You Win, Oppo. The Cougar Will Get 500+ hp. Also Flat Towing

"MikaelVroom" (mikaelvroom)
02/07/2018 at 10:50 • Filed to: None

!!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! Apparently a 500+ horsepower ugly-as-sin 1969 Mercury Cougar tickles your fancy more than 100 more horsepower for the already-working V8 M3, so here I go.

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The big hangup with the Cougar was trying to find a transmission that would:

Bolt up to a small block Ford

Hold 500+ horsepower without shattering to bits

Not cost me an arm, a leg, my firstborn child, and my one of a kind autographed snorkel

Well I did it. I found one. It’s a TR-6060 from a 2007 Shelby GT500. It turns out that compared to an aftermarket TKO or T-56, these things are so cheap it’s disgraceful. And if you find one that’s just a little bit broken, it turns out you can pick it up for basically the core fee (plus a 400 mile drive).

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“But wait!,” you’ll say. “A TR-6060 from a 2007 Mustang most definitely won’t bolt up to a small block Ford!” Well, internet naysayers everywhere, it almost will. And almost is close enough for me.

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But more about that in a future post.

With the transmission in hand, I was able to buy a flywheel, test fit everything, then tear down the engine to prep it for the machine shop and the eventual buildup. Itshappening.gif

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For now, I finally got around to putting together the footage of how not to flat tow a car, from when I pulled the Cougar out of its slumber and dragged it back to my garage. Spoiler alert: We didn’t crash. But it was mildly terrifying. Also there’s probably more man-ass than you care to see.

Next month’s episode will be all about ditching the Cougar’s stock open 2.70 9" rear end and slamming in an 8.8" from an Explorer, complete with a 3.73 LSD and disc brakes.

DISCUSSION (11)

XJDano > MikaelVroom
02/07/2018 at 10:57

I flat towed my mildly built Cherokee with my sisters S10 4x4 and it almost pushed me into a ditch. I powered out of it , but was a pucker moment for sure.

Down hill, left onto an uphill entrance ramp, the left turn made the Jeep want to continue straight.

crowmolly > MikaelVroom
02/07/2018 at 11:01

Call Quicktime @ 866-464-6553 and talk to their techs. They make adapter bellhousings for a lot of applications. They make nice stuff.

MikaelVroom > crowmolly
02/07/2018 at 11:04

The TR-6060 doesn’t have a removable bellhousing, so that would do me no good. Also, it’s already bolted together ;)

MikaelVroom > XJDano
02/07/2018 at 11:05

The Cougar managed to nudge the back end of my Edge around a couple of times, pucker moment describes it perfectly.

TahoeSTi > MikaelVroom
02/07/2018 at 11:06

I really want to know more about how you bolted a TR-6060 to a SBF , I would love to do this swap in a 5.0 mustang .

MikaelVroom > TahoeSTi
02/07/2018 at 11:13

Three holes between the two bellhousing patterns already line up. The dowel pins both line up, but the SBF uses 1/2” solid dowels and the Modular uses 16mm drilled dowels. I drilled the block’s 1/2” dowel holes 9/16" all of the way through and tapped them for a 7/16-14 thread insert (SBF bellhousing bolt). Then I drilled the first 1/2” of depth to 5/8” diameter, which is a nice slip fit for the 16mm dowels. That gives me five bolts of the original 6, which is probably enough. I had to cut off a small ear of the block for the Modular starter to clear, but it now bolts right up.

The Modular uses a 164-tooth flywheel stock, so I got a 164-tooth 28oz SBF flywheel.

The starter needed a 3/8" thick spacer, which I made out of aluminum. The standard starter depth is 3/4" but the 164 tooth SBF flywheels use a 3/8" deep starter.

I have the stock Shelby slave cylinder/throw out bearing, but I haven’t confirmed clutch fit or disengagement yet. Worst case I’ll need a spacer.

I haven’t found anyone else on the internet that has done this yet, and only two people that have even mentioned the possibility.

TahoeSTi > MikaelVroom
02/07/2018 at 11:19

Amazing, thanks for the info.

crowmolly > MikaelVroom
02/07/2018 at 11:19

Shit, that’s right. The bellhousing and front plate are one piece, that’s one of the differences between it and the mag.

Chariotoflove > MikaelVroom
02/07/2018 at 12:25

I know almost nothing about engine builds, but I know insane when I see it. Keep up the good work.

Future next gen S2000 owner > MikaelVroom
02/07/2018 at 12:33

And almost is close enough for me.

I grew up with this saying.

aquila121 > MikaelVroom
02/07/2018 at 17:35

This interests me just as much as your V8 E36 you built on the cheap. Which is a lot.