New to Super coupe's

[david_viny]

I have a chance to get a fairly nice super coupe that has a 5 speed manual transmission and it has a blown motor. I remember reading that the 3.8L engine has the same transmission bolt pattern as the 5.0L, so I was wondering if it is feasible to put a 5.0L motor in place of the 3.8L and retain the 5 speed?

I would love to have a thunderbird, but I really want a v-8 5 speed combo.

[CaifanSC]

Yes you can my friend. Its possible to do the 5.0 swap, some have even done bigger swaps (460's come to mind), BUT....as a rather conservative super coupe owner i would encourage you to keep the 3.8L. Read up a bit, browse the forums here and you'll see that the 3.8 SC engine is possible of making good power too (12's, 11's in the quarter mile)...and stock for stock, the super coupe engine ask nothing from the 5.0L. Im tellin ya...if you drive an SC then a 5.0....ur gonna miss the torque/boost! Now dont get me wrong, i would love me a 5.0L thunderbird (which i will own someday, oh yes) but im not necessarily friendly towards 5.0L swaps into a super coupe. In any case, its your choice and again, to asnwer the question...yep, its possible. People do a 5.0Lswap on their 3.8 n/a birds frequently. :p

[david_viny]

So it will work even with the manual transmission?? Sweet. I wouldn’t mind having the 3.8L, but it is completely gone. The charger has play in it, the heads probably need some work, has lots of miles ect..


What type of transmission is the 5 speed for the super coupe, T-5?

I read somewhere that people converting 5.0L automatic thunderbirds to stick shift is very hard because the transmission is not long enough, so the super coupes transmission must be longer I assume.

[lube70]

The transmission from an SC is a M5R2 (Mazda trans) from a Ford Truck...Only trans Ford had to take the torque of the SC.


Don

[1990sc]

I also think you should keep it a 3.8 sc, because that is what a supercoupe is. I have beat v8 all day long and get good gas mileage.