like it is coming anytime soon.
