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Topic: Keep or Not to Keep That Is the Question (Read 2728 times) previous topic - next topic

Keep or Not to Keep That Is the Question

Reply #15 –
Almost ANY rust free Ford is worth keeping and Thunder Chicken is 100% correct, a rust free Fox is almost impossible to find. KEEP IT!!
1987 Turbo Coupe - Son's car
1987 Super Coupe - Son's project car
1934 Ford - My project car

Keep or Not to Keep That Is the Question

Reply #16 –
I bought a rebuild long block from the Ford dealer for $1650 and they gave me $450 for the exchange for my 92.

The car runs really strong now.  I'll bet I gained 50 hp.  The old engine was pretty worn. 

One nice road run here is highway 178 from Bakersfied east to  highway 14.  Fun road especially with a new engine and IRS out back.:D
Armed Forces Car Club
Eastern Sierra Chapter, California
WEB:  armedforcescarclub.com

Keep or Not to Keep That Is the Question

Reply #17 –
$1650 from Ford, not bad. 

Both Jasper Engine and Marine and Marshall want around $2400 for a long block with (3 Yr, 100K Warranty).  Have to do some heavy driving to put 100K in 3 Yrs.

Did find a National company whose rebuilt comes from Arkansas that will provide long block and remove/install for around $2300.  Have to do more research to see what their rebuild includes as seems cheap, but comes with (3Yr, 50K warranty)

Keep or Not to Keep That Is the Question

Reply #18 –
If you want to rebuild the engine I'd find a reputable local machiene shop and have them do it. A stock rebuild shouldn't cost more than ~$1500 and instalation shouldn't be mroe than ~$1,000 at the most.

As other have said keep it it's rust free:D
88 Thunderbird LX: 306, Edelbrock Performer heads, Comp 266HR cam, Edelbrock Performer RPM intake, bunch of other stuff.

Keep or Not to Keep That Is the Question

Reply #19 –
Thanks guys -- plan to keep if I can get engine built / install under 3K.

Why prices so high in Tucson, AZ is unknown.  Did come across a franchise operation -- American Engine Installations -- for around $2300 (3 yr, 50K warranty), but warranty fine print #@$%^.  For someone like myself who does own work warranty appears to rule me out with all their conditions -- such as all receipts for any work done including oil changes.

IF anyone from Tucson or Southern AZ knows of a good shop for engine replace/install would like to know!

Keep or Not to Keep That Is the Question

Reply #20 –
v-8 swap! KEEP IT!
2001 Buick Regal LS (DD):hick:

Got that fox rash again!

-Resident smartass! :ies:

- Don't listen to the naysayers. For every person who actually helps with your project there will be 10 who will discourage you all the while thinking that they are helping. 99% of all people have good intentions. That doesn't make them right.- XR7 Dave - SCCOA.Com

Keep or Not to Keep That Is the Question

Reply #21 –
Quote from: thunderjet302;197800
If you want to rebuild the engine I'd find a reputable local machiene shop and have them do it. A stock rebuild shouldn't cost more than ~$1500 and instalation shouldn't be mroe than ~$1,000 at the most.
 
As other have said keep it it's rust free:D

I seen to many cheap rebuilds by part store deals.
Thats why there cheap.
Old Grey Cat to this.88 Cat, 5.0 HO, CW mounts, mass air, CI custom cam, afr165's, Tmoss worked cobra intake, BBK shorty's,off road h pipe, magnaflow ex. T-5,spec stage 2 clutch, 8.8 373 TC trac loc, che ajustables with bullits on the rear. 11" brakes up front. +

Keep or Not to Keep That Is the Question

Reply #22 –
Quote from: kitzdnm;197938
I seen to many cheap rebuilds by part store deals.
Thats why there cheap.


I said he could do it for $1500. I didn't say it would be using the best quality parts :hick:
88 Thunderbird LX: 306, Edelbrock Performer heads, Comp 266HR cam, Edelbrock Performer RPM intake, bunch of other stuff.

Keep or Not to Keep That Is the Question

Reply #23 –
I'm not sure the V6 is worth it to you, but I certainly wouldn't pay those kind of prices to have one replaced or rebuilt.  That's definitely not worth it.  Even at reasonable prices you may be better off swapping to some other engine like the V8.  The car itself shouldn't give you that much trouble.  If you like the car, keep it, finding the right path to rebuild, repair, or engine swap won't be that hard and shouldn't cost an arm and a leg.  1500+ dollars will buy a heck of a lot of good running engines.  It sounds to me like you're worrying about fixing things that aren't broken.  The suspension is super tough on these cars in my opinion, if the struts and shocks feel fine to you then the most you'd have to do is ball joints and bushings, and I'd only do those when they posed a significant noise problem or became noticeably loose as to not be safe anymore.  Honestly I don't see the big deal here, sounds like you definitely need to do headgaskets and while you're at it may consider a rebuild.  That's the only needed repair I see in your description.  Fix that and keep driving the wheels off.  Also, realize that's rather low mileage for a car that old, I'd say it's doing pretty well if you're only just now seeing a head gasket problem.

Also, for what it's worth, Northern Auto Parts has even a master rebuild kit for only 380 bucks which includes a cam kit, bearings, even pistons, everything.
http://northernautoparts.com/ProductDetail.cfm?ProductId=835
Find the right place to do the work and you could get it all done pretty darn cheap I think, you just have to find out who's reasonable.

It doesn't sound like you're into hopping things up but now would also be the time to do that, such as a performance cam, intake, etc.
Long time Turboford freak...
84 SVO
88 TC
87 XR4Ti
 

Keep or Not to Keep That Is the Question

Reply #24 –
jlewis05 and rest

Appreciate the feedback.  jlewis05 you must have access to a lot more equipment then myself.  I don't have a magnaflux, dyno, or even a milling machine at hand.  Did look at a shop today that I was very impressed with.  Does a lot of high performance and also marine rebuilds.  Shop was clean as a button.  Putting together a quote so will see.