Classic Mustangs List Archive

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Mail From: Kahn Ishiguro (email redacted)

>Date: Wed, 3 Mar 1999 16:10:27 -0000
>From: "Christophe SCHWARTZ" <(email redacted)>
>To: "V8 Classic Mustang" <(email redacted)>
>Subject: Re : V6 in a 66 coupe
>Message-ID: <(email redacted)>
>
>>Hey all, does anyone know if it is possible to change out my I-6 engine in
>my
>>car and replce it with a V-6? I would like to use a 3.8L Ford or Buick
>engine
>
>That is disgusting ! Go for a V8 right away !
>
>Cheers,
>
>(email redacted)
>TREVES Automotive Seating Components
>Paris, France
>Tel : +33 144 35 34 45

I have to disagree with my fellow list member about this one. Yeah,
swapping an old I-6 out for a V-6 is uncommon, and downright
unconventional, but it seems to be an idea seldom considered for old
'Stangs. I, myself was considering this idea for a short while with my '69
(mostly to subtract two cylinders for insurance reasons), but I ditched the
idea because I just didn't have the $$$ to go through with it, nor the
time. I did do a hell of a lot of research on the idea, though. Care to
lend an ear? Well, allright, then

My first consideration was to try to find an old 200 or 250 I-6 and build
it up to at least 200HP. The company that would allow this to be done was:

Clifford Performance
Dept. MM
2330 Pomona-Rincon Rd.
Corona, CA 91720
(909) 734-3310
USA
www.cliffordperformance.com

They offered better water pumps, camshafts, better gaskets, better oil
pumps, 1.5:1 to 1.6:1 to 1.65:1 rocker assemblies, newer electronic
distributors, remanufactured dampers, billet steel cam sprockets, ported
and/or blueprinted heads, a load of different carburetion setups, either
two or three types of headers, and performance pistons.
They also offer different stages of engine tuning you can order from them:

Stage I: 25% more rear-wheel HP from 2500-4500 RPM

Stage II: 40% more rear-wheel HP from 2000-5000 RPM

Stage III: (all out race- not for the street)
100% more rear-wheel HP (no rpm range listed)
(300HP, I think)

All this I found from the October 1997 issue of Mustang Monthly.

Okay...

Next, I tried looking into heavily modifying a V-6 3.8 litre from a new
Mustang (hey, maybe the 190HP one from a '99 Stang! Yeah, right...).
Anyway, I've so far found very little available for it. The most you could
do right now is get a fresh one or find one and have it professionally
rebuilt, yank the computer + controls, transmission (stick or auto), and
fabricate your own engine mounts, hoses, etc.
For performance or plain old reliable driveability, you can make it
perform very nicely by:
-adding a supercharger kit from Vortech Engineering (bolt-on, no
fabrication).
-Giving it a K&N air filter
-Adding Superchip (I think one is made now, but is it good for the
engine...?)
-having a custom dual exhaust system built or using Pacesetter's
-getting the heads and intake ported
(HOWEVER: be warned, I have heard that the little 3.8 has a set of
_weak_ heads. When Vortech was testing supercharger
prototypes on it, they apparently blew up the heads
from too much boost. You should be okay if
you're just careful about what you do. The Vortech commercial kit
should work just fine :> )

And now...

The Buick 3.8 litre V-6. This isn't a bad choice. From a performance
standpoint, it may be one of the best choices of the whole lot. The 3.8
Buick is a versatle little block. I've read of one guy who has a HEAVILY
modified 3.8 with twin-turbos in a Buick Grand National drag car. The
power he's squeezed from it, you ask? I think it was 1,250 HP. No joke,
unless the homepage I read it from was.
In naturally aspirated form, it can still be a nice engine to power your
ancient model of Detroit perfection A company called:

Speed-O-Motive
Dept. MF
12061 E. Slauson Ave.
Santa Fe Springs, CA
90670
USA
PH# (562) 945-2758
FAX# (562) 698-5210

...offers stroker kits for the engine for more torque and power. I
wouldn't try calling them by phone, as whenever I did, I could never get
them, so I'd advise faxing
Also, Edelbrock makes a torque manifold for 1979+ 231/252cid Buick even
fire engines that use four-barrel carburetors. For the 252cid, 1980-1984
blocks only.

Oh, apparently, the "3800 Series" (I? II?) is what powers base model
Camaros and Firebirds. Yes, this may be about the only rear-wheel drive
3.8L that GM still produces, (and thank goodness, too. I like that 3.8L.
FWD doesn't suit it at all).
If you can do this, get a US model base F-body and rip out the engine,
drivetrain, rearend, computer... everything. Then see what you can do
about transplanting. I don't know what I can offer you there, but it is a
rear-wheel drive GM 3800, so it should fit, theoretically. Also, SOME but
not all Buick GN parts will fit this engine, and maybe a factory roots
supercharger will as well, (supposed to be 240HP at the flywheel for the
supercharged 3800). Someone with a 3800-powered F-body mentioned a few
other companies that produce performance parts for the engine, but I don't
remember the names. Look around the net and you might find them.


Well, I hoped this helped you out. These engines may not be V-8's and
using one in particular is definitely sacrilege to the Mustang, but they
all have the potential to be sound engines in a Mustang. Using them just
requires money, patience, and a little innovation. If you really want to
use one of them, I'm sure you'll find success if you just don't let little
failures get you down.
While a V-8 is a much easier and probably less costly swap, (and
definitely more conventional), swapping a V-6 isn't a bad idea. Your
insurance won't be so high, and if you want, you can even make them perform
nicely. It's your choice, but nothing's impossible. Especially in old
cars, that is

-Viper




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This read-only message was archived from a public mail list.
Mail From: (email redacted) (email redacted)

Hey, I am the sender of the original post about putting a V-6 in a 1st gen
mustang. Everyone's like, why do that and why not go for the V-8? I say, if
I go with the V-8, then I have to change my rearend, brakes, tranny, etc....
You know what I mean. The V-6 was a way of gettin around of changing so many
parts.

Daniel

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Mail From: Brock Banks (email redacted)

Just my $.02 but if you are planning to use the V-6 in hopes of gaining HP
you may end up doing all of those things anyway. I originally planned on
re-building my 200 and fitting it with a tri-carb system and a few other
goodies. After looking into to it more I was still going to need to beef
everything up as though I was swapping to a 289 so... I #$%canned that idea
and decided make the swap for the 8. Just something to consider.

-----Original Message-----
From: (email redacted)
[mailtoemail redacted)] On Behalf Of
(email redacted)
Sent: Wednesday, March 03, 1999 10:20 PM
To: (email redacted)
Subject: Re: [CM:16106] Yes, you CAN swap V-6's into 1st-gen Mustangs

Hey, I am the sender of the original post about putting a V-6 in a 1st gen
mustang. Everyone's like, why do that and why not go for the V-8? I say,
if
I go with the V-8, then I have to change my rearend, brakes, tranny, etc....
You know what I mean. The V-6 was a way of gettin around of changing so
many
parts.

Daniel

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Mail From: Keven Coates (email redacted)

There's no reason you have to do all those changes just because you put in a
V8, I mean, there's nothing special about the I-6 brakes that make them not
work with the V8, except that the V8 is slightly (not much) heavier, but...

The real reason you change all that stuff is due to the performance
potential of the V8. If you build up a V6 you should still get better
brakes, tranny, rearend, etc. If you don't, you'll blow them just like a V8
would.

Don't skimp on important stuff. You can stay with the same drivetrain if
you want to, and if it blows, then fine, but at least make sure the brakes
work well. Stay safe!

Good luck!

Best Regards,
Keven D. Coates
'68 stang
Datacom


> -----Original Message-----
> From: (email redacted)
> [mailtoemail redacted)]On Behalf Of
> (email redacted)
> Sent: Wednesday, March 03, 1999 10:20 PM
> To: (email redacted)
> Subject: Re: [CM:16106] Yes, you CAN swap V-6's into 1st-gen Mustangs
>
>
> Hey, I am the sender of the original post about putting a V-6
> in a 1st gen
> mustang. Everyone's like, why do that and why not go for the
> V-8? I say, if
> I go with the V-8, then I have to change my rearend, brakes,
> tranny, etc....
> You know what I mean. The V-6 was a way of gettin around of
> changing so many
> parts.
>
> Daniel
>
> --------------------------------------------------------------
> ----------
> All the list info you'll ever want: antler.moose.to/~server/cm
>


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