In a 2025 video now at about 7.6 million views, Westen Champlin went shopping for a trailer-load of Hellcat parts. The Kansas YouTuber brought trailers to Arkansas to meet a seller who said the haul came from a chop-shop bust.
For $50,000, he bought seven Hellcat engines, four still installed in vehicles, and talked a Bentley into the deal. None of the five vehicles ran when he bought them, and none came with keys.
The seller, identified as Gabe in Champlin’s video, ran a salvage business near Fort Smith, Arkansas. He said a local drug task force had sought bids for the cars. His email described buying the engines through the local district attorney.
Champlin planned to haul it back to Kansas and see what would run. With wires cut and parts gone, even getting the cars off the trailers would take some work.
A Previous Life
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Gabe had bought 10 vehicles in the original deal, he told Champlin. He had never heard the engines run, since he had no keys either.
Hellcats have been prime targets for thieves. A 2023 Highway Loss Data Institute report tracked whole-car theft claims for 2020–22 models. The Charger SRT Hellcat’s theft claim rate was more than 60 times the average. The study took into account how many of each model had insurance.
At the salvage yard, the haul included a Charger and a Hellcat-swapped Dodge Magnum wagon. Three loose engines sat inside the shop. Champlin found broken plugs and cut wires as he looked them over.
He kept bargaining for more parts and the Bentley, whose cabin smelled of mold. Gabe also asked for tickets to Champlin’s Horsepower Rodeo event. They settled on 10, then shook hands on the deal.
A Good Investment
With the trailers loaded, Kyle asked how many cars could drive off under their own power. Champlin called the haul “a good investment,” but Kyle kept asking. After counting five vehicles, Champlin admitted none ran.
A man who could make keys came to help. The Chrysler 300 still could not start because parts of its control system were missing. They got a key for the Durango, too, but cut wires kept it from starting.
The Magnum was another matter. Its Hellcat engine fired up, leaving Champlin with a promise to keep. He had agreed to do a burnout if it started.
Before long, the stripped wagon was spinning tires with a jump pack supplying power. During the run, the pack flew toward the space where the passenger seat should have been. The car died, bringing the tire smoke to a halt.
One More Run
Later, Champlin and Kyle held a burnout contest in the Magnum. The loser would buy the winner a meal. Heat became a problem, and the wagon kept cutting out during Kyle’s turn.
Despite those troubles, the judge gave Kyle the win for his entry into the burnout. Champlin’s response was brief: “That is absolutely rigged.”