SRT4 still have value?

You might need to find a mph speedo.  I think the rest of it would be cool, unless having C for Chrysler instead of D for Dodge on the VIN is trouble.  

In reply to Streetwiseguy :

I have seen a lot of Canadian cars registered in the US with metric gauges.  So if it's a problem, it's a widely ignored one.

My favorite was the Fiero with MPH numbers stuck on top of the gauge window/bezel, with a labelmaker, and in the wrong spots.  When I saw that, I started to think that Red Green was a documentary.

In reply to Knurled. :

Having metric stuck to the glass was super common in the 70's up here, right after we went metric.  Is it really that hard to remember that 100 kph is 62 mph?

Knurled. said:

Ian F said:

What kind of power and torque range can the SRT4 engine make reliably - primarily, can it beat the 283 horsepower @ 6,400 rpm &
260 lb-ft of torque @ 4,400 rpm of the current 3.6L V6? 

Despite zero time and even less space, I have the silly dream of somehow stuffing one of these into my '08 Grand Caravan, although part of me wonders if the novelty of a manual transmission in a minivan my wear off fairly quick.

Hmm... do you realize that Chrysler made manual transmission NS Caravans?

 

They all had the 2.4l.

Yeah, but mine is a 2008 and I really like the size and features of the later models. To the point where I find myself seriously considering a 2017 GT example to replace it. Were I to even seriously consider such a crazy idea I'd have to go find another late model in a yard to take apart to see if the cable shifter from the FWD car could be mounted some way in the same dash location as the stock automatic shifter. If you're gonna have a silly idea, why not go all the way?

What kind of power and torque range can the SRT4 engine make reliably - primarily, can it beat the 283 horsepower @ 6,400 rpm &
260 lb-ft of torque @ 4,400 rpm of the current 3.6L V6? 

Despite zero time and even less space, I have the silly dream of somehow stuffing one of these into my '08 Grand Caravan, although part of me wonders if the novelty of a manual transmission in a minivan my wear off fairly quick.

A completely stock SRT4 setup (other than boost level and tuning) can make that reliably, in my opinion. Different cam and turbo would certainly make it  more reliable if you were willing to give up the spool and torque. A stock setup at 280chp is probably making 360peak tq. 

My 89 Plymouth Voyager has a completely stock SRT4 longblock, turbo, and intercooler in it (some changes around the outside to swap it which don't affect power production) and ran 13.3 in the 1/4 mile. Add ~1000 lbs to turn it into a 2008 van and it'd still be in the 14s. 

My 1990 5spd Caravan was basically my favorite all around DD vehicle ever. Now it is stripped out and has a dual diaphragm pressure plate (literally double up the spring in the clutch, it is TWICE as stiff as stock turbo clutch) and i still enjoy driving it occasionally. If it were DD the clutch might be a little much. In general i loved DD'ing a 5spd van.

Having metric stuck to the glass was super common in the 70's up here, right after we went metric. 

 Back when my DDs were modified family sedans with 120mph speedos and i hauled ass a lot more often, i thought of putting some MPH numbers on the tach to represent what the speed would be after the speedo was pegged out.  The only way i knew i had hit 135 in my 1997 Intrepid was by putting my 4th gear rpm into a gear speed calculator.

I don't go as fast as often anymore but I have recently wrapped my 1994 B250 work van speedo past where the numbers stop (100). In that space i would probably just install a small decal of the image below:

In reply to Vigo :

The first (well, second?) RX-7 I had had a speedometer that went to 85, but the positioning of the peg meant it only read to 83.  But that was okay, since it was off by enough of a percentage that it hit the peg at 77mph actual.  This meant that I could peg the speedometer partway into 3rd gear.

At that point in my life, I drove a lot faster.  By RPM/gearing calcs, I used to cruise at 115.  (I still remember pointing the tach at 5400 for minutes)   There were a lot fewer people on the roads back then, I might encounter only one other person on the turnpike and most mornings I'd see none at all.

This was about twenty years ago, pretty sure the statute of limitations for speeding has expired...