A few weeks ago we brought you the “old meets new” story about the shop, G&G Automotive, who purchased that random Hellcat Hemi crate engine to install in a 1970 Plymouth Superbird. In putting together this challenging engine swap (much like the modern LS and Coyote swaps that we see with GMs and Fords) the biggest challenge was the transmission. The decision was made to use the 4L85E transmission to mate up to the boosted Hemi.

Comparing the old K-member to the new one, it’s beefier and will serve as a strong support member for the Hellcat Hemi.

If swapping a modern engine in a Superbird wasn’t enough to bring some purists to comment, the GM transmission certainly put some people over the edge. But this is what hot rodding and custom builds are all about: doing what nobody else has done and setting the bar a little higher. We are staying in touch with our friend Gil Goldstein who is bringing us the exclusive story to this build and he assures us that he is doing everything he can to maintain the integrity of the Superbird.

The story of the Hellcat Hemi crate engine is that it was never a crate engine to begin with, it was a replacement engine so getting one is quite a feat and as far as we know this is the only one out there, and quite possibly the only Hellcat Hemi going into a classic. With the classic Mopars possessing a K-member, it meant getting a new one and mounting the 6.2 liter Hemi.

For the task of mounting the engine, Goldstein contacted his friends Clint and Jeff at Magnumforce and purchased a front suspension upgrade and then went to work fabricating the K-member instead of cutting up the car. As of this week, Goldstein tells us that the engine is in the Superbird – and does it ever look great sitting between the fenders of a Superbird. A lot of modification needs to be done, but he tells us that the factory headers will fit very well and that’s a good sign.

While it is a big project to take on, Goldstein says he’s glad to be a part of it and this is what keeps him going. With the engine mounted into the Superbird, that Hellcat Hemi is looking good and we can’t wait to see how the rest of the project comes together. The SuperBird is just now starting to spread its wings and we’ll bring it to you as the project progresses.

With much more room than the original big blocks of its time, this Superbird has modern Hellcat power to propel this bird forward.