Quote:

---

On an odd/strange/queer/bizarre but related note...

Me and an import buddy were bench racing a while back. We got to talking about the Honda s2000 when i started talking about Ford 2.3L's. Here you have a 2800lb car with a N/A 2L 4cyl engine, that makes 240HP, mated to what is an apparently amazing 6spd transmission, and RWD. I thought hey, lets put one in my Pinto. He joked and said lets put one in your Challenger...

Much demented math later...

70 6cyl/3spd stick/7 1/4" Challenger... NO options. 3006lb curb weight, less the rust mine now has. Ditch the six, all the old powertrain and anything else we could think ov, drop in a 2L Honda 4/6spd, small alum shaft, keep the 7 1/4"... and then go to town on the usual ('tasteful') Jenny Craig treatment. At VERY minimum... we were looking at the s2000 powertrain in an old car that weighed the same or less. If you kept the rolling stock within reason you could theoretically expect to replicate the Honda performance...???

13 second 1/4's, 150+ top speed, 30 mpg...??? Well, not quite. The sheer aerodynamics would prevent that, but you might get close. Maybe a 14 second 1/4, 120mpg top speed, 25mpg...??? That pretty much exceeds most Challengers if we're being honest. Now, ov course you'd have a better exhaust doing a custom swap... other mods, more weight reduction, aero mods would help especially in a low-torque combo... Things could get interesting. Not to mention the mindblown looks you'd get at a Mopar show with the sound ov a 9000rpm buzzbomb coming from under the hood ov a badass looking car...

Bet with an all aluminum ricer powertrain you could get that sucker down to 2500lbs with a LOT ov steel left in the car. Anyone want to donate a car for the experiment...??? I'll send it to my buddy. I'm not touching this one... . . .

---