Jalopnik: powered

Jaguar XJS

The Auto Insider — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 14:26:04 EST

We’re really not sure what was happening the moment the guys at Hesco Inc. decided to put a Viper crate motor into a mint, 14k original mile, V12 Jaguar XJS, but we’re betting it had something to do with mass quantities of booze. They purchased an 8.0L V10 from the Mopar catalog and from the looks of it, leisurely dropped in into the engine bay of the Jag. Some may wonder why you’d do a swap like this, we offer this suggestion – the original 6.0L V12 was a stout unit producing 314 bhp, but the Vipers 8.0L V10 has two less cylinders, over 100 horsepower more and goes like stink, making for one sweet-ass sleeper ride. Now if we could only find our purple suit and matching manatee-leather boots.

Return to "Top Ten Viper Powered Rides."

[via Hurley Engine Service Company]

Dodge Ram VTS

The Auto Insider — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 14:25:28 EST

Released in 1996, the Dodge Ram VTS Concept was merely a design study featuring Viper GTS-inspired bumpers, mirrors, 17-inch wheels, Blue Paint, dual white stripes and Viper GTS sourced 415bhp V10. While we never got to see a Viper powered Ram in this generation, it paved the way for the 500bhp Ram SRT10 that Chrysler built from ’04-’06.

While we have no video of the VTS in action we can give you a taste of what the Ram SRT10 can do in this video. Watch the last minute or so for the full hoonage shots (we're sorry about the music):

Return to "Top Ten Viper Powered Rides."

[via NetCarShow, YouTube]

Dodge Sidewinder Concept

The Auto Insider — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 14:24:42 EST

The Dodge Sidewinder Concept was built for the ’97 Sema show to explore the design language for the next-gen Dakota pickup truck and featured a 604bhp Viper GTS-R race motor under its bright orange clamshell hood. If you squint your eyes, you can almost see the Chevy SSR in its design, a similarity we’re sure isn’t purely coincidental though the Dodge was a real sport truck contender.

Return to "Top Ten Viper Powered Rides."

[via Hot Rod]

Dodge Tomahawk Concept

The Auto Insider — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 14:24:04 EST

At the 2003 Detroit Auto Show, Dodge surprised and impressed the world with its 4-wheeled, 500bhp, Viper V10 powered motorcycle. While we doubt it’ll reach its claimed top speed of 350mph, we want to believe this is what Batman would be cruising around on instead of that goofy Batpod bike that he had in Dark Knight. In 2005, Dodge decided to sell 10 non-running versions, at $550,000 a pop through Neiman Marcus. If you’re lucky, you can find a Chinese version on Ebay for much less.

While we don’t understand a word this guy says, here's a clip of the Tomahawk in motion:

And awesome Chinese-replica action:

Return to "Top Ten Viper Powered Rides."

[via YouTube]

Defender

The Auto Insider — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 14:23:27 EST

In what should have been a hint to NBC on why not to produce a new Knight Rider series, the Viper TV show was just slightly cooler by featuring a morphing ’92 Dodge Viper. Set in the “near future,” an elite government taskforce used the Viper as a front for the much badder-ass silver Defender. Designed and built by Chrysler, the Defender was essentially the first Viper coupe as it made its debut in the 1994 pilot episode while the GTS appeared two years later.

Bonus video of the awesome 90's morph below.

Return to "Top Ten Viper Powered Rides."

[via YouTube]

Sniper

The Auto Insider — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 14:22:50 EST

Unveiled at the 50th anniversary party for Hot Rod magazine, designed by Chip Foose and built by Troy Trepanier, the Sniper was introduced as the “crowning achievement of fifty years of Hot Rodding.” The Sniper started its life as a 1954 Plymouth Belvedere “Savoy” convertible and was radically modified with the help of Tom Gale, Chrysler’s then Chief of Design, who donated a Viper GTS to the project. The Viper was chopped up to provide the Sniper with its drive train, suspension, wiring, gauges and seats. Producing a stout 480 bhp and 500 lb.-ft of torque, it’s said the Sniper has “Viper-like performance.”

The steel roof was custom designed and built as the car was originally a convertible model and other body modifications were made such as an extended and reshaped billet hood, grille and wheel wells, rolled rear pan, smoothed remote control doors, Mercedes E320 headlights and 18” front and 20” rear Boyd Wheels. Painted in PPG Deep Moss Green and Spanish Olive Green, this Viper powered ride is a great example of what can happen when an OEM and custom builders get together on a project.

(photo credit Flickr user MR38)

Return to "Top Ten Viper Powered Rides."

[via Car Collector Trust]

1962 Jeep CJ-7

The Auto Insider — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 14:22:10 EST

A 1962 Jeep CJ-7 wouldn’t be our first thought when trying to find a donor vehicle for a Viper V10, but we’re sure glad this guy did. The CJ-7 body panels were replaced with aluminum pieces and the suspension was revamped to harness the power of the V10 beast under the hood. We’re sure this would make for an impressive rock crawler if it wasn’t for the $12k paint job that screams trailer queen.

Though not the same CJ-7, we’ve found a video of a V10 Jeep in action with ¼ mile runs at the end.

Return to "Top Ten Viper Powered Rides."

[via Chrysler Weblog, StreetFire.net]

Bristol Fighter T

The Auto Insider — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 14:21:20 EST

We never claimed it was beautiful when we first showed you the “batshit-mad,” Viper-powered Bristol Fighter T in 2006. Using twin-turbos and twin intercoolers attached to the 8.0-liter V10, the Bristol makes an astonishing 1,012 bhp and 1,036 lb.-ft of torque at 4500 rpm. The Bristol uses this power to reach 60 mph in less than 3.5 seconds and an estimated top speed of 270 mph, though it’s limited to a more than exhilarating 225 mph. The chassis is 30% stiffer than its predecessor, the Fighter S, by fitting it with stiffer springs and antiroll bars, a lowered suspension and 19” aluminum wheels.

Bristol Cars was initiated in 1945, when the Bristol Aeroplane Company began working with AFN Ltd, the makers of Frazer Nash cars, on a joint automotive manufacturing venture. Bristol Cars claims that it is currently the only wholly-British owned luxury car builder which makes us wonder if we’d really trust this car at 200+ mph speeds. This may possibly explain our inability to locate a driving video of the car, but we do have a neat image of all the aerodynamic design elements of the Fighter T below.

Return to "Top Ten Viper Powered Rides."

[via Bristol Cars]

Velocity 360 Twin 8.3L V10

The Auto Insider — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 14:20:14 EST

We’re all about giving you more, so we couldn’t end this list with a PT Cruiser. As a bonus, take a peak at one of Velocity PowerBoats Twin 8.3L Viper powered boats. The 8.3L V10s are prepped for marine use and produce a combined 1300 horsepower, more than enough to travel over 90 mph on the water.

This is what all boats should sound like:

Return to "Top Ten Viper Powered Rides."

[via MetaCafe, Yacht World]

Decoma PT/10

The Auto Insider — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 14:18:47 EST

Here's the ultimate in sleeper transportation and the top in our list for baddest-asp Viper powered rides. As you all know, here at Jalopnik, we love anything El Camino or anything that’s been El Camino-ized and when you mix it with a 500bhp Viper V10; how can you go wrong? While we admit, it’s still a PT Cruiser, we still get a little tingly down there at the thought of running up and down Gratiot Ave in this thing. The look of horror on the face of your opposition would be priceless and is more than worth the price of admission.

Decoma, a Tier 1 supplier, built the PT/10 atop a custom tube frame and it features a unique front grille, front fascia, taillights, a custom rear roll pan, rear bed, spoiler and side exhaust. Hiding behind the BBS wheels are a set of Wilwood brakes and a custom airlift suspension to make sure the PT/10 can handle as well as haul ass. The Decoma PT/10 won the award for “Best Overall Concept” at the 2001 SEMA show in Las Vegas. We want one. NOW.

Return to "Top Ten Viper Powered Rides."

[via PT-Tuning]

1970 Six-Shooter Barracuda

The Auto Insider — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 14:18:18 EST

What appears to be a 1970 Barracuda with a simple Viper motor swap is actually a heavily modified Viper ACR chassis with a ‘Cuda body laid on top. The Time Machines built Six-Shooter retains the Vipers donor chassis, suspension, brakes, a Paxton-supercharged 650 bhp V10 and the Viper interior was also installed. This is our favorite of the classic/contemporary Dodge powertrain swaps. Time Machines also built a 1970 Challenger using ’95 Viper donor parts easily besting the Challenger SRT10 on display at this year’s SEMA show for cool points.

Return to "Top Ten Viper Powered Rides."

[via Time Machines]

Jet-Powered Daihatsu Hi-Jet Pickup Up For Bids

Mark Arnold — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 16:20:00 EDT

The Daihatsu Hi-Jet pickup truck is a neat little runabout for hauling whatever you want in the back...like a jet engine. That's right, it's a Hi-Jet propelled by a Rolls-Royce jet engine. It's even street-legal...so long as you're cruising down the highway under the power of the standard Daihatsu drivetrain, with the turbine off. What's better, it can be yours for just over $10,000, as it's up for sale on Ebay Make the jump to check it out in action. [ebay, jetpower.co.uk]