H22 Honda engine is far from "pathetic" in stock form... 160whp stock... came out in the early 90s and I guarantee it would beat any 4 cyl of the early-mid 90s. Then, with a tune, they put down 190ish whp with the engine untouched. 230ish whp with some basic mods. (and I've seen over 300whp H22s that were fully built naturally aspirated)
Dude even now, 20 years later, there are VERY few N/A 4 cylinders that put down those numbers with just a tune (besides the Honda K-series which puts down A LOT more with less displacement)
Then like I said, put that H22 into a lighter Honda chassis which is a very easy swap and you've got a sleeper that will run with your average supercharged 5.0 and it also doesn't cost very much at all. The engine is about $700 used but from a reputable company, the mounts are about $150. And you've got factory reliability, fuel efficiency, and winter drivability, plus a sleeper.
But once again, I would much rather have a Mustang in the summer because of the awesome sound.
Dude even now, 20 years later, there are VERY few N/A 4 cylinders that put down those numbers with just a tune (besides the Honda K-series which puts down A LOT more with less displacement)
Then like I said, put that H22 into a lighter Honda chassis which is a very easy swap and you've got a sleeper that will run with your average supercharged 5.0 and it also doesn't cost very much at all. The engine is about $700 used but from a reputable company, the mounts are about $150. And you've got factory reliability, fuel efficiency, and winter drivability, plus a sleeper.
But once again, I would much rather have a Mustang in the summer because of the awesome sound.