Ford Tempos: am i twisted?

So today i saw a Ford Tempo GLS, and it was ugly. But in a strange way, i was drawn to it.

After further research, seems the GLS was the "Sport" model (snort, SPORT TEMPO), and had a 3.0 litre Vulcan w/ 150-155hp, and 170 torque, could be had with a 5 speed.

Also intriguing, there was an AWD Tempo.

My question:

Does an AWD, 5 speed, 3.0 litre Vulcan Tempo exist? IF so, how strong is the drivetrain? And the motor for that matter....

Yeah. I have a problem.

Don't do it. Just don't. This will be your only warning.

93celicaGT2 wrote: Does an AWD, 5 speed, 3.0 litre Vulcan Tempo exist? IF so, how strong is the drivetrain? And the motor for that matter....

Yes, No, Yes

AWD auto Vulcan

The 3.0L is the same 3.0l Vulcan equipped in such high performance vehicle as the Aerostar, Ranger and Taurus. It's strength is it's lack of performance.

I didn't realize that there was a V-6 Tempo. My wife had a Sport Tempo back the mid 80's. For the time it was not a horrible looking car with charcoaled out window trim and a fairly sporty Mustang like interior. However it had a tractor like big TBI 4cyl. mated to 5 speed. Not a bad looking car for the time, but certainly not "fun".

The 3 liter Vulcan was pretty boat anchor reliable but I'm not sure it was available with the AWD.

My dad had a Mercury Topaz (Mercury's version of the Tempo) briefly. And I mean briefly. I was too young to remember why he hated it, but I do remember it having a lot of problems. He told me it was the worst POS he's ever owned, and that included a Dodgy Caravan that grenaded two autotragic trannys.

My wife had a Topaz when we met. She now drives a Civic Si.

Since we're on the subject there is an unofficial movement building to make the Tempaz the spec car for the 2011 BABE rally. We are tying to see how many we can get to show up.

It was chosen because you can go on craigslist in almost any city and find a sub $500 Tempaz that runs.

I owned the Michigan and Ohio MAXIPAZ and TEMPON tags for my two bad purchases.

My first car was a 1984 Tempo 5 speed, Electronic Holley 1bbl carb(not TBI, only year). Suspension was terrible. Power was terrible. It was hard to imagine that 84hp could actually cause torque steer in a car that heavy. It can. It was a fine commuter car. It had no sporting pretentions what so ever. Mom and Dad purchased a 1989 Topaz Auto. Decen enough car, as long as you had time. They put 180k miles on the original engine trans. Still so slow you wanted to get out and push.

Asfor the V6 versions, they were turds. The extra weight being over the front wheels was terrible on an already overweight and unbalanced car. Add in a terrbile macstrut suspension and no aftermarket, the car was a goner.

If you chose to ignore this, I will find where you live and slap you. You are close, I can sense the disturbance in the force.

My hatred comes from learning to drive in my mother's 83 (85?)tempo. Only way I could get that thing to 85, was down a very steep hill. Brakes gave out on me one night, causing some evasive maneuvers that my friends still talk about fondly. The car came to a stop, inches before a cliff, that would have sent us over the edge crashing into a mobile home at the bottom. The day that car went to the crusher was the happiest day of my life, even though it meant I had to walk everywhere. Seriously.

^ They were common to blow rfront brake hoses. I blew two in my 3 years of driving in high school. Nothing like driving home with nothing but the emergency brake and one good pump left in the pedal. Good thing mine was a 5-spd.

Also, the ergonomics on that thing were horrendous. Horn was on the turn signal stalk, there was a seperat wiper stalk, a tilt stalk, flasher stalk/button and a manual key release button on the steering column. It had more branches than a sequoia.

AWD Tempos stopped in 1991. The V6 was added in 1992.

My parents had a 1989 Topaz, it was the first car I drove on a track, and I happened to set an unofficial track record. The fact that it was the high school's 400m running track and I was comparing my times to the track and field team kind of diminishes the impressiveness of the track record, but it's a record none the less. :)

Bob

Here's my confusion... a V6 2nd gen Tempo weighs in at about 2750 from everything i've been able to find. Which would mean that it should at least be faster than any stock FWD Celica besides the newer GTS, and i didn't really find the 5sfe powered celicas THAT lacking in power.

I realize it's a turd... but anything can be fixed.

To clarify, i would never dream of really competing with one, but i would possibly be interested if the price was right in making a hilarious hoonmobile/E36 M3box.

Boostorz?

Don't worry bob, i'm not REALLY considering this. No smacks necessary. More like, i thought of it, and it just screamed "John Brown" to me.

Much like a rust free 2 door Chevette, I would buy any 5 speed AWD coupe I ran across. Sounds like Rallycross win to me.

From what i have heard, the 5 speed v6 fwd one is ok, the rest are awful, including the awd, becasue it is too waek to even hold up to the stock power level.

Travis_K wrote: From what i have heard, the 5 speed v6 fwd one is ok, the rest are awful, including the awd, becasue it is too waek to even hold up to the stock power level.

Can the Vulcans handle any real amount of boost? Or nitrous?

93celicaGT2 wrote: Can the Vulcans handle any real amount of boost? Or nitrous?

That is illogical.

The rear end in the AWD versions is made from compressed glass. The parts are smaller than a CRV or similar, and those parts are dinky. Even if you can get decent power from the engine and through the transmission, the rear end will grenade on the first decent hook.

I always thought the coupes were pretty cool looking. The cars have all but dissappeared up hear in Wisconsin, especially the first gen ones.

93gsxturbo wrote: The cars have all but dissappeared up hear in Wisconsin, especially the first gen ones.

Although it's hilarious a guy at one of our facilities has one that he bought like 15 years ago that is rust free and he drives it everyday.. It's kinda freaky actually.

Here's an article on the Tempo over at Car Lust. Read and learn.

http://www.carlustblog.com/2008/09/ford-tempo.html

The 3.0L and the 5spd was a snappy little package at the time. A torque steer monster!! I had taken a drive in one that we warmed over a bit and it was fun....not great, but enough to get some odd looks at the stop light wars! The Vulcan has a HUGE crevise volume and rings are pretty low down the pistons...you should be able to boost/ NOS for a while but as I seem to recall the lower main bearing are rather thin and won't take much. It is still able to take more then the 3.0 Modular.....

My dad's daily driver after his 240DL 5spd and before his '98 Mustang V6 5spd was a '92ish 4cyl auto tempo sedan. He's not a car guy btw.

We took the family of 5 on a week long vacation to Orlando, FL from Ohio in that car.

And people today think they need crossovers...

pkrstr8 wrote: The 3.0L and the 5spd was a snappy little package at the time. A torque steer monster!! I had taken a drive in one that we warmed over a bit and it was fun....not great, but enough to get some odd looks at the stop light wars! The Vulcan has a HUGE crevise volume and rings are pretty low down the pistons...you should be able to boost/ NOS for a while but as I seem to recall the lower main bearing are rather thin and won't take much. It is still able to take more then the 3.0 Modular.....

Hrmmm well even if that is the biggest weak point and the rest of the motor is up to the task, bearings aren't that big of a deal to replace on the front end.

No. AWD tempo...I know ford service guys from the late 80's who STILL have nervous ticks because of that car....

Junkyard_Dog wrote:

93celicaGT2 wrote: Can the Vulcans handle any real amount of boost? Or nitrous?

That is illogical.

I see what you did there........