dana44 - there's your validation - yes, it could be done. Just not done well enough.

 

There isn't much room in the engine compartment when looking at it from above, but there is quite a bit of room when looking at it from underneath. The PT styling makes for a small hood opening aperture. The PT was 'based' on the Neon.
While a narrow 60° V6 like the 3.3L/3.8L will fit, The turbocharged/intercooled 2.4L with (Neon) SRT4 tricks would be much easier.
There is alcohol spray onto the intercooler core for more rapid air-to-air cooling (denser air charge), the torsen (traction control) differential and aftermarket wastegate boost pressure elevators. Premium fuel would be required.
Although the PT is a heavy vehicle compared to the Neon, it can be made surprisingly quick.
This is a 3.3L in a (1st gen) Neon engine compartment:
DSCF1033a.jpg

 

I've seen a v-6 project or two on the PT Enthusiast sites.
PTCruiserLinks Forum; and PTCrew.

 

We have a PT GT with the HO, SRT engine. I don't see how a minivan engine could be any faster.

 

Mother's finishing products did one several years ago, too, so yes, I know it can be done. It was a good deal of work they did to the PT Cruiser, the major thing was they did it with a manual transmission, something that at the time was never installed with a 3.8 and required a lot of Megasquirt work to allow it street legal in California. I am more than positive it has been done several times, and with an auto, not a problem, AND outside California and its smog rules. As far as crash test, not an issue, any and everyone concerned about safety would install a front nose rollbar within the front sheetmetal to the firewall. Might be tight, but anything is possible with enough work.

 

...for a one-off.

LOL!!!

 

Sure, and given I think it would be more fun to have a RWD one with a V8, can't do it in CA. Now that the cars able to be found in pretty good shape body-wise for a couple grand, it will be fun to make some cool one-off hotrods.

 

 

We have here a PT with a current gen Hemi. Body was extended, doors lengthened, etc. It appeared at the Boise Roadster Show last March. Beautiful car, very well executed.

 

Well, they sure seem to handle themselves well on the track, and although they may need a little work to get them in there around the firewall, seem to have plenty of wheelwell room to clear. Fun couple of projects planned in the future, for sure. Still want to make a business coupe out of one!

 

Yup. An awful lot of work and you end up with something slower than the GT.

 

Not sure about that, but I know the fuel mileage would be an improvement in a lot of cases.

Consider this: A 3.6 in a charger Sedan is pushing the 30mpg mileage numbers, now lose another 1500lbs and see what happens.

 

I don't think even a stock PT Cruiser ever weighed 1500 lbs less than a Charger. Nor could it and meet federal requirements.

 

I'm sorry, it wasn't 1500 lbs, it was only 1134lbs. And a drag coefficient of .39 compared to .36 for the charger Sedan isn't that bad, so not quite a brick.
You guys have your dream killer ideas, I have my dreams, and mine are going to be a whole lot nicer.

 

I wish you nothing but success in chasing - and achieving - those dreams.

 

Thanks Stratuscaster. One day I will find the time to build one. First things first.

 

Going faster isn't the whole point to doing RWD and decent engine under the hood, that is just a side benefit. I love my PT Cruiser, but I do want to have some fun in it. I'm not a FWD turbo kind of guy as a priority, and the 2.4 NA is just a little underpowered in relation to the weight. I now turbos are fun and all that, most anything in a V6 or V8 around 250-275hp would make the PT a much more fun ride, and again, turn heads. If it was just the power I wanted out of the 2.4, I would probably go Whipple. On the other side of that, my TR4 with a turbo 2.4 would be pretty fun, RWD, of course, since that is how it is set up already!

 

I know this thread is about a V-6 in a PT Cruiser but as long as we are bench racing. I would transplant a Buick all aluminum 215 v-8 ( punched to 266cu.in.) with a TurboCharger ,Offenhauser intake with NOS direct port Foggers driven into a TH400 with a lower gear pack, full manual valve body and gear vendors overdrive run through a custom aluminum drive-shaft into a conventional Ford 9 inch locker with a coil over suspension for a dream PT project. But that is just me.

 

I have always been partial to the 8.75 rear end, but would rather keep with a 727/904, and definitely not a fan of NOS. A small V8, going with a simple 241-354 Hemi would be a nice sized, classic looking Hemi to fit under the hood of a Chrysler. It's not so much building a race car or bench racing, it is the fun of having a small V8 or even a good V6 (3.3/3.5 may be difficult to fit, or even a 3.8) coupled with RWD, and given the weight, good highway gears so as not to have to use a 4spd or above auto transmission. Granted the Hemi engines would be added weight, but the V6s could be easily pumped up to the 300hp range for decent performance and still have good mileage.