My LTD wagon Hot Rod Power Tour build

[Chuck98GT]

Picked up this 86 LTD wagon last fall with intent on taking it on the Hot Rod Power Tour this coming June. For now its powered by the the 3.8 V6. Had a nasty front seal leak that included a scored up balancer. Balancers for these particular generation of 3.8 motors aren't on the shelf at your local autoparts store. For some reason Autozone had it for about half of what Amazon, Oreilly and Advance Auto wanted for it.




Did a 5 lug swap over Christmas. 95 spindles and SN95 rear axles. 3.31 gears and the 8.8 tracklock. Figured the S197 would be the right offset for the rear but the fronts might need spacers. The fronts to rub the 245/45/17s at full lock but doesn't look bad IMHO. Also have a 87 LX cat back, the drivers side bolted right in, albeit the tail pipe isn't long enough so I'm still figuring that out. With the 8.8 rear, I moved the brake line to the middle, eventually I'll duel it out, and put the high pressure pump in the tank. Probably going to chop off the tails after the rear axles and dump it out behind the wheels. I have an old Borla cat back I'll probably use for this, with the borla "intercooled" tips it should look pretty cool.

This is how it sits now. This was at the Ford dealer in Katy Texas getting inspected. It was funny the crowd that it drew of service advisers when I pulled up. Don't think one of these have rolled through a Ford dealer in at least 15 years.



Next I'm working on Window Tint and some interior upgrades. Putting a Kenwood deck and new dash speakers. The old 6x9's in the back will probably get an upgrade too after I see how the Dash speakers sound. Ditching the ash tray and putting in a voltmeter, USB ports and 12v outlet. The Dash above glove box is getting an Oil pressure and Water temp autometer 2 5/8 gauges mounted in angle rings.

This fall, I plan to do an LS swap. Before you criticize, I bleed Ford blue, but for $1500 I can make 300+ RWHP and have overdrive and fuel injection that's not 25 years old.

In June we are going to drive from Houston to St. Louis and pickup the HRPT and then onto Indy and Bowling Green for the final HRPT stop and then back to Houston. About 2500 miles, be sure to follow along incase I blow something up at 85 MPH sustained for hours at a time. Which reminds me, I did pickup an Explorer aluminum driveshaft last weekend and I'm waiting on the 1310/1330 conversion ujoints which are a bitch to find without the grease fittings.

[ZephyrEFI]

What a shame. Could've been a cool car. Doesn't sound like you bleed Ford Blue to me.

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[Grabber70Mach]

Nice looking ride, too bad it's going to be an inbreed.

[Chuck98GT]

My other two Ford powered Fords, not including my F150 from the first picture towning the LTD.

[Chuck98GT]

Nice looking ride, too bad it's going to be an inbreed.

Wouldn't an inbreed be Ford on Ford?

[NY5speed]

Cool wagon, I won't hate on you for the LS thing. Nice SN95 too, what's the deal with that one?

[Grabber70Mach]

Wouldn't an inbreed be Ford on Ford?

True, sorry guess crossbreed would be the correct term. Nice looking Ford powered Ford corral you have.

[Chuck98GT]

Nice SN95 too, what's the deal with that one?

94 Cobra, 302 with forged pistons, an S trim, AFR 165 heads, ported lower and an HO cam . Took it on HRPT 2013. Its for sale.

[brianj]

Pretty much the only mod you can do to a Fox chassis car on this website that will get you spanked is an LS swap. It's one of the first things on the web site rules, right with not swapping an aero nose on an '86 or earlier car. No matter how well done or for what reason it's done, it won't fly.

[Chuck98GT]

If it makes you feel better, I'll paint he block and valve covers Ford blue LOL. Don't mean to rub the LS stuff in, I won't post it in here.

[Fearnot]

If it makes you feel better, I'll paint he block and valve covers Ford blue LOL. Don't mean to rub the LS stuff in, I won't post it in here.

I wouldn't want to waste a good can of Ford blue on it.

[vintageracer]

If a LS engine swap is not OK in a Ford is going to be OK in my daughter's 1st Gen Crew Cab Dodge truck?

[xctasy]

Its about preserving the Four Eye Ford the way it was, keeping your Ford all Ford. Its not about anything else. Not elitism, not being akward.

Money. Screw it! A 25 y/o AOD is what I have for my next Fox, and a 51 year old engine I've buiding up. Youu can persoanlly take whatever engine and shove it where the sun don't shine in any car you care to name, makes no odds unless its in a 79-86 Four Eyed Fox and you wanna post it here.

When I was 7 my daddy taught me a very important ryhme:-"If you can't Afford a Ford, dodge a Dodge".


I sat in the bench seat of his 1965 225 Slant six Valiant as he made me recite it so I wouldn't forget....

[majo]

It's your wagon, do with it what you like and what makes you happy. That wagon will be mighty fun with the LS.

With that being said, when swapping engines, I do prefer using one from the same make.

But really....... who cares what I think?

[brianj]

We are basically a Ford website, so LS swaps get people irate. An LS swap is basically like a penis here- while another guy may have one, we don't want to see it, have it rubbed in our faces, or see it shoved in that hole it was never meant to go in.

[Fearnot]

We are basically a Ford website, so LS swaps get people irate. An LS swap is basically like a penis here- while another guy may have one, we don't want to see it, have it rubbed in our faces, or see it shoved in that hole it was never meant to go in.

LMAO!! Well said......I think.

[nelzfoxes]

94 Cobra, 302 with forged pistons, an S trim, AFR 165 heads, ported lower and an HO cam . Took it on HRPT 2013. Its for sale.

Why don't you use the cobra parts on the wagon instead of selling it? Heck you could even use the dash and front seats without too much hassle. Everything you need for an I bleed ford blue wagon is right there. You already did the 5 lug, and you have cobra brakes right in front of you. Unless you already sold the cobra.

[conmech]

Do something better than an ls swap. Granted, more funding towards it but WAY MORE looks with a TERMI 4.6L..........