Hmmm... How 'bout a 2.2/2.5 turbo in an early A?

I have considered it several times. The 2.5 would be the way to go with its high torque grunt to get the car rolling.

While the manual sounds like fun, you would have the same clutch/trans issues that people who install 5 speeds do. Expect to do hacking. Be aware there is two different 2.5's that were used in the Dakotas, the ones after 95 or 96 are GM/AMC based and have nothing in common with the 2.2/2.5 engines, so the bellhousing does not interchange.

The small 230mm clutch used on the 2.5 has always been the weak link on heavy vehicles.

There was a guy making adapters so you could bolt up a 904/44RE bellhousing, that is the way to go.

Gary