2004 Dodge Ram SRT-10

When you consider the immense popularity of trucks these days, it was just a matter of time before more factory hopped-up pickups hit the dealerships. It's been tried in the past with Dodge "Little Red Wagons," GMC Syclones, and Ford Lightnings—and it's too good an idea to lie dormant.

The rear wing is functional, and if you need to use the bed, you can move the wing forward and stow it on the bed rails, behind the cab.

Now, remember the basic principle that created the original musclecars? A manufacturer takes one of its biggest, most powerful engines, stuffs it into a lightweight chassis, then makes it a production model anyone can buy. That idea applies very nicely to light trucks, too.


Detroit's automakers know that buyers of new pickups are personalizing, accessorizing, and customizing their new rides from the moment they roll out of the showrooms. An entire industry has sprung up to support them. Given the complexity of today's vehicles, and strict emissions laws in most states, not to mention warranties that can be voided the minute you swap engines or significant parts, there's a real opportunity for the factories to beat the aftermarket to the punch, especially where hot powertrains are concerned.


We just drove a prime example: the 2004 Dodge Ram SRT-10 from Dodge PVO (Performance Vehicle Operations). This puppy packs an 8.3-liter, 500-hp Viper V-10 engine, with a whopping 525 lb.-ft. of torque. That's the explosive surprise in this restyled, aerodynamically efficient Ram 1500 pickup with a chassis that's been beefed up and considerably modified for sporty driving. The resulting Ram SRT-10 rips to sixty in under 5 seconds. Top speed is 150 mph. It's the fastest pickup on the market. Why did they do it? "Because we can," was the Dodge Boys' response.

The interior is very slick, from the red Viper "start" button to the heavily bolstered, race-inspired leather seats that help keep you centered.

Under the old adage, 'don't try this at home,' the PVO team, themselves a collection of died-in-the-wool hot rodders, had to make over 165 changes to the basic Dodge Ram to accommodate the V-10 and make the chassis really handle. They robbed the Dodge parts bins for goodies, like the basic Viper engine, with a unique oil pan, a modified version of the Viper's Tremec T56 six-speed manual, an altered Ram Heavy Duty radiator and oil cooler, and a revised Ram HD rack-and-pinion steering system. Then they spec-ed the best brand aftermarket parts they could, like new Hurst shift linkage, a Dana 60 rear axle, with 4:11 gears, Bilstein monotube shocks, fat 305/40 R22 Pirelli Scorpion tires and 22-inch (you read that right!) custom forged-aluminum "Viper-style" wheels that are the largest standard "rims" on any pickup.