My 1974 Dodge Monaco Bluesmobile has been one of my favorite vehicles for years. It’s been through parades, road rallies, cross-country adventures, and even a Cannonball Run victory with Ed Bolian. It’s a car that gets more attention than vehicles worth ten times as much, and I absolutely love it.
But like most of my projects, what started as a relatively inexpensive way to make an old car more enjoyable eventually spiraled completely out of control.
Welcome to Bluesmobile Mission 2.0 — a Hellcat-powered, Pro Touring version of the most famous police car in movie history.
From Budget Restomod to Full Pro Touring
The original idea was simple: build a Bluesmobile that looked the part but could actually be driven and enjoyed without all the headaches of a 50-year-old police car. The first major transformation in 2016 involved swapping in a 5.3L GM LS engine. The combination worked surprisingly well and made the Monaco a much more capable and reliable driver which me and Ed Bolian proved winning the 2016 C2C Express.
For years, the car was powered by that LS engine using a Holley Terminator X engine management system. I never even bothered having it professionally tuned. I simply used Holley’s self-learning feature, and it worked great! But eventually, I decided the car needed another round of upgrades.
I originally planned to retain the factory Crown Vic 8.8-inch rear differential and 4 link from the P71. Unfortunately, the rear end was too wide for the Monaco. That meant narrowing the housing, which in turn meant completely reworking the rear four-link suspension.
And of course, since we were already that far into it, why stop there?
What started as a poor-man’s restomod officially turned into a full Pro Touring chassis and suspension conversion.
The team at Frame Up Wheelworks took on the project, upgrading the car with Ridetech coilovers, a Detroit Speed QuadraLink rear suspension, a custom-narrowed Ford 8.8 rear differential, and additional chassis and braking improvements.
The goal was to make this enormous old Dodge handle, steer, and stop like something considerably more modern, while retaining its unmistakable Bluesmobile appearance.
A Hellcat Under the Hood
With the chassis now capable of handling substantially more power, the old 5.3L LS engine suddenly seemed a little underwhelming.
Enter Satera Tuning.
I decided to retire the LS and replace it with a 2021 supercharged 6.2L Hellcat Jailbreak drivetrain, complete with the ZF 8HP eight-speed automatic transmission.
Putting a modern supercharged HEMI and eight-speed transmission into a 1974 Dodge Monaco isn’t exactly a bolt-in affair, but the team at Satera made it happen. The result is a car that retains all the personality of the original Bluesmobile but now has the power and drivetrain refinement of a modern high-performance Mopar.
On Satera’s dyno, the stock Hellcat engine with custom tuning produced an incredible 649 horsepower at the wheels and 590 lb-ft of torque on the Dynojet. That’s an absolutely ridiculous amount of power for a car that looks like it should be chasing Jake and Elwood through the streets of Chicago. And that’s exactly why I love it.
Modern Electronics, Classic Appearance
One of the biggest challenges of installing a modern Hellcat drivetrain in a 1970s vehicle is getting all the electronics to communicate properly. Having had such great success with the Holley Terminator X on the previous LS engine, I wanted to stay with Holley for the new build. This time, I upgraded to the Holley Terminator X Max standalone engine management system, which offers the CAN bus capabilities necessary to communicate with the Sound German transmission controller operating the 8HP transmission. The system offers internal data logging, extensive tuning capabilities, and the ability to customize the instrumentation.
One of my absolute favorite details of the entire project is the Holley 6-inch Pro Dash.
Rather than installing a modern-looking digital display that would be completely out of place in a 1974 Dodge, we integrated the Pro Dash into the factory speedometer location.
Satera went one step further and surprised me with a custom digital gauge layout that replicates the Monaco’s iconic factory 140-mph police-certified speedometer. At first glance, it looks like the original police speedometer. But underneath, it’s a fully configurable modern digital instrument display. It’s one of those little details that really makes the build special.
We also incorporated several other Holley components, including a shallow oil pan, oil filter relocation system, and fuel pump to help make the drivetrain conversion possible.
Steel Wheels, Big Tires, and Serious Suspension
One of my requirements throughout this project was that the Bluesmobile still had to look like the Bluesmobile. Of course, fitting modern high-performance tires onto a massive 1974 Dodge while retaining that appearance presented a few challenges. We ended up going with 18×10-inch US Wheel steel wheels wrapped in 295/45R18 Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires.
That gives the Monaco some serious rubber without losing the understated police car look.
Underneath, the suspension is anything but vintage.
The front end uses the Crown Victoria P71 suspension and rack-and-pinion steering, upgraded with Ridetech HQ coilovers. Out back, a Detroit Speed X-Gen QuadraLink system, Ridetech adjustable coilovers, and custom-narrowed Ford 8.8 differential replace the original setup.
Wilwood rear disc brakes complement the Crown Vic front braking system.
The finished combination is designed to give this massive Dodge the traction, handling, and stopping power to match its Hellcat drivetrain. It’s probably more suspension than any Bluesmobile has ever needed, but that seems appropriate for this project.
Built to Be Driven
I’ve never been interested in building cars that just sit around looking pretty. The Bluesmobile has always been about having fun, whether that’s showing up at a parade, participating in a rally, or driving it hundreds of miles to an event.
That’s why this latest transformation was about much more than just making horsepower.
I wanted a car that starts easily, idles properly, shifts smoothly, handles predictably, and can actually be enjoyed on the street.
The Hellcat and 8HP combination completely transforms the driving experience, while the Holley electronics tie everything together.
And with nearly 650 horsepower at the rear wheels, there’s certainly no shortage of entertainment when you put your foot down.
Bluesmobile Mission 2.0 – Build Specifications
Engine & Drivetrain
- 2021 supercharged 6.2L Hellcat Jailbreak engine
- Holley fuel pump
- Holley shallow oil pan
- Holley remote oil filter relocation
- ZF 8HP eight-speed automatic transmission
- Custom engine and transmission installation by Satera Tuning
- Custom tuning by Satera Tuning
- 649WHP / 590TQ on a Dynojet 248
Engine Management & Electronics
- Holley Terminator X Max standalone ECU
- Sound German Automotive 8HP transmission controller
- Holley 6-inch Pro Dash
- Custom factory-style 140-mph police speedometer display
Suspension & Chassis
- Ford Crown Victoria P71 front suspension
- P71 rack-and-pinion steering
- Ridetech HQ front coilovers
- Ridetech HQ single-adjustable rear coilovers
- Detroit Speed X-Gen Universal QuadraLink rear suspension
- Custom-narrowed Ford 8.8-inch rear differential
- Chassis and suspension upgrades by Frame Up Wheelworks
Brakes
- Ford Crown Victoria P71 front disc brakes
- Wilwood rear disc brakes
Wheels & Tires
- US Wheel 18×10-inch steel wheels
- Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires 295/45R18
The Next Chapter
I’ve owned and driven some pretty incredible cars over the years, but there’s something special about the Bluesmobile. Maybe it’s the reactions it gets everywhere it goes. Maybe it’s the connection to one of my favorite movies. Or maybe it’s simply the absurdity of putting this much engineering and horsepower into a beat-up old Dodge police car.
Whatever it is, this car has already provided me with years of great memories. And now, with a Hellcat under the hood, modern eight-speed transmission, completely reworked suspension, and nearly 800HP, I have a feeling the next chapter is going to be even better!
