should I work on my taurus wagon or let it R.I.P. for now?

[htchbck]

I have a '90 taurus wagon with a blown engine, and I'm thinking of doing some serious SERIOUS modification to it. Plans are to strip the entire interior and pull the engine and modify the car to use either a 5.0L or 5.8L V8 out of an '80s crown victoria. I don't need any posts telling me that this is a big undertaking, or that I don't know what I'm getting myself into. I know it'll be tough and take a while, but I am also confident enough in my general car knowledge and metal working/welding experience that I can actually do it, or I wouldn't be considering it. Do anyone think this sounds like a fun thing to do, or is it a little too over the top?

[hellraiser6919]

i have always wanted to do this

http://www.klimesgroup.com/showagon/second.htm

[Epixstar]

the sho wagon seems to be a sweet deal try to do that

[Pgh5spd]

So besides V6 --> V8 you want to turn a FWD into a RWD? You'll be re-engineering the entire damn car unless you plop the body onto a frame of something with the right wheelbase & width. But even if you managed that, how are you planning to get enough air thru the radiator to cool the thing off?

Way, way better, both conceptually and from the standpoint of likelihood of completing it, is to turn it into a SHO wagon. A pal of mine has one and loves it. He didn't build it himself, but it worked out nicely.

[Infinitrium]

A V8 SHO wagon would be really neat, but I bet the V8 SHO motor would cost you an assload of cash, if you could even find one.

[htchbck]

exactly the reason I don't want to do an SHO... its a lot easier, and its been done... and yeah, I know converting front to rear wheel is basically re-engineering the car, but all I really want to keep from the wagon is the look and the fact that its a wagon. I'm going to be redoing most of the body panels and stuff anyway and probably welding the back doors shut and removing the side glass in the back and covering over that too... the idea is to call it a "Wraith" and I want people to look at it and say... hmmm... if satan drove a station wagon, thats what it'd look like. Its already post-apocolyptic black (flat black,lol)

[oxbrain]

A SHO taurus would still be rare enough that most people wouldn't know what it was.

[hellraiser6919]

i would not go with a v8 sho, from what i hear them motors are crap. the cams break.

get a v6, i bet you could pic up a parts car for under 1000. go to a ford dealer and get the orginal yamaha cams. for took the cams out to detune them (i think they didnt want a 4 door car beating their mustang) then slap a supercharger on it. but dont drop it in a wagon drop it in a festiva!!!

i want both....

[Infinitrium]

I wasn't aware of the cam problem with the V8 SHO engines. A V6 SHO engine would put out nearly the same power and be a lot easier and cheaper to find. I visited the TCCOA forums for a while and according to some people there, the V6 SHO engine is capable of 10,000 rpms. Not bad at all.

[FB71]

the cams don't break. the cam gear comes loose, causing the cam to phase out, letting the pistons and valves 'kiss'. still an expensive, undesireable result. Go for the 5.0/5.8. or better yet, a late 90's Continental 4.6 twincam and transaxle. Sames basic trans as the taurus (AXODE vs AX4N/S), so you could keep front drive (easier swap, I think)

[FB71]

the 3.0 and 3.2 SHOs are capable of 11,000 rpm, but the accessories (alt, ps, water pump, etc) are only capable of 7000.

[htchbck]

I just want to do a V8 RWD... I don't want to use an SHO, V6, V8 or otherwise... I want to completely destroy this car and turn it into a monster. And I'm going to use a Taurus wagon because that was my first car, and while my festiva is definitely my favorite, I'm still kinda attached to the first generation taurus wagons. So does anyone think this sounds like and interesting project even if I don't use an SHO? (BTW, I found a 5.0 Crown Vic complete drivetrain in working order at the local JY for $400, but its a AT, and I'm still looking for a stickshift)

[htchbck]

pic

Oh yeah, an just for reference, here's a picture of the car as it looks now, except the aluminum wheels are off and the stock black steel ones are back on it.

[FB71]

Crown Vics never came w/ manual trans. Since 1983 they have been AOD or a derivative of it (4R70W). Prior to that, they were FMX trans behind 351 W, C, M and 400Ms. If you want a stick, go for an F150 driveline. Basically the same engine (different intake, car swaps over however) and the same axle center section, but wider and a different bolt pattern. Use a CV or F150 engine, an M5OD from an F150, and a CV rear. Or stuff an F150 4x4 chassis under it, and make monster truck Taurus wagon!

[htchbck]

yeah, I know the crown vics don't have MT, which why I am still trying to find something with MT that will work. Hadn't really considered the F150, but thats something I'll look into next time I'm at the JY.