what could I do with this?

I have a possible oportunity to get an engine-less fox body capri rs, quite possibly for free if I play my cards right. I am not sure if it has a trans or not, but I think it is/was 5 spd. I know 5.0 /t5 is a no brainer, but what if I wanted to do something completly different? I always liked the svo stangs and t-bird turbo coupes, but I think that the 2.3 turbos day has come and gone. Has any one considered, or better yet attempted, to transplant any other (modern) fomoco 4 cyls into these? The focus engine is a duratech right? Do those like turbos? If I did this I would use megasquirt as engine managment.

I also have a lot of affection for straight sixes, were there any fox platform cars that had an I-6 from the factory? I think I saw a '79 or '80 mustang with an I-6, but I was a dweeby teenager at the time and it was probably just an n/a 2.3, and I was to stupid to count plug wires.

There was somebody years ago that was going to use a fox Fairmont crossmember to put in a 200 straight-6 with an Australian crossflow head and a big turbo in a 83 TBird. That'd be cool. Maybe Ecotec Turbo from a wrecked Solstice? MS3 motor fabbed up custom? Do like PHR and just stick an LS1/T56 in it and go 9's?

I would prefer to stay fomoco, and the aussie head sounds nice. I've heard of that before, but never seen one, I have seen a jackalope though.

79-83 You could get fox bodies with the underpowered 200ci six. BUT, if you order up an autralian cylinder head with proper intake and exhaust manifolds you can have some fun with the straight six, it just won't be as cheap as a 5.0/5spd. The later blocks (~80+) have 2/3rd of a V8 bell housing pattern too. Play around at http://fordsix.com/forum/

Duratech turbo + SVO mustang = http://forums.focaljet.com/team-rigz/501590-old-dog-new-tricks-mustang-svo-duratec-pr0n-inside.html

I don't know how I never saw the DuratecSVO before. But I rarely hit Team Rigz on FJ.

Turbodiesel Capri would be cool!

Duratecs are all FWD, so you'll have a LOT of fabwork ahead of you to go that route.

My suggestion would be to import an Aussie Ford 4.0L Turbo I6, with an attached 6-speed. 300hp/300tq in stock trim, and the Aussies have several examples pushing 4-digit horsepower.

It's like an American 2JZ that's just not available in the states.

HA. I bought a '79 Mustang with the I-4 turbo when they first came out. The first few years of the new fox body Ford orginally was offering a V-6 but there was a shortage of engines so for some time all the consumers could get was a I-6. I talked to a guy soon after I bought my Mustang, he had managed to get a V-6 Mustang but he had said the engine was set so far back you could not get to the spark plugs, starter, etc. But I never saw a it. I've got a lot of fond memories of that silver Mustang. Looking back it wasn't that well built but good times.

Yes, I have an I-6 Capri parts car! Funny looking little beast eaten by rust. I have also owned V8s, 2.3 na, 2.3 turbo and even a V6 fox bodied Mustang.

I did look around at a lot of Ford 4 cylinders options working with Escorts, 90s Capris, Mustangs even a few Bugeye Sprites.

2.3 turbo can be infectuous! Mainly because 99% of HP increase is done without cracking a pan or pulling a head.

Had a friend that was putting a 4 cyl turbo diesel from a Frito Lay delivery truck in an 82 coupe once. Actually got it running and driving before it got transplanted into a Geo Tracker.

Seen a Supra motor in one...

Just find a rear drive engine you like!

Bruce

The absolute best swap into a Fox Mustang is a big torque 350 Chevrolet.

As Tom Cooper once put it "Built Ford Tough with Chevy stuff"

(Before a single match is lit in the flame war remember I am a 5.0L fanboi)

The 2.3T hasn't come and gone, they're still running strong, only thing on this is as a first choice of a drop in an empty roller it would not be mine.

That being said if the car came with one I'd be much more inclined to hop it up as we did w/our XR4Ti because it's easy, mostly bolt on since the pistons are forged and the rods are good to 400 HP, the rod bolts are the weak spot actually. With a T3/T4 hybrid or a cheap used Holset you can pump out 300+ WHP w/o breaking a sweat on the stock block and head, any mods you do after that simply open more power. I'm not saying they're the end all be all, they're iron, kinda tall, and their power band isn't anything like a V8 but price/performance/modability they're up there...

In reply to ReverendDexter:

Wait,,, Isn't the ranger in some iteration a rwd Duratec?

Dooooood 3.0 Taurus sho motor sounds awesome easily bolts to a rwd trans and is atleast from a fomoco car, other than nagging maintnance issues like rod bearings it's awesome. Hell the only reason that motor is a pita on. The Taurus is cause it's transverse so the engine bay is tight. Ok ramble over.

Why go the hard way? Just drop in a built 302/5.0 and be done with it.

The 2.3 turbo is a fine motor by it's not any cheaper than a used 302. That 5.0 motor is rapidly becoming the new SBC of racing. Cheap, plentiful, and well documented.

Xceler8x wrote: Why go the hard way? Just drop in a built 302/5.0 and be done with it. The 2.3 turbo is a fine motor by it's not any cheaper than a used 302. That 5.0 motor is rapidly becoming the new SBC of racing. Cheap, plentiful, and well documented.

^^what he said! ^^ then add a super charger...

5-point-oh FTW! There's no reason why not and 225 reasons why you should put one of those babies in there!

Why go 5.0 when you can go 5.8 with the same parts. Find a wrecked lightning for the motor, T5 from a mustang and you are good to go.

There was a shop in Virginia that but a Skyline engine (RB26DETT? not good on Nissan stuff) in a Fox Mustang. I think it was two tone but I remember no other details and my quick google search found nothing.

You can get a complete 2.3 turbo+tranny from a t-bird turbocoupe for less than $350. A 5.0 could probably be found for the same price, but a 5 speed is alot harder to find. If you are looking to spend more money, something lighter would be nice, and maybe help with the scary handling. As far as SHO engines, arent there some important parts for them that are NLA? Last I heard rebuilding them was no longer possible, but maybe someone started making stuff for them again.

wherethefmi2000 wrote: Dooooood 3.0 Taurus sho motor sounds awesome easily bolts to a rwd trans and is atleast from a fomoco car, other than nagging maintnance issues like rod bearings it's awesome. Hell the only reason that motor is a pita on. The Taurus is cause it's transverse so the engine bay is tight. Ok ramble over.

that sounds interesting. Aren't these engines on the endangered species list because of obsolete parts? If I did that I would have to change all the badges to yamaha what rwd gearboxes will these bolt up to?

Not a single person has said Trebuchet.

I am losing faith in you guys, I swear.

CliffordPerformance.com If you decide on an inline six they have manifolds and all the good stuff. A 200 with a mild rebuild should do well with a low gear ratio rearend. I had a 200 in an old fox body mercury...not bad after I got it to breath easier. Think about a 3.8 though. Really a nice reliable powerplant! They get noisey with age but last forever and can be modded easy.

Also depending on what you want to do with it a 300 six out of a truck could make a real tire smoker! And might find one for free somewhere (they outlast the rest of the truck)

that has always been a dream of mine. a twin turbo 300 ci truck 6 in an early fox mustang...well, any mustang really.

I had a base LX fox with a 5sp turbocoupe drivetrain swapped in. I really really miss that car.

Reliable as a hammer and just about as complicated.