Thread: Help with a Stang...

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What to do with your car is of course your choice. Do you need it for everyday transportation,or can you lay it up for a few weeks while tweeking things out? If you are serious about putting in some power,I'd locate and install the 8 in. rear first,as it would be an easy weekend swap. As to what engine, I'd say go with what you can get for the best price. Even a 2.3 can be made into a tire burner,with cam ,carb, headwork and a good header. Hank

Then... there is always the just buy one with a bigger engine than what you got, and sell yours idea. It might be a hell of a lot cheaper than converting yours over, for the difference in price of what you sell yours for and what a v-6 or v8 one costs. Those old mustangs were mass produced, and still go for a low dollar price tag. Just a thought, but if your in to doing it yourself, a small block v-8 can be found abuilt fairly cheap.

I have the 4 speed manual tranny in mine. i have a 302 block, but it needs everything else, including being rebuilt. i figured it would be cheaper to tinker with the 140 thats already running while building up the 302...that way i can drive it all the while it takes to build up a V-8 and acquire parts such as a rearend and tranny. its not my everyday driver, just one for fun. Its fun to beat a 6 or 8 cylinder with a 4. It really gets guys wondering. haha.

Originally Posted by TuffTrax

I have the 4 speed manual tranny in mine. i have a 302 block, but it needs everything else, including being rebuilt. i figured it would be cheaper to tinker with the 140 thats already running while building up the 302...that way i can drive it all the while it takes to build up a V-8 and acquire parts such as a rearend and tranny. its not my everyday driver, just one for fun. Its fun to beat a 6 or 8 cylinder with a 4. It really gets guys wondering. haha.

here you go then.

http://racerwalsh.zoovy.com/

If you can find a '79 or later 2.3 Turbo cheap, that's the way to go. The standard 2.3 is a poor relation to the turbo version. The turbo version had a forged crank and pistons, a set of special rods and other minor odds and ends. The basic 2.3 can be built up to be virtually as indestructible as the turbo engie - all you need is money. Unfortunately, the major downfall of these engines is, of course the turbo as they didn't have an "after run" oiling system to cool the housing - so the bearings would make funny screeching noises if you didn't let the engine idle (like it said in the owners manual) for a minute or more. Several hundred parts dollars and up to a days worth of labor later you were back in business. My son did me in - I parked the car, then left for a job in Saudi Arabia. But did that car run !!!!

Then there were the intercooled Mustang and T'Bird versions that were even better.

Myself, and at this time, I find a V8 donor car(Maverick/Comet, '79 or later Fox bodied maybe), would jack your body up and slide all that good heavier duty stuff in place.

getting alot of good ideas here guys. thanks! im not sure what i'll do just yet. i might just go with the 2.3 and try to make it as good as i can, whether it be a turbo or a 4 barrel and a header...but it does definately need to be rebuilt. not sure yet. ur ideas are all floatin in my head. maybe i'll keep this guy roughly what he is and put more work into my 410. i have hopes of getting that goin too and puting it into a smaller car such as a cougar. keep the ideas coming guys...they are great! i need all the input i can get.

I never realized how hard it is to find a thunderbird turbo or even the turbo and cylinder head...mite have to go another route...

Originally Posted by TuffTrax

I never realized how hard it is to find a thunderbird turbo or even the turbo and cylinder head...mite have to go another route...

There is a listing for a NOS turbo head for $150 here

http://www.mustangsvo.org/classifieds/classifieds.html

Originally Posted by TuffTrax

I never realized how hard it is to find a thunderbird turbo or even the turbo and cylinder head...mite have to go another route...

in my neck of the woods there dime a dozen. whole cars for about $500 all the time.. my grandfather even got 1 free a few years ago, he drove it for a year and then sold it for somthing like $600 after he fixed it up a little

i wish thats the way it was around here, but i live in the boondocks in north dakota. i can about imagine what its like in new york...

Originally Posted by TuffTrax

i wish thats the way it was around here, but i live in the boondocks in north dakota. i can about imagine what its like in new york...

keep an eye out on Ebay and Craigs list for entire cars.. some people might pull the engine/ trans for you and ship just that. if you ask them. if you got the whole car, Tbird coupes have T5 5spds so you could have an upgraded trans too.

Would this Thunderbird 2.3 SVO XR4Ti IHI Turbo be sufficient? I found it on ebay. He said he was keeping the engine for his other turbo though...but would be willing to sell the tranny. It cheap so far. Would this and a cylinder head from a 2.3 turbo do the trick?

keep the boost low but yes, that would do the trick... factory turbo blocks did have forged cranks and pistions but the stock cast stuff will hold, just don't get crazy with the boost

What do you boys think of this?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Merku...spagenameZWDVW

Snatch it up, it'll do the trick