I'm in a delimma of sorts. I traded in my Gen II L to free up some cash to pay off bills. I have my modified CSVT that is paid for, and I have my 84 Bird thats been sitting for ten years waiting for me to get to it. I want to start open tracking whatever vehicle I have (CSVT, Lightning, Bird). I can do that almost immediately with the CSVT, however, I've wanted to get my Bird back on the road in the nerm future with a 4.6 4v and T-56. That will take 1-2 years to accomplish the way I want. So why should I start on my 'Bird? I want to, but I don't. Convince me guys!
cause a 4.6 powered chevy eater would be pretty sweet. specially in a fox body.
Well if you have enough disposable income to spend on it then what are you waiting for? You have to have a hobby right? And if you don't go crazy and expect it to be done overnight then that gives you something to work on.
Because I told you to.
cuz you'd be a loser if you don't lol
Because your avatar is awesome! I think a 4.6 would be sweet in a 'Bird. It hasn't been done much from what I've heard and that gets points in my book
race the contour and build the bird...that was easy...
im a huge fan of the 4 valve modular into a fox so consider that i guess. im hoping too have mine running by may bits its looking a little grim. hopefully it will be complete by summer time it....
Shame, I've thought of that, but keeping the Contour doesn't pay off the current bills I have, plus the other half isn't too happy about that idea either!
well, take into consideration the contour is paid off and ready too go. you dont owe anything on the tbird as well. you are always gonna have bills one way or another. you have been storing the car for years now, whats the sudden rush? im in the same boat. got bills, rent, ins, whatever the kids need as well as the wife, plus saving up a portion of my income for a downpayment for a house. sure if i didnt have any bills the car would have been complete over a year ago with my first choice drivetrain. i ended up just keeping the car around and collecting parts untill i have everything i need or at least close. i dont care if it takes another 2,3 or 4 years too get it done. makes no diffeance too me realy. it will get there.
EDIT...on the othe hand. do realize that whatever money you put into the tbird id basically gone. i wouldnt expect more than 40% back at best.
4.6 with a 6 speed ?
It is worth because when you finish it, you can take to a Ford dealer and ask for an Oil or Plug change and look their faces when you open the hood...would be nice, isnt it ?
(http://www.teamswift.net/images/smiles/werd.gif)
Can you make enough money on the Contour to get you a beater AND parts for the T-bird?
My daily is a 05 Liberty Limited CRD. The money from the Contour would pay off bills, and then I would start on the 'Bird. I'm like a woman when it comes to cars, always changing my mind...
get the bird going because the 84's are the coolest and mine runs so you should make yours run too.
Because in a few years the 84 will be considered a classic, and that's splindiferous.
4.6 4V in a 84 bird?.... Hell yeah!!! go for it! Definetely not for the faint of heart though. Sounds like a tough swap.
We definitely want pics when this project kicks off.
there are different ways too do the swap. some obviously are easier than others. either way, its a much more expensive and involved swap compared too a 5.0 swap. i will try too take pics as i go but im not the best at that...i tend to get buisy and forget about the camera...
Shame, is your project getting ready to get off the ground?
I've only scratched hte surface in my research on it, but it doens't seem like it will be all the difficult with the right k-member under the car. There are enough Fox mustangs out there with it I don't think the procedure in a Fox Bird will vary much.
its not the most dificlut swap, but its deffinetly no walk in the park. the payoff is huge imho though. once ive got somewhere with it ill start up a thread of my own. (sorry for the hyjack) i havnt realy talked about it much because if i fail then im a . i figured id get it done and running then talk about it. oh well.
i have almost everything i need. im trying too settle on what i want to use for an ignition. their are a few options verying in cost and complexity. i need an ignition and the hydroboost conversion. i need a driveshaft, crossmember/mount and T56 yolk as well as TO and pilot bearing for the T56. um....tie rods, rack bushings, tires, and an exaust and its just about all ready too go. another thing slowing me down is that im powdercoating alot of my parts like my CHEs i got unfinished. in my head right now the color looks awesome but ill probably end up regretting it once they are done. such is life though i guess.........
the engine is palatized and wrapped up on snowmobile trailer at my buddys house right now untill it warms up a little. pics of the T56 are on my cardomain. i need too get the engine up on an engine stand (wich i still need to buy) and shined up some. i need an alt, air and steering pump. motor mounts too.
other than that i have everything i need. still quite abit too go though. i didnt want too drive the car around with the 5.0 on the new suspension so its all pretty much going to get done at the same time.
hopefully ill be driving it this summer, even if i dont get a chance too paint the car id be happy with that.
so far:
4.6 DOHC and T56
5 lug swap all around including new cobra brakes front and rear.
8.8/373
complete new suspension
once i get it running the way i want and work the bugs out, im gonna slamn down the credit card and have basically a teksid block version of an 03-04 cobra engine built up....im a little between that and a built up mach 1 motor. i originally wanted that with the shaker...i love the shaker...
should be sweet ;)
NO dude get that 03 cobra motor that s/c is soooooo sweet then call classic design concepts and get the shaker too. The stock cobra motor is a monster and with a little fiddling can put 450hp to the wheels easy.
welll, i love the 03-04 cobra engines but there is one thing i dont care for about them and thats the cast iron block. id rather buck up and spend the money to have a teksid short block version made up too handle the boost and go with either a ported eaton or go all out on a KB. part of the appeal of the 4.6 DOHC, at least to me is the aluminum blocks. for right now, im using a 98 mark viii LSC engine that i got with only 32k on the clock. its basically a 96-98 cobra engine accept for the fact that it has very slightly/almost the same cams, different intake, and a cast crank. 96-98 cobra engine is rated at about 305HP whily the LSCs are rated at 290HP. i can live with that given the huge differance in cost up front. i had lines on 3 great engines befor i bought this one. one was a 03 cobra drivetrain. it was through a local salvage yard connected too greenleaf. the guy looked it up and it entered their stock the day befor. i put down a diposit, came back 2 days later to fing out that the guy screwed up and should have had me pay it all at once (wich i told him at the time was fine). the other yard that had it sold it too someone else. i was super pissed. it would haave been an awesome deal. then their was a nice 99 cobra engine. i talked too the shop owner and he said that it had 13k on it and he wanted 1800 for it too get it out of his shop. i took the 2 hour drive to go pick it up only too find his story changed and that now its a customers engine that he replaced with a crate engine. the customer wanted 3k for it (wich realy isnt that bad) but he might be able too get him down too 2400. on prinl i pretty much told the guy too piss off and left....pissed off. then their was an 04 mach 1 engine. anouther local salvage yard. the kid called me over the weekend knowing that i was looking and told me all about this mach1 they have. that monday morning, i skipped work to go get it (wasnt gonna let this one go) only too fing out that the manager said the engine was toast and he couldnt sell it or anything off of it...not even a valve cover or intake...long story short, i finally found a 98 LSC that had been tboned with only 32k on the clock. the nose was tapped as well but the engine is fine. i said too hell with it and had them pull it and now its mine. itle do for now and if i cant get it too work i wouldnt have wasted much money on it vs the thousands i would have wasted on a genuine cobra engine or wven a mach1/aviator/merauder engine. once its running im going too have an aluminum long block built up with decent rods, forged pistons and forged cobra crank, 03 cobra heads, 03 cobra or similar cams (not all that likely aftermarket as their isnt realy a need other than too get that lope at idle), billet oil gears, ported eaton, etc.....im not looking for a 9 sec car...just a good strong modular runner. as much as i love the mach1 shaker intake and would love it on my car you cant use one with a PD blower like the eaton, at least im 99% sure you cant. i think i like the eatons wine better than the look of the shaker anyway. i know i could build up a NA 4.6 dohc powerfull enough for me and use the shaker but its so easy too get over 500HP with the 03-04 cobra engines...a tune,intake, pully, and exaust and your just about their.....
Are going to go with an aftermarket k-member or are you modifiing the stock one?
i have the AJE k member