Ever since Dodge showed off the Viper concept car that was completed around 1989, the car has always had this unique air about it. You knew without question that the AC Shelby Cobra and the Cobra Daytona coupe were the biggest inspirations and influences to the Viper (didn’t hurt anything that at the time, ol’ Shelby himself was pretty cozy at Chrysler) and to drivers, the car was…well, freaking intimidating. The Viper quickly became known as a no-bullshit car, one that rewarded drivers who had skill, courage and above all, respect for the serpent…otherwise, it’d bite you in the ass faster than you could say “spinout”. And then there was that V-10, a Lamborghini design from when Chrysler also owned the pinnacle of Italian insanity. A torque monster from the start, the only downside to the Viper V-10 anybody ever really had that was an honest critique was it’s exhaust note…in a 2008 comparison test with the Corvette Z06, Car and Driver’s Michael Austin wrote, “At lower rpm, the exhaust sounds like a tuba having sex with a vacuum cleaner”, one of my favorite sentences in automotive journalism, period.
Which brings us to the subject of today’s question: this 2006 Dodge Viper SRT-10. It looks good in it’s Snakeskin Green paint (really, it started life dark blue) and is on a rebuilt title after getting tapped in the rear end. With a Carfax report in-hand that says there was no frame damage, we’d inspect the repairs but wouldn’t be that scared off. But there is one big thing missing…that’s right, that engine, the one that made the second-freakiest noise out of the high-school band instruments. The V-10 spun a bearing and is gone, but everything else, from the six-speed on, is present and accounted for, so we ask you: what engine would you jam in here? We know that Team Viper has constantly maintained that the Hellcat Hemi won’t fit, but since the V-10 was based on the Chrysler LA small block, we still can’t help but think that a V8 in the snake’s engine bay isn’t a bad call. Use the spare room for two turbos and make those side-pipes bark…but maybe we have it all wrong. What say you?
eBay Link: 2006 Dodge Viper SRT-10, missing the -10.
(Courtesy: Carscoops. And the #1 instrument was the flute, but you knew that already, didn’t you?)
Aluminum block gen III 426 Hemi.
Anything but an LS – I agree with the Hemi myself.
But for the truly mad – what about two turbocharged Corvair motors joined together to look like a Porsche 917 engine and then paint the car in the classic gulf colours…..now the Chistmas tree is eating Santa’s head and the elves are climbing up my leg they’re coming to take me away ha ha..
I don’t care what Team Viper said, shove, stick, force, spoon feed a Hellcat engine in that thing!
I’d put a triple expansion steam engine in it; huge torque, few moving parts. All you would have to do is find a place for the boiler, store the coal and of course that giant oil can the lube the bushings. No need for any fancy electrics, just a couple lantern batteries, wire and some toggle switches. 🙂
Bugger me!
Your’e even madder than I am!
I love the steam power idea especially if it was linked to a generator then you would have the world’s first steam hybrid.
Go for it mate!
BAE Hemi and a couple of hairdryers
Twin turbo Cummins 12 valve backed by an Allison Trans
That is an amazing idea!
I was thinking that or a v10 TDI out of a toureg.
I have a spare XKE in line six that would look very good in there Sound good also
Built 2JZ with two 58MM turbos
Hell Cat Hemi, then repaint the Viper black.
I’d put a Viper V10 back in it (After all, that’s a big part of what makes a Viper a Viper) and forcefeed it with twin 88m turbos and maybe some nitrous
Thinking out of the box and loving the unusual, how about an R-3 Studebaker?
Slant 6 turbo
You beat me to it, Patrick. Then, I’ll say a couple of turbo’d GLH motors put end to end.
Now finish the job and scrap the rest of it.
The obvious answer is Buick Turbo6 (though it’s only obvious coming from me)… Honestly though that would not be high on my list of engines.
Mercedes V12, probably a 6.0L M120 unit since it’s the most simplistic in terms of electronics but could be any of them from the aforementioned 6.0 to the crazier twin turbo 5.5’s in the previous generation S600’s. Kinda a tribute to the time that Merc and Chrysler were all cozy…
Hellcat would be a perfect choice!
The hell with team Viper. Stuff a Hellcat into it.
Indy aluminum AMC 401 block+twin turbos.
20B rotary.
Iron Duke, obviously!