Turbo or supercharged minivan.

[koda6966]

Whelp, the wife is pregnant with the fourth little one and due in october. Looks like it's time to ditch the Ranger and get us a minivan.

....

Actually, I think a Minivan would be a bad ass sleeper. Anyone know if it would be possible to turbocharge one?

I'm thinking probably a Ford Windstar, although the Freestars look nice. If I went with the Windstar I would probably go for the Essex 3.8, which puts out somewhere around 110 or so horse power stock I think. My mothers van has it and it's a beast. If I went with a freestar I'd get a shot at the 4.2 liter engine, not sure how much HP those ones had but I think it was high 100's low 200's somewhere. I am sure however, that they came with Auto only. I think that those engines were used in the F-150's as well, but I'm not sure. Minivan engines are odd. Anyway, if it did then I'm also quite sure that the F-150 transmission would bolt up since it's the same engine.

The main issue however, would be fitment. I've been under the hood of a Windstar and there just isn't all that much room. I wanted to maintain a "stock" look, but I might have to go for a custom cowl hood. Since I HIGHLY doubt they make cowls for minivans.

Oh, and Front wheel drive. That might effect the transmission, correct?

I might have to add this to my little black book of projects if this pans out. I've already got the V8 Ranger and the BII wrote up in my little book. Not to mention reconverting the V8 Explorer engine donor to a V6 from the Ranger.

 

[koda6966]

The probability of destroying the engine also occurred to me. I wonder if I could make it even better with a small block V8.. hmm..

 

[BigJohn76]

i highly doubt the tranny will fit.

why spend all that money on a vehicle like that. sure it would be cool but its not worth it when the motor will blow up in a few thousand miles anyway.

i say beat the piss out of it and then when the motor lets loose, derby it. if not park it in a pasture and take out all your guns and just unload on it. it will be more fun than putting a turbo on it.

 

[koda6966]

i highly doubt the tranny will fit.
why spend all that money on a vehicle like that. sure it would be cool but its not worth it when the motor will blow up in a few thousand miles anyway.
i say beat the piss out of it and then when the motor lets loose, derby it. if not park it in a pasture and take out all your guns and just unload on it. it will be more fun than putting a turbo on it.

Beat a 2002+ minivan to death and derby it? No thanks. And I could make the tranny fit.

As long as it bolts to the engine, I'd mod everything else out of the way if possible. I'd stick with the Auto, but everyone knows that Fords auto transmissions are crap.

This idea isn't going to happen any time soon. But I do know that someday I will end up driving a minivan. I'd get an SUV, but I'd feel much safer carting my children (someday) around in a van than something gas guzzling and RWD.

 

[OilPatch197]

Getting fixed would be cheaper.

 

[koda6966]

Yeah, but where's the fun in that?

 

[Sunk]

Back in the 80s ( maybe early 90s?) Dodge made Grand Caravans with a turbos. They look like absolute crap though.

 

[Ozwynn]

there is a S/C for the chrysler 3.8L and the transmission is programmable.

 

[Sevensecondsuv]

Whelp, the wife is pregnant with the fourth little one and due in october. Looks like it's time to ditch the Ranger and get us a minivan.

Aren't you the guy who is just graduating HS and keeps posting about having to get rid of the ranger for a cheap POS car to drive to college? And now you're married and on your 4th kid? DANG!!! Or do I have my usernames mixed up?

Anyways, to provide input on your questions:

The 3.8 is a head gasket blowing worthless POS that you should never ever own.

The 4.2, while better about HG's and alot more powerful than a 3.8, is still only a below average engine at best. Really gutless in an F-150 and yet still suck gas like pigs.

I wouldn't trust either of these engines with any means of forced induction. Heck, I don't even trust them naturally aspirated.

The van is front wheel drive, which means the engine points east-west and the transmission is about 8" wide and sits mostly underneath and to the south side of the engine. An F-150 is rear wheel drive and therefore the engine points north-south and the transmission is about 3 feet long and is bolted directly to the back of the engine. In order to put the F-150 transmission in the van, you'd have to custom design and fabricate a whole new subframe assembly to mount the engine north-south and still retain all the mounting points for the front suspension. Then you'd have to tear the whole dash and front seats out and create a trans tunnel where there is none. This will probably require huge dash/center consol modifications and maybe new seat mounts. Then you'd have to figure out a way to put a solid rear axle in it. This would probably require huge uni-body modifications in order to provide clearance for uptravel of the axle, not to mention leaf spring and shackle mounts. Those are just the major points I can think of in order to put a F-150 tranny in it.

If you're willing to do this to a family hauler, you're crazy!

 

[Ozwynn]

that is one thing I will say for the chrysler 3.8L. it is a good engine, very few engine failures in a 3.8L equipped chrysler minivan ...... its the rest of the vehicle that sucks. the transmissions are worthless, the emission controls are difficult, you can't get to anything, the suspension and steering systems have issues..... the fuel system is crappy....... but the engine itself is bullet proof. 160,000 miles on the one i got..... Teffie went 30,000 miles with out changing the oil....... still got 150 psi +/- 2 compression across the board....... and since i started running synthetic in it the top half is clean enough to eat off.

 

[metalmacguyver]

Get an Aerostar. Rear wheel drive to start with.

 

[TheTopher]

www.turbominivan.com Not ford, but worth a quick glance.


Also the Toyota Previas from 95 to 97 all came with a supercharged four banger, in 94 it was an option.

 

[koda6966]

Aren't you the guy who is just graduating HS and keeps posting about having to get rid of the ranger for a cheap POS car to drive to college? And now you're married and on your 4th kid? DANG!!! Or do I have my usernames mixed up?
Yep, that's me. Got a problem with me being married and having four kids? I started young ok.

Not really. Besides, I wouldn't want four kids. Maybe two or three. Unless they're all boys or all girls I'll stop there.

Get an Aerostar. Rear wheel drive to start with.

But fugly.

 

[AKBroncoII]

Some caravans cames turbocharged from the factory.

 

[koda6966]

Ew.. Dodge minivans..

My brothers is nice and all.. but I've heard bad stories.