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Another rare beast

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LOL! Isn’t that akin to putting an athlete’s heart into a morbidly obese person.
 
From Wikipedia:

"The base engine for Spirit and Spirit LE models was a 2.5 L TBI I4 engine producing 100 hp. Optional on all models except the Spirit R/T was a 141 hp, 3.0 L V6 made by Mitsubishi. Also available in 1989 through 1992—and standard equipment on the Spirit ES—was a 150 hp turbocharged version of the 2.5 L engine. In 1993, 1994 and 1995, a flexible-fuel Spirit was offered, powered by a 107 hp multipoint fuel injected version of the 2.5 L engine specially modified to run on fuel containing up to 85% methanol. The R/T version came with a powerful 2.2 dohc turbo III with cylinder heads designed by Lotus. this engine was rated at 224 hp."
 
Ahh yes... The apex of the 80s-90s "muscle" cars.....
It's like the earlier Dodge "Duster"??? I think it was, with the Masarati engine... If your timing belt lasted a month, you were doing good.
The owners claim "rare" and "special" but they're really so "rare" because they all self destructed.
See why I don't collect cars from my youth?!?!?
Electronic Feedback Carburetor! need I say more.
OK how about OBD1
Scared yet?
 
I believe it (the rare combinations), I just don't know "WHY"!
 
I get the impression that they were desperate to do something to make the cars appeal to people who like sports cars. At the time that this car was made, the Japenese had the Nissan 300ZX, the Mazda RX7 and the extremely popular Miata, BMW were on a roll with their sporting sedans, and just about to release the new 3-series to replace the old E30, Audi were resurgent, Saab had a good range of sprting sedans too. Not saying that this was the reason, but it's a good theory at least /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/laugh.gif
 
I found one of these in my area also.I talked to someone I
know who sold his SVO Mustang to a "guy who had a Dodge with a Lotus engine".
I was trying to think if this was legit,or just smoking something.It turned out to be legit,if a little strange.
It turned out that I had an original brochure,which I donated to the owner.
The Spirit now rests at the local AAMCO shop.

- Doug
 
Lotus did a LOT of "engineering" in those days for manufacturers who wanted to hang a Lotus badge on their cars for "marketability". Corvettes benefit from the chassis designs Hethel did for 'em, Isuzu, and a raft of others.
 
Didn't they do a suspension for one of the Japanese makers?
 
Yep, Isuzu Impulse...wonder if there are many left?
 
Um... did I mention ~Isuzu~ ?!? /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/smirk.gif
 
You did - I was going "yep" to it!
 
I should have bought one of those
"Handling By Lotus" emblems from the local
Isuzu dealer when I had the chance.

- Doug
 
I actually think that Dodge would be a neat "Q-Ship".

220+ HP is nothing to sniff at and uprated springs and shocks for a car like that are almost free compared to what we pay for stuff.

"Get's take *GrandMa's* car out to Woodward and see if we can make a few bucks." /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/devilgrin.gif
 
Think I'l wander by my friend's salvage yard next week to see if there's one of those Isuzu's laying around...wonder what else that suspension'll fit?
 
My next door neighbor has an Isuzu Impulse. I don't think I'd want it though. He rarely even washes his car, so who knows what the mechanical systems are like. It also really needs an exhaust system too. He kind of a "drive em till the wheels fall off" kind of guy.
Bruce
 
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