01 Gt,,,thrown Rod,,,another 2v Or Mark 8,,,i Can't Decide

IMHO, you will be cheaper and back on the road faster if you do a 2V with some go fast goodies.

b head engines make no tq under 4k, unless you use the imrc plates. Get a mk8 shortblock and put c heads on it with a 03-04 mach 1 intake manifold.

If you are not looking to do forced induction, and not planning to do a fairly in-depth build, I'd just go with 2-valve. It won't make quite as much power as the 4-valve, but will have much more power under the curve, especially in the low-RPM range, and will run every bit as fast. Low RPM torque from a 4-valve (or lack thereof) doesn't match up all that well with an automatic. Even the C-heads don't make a great deal down low.

Your area may be different, but around here, if I see a Mark VIII engine for the same price as a 2-valve PI, then something is likely wrong with the 4-valve engine, or it has a LOT of miles. Also, I'm assuming you know this already, but just in case not: the 2-valve 4.6s in the 01+ Lincoln Town Cars, Mercury Grand Marquis, and Crown Vics are identical to the Mustang engines other than some basic parts that you can swap over from your current engine (exhaust manifold, throttle body/plenum, wiring harness, etc.).

If it were me, I'd do the 2-valve, a relatively mild cam (stock converter automatic doesn't want much cam), long tubes, and bolt-ons. Would make upper 200s on the tires easy, and would likely run 12s with gears and tires.

I don't see why you can't build a stout 2V with forced induction for a decent price either.

flstang65 said:

I don't see why you can't build a stout 2V with forced induction for a decent price either.

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I've said that quite a few times in other threads now.

Already having the engine out of the car would be a great time for forged rods and pistons. Find a set of used 03/04 Cobra rods and pistons, and you can build the shortblock for around $1000-$1200. Find a used blower (probably centri if you really want a deal) for, say, $3000. Full exhaust for $800, especially easy to do long tubes with the engine out. You can do gears, new Traction-Loc with Cobra clutches, and 31-spline axles for less than $600. He said he has an auto; you can build that auto to hold 600+ rwhp for about $400 in parts (plus another $400ish to pay someone to do it for you if you can't yourself); good converter can be had for around $800. Throw in another $1500 for other bolt ons, programmer, tune, tires, basic suspension stuff, etc.

And for a grand total of $8300, you can have a 100% reliable, 100% consistent, 100% street car with completely stock driving manners, that will run 10's all day long. All-the-while still being able to drive your wife and toddler across the country without annoying the heck out of them from the noise, bad ride, or driving manners, and get 20+ mpg all day. (And I think some of those prices are a little on the high side.) If I were building a 2-valve, this is unquestionably how I'd do it (I'd personally run a TVS blower, even if it cost a little more, for the fun factor on the street).

Or, I guess you could put a stock 2-valve back in it for <$1000 and drive/enjoy it. Haha.

iowabowhunter said:

This is the route I was kind of leaning towards. I was thinking the Crane Stage 2 Z Cams or Houston Performance regrinds. Along with headers, bolt-ons,3.73 or 4.10 gears and a tune. Why the long tubes over the shorties? Also would a truck motor work?

Thanks for the input all.
bob

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I don't know much about cams and the best grinds and all, but I'd look into MHS's cams, too. That's what I run, and they definitely make power.

Long tubes make more power than shorties.

I'm fairly sure a truck motor would work. But you might want to do some more checking just to be sure.

If MHS is who I think you are talking about, I would think twice about doing ANY business with them or their affiliates. Truck motor would work just fine.

flstang65 said:

If MHS is who I think you are talking about, I would think twice about doing ANY business with them or their affiliates. Truck motor would work just fine.

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Modular Head Shop. Nick McKinney (sp?) They had ONE incident a year or so back that got blown up all over the web, and in the end, the fault didn't turn out to be on the end of MHS (other than the lead time, which was known to be a while).

Nick was, and still is, one of the most knowledgeable folks out there when it comes to modular motors. He was extremely nice and helpful when I was looking around for a set of cams for my car. He was hard to get ahold of sometimes, but I'd be willing to take most anything he said to the bank.

That being said, I know they are under new management now and things could have gone downhill, I don't know. Haven't heard or seen much of them lately.

And oh yea, truck motor would definitely work. I almost forgot: an 03-05 Explorer motor (I think those years are correct), and a couple years around that time from the Expeditions, had aluminum blocks. If you could find one of those for a reasonable price, they are absolutely the way to go, as they are close to 100 pounds lighter than the iron blocks. But, in my area anyway, they were usually quite a bit more expensive ($1500ish vs. $700ish).

I just speak from my own personal experience, that's all. I was one of the ones that got scammed.

The going rate around here for motors at the U pull and pay type places are around $250

Dang, that sucks.

And wow, I wish they were that cheap around here. I just looked on car-part, and a decent mileage one from a Town Car is around $750; truck motors are around $1000, and Explorer motors up around $1300.

well, 250 to 400 depending on where you go. the last 3 engines i replaced in my shop were; 1.8 turbo vw/audi for $1000, zetech focus for $350 and a a suzuki 2.7 for $1500. i can get 5.0 and 351's for like 350-500 delivered.