Its alive!!!!

[Silver talon84]

... Well my merkur donor car that is!! lol. I did the headgasket to it last year, but had some running issues with it. Couldnt get it to run right as it wouldnt rev at all, unless you babied it, and it would just break up and die back out. Well, I re-set the timing, and found some crossed sparkplug wires (ok, all of them were wrong, lol!) and HOLY HANNA BATMAN!!! This thing screams!!!! First gear with boost = Lots of stinky smelling rubber behind me. 2nd gear is gone before you know it, and a few seconds in 3rd means 100mph just went screaming by, and she is still pulling like a freight train!!! Pulls boost really quick, and tops out around 16lbs (by the factory gauge atleast). -10lbs of vac at idle, and has a nice and smooth idle!! Its really too bad that there isnt anything left to this car from the damn rust. It would be a helluva WTF is that!?!?!?!? As I blow by these damn ricers! Boy, I cant wait to see this in the ranger!!!

The worst part, now that is been over a year since it has run right, is I have to turn around and tear it all back out!

 

[88gt]

now the fun begins

 

[Silver talon84]

Tell me about it! The only thing I have to do, is find out what I have to do for a clutch. Im keeping the ranger tranny, but not sure what clutch I have to use. Other than that, should be a straight bolt in, except for the wiring part. Any Ideas on the clutch?

The other part I want to clean up, is all the damn hoses in there. Its a tottal mess of collant lines going every which way. That really erks me, as I really prefer a clean look, as to the rats nest look. Any Ideas on what can be done to reduce all of that, and still keep heat etc.?

 

[Silver talon84]

Here is a pic of the merkur before the head gasket teardown.

 

[skyy_4life]

thats a very nice looking ride. its gonna look better in your ranger though
cant wait to see a build thread, be sure to provide LOTS of pictures bro.
pictures are the best part.

 

[BlackBII]

Get yourself an air charge cooler of a thunderbird, it'll make a world of difference

 

[88gt]

the mess under the hood there isnt terrible by any means. that would be considered a clean engine bay to me judging from other vehicles i have seen in my life. also remember, that motor is going to have a lot more room around it in the ranger. so it might look tight and jumbled in a merkur but spacious and depending on how crazy you go tidying up...clean.just my.02

 

[Silver talon84]

thats a very nice looking ride. its gonna look better in your ranger though
cant wait to see a build thread, be sure to provide LOTS of pictures bro.
pictures are the best part.

Thanks man! I plan on alot of pics, not only for reference to do the swap, but for keepsake too. I agree on the pics being the best. I spend alot of time looking at other peoples builds too.

Get yourself an air charge cooler of a thunderbird, it'll make a world of difference

I have a front mount 3 inch intercooler off from my buddy's old 00 GT, with all the 3 inch pipes that went with it. So just have to match up some more 3 inch pipe, and I should be good to go. I plan on buying a 120 degree intake also, to make things a little more efficient too.

the mess under the hood there isnt terrible by any means. that would be considered a clean engine bay to me judging from other vehicles i have seen in my life. also remember, that motor is going to have a lot more room around it in the ranger. so it might look tight and jumbled in a merkur but spacious and depending on how crazy you go tidying up...clean.just my.02

I know its not too bad, But Im just picky cause I have had a few mustangs (82 GT, 89 lx vert w/ 351w, both were carb'd and devoid of anything unnecessary) that had me pretty spoiled. Ill see what I can come up with when I do the swap.

 

[Downey]

no video?

 

[Silver talon84]

Hmmm, you put bad ideas in my head! lol. idle/ rev vid or a driving vid?

 

[dangerranger83]

Both types of videos, and then after that get started on the swap.