BangShifter Josh Fullenwider sent us a couple of interesting Craigslist finds the other day, and one of them was this 2001 PT Cruiser that has apparently had a 44o transplant done on it. There are no pictures of the swap, but looking at the photos it would appear that something strange is going on because while the PT Cruiser originally came with 5 lug wheels, the fronts on this one are 4 lug. Like we said, something strange is going on here.
We can only assume that this poor little PT Cruiser is now rear wheel drive, and hope that the 44o that is described by the seller as “Stroked Out” and that it really does run and drive well. Of course for us to qualify a 44o powered PT Cruiser as running and driving well, it would need to do hellacious burnouts at will.
But even if it could, does it matter? I’m not sure that adding a 44o to one makes it better. And that’s not a dig on the 440 by the way, I’m not sure that adding any V8 makes it that much cooler.
What do you think? Does adding a 440 to a PT Cruiser make it better? Or just sad? Let us know what you think in the comments section below.
You could put a 440 in a Mustang and make it cool!
I don’t think anything can make a PT Cruiser better. And are there any underhood photos, because I’m not buying said swap. Would a 440 even fit between those front fenders? There’s not a whole lot of room up there.
Maybe they were thoughtful enough to install a Mustang II front cross member….that might explain the 4 lug front wheels. A rear sump 4×4 oil pan would then clear the cross member & make enough room for something as wide as a 440……maybe
Maybe they were thoughtful enough to install a Mustang II front cross member….that might explain the 4 lug front wheels. A rear sump, 4×4 oil pan would then clear the cross member & make enough room for something as wide as a 440……maybe……but there has to be some very stiff springs to hold the nose that high, with a heavy 440
What don’t a 440 make better? Anything with a 440 is better anything,show me something that ain’t. Now ya got a question ta ask!!
Nothing can make a PT cruiser better. Not only do the look terrible, they carry that shitty level of reliability that Chrysler has brought us to expect from them.
This looks bad. But….. do it as a modern Gasser? Blower sticking through the hood/windshield?
I like this idea.
A: A TP Cruiser gasser would be ridiculous.
B: It would piss off a bunch of people.
C: Making one into a gasser means you get to punch a bunch of holes and chop a lot of junk off a TP Cruiser. How is that not fun?
These cares are hopelessly irredeemable in every conceivable way, and there is nothing that can be done to one to make it “better” in any way, but it could still be fun if mistreated correctly.
By the way, does anybody else laugh when they realize that GM was so smitten with the TP Cruiser that they poached its designer? Some people like to aim for the gutter and make it.
Unless that 440 is rear-mounted, it’s time to pull it out of the PT Cruiser and find it a new home.
I saw a PT cruiser wheel stander at Mission Raceway , thats about the only way to make those cool .
wouldn’t be any different if someone put a 2.4 c.i P.T. motor in a Challenger…you guys bashing Chrysler, give up. Does not matter what vehicle you have, try preventative maintenance..it goes a long way.185xxx miles on my 03 Woody. Doesn’t mean that my P.T. is all that, but it has been a good performer to this point. When it dies, maybe a Chrysler Hemi crate motor with a flip top body….BTW…mine looks better^^^^^
Didn’t BS feature a hemi swapped PT a few months ago? If well executed a 440 swap will improve most anything.
My mother has a PT Cruiser; I’m forced to driver her round in it because she doesn’t want to ride in my junk.
Actually, a quick youtube search finds a shocking number PT hemi swaps.
I suspect this 440 is nothing more than a 318…I aint buying it…THe 440 is wide wide wide…
I hope everyone knows my hate of the pure sight of one of these cars. Never owned one and hopefully will have a bicycle handy to not ever have too.
Own an 02 – Rich has it right – Think old gasser/Ed Roth mutant……..
Tube chassis – hemi + a puffer sticking out ….
BIG back tires ,little fronts, bad ass stance…
The PT (or two) would just be a body donor for the shell…
You know all this gasser talk sounds interesting. Straight axle, Kinsler setup on a small block, 7.17s gears to let the motor sing and ladder bars that mount right behind the back of the front leaf springs. Kinda like an affordable way to build an Anglia panel. Probably could be done well for dirt cheap and the grin when you dumped the clutch would negate everyone saying “but it’s a TP Cruiser”