Turbo Town and Country Project, need help!!

[kaijhe_jsziack]

Some of you may be able to sympathize with me, so here's the story, and here's what I got.

Young guy (me) who will be starting a family. I currently have an 89 Lebaron Turbo I (with nothing really special in it) because it will soon be going. "We need a family car" and the Lebaron isn't big enough. (I'll be replacing it with a Shadow or Spirit 4 door) BUT, I need a van as well, I'm a guy still, and I want lots of power!! So, I want to customize a Town and Country AWD (1996-2000) with a Turbo and a few other mods so that I can satisfy my "needs" and my family's. Here's my wants, I'd like other suggestions please.


(Must have) AWD, for the winter and so my future wife can drive it safely. This is Northern Utah, and winters can be bad. (I'm not sure how much the original drivetrain can take, so I'm hoping it's beefy enough)

(Must be) 96-06. Anything older and the family wont feel safe. I want to stay in the 96 range so I don't get to much spent on the van by itself.

(Must have) Fair gas mileage. I'm talking 15-20 range. My Lebaron runs 12-15 psi of boost and it gets 13-16 mpg. Unacceptable.

(Must have) Turbo, it can be small (like the Mitsu Turbo on the T1s), but it has to have that little punch at 3000 rpms. (Using a Garrett found on the T2's (or similar) is what I'm opting for)

(Must have) Reliability. This van has to last, as I'll be dumping a good 5K into the van itself, I'm not going to have a lot of cash left over.

(Must have) Most of the stock options left. I can't take out the seats or the A/C. It has to be a driver.

First off, I don't know if the Town and Country (96-00) uses a 3.0, or a 3.3. So, I don't know if I have to use an older van. Also, I'm not sure which 3.0 it has, (the Lebaron or the Stealth) or neither. I'm sorry, but I don't know much about the V6's. Only the 2.2's and 2.5's.

Then, I'd like to be in the 230 hp range (Up from 158 hp) with around 250 ft/lbs of torque (Up from 203 ft/lbs). More is better, but I know that those last few hps are hard to get.

So sorry to post such a long thread, but I'd like suggestions and I'd still like to remain a guy, only with a really fast van. Hehe. Well I'd appreciated suggestions once again, and thanks for all the previous posts that have help me with my Turbo Dodge.

[shelby1.5turbo]

O.K i will help you out well fuel milage for the town and country awd will be mid 20'smpg highway. Awd has a decent drivetrain but it is not ment for mudding but 3-5 inches of snow can take pretty good. Only 2 engines were also avalible fro the town and country 3.3 with 200 horse and the 3.8 which is 215 horse the 3.8 will be the set point for the Awd platform. Things to look out for is the front strut tower support has a tendousy to rust out and the trans do not have the adjustable strap bands, Also if I remember the 99 and newer is the only town and country series to have awd I am not 100% sure on that.

[shelby1.5turbo]

The older generation dodge vans had awd but I think thew discontinued it

[Ondonti]

just get a 3.8 AWD and call it quits


There is no AWD 3.0. The 3.0 is a Mitsubishi engine. No dodge 3.0.

the 3.8 only comes with the a604 style tranny, good luck with that and a turbo in a 4000lb awd beast. .

[topdollar69]

Just get a Subaru Forester XT. Its AWD, turbo, and you can get a stick shift if you want. They have lots of room inside, and they get decent mileage 19-24mpg.

[RoadWarrior222]

FWD Chryco minis go through snow real well as they come. First snow of the winter here I'm merrily weaving mine in and out of, and out the way of various AWDs and 4x4s going sideways, backwards and every which way, 'coz their drivers think they're invincible in them and can go 10 over the limit on sheet ice, "'coz it's a 4x4 man" I see more bent 4x4s in winter than any other season. Don't see many bent subie AWDs come to think, but I think they're owned by a saner class of driver in the first place.

[crazyace]

The AWD platform was killed with the new generation of van due to the spare tire now being mounted right under the center. The A604 (stock) trans is very weak, and the awd unit is even worse. Modding one of those types of van would prove VERY unreliable. You will also have to remember that 230hp in an AWD auto trans vehicle will feel more like 170-190hp depending on the efficiency of the trans, even worse with all that weight these newer gen vans carry around. Even though I hate to admit it, if you need all that which you said a Forrester does sound more like what you will enjoy.

[kaijhe_jsziack]

Thanks for all the help guys. I think I'm probably going to skip the T & C, and go with something a little more fitting.

I'm still kind of wanting to use Dodge because I like my experience with my car. Maybe I can convince the family to let me keep my Lebaron and buy a Turbo Caravan or something. I'm sorry about this, but I really don't like Subaru (bad experience years back) and rather not buy one. Besides, a Turbo Forrester is probably out of my price range.

I guess I'm stuck with a FWD van or trash my Lebaron and get two Neon's or something.

[crazyace]

Why not sell the baron, get your woman and AWD van so she is safe. Then get yourself a turbo van to have fun and still haul kids now and then.