Ford Pinto V6 - other engine compatability?

I've been mulling over if I should buy a 1978 Ford Pinto for $200 or less. It is a V6/auto that has been sitting a while. Looks like someone has been used as their parts car at some point. It is missing more of the interior including seats and steering column. No keys which means I can't effectively test the electrical or engine in the guys yard.

I'm on the fence if I want this car. I like the look of it but a four cylinder with a standard would be more up my alley. BUT if there was the possibility of adding say an Explorer 4.0L V6 that might perk up my interest. From what I understand they are the same basic design. So in theory I could use the same exhaust, mounts, etc. I wonder about the automatic though. Most Explorers can kill automatics so the engine could be cheap enough. Could it be carb'd with the Pinto bits and use the Pinto slushbox? Any ideas?

Could an 80s Mustang steering wheel bolt to the column? I'm cheap and would rather use junkyard parts were possible. The shifter for the automatic is broken - gives me some hope that is the reason it came off the road.

some pictures. Some 15" aftermarket wheels on there. Garbage tires. I have a spare Mercedes 220D rear bumper that looks like it could be adapted to the rear of the Pinto.

http://lethbridge.kijiji.ca/c-cars-vehicles-cars-trucks-1978-ford-pinto-2-8l-v6-project-car-good-glass-W0QQAdIdZ505495425

IIRC, should be a Cologne 2.8 which would morph into the 2.9 in the Ranger. After that, I don't know. Never had any desire to swap or hotrod the worthless V6's.

The steering wheel idea is a bolt on affair, except you would lose the horn.

The shifter is just missing the handle and button. It will still work by pressing down on the plastic rod.

Should be able to drill out the key cylinder easily and get the screwdriver in there to turn the cylinder and remove it. Then replace with another cylinder.

Here's a 2.9 to 4.0 swap in a Ranger. Should tell you something about swapping a 2.8 to a similar 4.0. http://www.therangerstation.com/tech_library/4L_Conversion.shtml

I have a '72 2.0 pinto 4 speed and a Zetec from a '00 Focus that bolts together to get the Zetec to RWD land. That's what I'd do, but then again, that's what I already have. The transmission is a Ford Type E and is the four speed daddy of the XR4Ti's Type 9 5 speed. If you could get the bellhousing from a 4 cylinder pinto and the gearbox from the Merkur/Sierra you could have a modernish 4 cylinder 5 speed combo.

If you are coming to Wisconsin, I could sell them to you.

The Explorer 4.0 is also a Cologne V6, but I'd have my doubts that a 2.8's carb would be adequate on a motor of that size.

As for the steering wheel, I had a '76 pinto and it had splines for the wheel. A Mustang II steering wheel will bolt right on. If you are talking newer Mustangs, I believe most fox bodies had a double d, though the very early ones may have splines.

The V6 is a dog without a lot of performance potential. But for $200 you can sell the engine/trans for scrap if nothing else, get close to having a free rolling shell, then drop a Turbo Coupe engine/trans in it, that's very close to being a bolt in. As an added bonus IIRC the rear axle is very close in width, it would be pretty easy to stick it under there as well. Voila: you have dropped ~800 pounds off the TC weight.

Grant makes steering wheel adapters which allow putting pretty much any 3 bolt steering wheel on it. Their P/N is 3249 and JEGS has it for $25.99.

I contend that the engine is not a dog once you de-70's it. Meaning, get some compression in there, a bigger cam, make sure the carb is adjusted decently.

I had a Capri with the 2.6, which is an even worse variant of this same engine family (the normal one, with two exhaust ports per bank instead of three) and with a hot cam, milled heads, some tweaks to the carb and the decel valve removed, and was pretty happy with the results. Surprisingly quick and mid-30 MPG on the highway if speeds were kept around 65 MPH. Four-speed car with a noisy exhaust, nothing special.

I have some serious dreams for a car project around this car and engine...

In reply to pres589:

I agree. This engine was used in various TVR's over the years. I know a guy who races one, and it makes big power. I don't know if it's cost effective, but these engines can run strong if built correctly.

I thought the cylinders heads of these V6s were known for cracking.

Wasn't it the Bronco II 2.9L ones that cracked?

Sounds like there isn't a cheap answer to more power. I think I may pass on this which is a shame as the exterior and glass was in really nice shape. But the tire I add tires, steering wheel and a some sort of an interior it will probably add up to more than I'd want in a V6 Pinto.

You could go with a 302 Ford and T5 with some effort. But the Turbo-coupe swap would be a breeze. I have been on the lookout for a Pinto/Mustang II for just this swap.

Bruce

If I was going to go through the trouble of swapping in a 4.0 from and Exploder, a 302 swap would make much more sense and be more better for less work. My personal choice would be a 2.3 L, maybe with the turbo ala TurboBird.

I recently found a Pinto Wagon on CL for $800 with a bad motor on the same day someone posted a running 2.3L motor for $300 in the parts section.. I almost sold a body part.

First off if the car is rust free grab it.

You have to decide what you want to end up with.

V8 = Cheep go fast.. . . Go really really fast in that car. Poor millage and working on it will be . . .. well working on a v8. The good thing is (at least in my neck of the woods the local yards have an abundance of the 302's on there shelf's and in cars / trucks in the yard waiting.

V6. I would just not do this unless you can rebuild the stock one for very little $$$. Kind of treat it as a restoration.

I4 Yes. Great millage decent performance (probably more than the original lump). Add forced induction and look out. Easy to work on cheap parts.

Ohya I almost forgot the 4l exploder motor is a really good motor. Replace the intake gaskets and or head gaskets and they will last for ever. The trans in them is also a good unit. They get destroyed when the intake gasket fails. This causes the coolant level to fall to a level that is adequate to cool the motor but the trans cooler in the rad is exposed and the transmissions will quickly over heat. They have a very narrow operation temp range where they are happy (about 215-230 deg). Exceed it and they go bad really really fast.

So in short the trans in the 4l explorers is a really good unit. They are typically killed by overheating when the intake gasket fails in the 4l motor and this goes un noticed as the motors will run normally for a long time this way.

I built a V-8 Pinto back in the day. Fast yes, well balanced and fun to drive, no. It ends up being a nose heavy pig. As much as I hate the overdone LS conversions, that would be the way to go if you were going V-8. Personally I'd put in a turbo 4 and a T-5.

$200? That's bicycle money. Buy it and figure out the rest later.

Since it is a project car, the V-6 is part of the project. Depends on how well done.

I've had two V8 Pintos, and I agree: Fast yes, well balanced and fun to drive, no. It'll smoke the tires from hither to yon, but probably send you into the ditch.

Having said that, I'd do it again in a heartbeat - but I'd do a rear-sump Chevy engine (LSx or whatever) and set the engine back further.

I had a V8 Astre (Vega) that was better balanced, but I miss the Pintos.

bravenrace wrote: Personally I'd put in a turbo 4 and a T-5.

That's the route that I would take.

The problem with the 4.0L V6 is that it's taller then the 2.8L so it may not fit under the hood. Not that that can't be fixed but how much work do you want to do to get the hood to close? Plus it only came fuel injected so you have that problem of retro fitting not only the engine but the wiring harness and fuel system to your Pinto. The Turbo 2.3L has some of those same issues but info on this swap is just a few clicks away on the internet. I did one into a 1976 Capri that had a 2.3L carb engine stock. I sold it before I finished it but the new owner did and it's still running today.

A better swap would be a SHO V6! I'm sure that this swap would cost the most but the WOW factor would also be off the charts!

I would contest that a 302 is any heavier than a 4.0

In reply to aussiesmg:

You may be right. There probably isn't much difference. That means he shouldn't use either one of them.