race motor

[Mutant Pony]

I also wanted to add: we've had a lot of problems with bending the rear springs, just behind the front eye.

I had a pair of custom main leaves made and ran a leaf under the eye. no more bent springs! Removeing the factory main leaf is NOT fun. You can use the factory main and cut the eyes off another, add to your spring. Mine is just one step better.
The MSD distributor is just a duraspark dist with bearings instead of bushings and no vacuum advance. You want to use the vacuum advance though.
The muffler in the pic is a flowmaster 40, If you are required a chambered muffler, that is the one you want.

 

[skimmer]

So do all 2.3's have steel cranks? This fella runs a turbo'd 2.3 at 20 ibs boost in a ranger and had this motor as backup...but hasn't hurt original motor for 5 yrs now...might part with it. Haven't seen it yet, could be loaded with aftermarket stuff!!
Even though i have to use stock beams, i can add to them, just not bend or cut them. So maybe stamped one's could be plated to help with durability. Good idea?
Cool photo Mutant...the heads up on the rear springs is helpfull. What spec's was the custom leaf made to? I will be runnin a flowmaster 40 too! Once my lathe is hooked up i might tackle a distributor project with bearings.

 

[Mutant Pony]

The custom mains are stock length and thickness. The eyes are made on top of the spring instead of the "berlin" eyes of the factory spring. With the eyes on top you can run a second leaf under the eye as you can see in the picture.
As far as I know Ford never put a steel crank in a 2300. They are high nodular iron, they hold up well. Esslinger has a selection of steel aftermarket cranks.

 

[skimmer]

Finally got one!

Thanx for all the help! I did a lot of searching and finally found a truck decent enough of a platform to start my racer. It's a '94 2.3l 5speed 2wd. Pick it up Saturday. Can't wait. Will post pix asap and might start a build thread too.
Another Question though, what year heads are aluminum?

 

[4b316]

No alum.heads of any years,all steel.Esslinger makes a aftermarket and I think Ford motorsports had one.

 

[canyoncritter]

Ive got a older 2.3 head. think its from a 80 2.3....looks to be fresh out of the machine shop. if it can be of any use to you 30 bucks and shipping.

 

[Mutant Pony]

No alum.heads of any years,all steel.Esslinger makes a aftermarket and I think Ford motorsports had one.

Esslinger has 3 different aluminum heads and the FRPP head IS an Esslinger head.
I prefer cast iron, It retains heat better and heat is horsepower. Heat in the cam area is BAD though. I suggest an aluminum cam cover, Turbo coupes came stock with them.

 

[4b316]

30 lbs of weight off the front end is a big advantage,especially with you jumping the truck.It will take a lot of work on a steel head to get the numbers of a alumiun one,well worth the money if legal.

 

[feellnfroggy]

a CRANKSCRAPER would be a good mod, i didnt see where it wasnt allowed. You can have them made if you cant find one for the truck. Theres a guy on a mustang site that designed his own for a 3.8 Pm for his name. Also look up C&K quality in dunnellon, fl. HIs name is clint. He races 4 cylinder bombers for 20 yrs with the 2.3 liter mustang motors. Noone will have more info for you than this guy. His kid drove a pinto with a built motor that screamed.

 

[Southern3.0]

Just spray it!

Theres always a way to hid the lines and noids, and just paint the bottle red and call it a fire extinguisher lol

 

[feellnfroggy]

HE'S RIGHT, IF YOU AITN Cheating you aint tryin. If you get caught cheatin, you aint tryin hard enuff.

Remote solenoids? nos through a vacuum hose?