The Cheap/Free 1988 2.3 modification list

[5.0Thunder]

Lol first of all,

AC IS ALREADY GONE. Bought it like that so I'm not adding it. This car is NOT my daily driver so I couldn't care less about AC really. I was thinking about maybe pulling the bumper supports to drop a little off the nose and arse but I'll most likely keep the interior. I've already got an 87 347 coupe that was meant to go fast and I'm about to start a 1300whp 2013 project within the next few months so I'm not trying to make this 4 banger a rocket. This guy is definitely going to be a turd so I'm just having some fun in my spare time.

Eventually (within 5 years maybe) I'll throw a 302 in it to let the girlfriend play but until then, it is going to be a 2.3 turd.

I sort of like the idea of putting the SVO stuff in there and I can find those parts somewhat easily around here so that might be an option, although more money than I feel like spending right now. I guess I'll probably end up dropping the bumpers and fabricating tube bumper supports.

The point of this thread was to see what can be done for cheap/free regardless of power gains. I didn't know if you could throw a 5.0 throttle body on there or remove the EGR stuff or whatever to make it run any better so I'm asking those of you with experience.

[5.0Thunder]

This was 30 bucks



and this was free

[mk5.0]

That header is missing the T-4 flange..

[5.0Thunder]

That header is missing the T-4 flange..

Lol it's also missing the 396 Dart Block

[stephen4785]

I always thought removing the a/c system was ridiculous. I always laugh when I hear "Yeah I removed the a/c system to free up some power and cut down weight". Or a few years ago guys would always say "I did a Stage 1-2-3 weight reduction" which really means that the a/c didnt work and they couldn't fix it so they figure they'd remove it and tell everyone that they did it for performance reasons.
Here's a big news flash, WOT disengages the compressor clutch!

[crapstang]

and this was free

Sweet hot air intake!

[Z06killinsbf]

Racer Walsh has been doing 2.3 crap for years.

[Josh.0]

5.0 swap, super super cheap

[5.0Thunder]

Lol Does nobody know of any little crap I can do? Gonna install the header tomorrow and delete EGR/Smog junk. As if the dead horse wasn't beaten to a pulp, I'll remind everybody that the AC was already out before I got it and I don't care enough to add it back in. Lol windows down is what I'm used to anyway.

[5.0Thunder]

Sweet hot air intake!

Doesn't everybody know that hot air increases combustion temps, thus increasing thermodynamic power cycle efficiency?

[Wish4svts]

So no 5.0 swap cuz 5-700 bucks is too expensive, but in a couple months you'll be doing a 50-60k dollar build? Am I missing something?

[5.0Thunder]

So no 5.0 swap cuz 5-700 bucks is too expensive, but in a couple months you'll be doing a 50-60k dollar build? Am I missing something?

Yes, what hasn't been explained is that I'm a graduating mechanical engineering Senior at Texas Tech and I'm currently broke(ish) but looking for fun project stuff I can do for the last month. I'll soon be making 80-90k+bonuses so I could build a real car then. This project is literally all about things I can do for <$100 for the fun of it while I'm still here in Lubbock (If you didn't know, lubbock isn't that fun). I might sell the car once back in Dallas or something, who knows.

[5.0Thunder]

Also, where do you find a complete 5.0 + harness + computer + bellhousing + T5 + driveshaft + rear end for 700? If you can tell me where, I'll do it.

[Wish4svts]

Yes, what hasn't been explained is that I'm a graduating mechanical engineering Senior at Texas Tech and I'm currently broke(ish) but looking for fun project stuff I can do for the last month. I'll soon be making 80-90k+bonuses so I could build a real car then. This project is literally all about things I can do for <$100 for the fun of it while I'm still here in Lubbock (If you didn't know, lubbock isn't that fun). I might sell the car once back in Dallas or something, who knows.

Makes sense... And screw Lubbock!

There was a stock 5.0 with harness and computer for 550 a month ago on CL. Your t5 should work, rearend is 100 bucks. Just need driveshaft and bell. A bit more than I originally thought but not much. There was a running 5.0 hunk of shit complete car for 1000 obo... Complete swap and scrap the rest for 2-300... Bam, swap for less than 800.

[Denny]

This has to be an alias.