My buddy just picked up a Mountaineer 5.0 AWD for like $300 with a broken plug and 2 broken head bolts trying to repair said plug. My friend can fix that stuff no problem. The question is, now what? Anyone know if the Explorer/Mountaineer share their frame with anything smaller and racier? I was thinking an old Crown Vic (80's) and making an AWD beast. What's something insane and fun to build from this vehicle?
Gut it, lower it, put some rally tires on it and a E36 M3load of lights. Full exo-cage.
Go enter some rallyx or stage rally stuff.
I don't know why anyone would go through the trouble of doing anything to modify an Exploder/Maintenanceer when one could just flip it and get something far more entertaining.
Plonk a 30s-50s pickup or delivery body on it. AWD locost donor or alternately, find smallest, lightest car handy - swap drivetrain. Keep engine, part rest of it - engine swap for vehicle of your choice. Take out to field, cover in phosphorous, light it up - oh wait, that was mythbusters. 5.0 Volvos are intriguing - awd version would be too.
They are decent daily drivers and run forever but expect them to always have something small wrong with them, a lot like a VW or Audi.
The 5.0 is a decent budget swap to a fox body with a shelled out motor.
Thats about it.
Pretty sure those have good GT40 heads/intake and distributorless ignition. If so, that's a cool motor for a swap.
Well, that's a nice GT 40 headed/intake motor with a distributorless ignition, and EEC5 good motor swap for a crown vic. Good, I meant GREAT swap.
AWD vic would be fun.
Some of the nuttier types have made that drivetrain fit into a Merkur, but with the 2.3. I like one-upsmanship.
From what I've heard, the explorer 5.0 is the hot ticket in junkyard fodder.
Figure out a way to cram the drivetrain in a falcon wagon and you will be teh awesomeness...
These have those odd heads..supposed to flow better but exhaust manifold is a unique piece and regular 5.0 stuff won't fit.
Spark plugs are at a funny angle and are a snap to change...in a Mountaineer as you just go through the wheel well. Might be tough stuffed into a Falcon or such.
Spark plug wire routing is important as this is the second one I have seen that was too close to the #6 exhaust and burned through.
I had planned to drop a 54 Ford panel truck on it, but after I got it running right and cleaned it up, my 6 foot 6 inch buddy talked me into removing him from his Nissan Hardbody truck and cash!
He has a Fairmont Wagon... AWD swap? Can the auto be swapped for a manual and keep the AWD?
I have a 2000 Crown Vic... AWD Vic sounds awesome...
That's the motor I'd like to start with to upgrade my SN95; all the nice EDIS stuff and a decent intake manifold, etc etc, just waiting for a better set of heads and an MS.
I'm sure I'm not the only Mustang owner thinking similar things. $300 seems like great value.
sell the bits to mustang guys and crush the body. turn the seats into more places at the dinner table 
92CelicaHalfTrac wrote: Gut it, lower it, put some rally tires on it and a E36 M3load of lights. Full exo-cage. Go enter some rallyx or stage rally stuff.
I had my own ideas... your's are better. Just needs a "something something blower with a drive pulley the size of a US dime something" in there somewhere.
egnorant wrote: These have those odd heads..supposed to flow better but exhaust manifold is a unique piece and regular 5.0 stuff won't fit.
The early V8 Explorer got the regular GT40 heads. I think it was late '96 or early '97's when Ford changed over to the GT40P heads. I have read that some headers work better then others and if you convert to 90 deg. plug boots you can get enough clearence to make it work.
Conquest351 wrote: He has a Fairmont Wagon... AWD swap? Can the auto be swapped for a manual and keep the AWD? I have a 2000 Crown Vic... AWD Vic sounds awesome...
I know Fords are largely parts-binned but I don't think THAT much so. To run AWD Explorer gear on the Panther platform, let alone the Fox would probably involve a large amount of custom front end hacking, welding, and fabrication. Then again, I could be totally wrong. I still think a $300 Exploder is best flipped for $1500 and turned around into something much more interesting, but that's just me.
SlickDizzy wrote:Conquest351 wrote: He has a Fairmont Wagon... AWD swap? Can the auto be swapped for a manual and keep the AWD? I have a 2000 Crown Vic... AWD Vic sounds awesome...I know Fords are largely parts-binned but I don't think THAT much so. To run AWD Explorer gear on the Panther platform, let alone the Fox would probably involve a large amount of custom front end hacking, welding, and fabrication. Then again, I could be totally wrong. I still think a $300 Exploder is best flipped for $1500 and turned around into something much more interesting, but that's just me.
You're right, and I agree with you 100%. But, the problem is, that's LOGICAL thinking. We don't do logical thinking around here. Haven't you been paying attention?
Rallycross beater?
This swap talk makes me shake. I prefer quick and easy changes so that you can get down to the fun part, driving and hooning.
For practical stuff it could be your tow beast and/or winter beater. MPG is going to be really, really low.
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