Engine Swap Advice

Mach1Trav · Apr 20, 2006

Hey guys - Back in 1997, my wife recieved a v6 convertable from her parents when she graduated from college. Since this was a gift from her parents, I am cursed to have this damn thing in my garage until death do us part.

So, I have decided to swap a v8 into it. I have found a 4.6 4v engine out of a 1997 lincoln - and I am thinking it would be a perfect canidate to swap in. Can anyone offer thoughts and or opinions on this? I am not locked into the 4v engine, I could go with a regular 4.6, a 302, whatever, if it is alot easier to swap in. There are a couple of 1997 cobra computers on ebay, and if I am not mistaken the 4.6 4v from the lincoln is the same engine they put in the cobra.

General Questions:
1.) Will I have to swap out the k-member and or the motor mounts?
2.) Do I need an entire new wiring harness and or computer? Or, Can I just have my computer chipped and re-programmed?

I plan on replacing the engine, tranny(auto), driveshaft, rear end, fuel-pump, and probably do some significant suspension work as part of the conversion. Anything I am missing?

If anyone can point me to threads and or tech articles, I would appreciate it. Been digging through the archives for a while...

Mike97gt · Apr 20, 2006

your going to need just about everything I would get a tubular k-member you will need a harness out of a cobra or modify a 4.6 2v harness to fit and while you are at it get the cobras PCM and if possible the cluster.

you will run into pats problems so you will have to have a tuner disable pats. personally I would get a whole harness out of a cobra with pcm and not mess around with a 2v harness at all since you have to swap it all anyways.

and the 1997 mark 8 motor is similar to the cobra motor it has a teksid aluminum block but it has a cast 6 bolt crank.

tomustang · Apr 20, 2006

Insted of chopping a car apart and mutilating it from stock form i suggest you sell it and atleast buy a V8 mustang very in it's place. Less annoying, probably end out being cheaper, and it'll cause less hassle and stress.

This is my opinion but do whatever see fits to your liking.

stng · Apr 20, 2006

tomustang said:
Insted of chopping a car apart and mutilating it from stock form i suggest you sell it and atleast buy a V8 mustang very in it's place. Less annoying, probably end out being cheaper, and it'll cause less hassle and stress.

This is my opinion but do whatever see fits to your liking.

+1 I feel you pain being stuck with a V6 mustang, but it will be a huge undertaking and you will end up spending ten times the amount to do the conversion, as you would to just buy a V8 mustang. I instead would try a little harder to convince your wife to let you sell it and put the money towards another mustang...

Mach1Trav · Apr 21, 2006

I have been trying to talk her into selling it for years - and every time it comes up, the mother in law has an absolute caniption fit. I cant sell the car, so I might as well turn it into a fire-breating monster because that will really piss her off. lol

I did find a writeup on the swap last night, and it doesnt seem THAT hard to me. I may totally simplify the whole thing and just throw a carburated windsor in there, scrapping the computer completely.

tomustang · Apr 21, 2006

Mach1Trav said:
I have been trying to talk her into selling it for years - and every time it comes up, the mother in law has an absolute caniption fit.

best way to do it

find the exact color options on a mustang gt vert, sell and replace, tell the mom inlaw you did upgrades

sgarlic · Apr 21, 2006

Push it off a cliff, then tell her the brakes on the car SHE insisted on you keeping failed, and that you hope she's satisfied.. use a wire brush on your arms to simulate road rash from jumping out of the car at the last second. This way, the car is gone, and it'll probably be the last time the in law tries to force anything on you.

40th GT · Apr 21, 2006

sgarlic said:
Push it off a cliff, then tell her the brakes on the car SHE insisted on you keeping failed, and that you hope she's satisfied.. use a wire brush on your arms to simulate road rash from jumping out of the car at the last second. This way, the car is gone, and it'll probably be the last time the in law tries to force anything on you.

oh the sarcasm.

four six · Apr 22, 2006

tomustang said:
best way to do it

find the exact color options on a mustang gt vert, sell and replace, tell the mom inlaw you did upgrades

Best idea yet

mransr · Apr 22, 2006

geezzz....sometimes it sounds like the only tool in some of these guy's tools boxes in a credit card...

IMO the most straight forward way to swap to a V-8 is with a donor car, that way you'll get all the little bits that you don't think of until you need 'em at 2:00am...

and when you're done you'll have the satisfaction of doing it and still have a car that has sentimental value...(and probably get bonus points from the wife too )

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