My buddy's scotty Gregor loves it
The car is all one color now, fall is here, and I'm trying to get everything I need for my 2.3 turbo swap. Almost all of the rust is gone. I repaired most of the quarter panel rot with panels from Fred Morgan and took care of the little rust the floors had. My buddy did a few patches and remade the left rear lower quarter panel section as well as fixing where it rotted from the fiberglass bumper filler panel was riveted on. Still need to finish fixing up my replacement right side door. I hit a MOOSE with the one on the car now and somehow survived. That door was already rotted and filled with bondo anyways.
I bought the motor from an 85 Merkur with the wiring harness, Spec stage 3 clutch, Stinger top mount header (modified for spark plug access without pulling the turbo!), and T9 transmission. Traded the T9 and $20 for a T5 out of an 87 Turbo Coupe and got the IHI turbo in really good shape for free. Bought a Mustang 4cyl bellcrank bellhousing for 50 then sold the hydraulic one for 35. Got a rotated intake but it's too tall to clear the hood so I'll be cutting up the original one and having a local shop weld it. Pulled a fusebox from an 80s F150 and bought a 31 spline 3.73 Limited Slip disc brake 8.8 rear out of a 97 Explorer. A buddy gave me a big Greddy front mount intercooler that was on his Nissan 240sx. Also got a free custom 2.5" exhaust off of a Merkur with a Magnaflow turbo muffler that I'm going to make fit.
I already bought a full gasket set for the motor. Once I get everything together and working, I'll be pulling the head for a rebuild and installing a stainless steel head gasket.
At this point, I need an Aerostar driveshaft, brakes and seals for the 8.8 (got calipers), clutch disc and throwout bearing for the T5, Camaro T5 tailhousing and shift fork/rail/cover assembly, and U-bolts to get the tranny and axle in properly. Then I need to buy a big brake kit for the front. I've got some Jeep 15x7 steel wheels to run in the meantime after it's 5 lug until I get better wheels, I'll be able to use the tires I've got for now and not have to spend any money.
For the motor I need a blow-off valve with a recirc fitting, external wastegate, make a flange for the turbo outlet and fab a downpipe, Jegs aluminum radiator, electric fan, intercooler tubing and couplers, motor mounts, new Pinto sump and pickup, Walbro 255 fuel pump, and a few miscellaneous things. I'm also going to have to weld in subframe connectors.
I'm hoping to have it drivable again by spring after I tear into it this winter.