Ok maybe I missed it in another thread as it was not clear here. You went from building a turbo 2.3 to selling the car. You did mention a Falcon this past spring. But what was the reason you sold the car? I really liked your 85!
Progress Thread HeHateMe gets bent
- Thread starter droopie85gt
- Start date
Didn't we just share a bunch of Pinto wagons over in our part of the forums @74stang2togo ? Check out the last page of the shared craigslist ads. I shared a couple wagons that are near the Atlanta area. The white one speaks to me for some reason.......
I'm not a huge fan of the wagons. It would HAVE to be a small bumper car. or at least converted to small bumpers. There are a lot of really fast 2.3 Pinto's though. One guy in the low 9's or 8's. But easy to build, looks sorta like a Maverick and fairly easy to find decent cheap cars.
I love Mavericks. Factory curb weight is about 2950 for a 70-72 2 door 6 cylinder. But the 60-63 Falcon is 2400lbs! And I like that body style.
I figured out Mike hates Falcons, so I wanted to jerk his chain. No, I was at a point where I want to build a serious drag car, but something different. With the goal of dragging my brother out on drag week or something similar. The 85 was in good shape, so I thought before I gut it out, I'd try to trade it or sell it. I was really hoping to find someone who wanted to go the other direction and move from strip to street. So I hoped maybe somone would have a Fox or some other car with a roll cage already in it and work out some trade.
But I really want a Falcon. I really wanted a Maverick or notch when I bought the 85. I liked it, but it was always in the back of my mind that I didn't really buy what I wanted. I'm still collecting parts for the 2.3, so I have plenty of time. I may just lurk on FB until I find just the right Falcon or Maverick before I buy, although there is one all the way in Oklahoma that fits the bill.
So I was all excited when I got my pistons and fought the spiralox and got them in. It was hard to plastigage the rods without pistons on. When I did, they were a tad bit on the tight side. About .0016 - .0018, backed up the plastigage with a bore gauge. I realized I had ordered just plain aluminum stock replacement type bearings so I ordered Clevite 77 rod bearings. They are definitely beefier. And despite being std bearings they are thicker. PLastigage and bore gage say about .0006 bearing clearance. 
After cursing a bit and wondering what was going on...like can I not read a mic, and going over the crank measurements for the 40th time, I said, hey dummy, measure the big end of the rod. I can't find my book I am keeping notes in, but it was about .0012 - .0015 under the minimum size. I got these back in June from Esslinger. They are Crower sportsman rods. I contacted Esslinger on FB on a Sunday, got a message with an email to send the details to. Monday at about 10:30 (8:30 Cali time) I get an email with a contact at Crower and the address to send them to. Crower will hone them to whatever size I want and send them back. Obviously, it would have been better if they had sized them correctly from the factory, but it was nice that they didn't flinch to take care of the problem and make it right. When I get them back, I can assemble the bottom end and put the pan on.
Actually, at that point I can put the entire engine together. The main thing I lack right now are injectors. It would be nice to have a car to drop the long block in to start mocking everything up.
After cursing a bit and wondering what was going on...like can I not read a mic, and going over the crank measurements for the 40th time, I said, hey dummy, measure the big end of the rod. I can't find my book I am keeping notes in, but it was about .0012 - .0015 under the minimum size. I got these back in June from Esslinger. They are Crower sportsman rods. I contacted Esslinger on FB on a Sunday, got a message with an email to send the details to. Monday at about 10:30 (8:30 Cali time) I get an email with a contact at Crower and the address to send them to. Crower will hone them to whatever size I want and send them back. Obviously, it would have been better if they had sized them correctly from the factory, but it was nice that they didn't flinch to take care of the problem and make it right. When I get them back, I can assemble the bottom end and put the pan on.
Actually, at that point I can put the entire engine together. The main thing I lack right now are injectors. It would be nice to have a car to drop the long block in to start mocking everything up.
Mike's stalking me continually bitching about Falcons...and you're looking over my shoulder. I was just looking at one on FB for $500! A 2 door 80's Escort tips in about 2200lbs. Still leaning towards the Falcon. But who knows. I'm going to Heber Springs this weekend to help my brother with the weekend getaway mobile home he bought to store his boat at. Then the next 2 weekends I'll be on anniversary vacay. So I'll keep adding potentials to my faves on FB and see what's available in 3 weeks.
I agree, the small bumper cars look way better but they will require a little fab to stab in the 2.3. 74 and up will bolt in but they are big bumper cars. Some day I hope to finish my 73 hatch. It already has the 2.3T / 5spd / 8" swap but it is carbureted with a funky intake. It leans out big time in boost with the current setup. It needs to be converted to fuel injection. I have most of the stuff to do it. Just need the space and time to work on it.
I think that one day, I want to do one of these:
That is all. Please carry on.
That is all. Please carry on.
I'm on board with a Granada. However, I'd be more geared toward the '81-'82 that shares the fox platform.I think that one day, I want to do one of these:
That is all. Please carry on.
Speaking of: https://lexington.craigslist.org/ctd/d/somerset-1981-ford-granada/7198592336.html
Even has the same hubcaps as the one you posted.
I'm on board with a Granada. However, I'd be more geared toward the '81-'82 that shares the fox platform.
Speaking of: https://lexington.craigslist.org/ctd/d/somerset-1981-ford-granada/7198592336.html
Even has the same hubcaps as the one you posted.
Wow... Official Hi-Jack in progress:
That is a nice one. How great would that look with the bumpers tucked in? I'd otherwise, try and keep it the same on the outside (the red top would probably need to go). I really like those wheels.
Yes... I can see it now: Saddle leather interior, stock block 347, quiet exhaust, sound deadening everywhere, the best 4-link suspension combo I can reasonably put together, largest brakes I can fit beneath the stock wheels, traction lock, all-season sport tires, and a good auto transmission. A nitrous bottle buried on each side of the trunk for the occasional occasion...
BTW... I really like the rear bench seat in those. I might have to figure a way to put a center console into one that looks like it should have been there.
Same platform as the fox, so putting in a center console would likely entail no more than putting bucket seats in it and converting to the lever-style hand brake. Other than that, the seats and dash all look to be standard fox platform fare.Wow... Official Hi-Jack in progress:
That is a nice one. How great would that look with the bumpers tucked in? I'd otherwise, try and keep it the same on the outside (the red top would probably need to go). I really like those wheels.
Yes... I can see it now: Saddle leather interior, stock block 347, quiet exhaust, sound deadening everywhere, the best 4-link suspension combo I can reasonably put together, largest brakes I can fit beneath the stock wheels, traction lock, all-season sport tires, and a good auto transmission. A nitrous bottle buried on each side of the trunk for the occasional occasion...
BTW... I really like the rear bench seat in those. I might have to figure a way to put a center console into one that looks like it should have been there.
My parents had a '79 Fairmont Futura and an '82 Granada L when I was born. I remember both of them being unreliable as hell, and the Fairmont ending up on it's side in a farmer's field, and the Granada ending up being yard art for ten years before it was scrapped. That could be why I don't like them to this day.
Model T.
one was for sale locally. ‘20s model T with 2.3 turbo and T5. I wanted to buy it!
On my short list for potential next projects
one was for sale locally. ‘20s model T with 2.3 turbo and T5. I wanted to buy it!
On my short list for potential next projects
I used to work with a guy that had one like that. For years he drove a clapped out red 4 door Granada to work. One day it wouldn’t start and he drove his backup Granada. It was a white 2 door like the one in the picture. But his had a black bucket seat interior with a floor shift AT along with magnum 500 wheels and a 302. The car was CLEAN. I was shocked. This was 2002. I was laid off from that company in 03. He still had the car but I lost track of the guy.I think that one day, I want to do one of these:
That is all. Please carry on.
You think Mike has an issue with a Falcon - get yourself a Mustang II. That'll really get him going! 
Pros:
Came stock with a 2.3, so installing one should be a breeze
Came from the factory with an 8" that should be able to withstand a 2.3T
Front end components are super easy to get a hold of
Front brakes are easy to upgrade for the same reason as front end parts
Cons:
There are many naysayers like Mike, so you'd have to withstand the degradation
There's not a huge aftermarket (except for front end parts), but it's slowly growing
And..... I dunno really, that's all I can think of right now. But then again, I'm a little biased.
Pros:
Came stock with a 2.3, so installing one should be a breeze
Came from the factory with an 8" that should be able to withstand a 2.3T
Front end components are super easy to get a hold of
Front brakes are easy to upgrade for the same reason as front end parts
Cons:
There are many naysayers like Mike, so you'd have to withstand the degradation
There's not a huge aftermarket (except for front end parts), but it's slowly growing
And..... I dunno really, that's all I can think of right now. But then again, I'm a little biased.
Mine doesn't weigh 3000 even with a 302 and a slushbox. It'll weigh even less with the 4v and the steeeeek.
That was spec I found that happend to be 77 or 8 king cobra, didn't waste a bunch of time on it, most cars under 3k lbs with over 300 hp will be fun if it's planned right, most people plan a 9sec drag car on the street with a go kart budget.
