Anyone ever get a 5.0 out of a tbird and stroke it 347?

i got an 89 sc wanting to find a 5.0 out of a tbird same front dress/pulley set-up buying the stocker kit for it and carburating it put a aod behind it maybe a blower down the road just to keep the sc part of my car! any tips adivce would be greatly recommended! thinkin it be alot cheaper than doin up my 3.8 which only has 70xxx on it plus u cant beat that sound of a V8! thanks

Yup. There are a few. David Niebert(turboed), Lazzo(Procharger, I think)

FlyHighBird said:

i got an 89 sc wanting to find a 5.0 out of a tbird same front dress/pulley set-up buying the stocker kit for it and carburating it put a aod behind it maybe a blower down the road just to keep the sc part of my car! any tips adivce would be greatly recommended! thinkin it be alot cheaper than doin up my 3.8 which only has 70xxx on it plus u cant beat that sound of a V8! thanks

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Find you a 91-93 donor car with the 5.0 already and with the AOD - makes it a LOT easier to get it all working.

RwP

Man that brings me back to my 92 sport with a procharged 347 stroker. I love that car. I keep mine fuel injected. Dyno at around 800 rwhp. But I blew that motor up. Man I'm really missing that car. I need to get it out of storage and start rebuilding it. But any ways why mess up an sc. You could always find a already v8 bird and add the sc parts to it. That's what I did on my sport. I added the sc body kit, 145 speedo and sc steering wheel. If you wanted the vvm the wiring is already there too. At lest it was on my sport.

I'm with R1dd1ck913 - take a 5.0 'bird or Cougar (hey, if you get the 1991 XR7, it's basically a SC but with the 5.0 instead!), and fix it up like you want.

Ruby Jean (the 1991) already had the Teves Mk II ABS, the ARC, the sport / SC springs, the VMM, the Ford Premium Sound (now has the JBL amps and speakers, but a later model FPSS head), the SC buckets without the Thunderbird, the fold-down rear seat, etc. etc.

All I missed were the sunroof, the JBL audio, and ... two other options.

Take that, pull it, get a Quarterhorse with the tuning software, and leave it FI but with larger injectors, the bigger fuel pump, and upgrade to the 93+ spindles so you can slap the 13" brakes on the front (or at least the Sport/Mark VIII brakes!) and leave the SC an SC.

RwP

RalphP said:

I'm with R1dd1ck913 - take a 5.0 'bird or Cougar (hey, if you get the 1991 XR7, it's basically a SC but with the 5.0 instead!), and fix it up like you want.

Ruby Jean (the 1991) already had the Teves Mk II ABS, the ARC, the sport / SC springs, the VMM, the Ford Premium Sound (now has the JBL amps and speakers, but a later model FPSS head), the SC buckets without the Thunderbird, the fold-down rear seat, etc. etc.

All I missed were the sunroof, the JBL audio, and ... two other options.

Take that, pull it, get a Quarterhorse with the tuning software, and leave it FI but with larger injectors, the bigger fuel pump, and upgrade to the 93+ spindles so you can slap the 13" brakes on the front (or at least the Sport/Mark VIII brakes!) and leave the SC an SC.

RwP

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You guys talk about not messing up an SC with a v8 motor swap, like they are some kind of super rare Buick GNX. They aren't considered special to practially anyone except the people here or other MN12 specific websites. Just take a look at the classified section and you'll see these cars are being sold cheap and parted out at an even greater rate. IMO...anything that keeps an SC on the road longer is a good thing.

I looked at using an LX instead of an SC for my v8 turbo project, and quickly concluded that it was easier to use an actual SC than to dress up an LX to look like an SC. Stuff like the instrument cluster, steering wheel, console and hand operated parking brake are exclusive to the SC.

David

Stuff like the instrument cluster, steering wheel, console and hand operated parking brake are exclusive to the SC.

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Well, let's see - the 89-90 XR7 had the same cluster, my 1991 XR7 has the hand brake (which is somewhat irritating, my console has a few cracks and it's devilishly hard to find a good replacement!), the console is the same part as the SC (and it's in a 5.0, mind you!), and the steering wheel - well, mine has a Cougar logo instead of the Thunderbird SC logo, but the switches came out of a SC (when the "SET" button quit on mine).

They were STANDARD on the SC, but any supercharged MN12 got the cluster, the hand brake was available as an option on non-SCs, and the console went with the hand brake.

But eh. This is all personal opinion. I do have to ask - if you've pulled the supercharged motor, what makes it an SC now? Since, as I've pointed out, my XR7 had all but the gauge cluster (and why would you need the boost gauge on a non-supercharged motor? That's a good question.)

RwP

RalphP said:

Well, let's see - the 89-90 XR7 had the same cluster, my 1991 XR7 has the hand brake (which is somewhat irritating, my console has a few cracks and it's devilishly hard to find a good replacement!), the console is the same part as the SC (and it's in a 5.0, mind you!), and the steering wheel - well, mine has a Cougar logo instead of the Thunderbird SC logo, but the switches came out of a SC (when the "SET" button quit on mine).

They were STANDARD on the SC, but any supercharged MN12 got the cluster, the hand brake was available as an option on non-SCs, and the console went with the hand brake.

But eh. This is all personal opinion. I do have to ask - if you've pulled the supercharged motor, what makes it an SC now? Since, as I've pointed out, my XR7 had all but the gauge cluster (and why would you need the boost gauge on a non-supercharged motor? That's a good question.)

RwP

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I thought we were comparing an SC to an LX Do you think it's okay to do the motor swap to the supercharged XR7 ?

What makes it an SC ? Everything that made it an SC before doing the motor swap, except for the supercharged v6. Still has the same interior, same ride, same exterior (including the stock hood) same suspension, same type transmission, automatic ride control, ABS, power leather seats,cruise control, ect..ect.. It retains everything I like about the SC, only with a much stronger motor under the hood. I still need a boost gauge, because there is also a turbocharger under the hood.

I built this car (starting in late 2004) because I thought I had already done everything possible on my 91 SC to get more power from the v6 (obviously I was wrong about that). Rather than switch to a turbo on my 91, I decided to leave it alone and build a whole new car. I also figured that if I was going to build a new car, why limit myself by using the 6 cylinder when I could have a v8 built that would be capable of twice the power. For me it was an easy choice.

Oh yeah, the title of the car is what actually determines the make and model, not what's under the hood.

David

Before anything else, let me state up front - it's your car. You do what you want, natch. I'm just doing OpEd.

As to the 89-90 XR7, no, I'd leave it supercharged. That was part of what made the XR7 the XR7 that year, and that's one of the key points of the SC. After all, save for the body kit, all the rest were available as an option on the base models of both. Well, that and the steering wheel.

Again, that's me. I personally think the supercharger is a BIG part of what makes the SC a SC. Obviously you don't *smiles* Different priorities, is all.

THAT said - my XR7 (with the 5.0) has already been modded with the Grand Marquis headlights and with the base vacuum assist brakes.

And now it's got gas charged shocks instead of the ARC.

Take all of that as you see fit *smiles*

RwP

Ralph,

I get that whole keep it v6 supercharged thing, and I've got a fine example of that in the next garage bay.

That said...In the spirit of Hod Rodding, I have no problem doing anything to these cars that will keep then on the road longer. Motor swaps, trans swaps, solid rear axles, conventional brakes, turbochargers, nitrous, or even a Toyota Supra motor.

To me, it doesn't matter what you do, so long as it keeps the car out of the crusher.

David

David Neibert said:

To me, it doesn't matter what you do, so long as it keeps the car out of the crusher.

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i think with these cars, that doing what it takes to keep them on the road is a great thing, even if it means engine swaps, transmissions swaps, mix matching parts that can work with some elbow grease. Parts for these cars aren't easy to get, and some have resorted to `collecting' them for their parts.

heck i want to find new owners of my '91 SC and '89 XR7, both of which i did save from the `crusher' since that's where they were heading when i heard of them. But i think they are just too old for everyone.

heh funny thing is, people told me to swap a 5.0L into my '89 when i bought it (had a blown engine in it) even my family!! but nope, had to go with another 3.8L

Fly,

What are your HP goals. It may not be easier or cheaper to get to where you want to be with a v8 swap

Does anyone remember the 1982 Grand National? No?

IMO, a performance vehicle is identified by what makes it perform. You can put whatever motor you want in an Astrovan and it will still be what it is. But the heart and soul of an SC, is the blown 6 banger. Neibert and Lazzo both have some badass birds though, but I can't talk to my friends about their "Super Coupes," because they want to know why mine isn't as fast. So it's easier to call them V8 Birds.

P.S. David, if the title is what really defines the car, I expect the Fiero club would be pumped about this guy keeping another Fiero on the road?

David Neibert said:

You guys talk about not messing up an SC with a v8 motor swap, like they are some kind of super rare Buick GNX. They aren't considered special to practially anyone except the people here or other MN12 specific websites. Just take a look at the classified section and you'll see these cars are being sold cheap and parted out at an even greater rate. IMO...anything that keeps an SC on the road longer is a good thing.

I looked at using an LX instead of an SC for my v8 turbo project, and quickly concluded that it was easier to use an actual SC than to dress up an LX to look like an SC. Stuff like the instrument cluster, steering wheel, console and hand operated parking brake are exclusive to the SC.

David

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To me, the Thunderbird SC is a piece of automotive history and an all original car will only become more rare and more valuble as time passes. Most of these cars were abused because they are way too much fun to drive and drive hard. Most of the people I know who dismiss the Thunderbird have never driven one. I was just looking for a decent car to drive when I bought my 94LX around 1999. I knew nothing about a Thunderbird except it was a Ford. After 7 years, I never got tired of driving it. When it came time to replace it, I bought another one. I still have my 94 even though its no longer driven.

I'll agree with you that if you own a wore out SC that has been abused and require substantial repairs, than do what is necessary to keep the car on the road. I think taking a very well kept SC and molesting it for the sake of more performance would be like de-facing a work of art because it could use more color. However, the more SC's that are dimantled and destroyed will only make mine even more rare and hopefully, more desirable one day.

Mark

Neibert and Lazzo both have some badass birds though, but I can't talk to my friends about their "Super Coupes," because they want to know why mine isn't as fast.

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Micah,

Wow that's a nice Fiero !

I can understand why you wouldn't talk to your friends about it being a Super Coupe when talking about HP or ETs because it isn't really a fair comparison. Good thing I've still got the real deal 91 SC

David

Purists! I get the same flamage if not worse on the RX-7 Forums, since I have a RX-7 with a 351 windsor! I agree with dave keeping it out of the crusher is the most important thing. Of course I would sell the SC to someone who will appreciate it for what it is, as it is 70k on a bird that old is hard to come by. Then I would look for another SC that already has a blown engine and build that beast. That is what I did for the RX-7, I bought it out of a barn when a guy was pulling the motor for his other RX-7. As for why would he need the SC guage cluster. If you go back and check, the original poster DID say he is also looking to Supercharge the V8, trying to keep a SC as much SC as he could just using a stronger engine.

Cheeze said:

Purists! I get the same flamage if not worse on the RX-7 Forums, since I have a RX-7 with a 351 windsor! I agree with dave keeping it out of the crusher is the most important thing. Of course I would sell the SC to someone who will appreciate it for what it is, as it is 70k on a bird that old is hard to come by. Then I would look for another SC that already has a blown engine and build that beast. That is what I did for the RX-7, I bought it out of a barn when a guy was pulling the motor for his other RX-7. As for why would he need the SC guage cluster. If you go back and check, the original poster DID say he is also looking to Supercharge the V8, trying to keep a SC as much SC as he could just using a stronger engine.

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I originally looked for an early model SC with a blown motor or no motor at all. Found that all the cars sitting around with a blown motor or no motor, were pretty much junked out rust buckets who's owners didn't feel they were worthy of repairing. Considering the amount of time and money I planned to invest in the project, it made more sense to use a clean, rust free, well maintained low mileage, unmolested SC.

David

Touche Dave

Man, that's how I ended up with an SC in the first place. I came across an SC for parts, ended up being a complete car sans motor/trans. Dropped in my '93 5.0L and she runs like a top. Car isn't perfect body-wise, has a few dings, But no rust and it's a great daily driver car with every option except phone, and all the goodies work.

EDIT: FWIW, it's a pearl white '94 auto w/ gray leather. Gave up its engine for a swap in to a Ranger at around 160k.