I was driving my newly re-vamped SHO last week. I was pulling out of a CVS (turning left) onto a two-way road when I saw a pickup, Neon SRT-4 on his tail, and a Nissan Sentra. I get in line (Pickup was doing 30 in a 35). The Nissan pulls off. Me and the SRT follow for another mile. P/U starts going slower, even though the speed limit is now at 45! He FINALLY puts on his signal and starts pulling off to the right. I'm in first... :-)

It was dead-even 5-90. He backed off at 90.
How did I know it was new? The Dodge dealer is two lights away from the CVS and the car had dealer plates.
I do expect that if the driver really knew the car well, I would have lost.

I love my mild upgrades! Can't wait to improve on them!
New stuff:
Stock 3.0L, but has cut heads/block (long story - wasn't me!) and has LOTS more torque than my old engine. All new sensors, bearings (another long story!), etc.

Quaife w/ rebuilt tranny. :-)

I haven't had any high-speed runs with the new combo, but It feels faster in 4th - Speedo winds around quicker to 100. I used to have to keep it in third to get the same acceleration. Fifth is now really nice on the highway! I don't have to downshift on major hills.

TankII

 

Sounds like a crappy driver in the SRT-4 or you have a bunch of mods you're not telling us about. What do you run in the 1/4?

 

Interesting race. A SHO is usually no match for an SRT-4.

Do you go on the SHO Forum, if not you should, it's great.

BTW: I have a '92 SHO.

 

New car plus green driver = dead heat.
I expect to lose with someone who has driven his SRT-4 for a while.

Complete list of mods:
'90 SHO 3.0L that the first owner had thought he had blown a head gasket. Machine shop shaved the heads and block and put the engine back together. Second owner noticed there was a knock. Had the bearings replaced. The shop who did the work put the wrong sized mains in. That's when I got the car. I stripped it (needed the body parts for my somewhat rusty '91+) and eventually put the 110K mile engine with new bearings, sensors, hoses, etc. into my 197K mile SHO. I also had the tranny rebuilt with a Quaife (Torsen style limited slip).

Mods I have already done to the car:
Konis, springs, polyethelene (not polyurethane) suspension bushings, 21MM front sway bar from a '89 Sable, Police subframe bushings (and located the subframe as far back as I could), PST rear sway bar body bushings, Hellwig rear sway bar end link kit, PFCM front brake pads, Semi-Metallic rear pads, BFG G-Force KDW 225/55VR16's, drilled and slotted front upper strut mount holes to bring alignment into spec. I also am running the stock cat-back with a Performance Plus Stainless Y-Pipe with Cats and a K&N.

My old motor would pull stock (and I mean stock!) 3000GT's in the area above 70 and was a dead heat with BMW 330CXI and Acura TL-S from 50-120. Lexus i300 - no match. The new motor also brought torque steer, so I know it has more bottom end!

I've never ran it at a 1/4 mile track, only autocross. I may run it this year since I now have it running so well. I estimate high 14's to 15.0 - no idea about speed.

As far as the SHO Fourum, I am on the SHOTIMES list, though I don't get the messages - too busy! I post once and while - Say hello to Ron Porter for me!

TankII

 

so what actual power mods do you have? all i saw was a list of suspension crap

 

Power mods:

Shaved heads/block - No idea what that adds.
Performance Plus Y-Pipe W/Cats - I estimate maybe 5 BHP at peak (5800 RPM), 20 BHP at 7200 RPM (Stock Cat is designed to cause a flow inversion at about 6200 RPM)
K&N Air Filter
FPS reinforced Motor Mounts
BFG KDW's and Quaife (limited slip) to put the power down.
Suspension mods also keep me from wheel hop and power loss.
Other than the fact I only changed the engine and added the Quaife, there is no difference between the before and after. What I can say is it IS faster 0-90 than before. I have not had the chance to see if it is stronger above 110 yet.

All in all, the old motor put down around 200BHP (per FPS - at the wheels). The new one might have the same BHP, but it definately has more torque.

Tank II

 

well srt-4's will put down 240-50 hp/ 260 Tq stock and are quite a bit lighter than a tauras...so i don't think he could drive. But i bet he felt like **** after you gave him a run. lol

 

Haha, trust me, it's not a Taurus, but I understand what you mean. And I dont think any suspension mods to any car should be considered "crap". It's probably one of the most overlooked, yet obvious mods, the car handles better and accelerates better.

TankII: You should atleast cruise the Forum, it's full of info.

 

SHOs are very fast for what they are. For the most part an srt4 will beat one, but i can see a sho keeping up. Those shos are no joke. They will SMOKE your average ricer.

 

I have seen nor heard of ANY stock SRT-4 putting down 250hp, unless you mean at the crank. Yes, there are underrated, but not by that much.

To the SHO owner, BHP (brake horse power) and WHP (wheel horse power) are not the same. BHP does not take into account the drivetrain losses.

 

my bad '04's will out down 230 fwhp

 

Mine made 242/262 STOCK. They really are that underrated.

 

Big Red Jim:

VERY Cool on those numbers! As they say around this board, it could be a Factory Freak, or it could be Dodge not wanting to own up to real capabilities of their car!

:-)

TankII

 

Is that to the wheels? How did you calculate that, if it was flywheel hp?

Dan

 

That was at the wheels.