Re: DC new 2002 R/T (supplied by the DML group)

From: J.D. Forinash (foxtrot@cc.gatech.edu)
Date: Wed Jan 19 2000 - 09:37:58 EST


On Tue, Jan 18, 2000 at 03:23:11PM -0800, Stlaurent Mr Steven wrote:
> I can see with the power of the consumers here on the DML listing, this is

What, you mean no power at all? :)

> what I think the new R/T should have, in order to separate a measurable
> difference than it counterpart the CC or short beds.

Some interesting ideas... I'd change it a bit, were I in charge of truck
design at Dodge:
 
> 2002 Dodge Hemi R/T
>
> 5.4 HEMI Supercharged V-8 SOHC
> 10:1 Compression

I can't sell a truck that won't run on pump gas. 10:1 and then a
supercharger just isn't going to work-- some of the people getting only
4.5 PSI out of a Powerdyne kit can't keep away knock on their stock
8.9:1 engines. Figure a good 6-8 PSI blower on about an 8:1 engine, then
you get the best of both worlds-- maximum performance (effective boosted
CR of about 12:1 assuming an 8lb blower), and excellent highway fuel
economy due to the low compression of the engine when the blower isn't
making 8 lbs. 10:1 and then a blower kit would mean I could only sell the
thing in Colorado...

> K&N RAM Air kit

I don't know that it'd be a K&N, but a free-flowing intake would be a
requirement.

> 6 Speed tranny

Indeed. In_deed_.

> 3:92 or 4:10 option DL 9.25 rear

I assume you mean "Detroit Locker" by DL-- not on a street truck, not if
I were designing it. A Sure-Grip mounted on a nice heavy-duty Dana axle
is entirely sufficient, and doesn't eat tires or lose traction on tight
corners. A more spool-ish axle would be great on a purebred race vehicle,
but I have to warranty this thing for 3/36 and I need Joe Idiot Driver
to be able to handle it.

> one color with appropriate striping (same as the Viper stripe)

One color. The stripe is a factory option in my Dakota plant; you've
got a choice of Viper stripes from the '90s or a bumblebee stripe from
the '60s. I might turn out a special edition sometime with billboards...
My first rule is if the only benefit is "coolness factor", it's an option.
Performance comes standard.

> Bile stern Lowered Suspension (shocks/coils)

In my Dakota factory, I'm still selling a truck. No more than a 1/1 drop;
I still need a payload and I still need it to be drivable by idiots. Boy,
this litigious society is already screwing up my truck.

> 18x9 spoke chrome rims (305x18x35 rear/275x18x40 front)

The truck I design would certainly have the same tires on all four
corners, and a full-size identical spare. This is for two reasons: Since
I've got a sure-grip diff, I need a spare to be identical to the other
rear wheel to avoid damage. Also, in your spec, the front axle is farther
off the ground than the rear axle (by only about a quarter inch-- only
some people would notice it.

I think a base R/T in my world would still have the 17x9s shod with similar
sized tires to the current one. The 18x9s would be an option; 305/35s all
around if I can fit 'em under the wheelwells, else go with the 275s.

> Bed Cover
> Heavy Duty everything (fuel pump, oil pump etc..)
> 500 Watt Stereo System (8 speaker and one subwoofer)

Not as standard equipment. All these add weight, and the truck I'm designing
has a logo on it that says "Road and Track". However, as factory options,
a good bed cover, a HD service group, a towing package, and a Stereo From
Hell are all good choices.

> ABS

Certainly not on my truck! The corporate lawyers will probably make me
put at least rear-wheel ABS on the truck, but I'm not saddling any driver
who doesn't want front-wheel anti-stop brakes with the system if he doesn't
want it.

> Four wheel disk - 13/12 inches

Probably not on my truck. a 13 inch front disc, certainly. I'd need to do
some testing with the rears-- 12" discs, considering the lack of weight on
the back of an R/T worries me; seems they'd lock up at the quickest touch
of the brake pedal. ABS can only do so much.

> Front\rear facia, side mounted cat-back exhaust

Side mounted exhaust means I can't sell my truck in some states. And hell
with this cat-back thing. I've got enough room under the truck, it's
getting dual exhaust all the way back, twin cats and mufflers.

I'll leave the fascia to the aftermarket. If I wanted to make my car look
different by adding fiberglass crap to the outside, I'd work for Pontiac.

> Any more suggestion?

I also sell a 4x4 version of the R/T. I may not get to call it R/T, since
people seem to get the idea that tracks are paved-- perhaps it's called a
Soccora, or a Baja. It gets all the power upgrades from the R/T, but
built onto a 4x4 offroading chassis. I'm not sure where Dodge got the
idea that a 5.9L truck is good for 2WD, but boy, we'd hate to sell a 4WD
version of it.

Oh, and a huge Tread Lightly manual. Last thing I need is some idiot tearing
up the outdoors in his new cool truck that I designed for him.

And now we see why I don't work for Dodge. My truck would also cost
entirely too much...

--
--J.D. Forinash (foxtrot@cc.gatech.edu) / '69 Coronet 440, yellow, 318
The more you learn, the better your    / '70 Fury III 'vert, mostly white, 318
luck gets.                            / '99 Dakota R/T 15.601 @ 85.57



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