RE: Interesting Proposition
there is much more to the SRT8 than just the engine...i can almost promise that the suspension in the V6 model will be very different from the 6.1, if not all of the V8 models. you would also have to rework the electronics to work with the V8 engine.
to change from a v6 car to a v8 car takes a great deal more than just putitng it in...so ill run down the things quickly, for those who havent put an engine in a car.
engine mounting:
the motor mounts are almost never the same. also, while the engine bay of the challenger will accept the V8, the items around the V6 are made to work with the V6, so you may find yourself relocating accessories. then, you have to get into the actual engine mounts...for a race car, you simply put in an engine plate, but that makes for a very rough ride, especially with a big idle...so you have to go through fabbing mounts, and possibly fabbing mount locations. next, one the engine is in, you have to rework the entire exhaust setup to work with the V8. then, once that is taken care of you have to get a transmission that will bolt up to the V8. the V6 trans might fit, but its not made to handle that huge power, and the same goes for the driveshaft and rear diff. things might "fit" but those components arent made to handle the power.
so, say that you also buy the 5.7 or 6.1 transmission, and then a driveshaft that will fit, into the stock rear from the V6. you now have to deal with the added weight of the V8, which will cause the car to ride and handle poorly, so you will have to upgrade and adjust the suspension to handle the added weight, and the added power.
so now the engine is in, bolted down, connected back to the wheels, and the suspension will keep the car going forward, now you have to make the engine fire. youd have to buy an entire wiring harness, and make sure that things like the fuel pump and lines are high enough flow to feed this new engine. youd also have to change the engine computer system and trans computer system...and an aftermarket setup is VERY expensive, so youre spending a bunch more money to wire the car to work with the engine and transmission.
then you have that stock V6 rear diff, with stock V6 axles...how long will those hold up to twice as much torque as planned?
Engine swaps to new cars are a bad idea unless you get a bunch of free parts....If you want a "cheap" toy made out of a new challenger, THE way to go is a carbed V8. it might not bolt directly in, but neither will the 6.1, and a truck 360 can be bought for a few hundred dollars...the same goes for a 727 or 904 transmission (which has OD). for less than a grand, you can have a mid 70s to late 80s carbed 360, and a transmission.
a trans shop will rebuild a unit with pretty good internal parts, including a torque convertor, for less than 2000...im sure that buying the stock trans from behind the 6.1 costs more than that in a crate...and a built 727 is about bulletproof.
next, call indy cylinder heads, and order a set of the small block street/race heads...a nice cam, and stock bottom end, with around 9 to 1 compression will make a ton of power...way more than a stock 6.1. putting the whole 360 together with that indy top end setup would cost in the area of 5000, and i think that would cover pretty much everything on the engine, including the carb.
so for less than the cost of that crate motor, you can have a MEAN street motor with none of the electronic nightmares, and it will truly have that V8 rumble..it will still break the rearend, however...and the suspension will need to be upgraded...which is why in the end, i wouldnt have started the project in the first place...it would have been cheaper to buy the srt8
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