We’ve seen some ludicrous engine swaps in the past, but few come close to this once-meager Datsun 1200 ute, which is now powered by a twin-turbo Dodge Viper V10. The insane build was created by a man named Ivan Turkovic, who, according to Street Machine Magazine, spent five years bringing it to life after the Viper engine initially came on his radar.
The reasoning behind the engine choice was that he simply wanted to do something different, and different this is. Aside from the uniqueness of the engine itself, the car also boasts an insane power-to-weight ratio to help it in its main purpose: drag racing.
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Under the hood of the 1978 Datsun 1200 ute is an 8.0-liter V10 from a 2002 Dodge Viper, which makes 450 hp (456 PS / 335 kW) in stock form. That in itself is maddening for a car that only weighs around 1,600 lb (725 kg), but it doesn’t stop there. In place of the Datsun’s headlights lie a pair of Garrett GTX42 turbochargers, which, along with a new ECU and methanol fuel on 5 psi of boost, help the engine to churn out 600 hp (608 PS / 447 kW) to the rear wheels. The truck also benefits from a 100 shot of nitrous to give it a bit more pep in its step, and after an E85 tune, Turkovic hopes to target 1,000 hp (1014 PS / 746 kW) and a quarter mile time in the seven-second range.
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But if you thought this build was all engine, think again, as a great deal of effort went into the Datsun‘s chassis and suspension as well. For starters, the original frame has been replaced with a three-quarter tube chassis, which allowed for all the new engine and transmission components to fit without any hassles. On top of that, Turkovic also created a custom bed floor to hold the nitrous bottle and make room for what was underneath: a full-floating 9-inch differential running to 15×10 wheels on 28×12.5 street-legal drag tires. The best part of this build, though? It was reportedly all done by Turkovic himself, save for the wiring, tuning, and the roll cage.