Also. Before I forget, if I had to start over I'd probably go the turbo route for a street truck. Not sure of your application. Supercharger for offroad, especially after seeing
@PlumCrazy 's at the trail ride. (go read his build thread as well)
This is some of the turbo info on the old 2.8 kits
Don't know how much interest this will garner, but hit the jackpot on information on the old Turbo Technics kits for the Cologne engines. It sorta drove me nuts that for ages that I couldn't find any info on them. Jeff over at Merkur Midwest provided the springboard. Turns out there's a ton...
www.therangerstation.com
This is the true must read.
Back in the late 80s/early 90s the Brit guys had the 2.9 powered Ford Sierra XR4X4's outrunning the Lamborghini Countach on the quarter mile. To the trolls: yes, 1/10 a second is quicker. Plus you can't dump the clutch on an old Lamborghini. You can on the new ones. But you can't drag race the old ones. Go ahead. Dump the clutch on one. I'll wait here with a basket to help pick up your transmission.
Turbo Technics’ reworked Sierra V6 was a tenth quicker to 60mph than even Lamborghini’s V12 supercar
www.autocar.co.uk
Back on point:
It isn't hard to generate power on any of the Colognes, you just have to take the appropriate steps to make sure the block can handle it, same as literally any other engine.
If I were to re-start my project with a blower, I would DEFINITELY go the dual AMR500 route with a power steering delete, instead of the Mercedes blower I chose. Reason is the difficulty I've gone through trying to get a serpentine belt on the 2.9. Combine the dual v belt mini blowers with a GM 3.8 or 85/86 Ranger TB on a home made intake tube soldered together with aluminum braising rods and Sierra/Scorpio plenum. Would make for a true dual supercharger, dual plane self-equalizing forced induction setup. At that point, all you're doing is making a few brackets. Doesnt get any easier.
Turbo? Anything out of a Mitsubushi or Volvo. Anything from their 12T up to the 19T should work, but I am terrible at turbo sizing, so don't listen to me. ?
The "put a 4.0 in it" argument makes me sad; yes, it's easier. So is not wiping your a**.
Both ideas carry equal levels of ease because they're done to avoid work. Putting a 4.0 in gives you a mild torque and hp bump at the cost of max rpms. Building a 2.9 gives you an engine with a wider power curve that take a beating. I hammer on mine while force-feeding it washer fluid, and it keeps begging for more.
Besides, vehicles with hopped-up factory engines (especially the overlooked ones) are infinitely cooler in my eyes than engine Swapped ones. There are some exceptions to this; I saw 85_Ranger4x4's truck in person, absolutely fantastic job because it looks factory. But just stuffing a 4.0 in a 2.9's place?
*yawn*
Everyone and their brother in law has a Chevy 350 crate engine or LS stuffed into something. They're cool, but it gets old.
A built, original flathead I6, or built "numbers matching" flathead Ford V8? I stop to look them over at every car show.
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