When Chrysler first offered their 300C platform back in 2005, it was as a solid performing sedan that offered excellent people moving skills. As the sedan evolved, it was offered with more performance-oriented things, the top level carrying the label, SRT8. This special performance package included a 6.1L Hemi engine, producing 425 hp at 6,200 rpm and 420 lb-ft of torque at 4,800 rpm and a performance suspension package. In Chrysler advertising materials, the car was capable of 0 to 60 mph in 4.9 seconds.
For most folks, that would be plenty fast, right? But for Albert Villalobos, that wasn’t nearly fast enough. To take his daily transportation to the stratosphere with regards to power, Villalobos stopped off at Spankin’ Time Motorsports and worked with owner Adam Montague to design a package that would make his 2005 Chrysler 300C one of a kind. In its current form, the sedate sedan delivers timeslips of 10.01 seconds at 143 mph and dyno sheets proclaiming 850-plus horsepower at the rear tires.
In the Beginning
But the road to such sterling performance didn’t come all at once. As a high school freshman, Villalobos fell in love with the newest generation of the 300c when it first arrived in 2005. Unfortunately, he wasn’t in a position to own one at the time, but the hook was set and when he had the means, he purchased a used one as his daily driver. At that time, he wasn’t versed in the ways of the SRT8 lore but he did feel that his Hemi V-8 definitely needed a boost and installed high-performance intake and a set of Flowmaster mufflers just to make it different from the rest.
As luck would have it, Villalobos had the chance to meet Montague at Spankin’ Time Motorsports, where they talked about potential next steps in the 300C’s evolution. Villalobos spotted a car equipped with a ProCharger at Montagues’ shop and shortly thereafter the ProCharger P1 supercharger found it way on to Villalobos’ Mopar. While the power increase was huge, it just whets his appetite for even greater future power upgrades.
Not long after the first power adder upgrade, Villalobos and Montague began preparations for full tilt Gen3 Mopar powertrain that would include the much larger ProCharger F1D supercharger and a completely new engine, transmission, and suspension makeover. Over the next three years, Villalobos would pay Montague on the installment plan, Montague buying specific pieces as the money came in. With all of the new parts in hand, Montague dug in, pulled the 300c apart and built the creation we see here including the stroker 401-cid engine.
Getting Serious
To deliver the most power potential, the 300C was converted to E85 fuel to take advantage of the high-octane fuel that would allow more latitude with regards to performance changes. Next came the reworking of the engine and an “slight” enlargement of the engine from 5.7-liters (this was not an SRT8 originally) to 6.6-liters (401 cid) and installing a package of Montague-approved components that include Molnar 4.080-inch stroker crankshaft, Molnar Turbo rods and CP Carrillo 9.2:1 compression pistons and blower ring set. The valvetrain was enhanced through the use of Crower components, including a high-lift custom camshaft but using stock rocker arms and shafts.
While the change in fuel and the reworked engine were clearly capable of some high-horsepower outputs all on their own, the crowing touch was the installation of a ProCharger F1D supercharger and front-mounted intercooler that deliver 15.8 pounds of boost. These highly efficient superchargers are designed to fit underhood (a key request by Villalobos who wasn’t interested in letting his competition see just why this 300C could so easily spin the rear slicks).
Add to that the highly modified fuel system, a host of big-fuel flow components including an ATI 17 percent overdrive balancer, 80mm throttle body, Five-O-Motorsports 1,400cc Black Ops injector system, billet fuel rails, Fore Innovations Triple Billet Hat and three TI 465 fuel pumps, programmed to deliver progressive tip in of the fuel flow by rpm level. The key here is the tuning, which Montague has developed through massive amounts of trial and error on his in-house dyno and in-the-field drag testing.
The ProCharger F1D package fit perfectly into the forward section of the driver’s side of the engine compartment using the factory beltdrive system and mounts. While the car has well over 160,000 miles on the clock, the new “performance” package is just getting started and now has a little over 6,000 of roadwork with a few quarter-mile trips in between. So far, short of a few tuning adjustments, everything is working just fine. Villalobos is careful to change the oil in the proCharger supercharger every other engine oil change or about every three months.
Comfort and Safety
The interior of the 300C looks very much as it did from the factory with one glaringly obvious change — a 10-point rollcage that serves two purposes — to protect the driver in case of an accident and to tie the chassis together allowing the suspension to be that much more efficiency by keeping the tires and related components in place. Amazingly, the ride quality is improved from stock, even if the ability to find your way into the front seats is more challenging than before. On either side, to aid in driver exit and entry, the sidebar is pinned and can be released and then repined once the occupant is in place. Full five-point harness restraints are included to keep everyone safe.
Clearly Villalobos’ plan to run quietly around town with his stealth cruiser is intact with a couple of small details that tell the locals that this isn’t a stock Chrysler 300C. For one, Villalobos runs Hoosier rear slicks most of the time around Southern California, since it doesn’t rain from March through to November. And with 870 rwhp on tap, Villalobos is in the club — a card-carrying member of the Team Spankin’ Time — where members must have two things: they must be built by Montague and achieve a minimum of 750 rwhp. Frankly, Villalobos was almost there running 91-octane pump gasoline.
But the biggest red flag that signals “something’s up” is the sound of the ProCharger supercharger that wines loudly when the throttle goes down. Regardless, the exterior, which exhibits some wear to the paint and the front spoiler, definitely plays the part of a sleeper. Of course, those who happen to go down to the local Fontana, California, dragstrip know much better …
2005 Chrysler 300c
Albert Villalobos, CA, Riverside, CA
ENGINE
Type: 5.7L Chrysler Hemi stroked to 6.6 liters (401 cid)
Bore x stroke: 3.955-inch (bore) x 4.080-inch (stroke)
Block: factory OE 5.7L originally
Rotating assembly: CP Carrillo Pistons (upgraded wristpins for boost), Molnar 6.125-inch Turbo H-beam connecting rods, Molnar Gen 3 Stroker crankshaft, CP Carrillo ring set — SST top ring, Cast Napier second ring and Std. tension oil rings
Compression: 9.2:1
Cylinder heads: 6.1L Chrysler heads, CNC’s with PSI valvesprings, locks, retainers and locators, stock valves with 70cc combustion chambers, stock rocker arms and shafts
Camshaft: Crower custom blower camshaft, 0.590-inch intake lift and 0.600-inch exhaust lift, duration: 234-degree intake and 248-degree exhaust at 0.050, 118-degree lobe separation
Induction: conversion to E85 with custom Teflon fuel lines, ProCharger F1D supercharger producing 15.8 psi of boost, custom front-mount intercooler with 3-inch tubing, Twin 50mm blow off valves and 17 percent overdrive through ATI balancer system, stock 6.1 SRT8 intake manifold and 80mm throttle body, Five-O-Motorsports 1,400cc Black Ops Injectors with Fore Innovations Triple Billet Hat and three TI 465 fuel pumps with progressive triggering
Oiling system: Melling oiling system
Exhaust: stock 6.1 Hemi with factory header pipes and SLP CAT Back exhaust
Ignition: factory Mopar ignition with custom ECU tuning performed by Spankin’ Time Motorsports using Diablo Sport Tuning System
Cooling: factory original radiator and electric fans
Engine built by: Adam Montague, Spankin’ Time Motorsports (San Bernardino, CA), machine work by Steve Anderson, Anderson Race Engines (Riverside, CA)
DRIVETRAIN
Transmission: Southern Hot Rod War Viking automatic with ProTorque 2,800-stall speed and custom transmission tune by Spankin’ Time Motorsports
Shifter: factory two model shifter
Driveshaft: stock factory driveshaft
Rearend: stock rear end with 2009 Mopar/Getrag axles and 3.06:1 ratio with limited-slip differential
CHASSIS
Front suspension: Lakewood front struts 70/30 ratio, stock SRT8 springs and front sway bar delete
Rear suspension: Lakewood rear struts 50/50 ratio
Steering: stock power steering box
Front brakes: stock Chrysler disc brakes
Rear brakes: stock Chrysler disc brakes
Paint: factory black paint – original
WHEELS & TIRES
Wheels: stock SRT8 Chrysler wheels front and Weld RT’s in the rear
Tires: Nitto 555’s for the street and always up front and Hoosier slicks in the rear for the track
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