id like some opinions

im about to start building a 30 5 window coupe once i pay it off, but i wanna go ahead and get started with planning. im shooting for a traditional style, its gonna be a stock frame, and height, gonna make the inside look original, gonna run a v8 banjo and still gonna run the hood.

but my situation is, im thinking about using a 70's or something fox body mustang 4 cylinder motor and the 4 speed

the way i reason it, i dont wanna cut the body, i want it to look stock, and im not really worried about going fast, kinda figured, i got the motor, may hop it up a little

but what do you think? of course some may like the idea and some wont, but id just like some opinions

 

You don't wanna go fast?

 

You came to the right place for opinions.

 

If you're going for a "traditional rod" the mustang motor won't fit at all.

 

not saying i dont wanna go fast, im just not worried about going fast in this car, if itll run 80 ill be happy, i have a fast hot rod, i just really dont want to mess this car up, it really means a lot to me already and ive only been paying on it a few weeks, if i was to destory this car from going fast or being dumb and lived, id never figure myself for it

 

You are gonna need an open driveline with that setup.

 

open drive, & what gearing are ya gonna use?

 

I feel if you have the motor do it.... it's your car and as long as you are happy with it.

 

Makes sense, if you're not gonna show it off why not but I don't think you can make those sound cool though

 

already got the open drive line, does anyone know of any old ford that may have came with a 4 cylinder? besides a flathead

 

Sounds good to me. You can use a T-5 out of an S10 4x4 and keep your torque tube if you want. I'd be looking for a turbo 4 cyl out of a t-Bird.
Butch

 

well i got the 48 or 49 banjo, the open drive one so im guessing its geared around 410, and then i dont know what the transmission is geared at, i really dont know much at the motor and trans period

 

Stop calling it a 5 window, all coupes are 5 window, there's not another version.

 

the guy im getting the car from has the turbo 4 out of a tbird, but i really wanna keep it a carb motor, and the tbird motor has a lot of extra stuff thatd have to come off

 

i picked up a little 33 pickup with a 2.0 pinto in it, i think its pretty cool. I need to figure out a nice exhaust for it so it doesnt sound like my old VW, but with the hood down it works for me!

 

Not sure about early OHV fours, but those 2.3 engines are easy enough to come by, and with a little work they can build some power.....might be cheaper to get one out of a Ranger....

 

You can carb the turbo bird engine. It should have a t5 behind it, if its a manual. Buy the package if thats what you want. I have the same pieces for a future project. Search on here. There is a thread for the 2.0/2.3 "pinto" engines (same as the fox body and turbo bird).

 

I cant believe we're discussing mustang and pinto swaps.

How about just working over the banger already in it?

 

Why not use a banger engine? You want everything else to be traditional, but you're going to ruin the whole build by skimping out on the engine and putting a pinto motor in it? Doesn't make sense to me.

 

I think the HAMB needs a "like" button? So I can like this post.

 

and this is why i was asking opinions, but i figured it came with a 4 cylinder, so i figured id just put a newer one in it, one that will run me down the highway, i mean im open to sugestions if you got one, if you dont like the idea, maybe throw me another, tell me what would work, to where i could keep it looking original but get me 80 mph

 

Stock banger with some performance parts. Late Model T5 trans conversion so you can run down the highway.

http://www.millerhi-speedheads.com/transadapter.htm

 

The original flathead banger will get you down the highway at 80. A quick change would be a single mod that would get you there. Start searching the hamb and do lots of reading.

 

do you think just peformance parts with the original trans could get me to 70 or 80mph? seems like im in the same boat using a s10 trans as using a mustang 4 cylinder

 

I know an Old Guy here in toen who did a Model "A" Roadster with an "A" motor that would do 80 ALL day long.

Upped compression, Balanced & counter weight crank, Mild Cam, Single 97 on a BURNS intake, Insert Bearing conversion, '39 Trans, V8 Rear, Hone Overdrive. 16" Kelsey Wires.

Sure he has some $$$ in it but a Guy could do the same thing on a Budget if he spent his $$ wisely.

Another Guy Local has an "A" with an Early '60s Chevy II Banger ... That thing Goes all day Also

Personally, I would Go Early Hemi or '57~'60 Pontiac

 

This reminds me of the "gas shortages" of the 70's when we were sure we would never see gasoline again. Every magazine had articles on cars that were being built with Pinto and Chevy II motors, and people were yanking out Hemis, BBC's etc and replacing them with 4 bangers.

But then people discovered those cars weren't much fun to drive. Part of the fun of owning a hot rod is to pull up to a light and not worry too much about the car in the next lane, or at least to feel that push in your back when you slightly step down on the gas. Having a hot rod with not much power is like owning one of those Shay Model A replicas, IMO.

I don't know, maybe that is just me, though, and you did ask for opinions.

Don

 

haha your right, and i do like your opinion, i know its not really old but when i was younger and had my 67 galaxie going, every stop light and sign in town had black marks from my car, its fun but eventually the motor gave, but thats what you get giving a 17 yr old kid a V8, but its just this particular project id like to do a 4 cylinder, i want the original thing going on, may end up just redoing the original motor and hop'n it up, but my next model a will have a V8 if that makes ya feel any better

 

I used to try to explain this to everyone that called a Model A coupe a 5 window. But it happens so often i just gave up.

 

Those little Pinto based 4 bangers can make some pretty serious power when built right as well as being reliable as the sun. It sounds like you really want to run the 'banger and you already have it so I say go for it. I would run a full hood though! I had a 4 cylinder Ranger with a 5 speed stick and it was pretty fun to drive. Now take a TON off of that little truck and hop up the motor and I think you'd have a fun little ride. The nice thing is if you get tired of the 4 banger you can always swap in a V8 down the road.

 

I agree with Used Up Junk. 2300cc or 2.3 whatever you want to call them. They were used quite a bit in pony stock classes.
Racer Walsh was pretty lethal with the lil engine.