1989 Dodge D100 gets a DIY V10 engine upgrade and somehow passes strict German inspection

A car enthusiast from Kelinwallstadt, Germany, took a humble Dodge D100 pickup truck and shoehorned a massive V10 engine under the hood, all while complying with strict German inspection rules.

Enthusiast Johann Rauch created this monster. He built the truck for a friend who, while he enjoyed his Dodge Ram SRT-10, always had a soft spot for classic cars.

Rauch’s friend bought the D100 after seeing it in an ad in a local newspaper and was tasked with building the V10 truck.

The results really do speak for themselves. And this absolute behemoth is somehow still road-legal, too.

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Various shops took credit for Rauch’s work

In an interview with The Autopian, Rauch explained how several other automotive shops tried to claim credit for his work.

In the interview, Rauch said:  “It was featured in some car magazines here in Germany, and many companies claimed they’ve done the swap, and I was never mentioned.”

Thanks to images of the build process, Rauch was able to prove that he did the work.

The donor vehicle was a 2006 Ram SRT-10, with its 8.3-liter Viper V10 engine under the hood.

The engine provided Rauch with 505HP and 525lb-ft of torque.

As the D100’s old axles and frames couldn’t handle over 500HP, its body was instead swapped onto the chassis of the SRT-10.

This move had the bonus of allowing the D100 to retain the mod-cons of the modern Dodge.

So, things such as heating, air-conditioning, and airbags are still on the truck.

Converting the Dodge D100 was a massive job for Rauch

As you would expect, there was a lot of work involved in creating the new truck.

Rauch had to strengthen the inner structure of the door pillars.

Work also involved a redesign of the cowl panel to keep the SRT-10s HVAC systems and windshield wiper motor.

The German also kept the relevant authorities involved throughout the process, ensuring the truck would stay road-legal.

What resulted from the build is nothing short of stunning.

The work Rauch did to get the D100’s body to fit onto the SRT-10 chassis was incredible.

The finished product is very menacing, placed on the massive wheels and tires of the modern Dodge.

The fact that this beauty is still road-legal and isn’t just a garage queen makes it even better.