First I bought an unknown 87 302 engine in "running?" condition. Then I stumbled across an 86GT for 300 bucks (IT RUNS, NO SMOKING )... here goes the breakdown... The unknown engine.. I looked this casting number up but i wasnt sure... Damn thing beat my bed all to shyt! lol Sexiness.. Dunno how long it will last but it DOES run! Fresh waterpump with a rusty thermostat housing and everything else. What does this mean?
looks like the 2nd engine sat in the rain for some time... That first engine has a real bad carb swap done to it. What are your plans?
I'm thinking that if I can get the second engine to hold up long enough, then maybe I can get a 331 buildup going on the other block. I've been reading about how the stock blocks are crap for building anything over 500 horses, so maybe I will keep the second engine (the smurf) as a backup. I'm not sure yet. I'm just going to take my time and keep reading...any suggestions?
BTW.. the guy that sold me the first engine said that it was TBI, but everyone who sees it says its carb. I was just thinking about switching it over to the 86gt fuel injection system.. the car had extra stuff in the back of it. I dont know how good any of it is, but it all looks alright.
Okay the rust is maybe from pure water getting in the thermostat housing, rusting the thermostat to hell and the rusted overflow stained the outside of the engine What year is your car, what is it a 4 banger or what?
The car in the background is a 96 3.8. I yanked the engine a while ago and I should have a tubular k-member in a month or so. I figured i would get the engine out of the gt, put new gaskets in it and clean it up for the swap.
okay you're doing an SN95 swap, I've only done it once on that car (other times where all fox)... Well if you go EFI, I would try and snag the EFI stuff (computer, engine harness, etc...) from a 94-95 car ALSO GET the instrument cluster from the same car. You can always reuse the fox TB setup but you may need to follow the instructions on the net (for fox TB in SN95) to make it work properly. The junkyard (buying sep. pieces) may cost you more in the end than just buying a junked 94GT with the 5.0L though... Anyway I got a junked 95 GTS for less than 2,000 CDN, it had only 60,000 miles and took my cousin and I about 12 hours to complete the swap (V8, T5 and 8.8 rear end). Everything worked perfectly. Also if you find a junked GT with black interior you can get some cash back by parting the unwanted parts out. Make a 5 lug kit and sell it, that **** is like gold to us 4 lug fox guys In the end that 2,000 dollar V8 parts car ended up costing my cousin only 1200 bucks which is pretty good for a newish 5.0, T5, rear-end, all the EFI stuff and whatever... I've also done the junkard piece by piece thing on a fox and it wasn't super fun... just a heads up.
So i take it that i would have a hell of a time trying to use the engine harness from the 86 and the instrument harness/gauges from a 94-95gt?? I know its easier that way, but I have already bought a V6 pos, an 86gt, and an engine from the blue lagoon. hahaha I mean.. i keep making these left turns, and they say that three lefts makes a right, so something should work out right?? lol
I was thinking about going to florida50.com and buying a custom setup for the gauge cluster. Its not a junkyard piece, but i think it should make life easier for me.
I think so, I'm not an SN95 expert and the custom piece would look cool with autometer gauges. You have all the wires and computer from the GT, it would be some custom work but doable, imo. Get some wire diagrams for both years. I've done the left turns before, many more than three but hey we got to learn our shtuff from experience anyway. I don't know if this is true but people say the older fox computer is better (honestly I don't know about that). Keep us posted on the project with pics.
My friend what you are doing is the epidome of Hot Rodding!! Taking scraps from junkers and making a mean machine for the minimal amount of money! Hats of to ya buddy! Its something you dont see alot of today.
I'm with you, I love traditional hotrods (or ratrods or what ever you want to call them), with all the standard 5.0's running around I'm kind of happy to have an unknown engine in my car. In the end it will be different than almost everything else out there. Go to any car show, cruise in or club meet and after you see the first 3 5.0's you've seen them all. RatStangs rule!
