Demon-Powered Jeep JL Wrangler Is Overkill Done Right
Not for the faint of heart, a new Demon swap will nearly make your Jeep Wrangler do wheel stands in the parking lot.
When Jeep first introduced the newly redesigned Wrangler JL it came with a variety of engine options. From the trusted 3.6-liter minivan engine to a 2.0-liter turbo Diesel option and even a 4XE electric version, Jeep offered a host of power plant options to suit most buyers.
But what Jeep didn’t immediately offer, under their flagship; off roader of the year vehicle, is a Hemi engine. When YouTube sensations and all-around Jeepnuts Kevin and Brittany Williams of LiteBrite nation got behind the wheel of America’s Most Wanted’s latest Gladiator Demon swap, they immediately had to have one.
Jeep enthusiasts around the country immediately started shoe horning Mopar Hemi engines into the little Wrangler engine bay and a new, albeit thirsty, culture was born.
Whether the suits at Stellantis always had a Hemi horsepower engine in mind is up for debate, but in 2022 Jeep finally began producing a factory Hemi option for the Wrangler platform and consumers can’t get enough.
LiteBrite Nation
One of the first Jeep enthusiasts to swap a Hemi into the original 3.6-liter platform, this time around LiteBrite rolled in a brand new Wrangler 392 and instantly started tearing it apart.
Out with the old and in with the new.
Jeep Surgery
Thanks to Jeep’s traditional body-on-ladder frame construction, pulling the body off is not as big a deal as one might think. However, in order to compensate for the increased 448-HP, a new transmission, transfer case adapter and suspension upgrade are strongly recommended.
Litebrite went all out, courtesy of America’s Most Wanted, by stripping the frame entirely, custom welding on all new brackets and then powder coating the finished product for longevity. While it all feels a little over the top and unnecessary, especially when many of us would nearly do anything for a stock 392, it does make for some exciting content admittedly, even I was intrigued by the attention to detail and craftsmanship.
Vicious, 840-HP Demon Engine
Pioneering the Hemi engine swap conversion for the Jeep Wrangler platform, AMW now offers an even throatier engine option, the Demon. Cranking the already massive 392 HP up to a whopping 840 HP! Not for the faint of heart, a new Demon swap will nearly make your Jeep Wrangler do wheel stands in the parking lot.
Full Body-Off Restoration
Of course, all this power comes at a price and a hefty one at that! To properly retrofit a modern vehicle with a brand new power plant is an extensive process. Stripping the frame, welding all new mounting brackets, plumbing new lines and fabricating a host of custom parts to make it all work seamlessly together is a stroke of genius and a work of art.
In order to safely mash the pedal down and truly feel all 840 roaring horses, your entire drivetrain, including axles should really be upgraded at the same time. Given the amount of work required to make the Demon feel like it belongs under the hood of an SUV with removable doors, one has to wonder, is it all worth it?
Do you really need a 6.2-liter Dodge Challenger Demon engine stuffed under the hood of a solid axle, off-road machine? Probably not, but it sure is cool. In a world focused on gas prices, hybrid engines and plug in cars, there is something uniquely satisfying about the whirr of a supercharged monster of an engine under your feet.