Dodge Viper Hellephant mid engine

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RamBat23

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I'd like you all to think about that :

Dodge viper 6th gen
- Hellephant 7.0L mid engine
- Manual Transmission

Would be a freaking monster !

What you think ?
 

G-Ride990

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Not sure I am behind you on this one. All of the generations of Viper ACRs are already record holders across multiple types of racing.

A new mid-engine Mopar supercar would be badass though.
 

Skatulaki

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I'm all for it ! The Hellephant is the classic 426 all beefed up, what is not to like ? Replacing the
foreign made engine? What is not to like about that ?
 

HemiLonestar

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The Hellephant is the classic 426 all beefed up. Replacing the foreign made engine?
Not exactly lol, the only thing they share is displacement size. Which foreign made engine are you referring to?
 

crash68

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why a manual, none of the modern day mid engine supercars use a manual transmission. I don't care how great you think you can shift a manual trans, an automatic can shift faster getting the power to the ground quicker.
Going mid-engine would require a complete revamp of the body layout losing it's classic look.
Replacing the
foreign made engine?
You realize the engine was just R&D by Lamborghini for Chrysler when they owned Lamborghini. The engines were built first at the Mound Road engine facility then Conner Avenue Assembly plant, both of which are in Detroit, Michigan.
 
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RamBat23

RamBat23

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why a manual, none of the modern day mid engine supercars use a manual transmission. I don't care how great you think you can shift a manual trans, an automatic can shift faster getting the power to the ground quicker.
Going mid-engine would require a complete revamp of the body layout losing it's classic look.

You realize the engine was just R&D by Lamborghini for Chrysler when they owned Lamborghini. The engines were built first at the Mound Road engine facility then Conner Avenue Assembly plant, both of which are in Detroit, Michigan.
Why manual ?
Because in my opinion, I have a much better driving feeling with a stick shift than an auto.
Just look at the new corvette, they've gone complete revamp and the final product is pretty sick.
 

crash68

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Why manual ?
Because in my opinion, I have a much better driving feeling with a stick shift than an auto.
It just a feeling, something to put your hand on. Putting antiquated tech like a manual shift transmission in modern day mid-engine sports car would be a waste(even the Corvette did away with the manual). Only reason NASCAR hasn't moved to paddle shift autos and fuel injection is to keep the human screw up factor in play.
 
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RamBat23

RamBat23

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It just a feeling, something to put your hand on. Putting antiquated tech like a manual shift transmission in modern day mid-engine sports car would be a waste(even the Corvette did away with the manual). Only reason NASCAR hasn't moved to paddle shift autos and fuel injection is to keep the human screw up factor in play.
It not just something to put your hand on, it goes way beyond that.
I'm talking about the overall feeling that you control the car, the shift, the power.
Yes, I agree that the transmissions use in supercar are more "accurate and precise", but for me, it's nothing alike having to use the clutch.
 

2012RAM1500RT

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It's just my opinion but I wish we'd quit trying to be European and keep making "American" cars. I personally would much rather have a manual car also! I know automatics shift faster and all but they are just plain boring. I like controlling my car! Once again, just my opinion!
 
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HemiLonestar

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The Lamborghini V10
It wasn't a "Lambo V10". Chrysler owned Lambo at the time and wanted the V10 (which was originally based on the 360 small block) made in aluminum because an iron V10 would be prohibitively heavy in a sports car and Lambo had that kind of long term experience with aluminum engine building. Chrysler simply handed Lambo (their subdivision at the time) the Dodge V10 and told them to make it in aluminum. Still basically a really long 360 with the same bore size and spacing with a 90° V block (a Lambo designed engine at the time most likely would've had a 60° block to even out the firing order. Chrysler engineers freely admitted that 90° was not ideal but was what they had to work with.
 

StickyLifter

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Then it would not be a Viper, just like the new Corvette looks and drives more like an Audi than a Corvette.

I have no interest in cookie cutter super cars that turn out numbers. I don't go to the track because I miss math class, and I don't buy cars based on what magazine idiots think. Most of the opinions out there are told to you by journalists, not gearheads.

Like this flat plane crank BS. Don't let marketing wonks make your decisions for you or you'll end up paying $600,000 for a license to watch football in the backseat of a front wheel drive quad turbo hybrid Scion.

Lambo was asked to provide a large displacement, high torque V10 concept engine for Viper, and they delivered a high revving 4L feature filled **** box. Chrysler said "okay, well maybe you just tell us how to pour aluminum without holes in it" because Europeans can't get past HP per liter of displacement. What's that mean? Even if their 2L was the size of a MAC truck they'd sing its praises for making 400hp while making fun of a 10L V8 the size of a shoebox that makes 700hp. No one ever taught them that volumetric efficiency is just good rods, big ports, and big cams, not some super badge of honor. Since every four stroke ICE out there can't get past 30% efficiency anyway, why bother with so-called "high tech" solutions? Getting past the buzz words means an engine is just a cube or rectangle that makes torque and the best one is going to be the smallest and lightest with the biggest lungs.

Best example I can think of:

Honda 2L I4 making 240hp @ 9,000rpm
vs
GM 3900 V6 making 240hp @ 5,000rpm

Both engines are decently compact and all aluminum, and probably pretty close on weight and external size. The Honda makes 160ftlbs at 7800rpm, the GM 3900 makes 240ftlbs from 1500 to 5000.

What's the point? Europe and Asia do it wrong, so don't be like them.
 
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