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Author Topic: Engine Swap for ol Blue  (Read 4194 times)

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Offline Back in Blue

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Engine Swap for ol Blue
« on: February 14, 2012, 01:48:22 AM »
I'm tired of throwing time and money at the tired, old, factory 2.8 V-6 in ol Blue. I'm looking to buy a donor 1990 Thunderbird SC with the supercharged V6 and 4 speed automatic for the swap. What do you guys think??? Any suggestions or concerns will be appreciated.   Thanks,  Steve
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thecustommuffler

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Re: Engine Swap for ol Blue
« Reply #1 on: February 14, 2012, 09:05:36 AM »
As far as bang for buck, I`d do a 5.0 and if its gotta have a fan do a rear mount. My lil bother had one of those "super" coupes. Didn`t do much for me.

Offline Back in Blue

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Re: Engine Swap for ol Blue
« Reply #2 on: February 14, 2012, 06:03:08 PM »
Thanks!  I'm considering all options but I'd like to do a V 6 if at all possible, and I'm in Cali so it's gotta pass smog too.
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Offline Reeves1

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Re: Engine Swap for ol Blue
« Reply #3 on: February 15, 2012, 06:24:38 AM »
Drive line out of a Ford Ranger may work for you ?
Was wondering about that myself (not for my 72 white one).
Wife has an 07. It has 4:88 traction lock diff. No wonder it is so "peppy" !
In a Pinto with a few other mods it would be a good combo, I think.
I know a guy with a (2007)roll over. Tried to buy it, but he will not sell (yet) as it is in a deal with a good truck. He wants to sell them as a pair - one driver & one for parts.

Offline Cookieboystoys

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Re: Engine Swap for ol Blue
« Reply #4 on: February 15, 2012, 07:33:55 AM »
I'm in Cali so it's gotta pass smog too.

I thought California smog laws don't allow for mods like swapping motors and it all has to be original and unmodified to pass?
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Offline Back in Blue

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Re: Engine Swap for ol Blue
« Reply #5 on: February 15, 2012, 12:24:46 PM »
The smog thing is funny. Some places are lenient on the visual inspection. The main thing the tech has to be a stickler on is for the car to do well on the machine, because those numbers go straight to DMV. There are underground ways of course to get a smog cert, but I'm trying to keep it legit.  :o
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Offline Cookieboystoys

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Re: Engine Swap for ol Blue
« Reply #6 on: February 15, 2012, 12:40:16 PM »
cool, just wanted to be sure you know the ins-n-outs of the smog stuff before you go to modifying and found out later you couldn't smog it.
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Offline 71hotrodpinto

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Re: Engine Swap for ol Blue
« Reply #7 on: February 15, 2012, 02:25:52 PM »
As long as you have all the smog and computers and sensors as it came from the factory, you can get it to the smog referee to sign it off. However im pretty sure youll have to bring it in every 2 years to the ref to get recertified. And it has to pass per the specs on the car it came from. Ie: 87 thunderbird.
 So it could get very expensive getting all that worked out.
Good luck.
 


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Offline Back in Blue

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Re: Engine Swap for ol Blue
« Reply #8 on: February 15, 2012, 03:45:01 PM »
Thanks!!  I checked into it.
Engine changes are legal in California as long as a number of requirements are met. One, the engine must be the same year or newer than the vehicle. Also, the engine must be from the same type of vehicle based on the vehicle's gross weight. For example, you can't put an engine for a heavy duty truck in a passenger car, or vice versa. Additionally, all emissions control equipment has to stay on the installed engine. And if the car is a California certified vehicle, then the engine has to be California certified, as well.
My pinto came with a factory V6, and the sticker is still under the hood for it. So I'm just going with something that's " better for the environment" (wink wink) by switching to a modern "comparable" (wink wink) V6 that happens to have slightly (one more wink) more horsepower than the original carbureted 2.8.........   
That's my story and I'm stickin to it. 
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