SRT10/Viper Swap Questions

[LilRedWagon]

I want to start off by saying that I'm sure this has probably been asked, but I'm not really asking about the cost or the plausibility, I'm asking about the work involved, and what I would likely run into...

I'd like to take a Dodge Magnum SXT (3.5L V6) and swap to a V10. I'm sure it's not exactly a walk in the park, but I'm interested in the fit.

The 3.5L RWD Magnum is what I am planning on buying when I move out. I deal with a lot of equipment and it's a practical car for me to use as a daily driver for a while as I source some parts to swap in.

I'm thinking about the V10 out of a viper (as bad as I want the new 8.4, realistically, it's out of my budget at the moment), and I want to do a panel van conversion to the Magnum. Eventually, I want to make a mimic Lil' Red Express Wagon, complete with woodgrain vinyl wrap, logo on the rear panel, etc.

I've seen this done with an SRT8, but not quite how I would like the car to look, and seeing as this is in the distant future, and the cost of the Magnums now, it seems like something worth trying.

My main questions are along the lines of the following:

Physically, it's a real tight squeeze to get the V10 + trans into the Magnum. Obviously it will require some cutting of the firewall, and reworking of the center console. Does this make the project seem unrealistic?

Are the viper parts durable as they are? I spend my days drooling over other cars than the viper, I figure rather than spend a million years trying to find the answers, maybe someone here can lay it out more easily.

Am I about to create the project car from hell doing this? I know it's not exactly an orthodox swap or anything someone would consider normal. I'd like to cage it and use it for track days, and also hope it's still streetable with some coilovers and proper building, but I guess I could be talked out of it...it all depends really. Most importantly, I'm looking to get that Magnum and figure it out then, so I guess now I'm looking for the bigger answers right now, will it fit, is it really stupid, etc.

I've heard the whole "when there's enough money there's a way," but I'm wondering about whether it's worth doing, or if it'll really affect the structural integrity of the car with any necessary hacking...

Thanks in advanced, happy trucking all...

 

[VenomTruck]

Only thing stopping you is your bank account. Anything is possible.

 

[Mopar]

The amount you would spend with axle driveshaft tranny and engine and fabrication, you would be better off buying a 10' i would think.

 

[fastestbrickonearth]

Gonna have to see if it will fit period first. If not cut and fabricate as necessary. Fab motor mounts. Then see if trans will fit fab as necessary. Fab trans cross bar. Then prolly get an after market controller for trans. Prolly full manual valve body would be best. Custom drive shaft. Make sure pinion angle will work for axle. To get the engine to be controlled maybe a stand alone system(big stuff or other maybe). Lots of wiring

 

[VenomTruck]

Gonna have to see if it will fit period first. If not cut and fabricate as necessary. Fab motor mounts. Then see if trans will fit fab as necessary. Fab trans cross bar. Then prolly get an after market controller for trans. Prolly full manual valve body would be best. Custom drive shaft. Make sure pinion angle will work for axle. To get the engine to be controlled maybe a stand alone system(big stuff or other maybe). Lots of wiring

bingo

 

[06SRT10]

After you spent the $$$ to custom build it, it would be one of a kind & would be difficult to ever sale. You will never get your $$$ back. While you are building your dream machine what will you be driving? Unless you have unlimited funds I would step away from this.

 

[mopar6488]

A couple years ago I was at miller motorsports park in Utah
And I saw a magnum with a 3rd gen viper swapped over with a manual trans it was sweet, the guy said it wasn't too bad he used alot of challenger parts he said for the interior

Might I add he did say it was a blast to drive

 

[VenomTruck]

Ill just keep saying this until its just retarded…it can be done, the only thing limiting you is your ability to fund such a project. If you know the guy who did the swap, I would find him and become his best friend. I dont think anybody here has done a swap like that. I totally respect your ambition and I hope you are able to realize your dream. But you must know up front that this will be a very expensive project, and as stated before you will never get your money back. If youre ok with that, then maybe you should talk to Justin.

 

[mopar6488]

Nothing better then built
Not bought

 

[LilRedWagon]

Okay, I understand that the cost will be high, I want to judge the car beyond the cost beforehand (hence why I don't have all the parts scattered across the garage already).

So the way I'm seeing it, the fit for the drivetrain has to be determined, and that's the "make or break" of the V10.

I would very much like to have the 6 speed manual swapped in, I drive a 5 speed 360 days of the year (the other 5 are days I just don't go out). I'd like to use the T56 for the swap, primarily because I do like to row my own. Rear end would likely be a viper rear, with probably a custom driveshaft, assuming everything will work out. Since I also work in a computer shop, while I don't particularly enjoy doing a lot of wiring, it doesn't really scare me away, I would end up doing a full wire tuck anyway on this.

I found a very rough guide about the size of a built mopar V10, so I ever get some quality time with a magnum, I can get a tape measure and get a rough idea of whether it will fit. If I can't do the V10 (which will be a bit sad, but the world wont stop turning), I'll probably go for some built hemi. I know a guy with '64 Plymouth that has a 478CU hemi pushing 800+HP in a NA setup. While I'd be happy with something a little smaller than that, I know that a V8 isn't out of reach, and there are plenty of options.

 

[ViperCLKGTR]

Ill just keep saying this until its just retarded…it can be done, the only thing limiting you is your ability to fund such a project. If you know the guy who did the swap, I would find him and become his best friend. I dont think anybody here has done a swap like that. I totally respect your ambition and I hope you are able to realize your dream. But you must know up front that this will be a very expensive project, and as stated before you will never get your money back. If youre ok with that, then maybe you should talk to Justin.

x2 ^^^^

If this is something you plan on keeping for life and realize you are never gonna get half the money your putting into it back then go for it. Your only limited buy what your willing to pay.... It's gonna cost a pretty penny, its not as simple as buying a 505 and tranny. You literally will almost have to change every single moving part on the car, mounts, sheet metal, and a lot, a lot of wiring. It's a tight fit from what I can tell with the SRT8s fitting the 6.1L in there, that's 372 c.i, you'll have to find space for another 133 c.i., let alone a bigger tranny, cooling systems, and other tid bits.

If its your passion and all of this is not a problem go for it all day sir. I would save some cash and get a RC. You would be amazed at what they're going for.

 

[Overkillsrt]

If it were me I'd call painless and see what they can do for you on a wiring harness and as far as the engine and trans call x2 builders you can get the combo there for around 9k and I'd run the stock computer and have all the security taken out and any other bs to simplify it,and for the rear keep it simple buy a 9inch the width you need,do a one piece aluminum drive shaft for around 700$ and I don't personally think there would be a lot of cutting involved in the engine bay the 10's aren't that wide just kinda long I mean I've seen two of them stuffed into jeep wranglers without much cutting

 

[Dom426]

Actually not as hard or expensive as one might think.
I'm building a www.Jimmys4x4.com
buggy right now with a viper motor
Www.hotwireauto.com for the harness
We are putting a full manual turbo 400 JMB makes the adapter with mid plate.
Not a lot to it
The big part is in the buying of the drivetrain
I have bought two viper motors in the last year for less then 4k each
Do be smart and look on coparts
Especially if you are wanting to do the six speed
Find a wrecked 04 truck badda boom badda bing easy peasy lemon squeezie


Dom
Undefeated on the Internet

 

[VenomTruck]

building a buggy around the motor is a little different then trying to stuff that drivetrain into a Magnum tho. Im sure it can be done, no doubt, but theres gonna be a lot of fabrication involved, and thats where the money will go (after buying drivetrain). Then theres this:

And this:

This:

Also a Viper Powered 300C..

Like I said, your imagination and your funds are your limit. Go for it!

 

[ViperPete]

You have your answers... those photos should be as much as you needed to see.

 

[LilRedWagon]

Okay, those pictures are good and do tell a lot. The very front end will be the tricky part, radiator, plumbing, etc.

Motor mounts will be the biggest fab, along with the exhaust system.

But replacing all the moving parts? I was going to just replace the guages, so there's no need for the BS of two computers, I'm not worried about the stock look on the interior.

I'm looking at this project more recently simply because it's getting cheaper, and that's why I figured I would ask the question here, were people are using viper engines in a non-viper vehicle.

Most importantly, if it fits in the 300C, then it should be pretty in the clear, just need to work through the plumbing and exact engine location under the hood, the rest would be relatively easy. Making the trans area a little larger isn't terribly difficult.

I know one person who owns a garage and would be able to help with the work, but this project is at least a year away (have to get the magnum first). Prices should only really go down from there I would hope, but things can always change.

Right now, it's looking doable, so I'll keep in on the wishlist!

 

[caveman]

WADR, you are headed in the wrong direction. You are going to spend $2k-$10k just trying to get the engine to talk to the computers in the car. Even once they are communicating, there is no guarantee it will work well. The 300C pictured below is an easy $100k project.

Would I put an 8.3 in a buggy? In a heartbeat. Would I put it in a boat? Without a doubt. Could you swap one into an early model hot rod? Sure, no reason you couldn't. Is swapping engine platforms in late model Chryslers as easy as making everything bolt up? NO! It is a time and money black hole.

Start with a 5.7 car, swap in a built 7.0 Hemi, and you will have all the power your heart desires, for less expense, and with minimal headache.

 

[VenomTruck]

WADR, you are headed in the wrong direction. You are going to spend $2k-$10k just trying to get the engine to talk to the computers in the car. Even once they are communicating, there is no guarantee it will work well. The 300C pictured below is an easy $100k project.

Would I put an 8.3 in a buggy? In a heartbeat. Would I put it in a boat? Without a doubt. Could you swap one into an early model hot rod? Sure, no reason you couldn't. Is swapping engine platforms in late model Chryslers as easy as making everything bolt up? NO! It is a time and money black hole.

Start with a 5.7 car, swap in a built 7.0 Hemi, and you will have all the power your heart desires, for less expense, and with minimal headache.

Theres your answer. You should really be thanking Caveman, he just saved you a shit ton of money. Also a 7.0 Hemi sounds life threateningly bad ass.

 

[Overkillsrt]

IMO you should do what you are capable of personally I'd do the viper but I'm not scared to jump into stuff like that but I would do it myself with a few buddies but if you are planning to pay someone to do all your fab work then I'd say you'll have a fortune in doing it and you'd be so deep into it money wise that you could've built a bad a$$ hemi car for way less

 

[ViperPete]

Why would you have to make room for a T56? They already come with a manual transmission and the T56 isn't that large to begin with...