Killer Mike is one of the coolest dudes in hip hop right now. He’s one half of the incredible duo Run The Jewels, and occasionally releases some solo projects, like his recent triple-Grammy Award-winning album Michael. A few years back he bought his dream car, a Buick Grand National, and incorporated it into art and music videos for the 2020 release of RTJ4. It even became a Hot Wheels car. But, due to a drag racing mishap, it needed an engine.
Some of Mike’s car friends (and friends of Jalopnik) got together to re-build the car in time for the 2024 Grammys so he could drive the car to accept his awards. Thankfully, Hemmings captured the whole process on video and this is the first episode focused on the project.
There are plenty of ways to rebuild a Buick Regal Grand National, including a simple recomissioning of the original 3.8-liter turbocharged V6. For a guy like Michael Render, that just isn’t enough, however. His friends Ron Baugh and Mike Musto conspired to re-fit the iconic G-body with a powertrain worthy of the winner of 2024's Best Rap Album, Best Rap Song, and Best Rap Performance. Out with the original 200 horsepower from the depths of the 1980s, in with a fresh LT4 supercharged V8 from the C7-generation Corvette Z06, making around 650 horsepower and 650 lb-ft of torque.
Obviously the project isn’t going to be hammered out in a single video, and this is just the first in a series. You should definitely click over to YouTube and subscribe to the Hemmings channel so you don’t miss every episode of this ridiculous build. It’ll be worth it.