2.3 turbo-2.3 SVO clone?

BrutalStang

BrutalStang

New Member
Aug 2, 2004
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#1
Ok, i need anyone with any knowlege about the turbo mustangs and the SVO to help me here. ive been looking for a project steed, and was looking at foxes or II's with the 5.0, but a good friend and neighbor of mine has put a few things into my head about 2.3L mustangs. he has an 85 SVO, a great car that can take many 5.0's around the area, and handles better then alot of cars ive been in.
so here is my big question of the night. i have seen the prices of nice SVO's and they are a bit to high for a low end project stang. but it has come to my attention that 2.3L turbo stangs from 1984 could be an extreamly cheap project stang with alot of potential. something i have been looking at and thinking about would be turning an 84 2.3T into an SVO clone. but if i did this could i just bolt on an inercooler to the stock turbo for the added power of the SVO? i now i would need other mods to help that power quota, but could this be done? or would it make more sense to just get a whole new turbo+inercooler assembly? im am in no way farmiliar with 2.3L engines, as i have been a V8 man since 76, but i think this would be a fun project.
another question would be can alot of power be made from these engines at a modest cost like a 5.0 would? if not i suppose its not that big a deal there. i also need to know if a car this old would be a reliable driver for my son(he is about to get an 03 6, but he would be a partner in the project).
anything else anyone would like to say about this is definatley appreciated.
thanks in advace guys, i know you all know alot about this stuff, so i look to the experts :worship: :worship: :worship: :worship:
 
#3
If you look you can come across SVO's for reasonable money. You will get what you pay for, but buying the package can make the difference. In a way, the 84 2.3T is more rare than the SVO. The only other car of the year that beats them both out is the aniversary model.

So - Find the 2.3T car of your choosing and then go to Turbo Ford. If you find an SVO you can also check out the SVOCA.com as well.

The lima block can take 400 HP on the stock bottom end. Some will say more and some have done morem but 400 is a well qualified number. Until you reach a certain point, the 2.3 is cheaper to mod for the HP you get. e.g K&N filter and a Gillis boost valve @ 17 PSI will net you 20 HP on a stock 84. Puts you right in line with the 200BHP of the 8.5 and 86 cars. I also ran my 84 at 22 PSI, but never Dynoed it. I'd say about 185 to the wheels and no pinging.

As for the IC's, if you get stiffer than stock IC hoses you can put the 87/88 Turbo coupe IC or stock SVO IC on any EFIed 2.3T. You will need the larger VAM (Vain Air Meter) PE, LA2 or LA3 ECU and 35 lb injectors to get up to the 200 or so HP level. It would help to get a 150lph fuel pump into the tank minimum as well. Be best to just go 255 and be done with it though.

Check out the other sites out there and do a general internet search via google on SVO Mustang.

Z.
 
#4
The key in a nutshell is to buy a turbocoupe, pull the drivetrain, drop it in your mustang. This is the cheapest shortest route to begin the project you want to do.

Nice SVO's are still cheap. Mine was $1500, and I hear about cars that cheap all the time. This route is the best, you've already got the great car, suspension and brake package done, then just let the mods begin.

I've got a nicer LX, show/race car level, but I prefer the 'vo. It's just cool. :nice:
 
#6
so would it be wise to just get an SVO? im having trouble locating one, but there is an 84 Turbo GT a couple streets away from me for sale. i would rather have the SVO but where can i find one?
 
#7
GT's are getting really rare! I have seen many SVo's in person but only one GT (now I have the drivetrain out of itand owner put a 351 in it). The GT's are cool to, but I think all you get is a stiffer suspension than the basic stangs.

EDIT: I saw one other GT ata car show (the bastard beat me).

Now if you want to be Retro Turbo, find an ultra rare 79 cobra or 80 Pace car with the carbed 2.3 Turbo. you cant get as much out of em, but they are still fun and I think about 200hp is the most you can get without really canging the whole setup. I have one of these, and enough parts to build another. I am debating wether to keep it in my 80 stang ghia or to put it into a sand rail and plop the super moded EFI turbo motor into there.
hmmm.

get the GT since it is close. It probably needs love anyways. We will help you with anything on these as long as you dont say the words "swap for a v8". LOL

later,
TF
 
#8
thanks, and no i wont swap for a V8, that is not gonna be the plan.
i took a walk over there and the guy is asking 1500 for it with 100,473 miles. is this a good price? overall car is in good shape, i havent driven it yet but i wouldnt know what to look for with a 4cyl mustang. how should the 2.3 feel? it is black and bone stock, which i think is a good thing here
 
#9
If you have the money and it runs good I would ****** that one up. Of course try to chew them down a little. I just drove the 80 Cobra, lot's of fun, they get a lot of attention especially when they are stock with the lime green (they came in other colors as well) stripes on a black car. I see fewer GT Turbo's then early Cobra's. I saw another Cobra the other day kind of rough shape. Mine is by far the nicest one around and it is not perfect. There are 3 of them running around here and a Capri RS Turbo driven by an older lady (70ish) she has no idea what she has..
 
#10
bone stock wow!
did the motor look oily? freshly jet washed?
open air filter, check oil, rad fluid and see how clean or dirty they are.
I am not in the prices category but I am sure others can help here.

If it a owner and not a dealer then he might not know exactly what he has. see if he will budge. find all the things wrong with it and let him know.

I often get blinded by cool little gizmos in a car and forget to look for damage or abuse. take it out for a spin, it should drive nicely until you get the RPM's about midway then the turbo should start to sound (not loudly but a nice sound). if you stomp on it, it should firmly put you in the seat! turbo motors get there power in the mid to high revs no the lows. when you stomp on it, look for smoke and such.

I am sure you know alot of this, but refreshing ones mind cant hurt.
Driving a turbo 2.3 is just awesome!

have your friend come with (the SVO one) to look at the car. drive his and compare it. Dont let the seller know how interested you are though.

dammit, why did I forget all of this when I bought my Scorpio!!! grrrrr. ohh well, done is done!

good luck.

personally if the car is in good shape, been maintained well. then the price is not bad. not to many miles really.
 
#11
the guy is the original owner too, he bought it when he was 30, so it has been well taken care of, im gonna go back over there tonite and check all the things you mentioned, thanks.
thanks for the info on how the car should feel too, this will really help in finding out if the motor is running right or not. and it looks like you would know with your impressive corral of stangs. so thanks, i'll update after we check the car out more completley
 
#12
BrutalStang said:
thanks, and no i wont swap for a V8, that is not gonna be the plan.
i took a walk over there and the guy is asking 1500 for it with 100,473 miles. is this a good price? overall car is in good shape, i havent driven it yet but i wouldnt know what to look for with a 4cyl mustang. how should the 2.3 feel? it is black and bone stock, which i think is a good thing here
Click to expand...
$1,500 is waaay too much. I think you better give me this guy's name, address and phone number so I can tell him personally. :D That is a good price, however the 84GT turbo only had 145 horsepower. But with some minor mods you can get some better numbers out of it. For the most info go to TurboFord.org.
 
#13
ok heres an update. he said he would go to 1200, which sounds good to me. it has SVO seats, so i was wrong about the "bone stock" but those seats have been there since 86.
all fluids were clean, so thats good. he said oils been changed every 3000 since new, so that sounds good. the interior was nice, no excessive wear, just normal stuff. and i couldnt find a spec of rust on the whole thing, i was amazed at this, i expected a little, but couldnt find any. he said it was clear title and never damaged, and the body shows this with not a spot. paint is very faded, but its original so not all bad.
now to the engine. as i said all fluids are clean, and the engine bay wasnt like horrible looking, but it wasnt like just detailed either(so about in the middle there). we took it for a spin and the guy was being really cool(i estimate he is about 51?) so we took it out on a pretty wide open road to test the motor. now i gotta say, this is no 5.0(as most of you know,lol) low end around the little streets i wasnt impressed at all. but once we were out on a large road i kicked it, and was then impressed. when that turbo kicked in it was very fast, i took it up to 75, no rattles or anything, just a smooth car. the brakes may need to be replaced though.
so how does this deal sound? if you guys say go for it, im going to, so i need your advice here. thanks for all the help guys!
 
#17
well, another dream crushed. and i blame you all for getting me so excited.
i go over there the buy the thing cause you know i wanted it and you guys told me too, and you know what? the sale sign is out of the window, so im thinking maybe he took it out for me. but no, this was not the case at all.
he said it all happened to fast for him, and that he expected to have it for another couple of months!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
i was mad as hell :mad: , he said come back at the end of the year!!!! what a jack@$$, i am so mad right now, now i guess i can go back to considering finding an SVO or something, cause chances are im not gonna be able to find another nice looking 84GT turbo like this one

and by the way, i dont blame you guys, that was just some anger coming out again, im sure you guys will help be get over it. well anyone know where i can get a nice SVO? turns out im still in the market :nonono:
 
#18
WTF!!! Now he won't sell it to you. What a jerk! Maybe you will find something else as nice. I think you should buy a 87-90 Mustang (mentioned above I think) and get a Turbocoupe and swap drivetrain. If you have ever swapped a motor you can do this with ease. The hard part is finding the donor car for the right price. You can get Mustang's pretty cheap, Turbocoupe's as well. Sorry you were not able to get the GT that would have been a good car. You might keep bugging him until you find something else. Maybe he will give it up.
 
#20
he had flashbacks of fun times when it was taken out on the test drive. LOL

that sucks man. See if he would take a price a lil closer to the originall price (1500).

Sounds as if he was either testing the market, or he realized that the car might be worth something.

keep bugin him, and have him call you first, when it goes back up for sale.


Bummer!!!
 
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