Looking at an xr4ti

very low rust. non-running, but allegedly would if you put the radiator back in and attached the turbo to the intake again. Due to the number of friends we have in common, this is unlikely to be a lie. Same owner for 15+ years. odo says 85k, but it's five digit. cars condition could make an argument either way.

stock aesthetics. stock suspension. engine has an SC50 and aftermarket log manifold, 3" exhaust, cheap mbc. no other modifications. Had a front mount intercooler on it that has since been sold. Seller alleges the long block is stock, down to the original headgasket.

Is a stock C3. Comes with a t5 bell housing and pedal assembly. I've got a built AOD gathering dust on my shelf too.

Seller wants a thousand bucks. What do you people think?

sounds like if you take a trailer and $750 that they'll watch you load it up and haul it off.

I know if i had room, it would come home with me. Of course i would slap in a turbo zetec just to be different.

Low rust id buy it at that price. I enjoyed mine the 3 blocks it traveled before it started to rear steer. The 2.3t is a fun little engine.

I would love one of those cars.. but have not seen one in the wild in about 10 or 15 years.

Parts are very hard to come by.

Will an AOD mate to the 2.3?

What automatic came in the fox body mustangs and rangers? AOD?

I thought the 4 cylinder models had some other transmission.

A4LD - overdrive version of the C3.

Correct, but adapters are affordable.

I'd avoid the A4LD. Those had a hard time living behind the V6s in the Ranger/Bronco II. The Ranger guys nicknamed it About 4 Long Drives

the problem with the Merkur.. Ford only ever stocked parts for 10 years after the demise of any model.. after that, you are on your own.

We agreed on $700. Pictures to follow...

good man! i have a T5 if your interested...

-J0N

Coincidentally, I saw one on my way home from work today. Followed him for a few miles.

Spoiler alert.

Nice

Look up member Raze on here. He has a sweet one that he made into an autocross beast.

In reply to crankwalk:

Lol, sorry it took so long to post, I'm glad youre taking the plunge.

As for scarce parts look up Merkur Midwest, they usually have used but good parts, oreillys carries lots of Merkur parts for some reason, these things are simple, but I recommend a few things to make life, all depends on what year it is, phone dials plus biplane with 3rd light looks like an 86...

First thing I'd do is drop the fuel tank and see how bad the rust is, derust and seal, impossible to replace, and swap in a walbro or knockoff high pressure in tank and remove the external pump while you're at it.

Trans...measure your trans tunnel there is narrow and wide, switched in 86, go buy a WC T5 out of a turbocoupe or 4 cylinder Mustang and get a 28 or is it 24 spline single piece driveshaft and a 460 Machine adaptor, and a T5 mount from midwest?

Suspension...buy Koni yellows and convert to coilover up front, you can get yellows for the rear too. MC2Racing can help there, and swap out all bushings.

Engine... Ditch the VAM and go to Megasquirt with MAP.

Get a ranger 2.3 valve cover gasket to slow oil leaks

Remove all smog and vent the crank and head

Brakes...Ditch the rear drums for David Godfreys turbocoupe discs, or some have Taurus or PBR, but u usually need 16" rims

Engine upgrades are last, with MS u should be able to get a lot more for free but you will need an intercooler.

Let me know if you have questions.

More details; Previous owner bought in 1997 at 125k miles, so that 85k on the Odo must be (1)85. It's been sitting 10 years, from when the ps pump failed.

Said he blew up one c3, claims the one in it now is good. I'm pretty set on adapting my aod to replace it eventually.

He sold the fmic off of it at some point, so I need something to connect that T04e to the throttle body before I can even try to start it. Preferably another fmic setup, what should I be looking for?

Oh, also, it's got a big VAM and an ECU reprogrammed to PE specifications. And an adjustable fuel pressure regulator.

Engine should be fine, ours had 180k on it when we started 10 years ago, we've done everything to it including 35psi and it's fine. I say that because the automatics only ran 10psi, the C3 is glass, which means you shouldn't have burnt valves or cracked head.

They never came with a FMIC, straight compressor to intake, plumb up a FMIC, I used 2" aluminized steel tube, welded on a bead, using big rig radiator stock hose for couplers with tbolt clamps and an eBay bar and plate intercooler, see pics in my garage for more detail...and drop that fuel tank if its been sitting that long, they rust from the inside out...

I love these cars! We demand more pictures :)

When I had my fake SVO, I remember buying two prebent tubes off of ebay that were perfect for putting a front mount on a stock 2.3 ford. Alas, that was ten years ago. Now when I search for 2.3 ford intercooler stuff I get all this newfangled ecoboost mucking up the results.

it's really a shame that Ford here in the US (really Mercury) had no idea what to do with these cars. They were leaps and bounds better than anything in Ford's stable at the time..