4 banger to v8 selling problems?

[stangster50]

so.... im going to convert a 93' original 4 banger auto, into a 8cyl 5 spd... im planning on selling this, as i have too many stang projects, and i figured this was a good way to fund these projects. anyway.... im looking at ebay, and i noticed that everyone makes a big deal in their auction saying that "this is an original v8 car. not a conversion!" and i noticed that mostly stock originals are going for $3-6,000, and nicer, and severely more modded converted cars cant get $5,000.

so whats the deal? why if they are already modded are people wanting an original v8 car? its obviously not about pure... or they wouldnt want a modded car...
it makes no sense to me since a 4 banger with 60,000 miles will probably be more solid then a v8 at 60,000 miles.. they just dont have the abuse, they never made enough power to hurt themselves... ect..

any ideas?

 

[RycheGT]

A lot of ppl want an original V8 car. The only advantage to a conversion car is insurance is cheaper. The draw backs to a conversion are not knowing if it was done right, or if its a hack job.

 

[1991notchbackLX]

unmolested fox bodies are getting harder and harder to find, the draw of a 4cyl conversion used to be the lower insurance rates seeing as the car could still be registered as a 4cyl even with the bigger motor... the problem with people shopping for a fox is that most in the market are car guys... and no car guy worth anything wants to buy someone else's dream, they want to build their own... i passed up several 87-93 coupes that were WAY faster than mine before finding my 91, which was bone stock down to the AM/FM radio/cassette haha

just my .02

 

[fanopj1]

I personally do not have a problem with the 4 to 8 cylinder conversions. Probably because I have done one. My original 5.0 was rusting away, and when I moved to FL., I found a 4 cyl in great shape and converted everything over, replacing ALOT of parts in the process. I understand that if not done right, they are worthless. I am buliding my car for me, the way I want it, not concerning myself with resale value. Some people are just purist, which is fine. All told, I have a 5.0 built by myself, my way, at alot less money than an unmolested, original 5.0. If money was no object, believe me, I'd be first in line for an original. Just my .02

 

[wythors]

As previously stated, most people don't want to buy a car that has major modifications. Personally, I won't even consider a car that has had any mechanical mods done to it at all, unless they were done by a professional that I trust and I'd never consider a conversion car under any circumstances.

Another thing to consider is that you will never come close to recovering anything close to the cost of any mods. You're lucky to get ten cents on the dollar for what you "invest" in a car.

 

[Beasty306GT]

Lot of people wont buy it.... could have trouble registering an x 4 banger..so when u go to get an inspection the computer will see it doesnt match with the vin # ...i personally would never buy a 4 to 8 swap

 

[Mustang5L5]

I personally wouldn't buy one. If i looked at a 5.0 car and found it was a 4-banger...i walk away. That's already a sign of major modifications to the car.

Plus how well was the conversion done? Were the brake lines rerouted or just bent out of the way? Were the brakes changed to 5.0 brakes? Is the wiring spliced...or swapped with all factory harnesses?

I want a car built by Ford. Who knows what level of detail a person doing a V8 swap into a 4-banger would take.

 

[fanopj1]

i understand everyones negative opinion about the swap, but think about what the OP is saying. Nobody knows the mechanical ability or understandings of a person doing mods to their cars. How would one know if a H/C/I swap was done right, or a five lug conversion, or rear disc brake upgrade? How many rear end gears have been changed, and are they done correct? The same holds true for a V8 swap. Same concerns, right?
I still believe that a 4cyl to 8cyl swap, in my eyes, is no better or worse. Again, I know how much time a dedication to detail I put into mine, so I am alittle biased. Nothing was left in the 4 cyl, except the body. ALL harnesses, fuel and brake lines, K-member, rear end, every nut and bolt was gone through.
I would not walk away just because of the conversion. If the work was poorly done, being a swap or mods to a 5.0, than anyone would have second thoughts.

 

[Beasty306GT]

The problem is that you dont know if some joe shmoe hacked it together...Yea i might look descent but i would not even look at it and i would straight out walk away...If you know your cars then you know what to look for other than that..i would never buy one

 

[SVT32VDOHC]

I got tons of calls on my car within a few weeks. Out of say 7-8 calls only 2 had a problem with it being a 4cyl car. These people were looking for mint, original everything cars...WHEN MY AD CLEARLY STATES IN AUTOTRADER WHAT IS DONE TO THE CAR. Those two people can't read, and are dreaming if they think an all original V8 notchback is only asking 7,500 dollars.

They ALL had a problem with my black car being a salvage title though. BUT...I found a guy who didn't care. He wanted a rust free, clean, nice, dependable 5.0 car and found one...and he bought it. It took me only 2 months to get it gone. I got $6,300 for it. You remember my car...it was nice, so do it all right.

 

[1990Coupe]

I'm with SVT...


My 1990 red coupe was a swap car. I bought it as a swap car for 3200 bucks. It had some mods too, HCI etc. I knew what to look for in the car, and saw the brakes were swapped etc. If you are at all knowledgeable with fox's you can look at a swapped car and point out all the things that were "hacked". All i did was paint and rims and i sold the car for over 6k.

My latest project is a swap too. I did the swapping. You can check out my progress thread, i did it using 100% ford parts the right way. Not saying i want to sell it, but someone who knows fox's will see that my car was swapped the right way. The engine is all stock too, only "mod" that was done was full exhaust

 

[1993SSP]

I am in the midst of doing a conversion, if it is done right with all the correct parts the car will be no different than a original V8 car. I have taken no shortcuts on anything, but alot of people will hit the major stuff and shortcut all the small items they can, those are the cars that are not worth buying.

 

[1990Coupe]

i understand everyones negative opinion about the swap, but think about what the OP is saying. Nobody knows the mechanical ability or understandings of a person doing mods to their cars. How would one know if a H/C/I swap was done right, or a five lug conversion, or rear disc brake upgrade? How many rear end gears have been changed, and are they done correct? The same holds true for a V8 swap. Same concerns, right?
I still believe that a 4cyl to 8cyl swap, in my eyes, is no better or worse. Again, I know how much time a dedication to detail I put into mine, so I am alittle biased. Nothing was left in the 4 cyl, except the body. ALL harnesses, fuel and brake lines, K-member, rear end, every nut and bolt was gone through.
I would not walk away just because of the conversion. If the work was poorly done, being a swap or mods to a 5.0, than anyone would have second thoughts.

nicely put

 

[85_SS_302_Coupe]

If done right, i think it can be better than a factory V8 car. At least with a 4 cylinder car you know it hasn't been beat very bad and the chassis has a lot less wear and flex on it than a V8 car would, especially the torque boxes. "Done right" is a huge part of it. The only major major downfall is for people who have to pass emissions and would look down on it because it's technically an illegal engine swap, even if you go with all the emissions crap.

 

[SVT32VDOHC]

Me and 1990Coupe did our swaps the same way. Clean, 4cyl car, got all the V8 parts from a donor car and made sure everything looked factory.

Two things though:

1. Make sure you do a 5 lug conversion. Everybody loves that.

2. Make sure the rear brakes are disc and not drum. Everyone who got excited over my 5 lug swap, was upset when I told them the rear was still drum.

 

[1990Coupe]

Me and 1990Coupe did our swaps the same way. Clean, 4cyl car, got all the V8 parts from a donor car and made sure everything looked factory.

Two things though:

1. Make sure you do a 5 lug conversion. Everybody loves that.

2. Make sure the rear brakes are disc and not drum. Everyone who got excited over my 5 lug swap, was upset when I told them the rear was still drum.

+1


Only reason I ponied up the extra $$ for the rear disc was for "looks" and "ease of maintenance". I'd rather do brakes on a disc setup then a drum setup.

 

[SVT32VDOHC]

+1


Only reason I ponied up the extra $$ for the rear disc was for "looks" and "ease of maintenance". I'd rather do brakes on a disc setup then a drum setup.

I agree. They do look way better...especially with your wheels that show them off. My 97 Cobras hid the brakes, you couldn't tell what I had. Plus the stopping power is better.

 

[fanopj1]

I am glad you guys ( 1990 copue, SVT, 1993SSP ) stepped up and agreed. A nicely done car, modded or swapped, done correctly, should not make a difference. I have watched your threads and see nicely, correctly done cars. I myself did not do a thread, but have done mine right over the last two years.
Again, in my eyes, it should not make a difference.

 

[NewToFord]

I am in the process of doing this swap. Everybody is going back to emissions. Isn't emissions all done through the sniffer on these cars? So its either gonna pass or its not, wether 4 cyl or 8. Its not obdII where they plug the car in.

 

[1990Coupe]

I am in the process of doing this swap. Everybody is going back to emissions. Isn't emissions all done through the sniffer on these cars? So its either gonna pass or its not, wether 4 cyl or 8. Its not obdII where they plug the car in.

In NJ yes.

It doesn't make a difference if the car is 4 or 8. gotta pass the "sniffer".


fanopj1: Thanks for the props and i agree.. A swapped car, done right, should not make a difference. If the person knows fox mustangs at all, you can point out a hack no problem.