Merkur XR4TI V8 swapped, street legal $7600

"Trevor Slattery, ACTOR" (anacostiabikecompany) 03/27/2018 at 09:38 • Filed to: None

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- 1995 Cobra 302 5.0 engine. 97k miles on the motor. Ford Racing b303 cam that’s been micro polished. Upgraded springs. Heads have a high temp Teflon coating, that is used by NASCAR teams. The motor has been re-Gasketed, along with a new water pump, and timing chain.

- Rebuilt/built T5 Ford motorsports z transmission with custom driveshaft, upgraded shifter.

- DG 8.8 setup with Ford Racing 4:10 gears, Aluminum housing, Torsen limited slip, Custom 4140 halfshafts, heat treated, and ryo treated CV joints, Porsche 100mm. Custom catch can/breather for rear diff.

- Ford Motrosports of Europe adjustable struts, spax adjustable rear. ground-control coilovers and ground control camber plates. Group N Strut and rear beam bushings with polyurethane everywhere else.

For $7,600, one could do worse for a killer track car.

itschrome > Trevor Slattery, ACTOR 03/27/2018 at 09:54

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wish it was it wasn’t gutted. would have much preferred to DD.

HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles > Trevor Slattery, ACTOR 03/27/2018 at 09:54

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So they made it a Mustang.

Trevor Slattery, ACTOR > HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles 03/27/2018 at 09:58

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Mustangs did not come with IRS until like last week (slight exaggeration, but not much).

Trevor Slattery, ACTOR > itschrome 03/27/2018 at 09:58

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He says it is street legal in NC where the car is located.

Party-vi > Trevor Slattery, ACTOR 03/27/2018 at 09:59

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So it’s got a junkyard engine with a used cam, different springs, and they painted the heads? Boo and hiss.

itschrome > Trevor Slattery, ACTOR 03/27/2018 at 10:01

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doesn’t mean I want to drive around in a gutted out car. If the interior was stock this would be dope.

HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles > Trevor Slattery, ACTOR 03/27/2018 at 10:05

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That is a pretty substantial difference

TheTurbochargedSquirrel > Trevor Slattery, ACTOR 03/27/2018 at 10:11

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From talking with someone who did this swap it is my understanding that it destroys the balance of the car. The 302 is much heavier than the stock 2.3 Turbo and results in a ton of understeer as a result of being super nose heavy.

Sampsonite24-Earth's Least Likeliest Hero > Trevor Slattery, ACTOR 03/27/2018 at 10:12

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also a brief stint in the late 90s

Sampsonite24-Earth's Least Likeliest Hero > Trevor Slattery, ACTOR 03/27/2018 at 10:13

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crackpipe

boredalways > Trevor Slattery, ACTOR 03/27/2018 at 10:13

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Familiar screenname

http://www.africanmusclecars.com/index.php/ford/sierra-xr8

Trevor Slattery, ACTOR > TheTurbochargedSquirrel 03/27/2018 at 10:15

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How extensive was their suspension work I wonder? This guy has done a ton of stuff to the chassis.

Long-Voyager > itschrome 03/27/2018 at 10:21

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Having driven around in a couple gutted cars, I can say it’s not as bad as you would think.

Long-Voyager > TheTurbochargedSquirrel 03/27/2018 at 10:21

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MOAR throttle!

Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies > TheTurbochargedSquirrel 03/27/2018 at 10:22

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Fully dressed, there is a 10lb weight difference.

TheTurbochargedSquirrel > Trevor Slattery, ACTOR 03/27/2018 at 10:27

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The 302 weighs about 200lbs more than the 2.3 turbo. It is also longer meaning that the center of mass for the engine is also moved forward. The end result is a noticeable forward shift in weight distribution. I’m sure it could be done but it is extremely difficult to overcome an imbalanced chassis with suspension tuning.

Now, the Merkur is a very neutral handling car. My dad used to have 2 1985 Merkurs. He got a chance to drive a 5.0 swapped Merkur and it was a pig compared to his stock cars, with the increased nose weight ruining the balance.

kanadanmajava1 > Trevor Slattery, ACTOR 03/27/2018 at 10:33

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One machine shop owner has quite similar here but it’s built from a wagon version of Sierra. It looks completely stock well used blue Sierra from outside. The owner has been keeping low profile with the car so I cannot find any pictures of it.

TheTurbochargedSquirrel > Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies 03/27/2018 at 10:40

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The guy who owned the swapped car I’m talking about said the 2.3 he took out was 130 lbs less than the 5.0 he replaced it with. General internet consensus seems to be about 100-125 lbs between a 2.3 turbo and a 302. The Merkur used the same 2.3 turbo as the Thunderbird which weighs in at around 380lbs. Various versions of the 302 and 5.0 range from 450-500lbs.

Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies > TheTurbochargedSquirrel 03/27/2018 at 10:49

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I’ve seen various numbers for the 2.3 turbo, one of which is 450. A 302 is 460 dressed. 380 seemed to be the number that people who really wanted it to be lighter go with. Either way, even 80lbs with a lower COG wouldn’t affect handling too much.

TheTurbochargedSquirrel > Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies 03/27/2018 at 11:42

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There are 2 different versions of the 2.3L Turbo, both based on the Lima design. The first was used from 1979-1981 in the Mustang, Capri, Fairmont, and Zepher. This engine used a goofy “suck through” carburetor and weighs roughly 450lbs fully assembled.

In 1983 the EFI version of the 2.3L Turbo was introduced. This engine was used in the Mustang, Thunderbird, Capri, Cougar, and Merkur. It weighs about 380lbs as configured for the Mustang and Thunderbird with the intercooler and intake assembly on the engine. The Merkur engine weighs slightly less as the Merkur did not have a factory intercooler and thus used a different intake assembly.

I’m speaking from my dad’s experience driving a 86 Merkur with a 5.0 from a Fox body compared to his stock 85 Merkurs. His conclusion? The 5.0 car was way to front heavy and understeered like a pig compared to the stock car.