yeah there is no point in doing to an svt, all the things that make it and svt will be gone anyways. besides, you can pick up a beat up/blown up zetec for 5 sticks of gum and some pocket lint these days..then buy some svt bumpers and side skirts and you are golden
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V8 conversion
- Thread starter z06killinsbf
- Start date
yeah there is no point in doing to an svt, all the things that make it and svt will be gone anyways. besides, you can pick up a beat up/blown up zetec for 5 sticks of gum and some pocket lint these days..then buy some svt bumpers and side skirts and you are golden
KyleQ
Hard-core CEG'er
Ha - I wouldn't chop an SVT, I just happen to have enough body parts laying around to build a look-a-like.
Be kinda tough to find a $500 SVT worthy of this project anywise... probably be smashed up - I see clean as hell Contour SE's on the freeway every day here in MN.
Be kinda tough to find a $500 SVT worthy of this project anywise... probably be smashed up - I see clean as hell Contour SE's on the freeway every day here in MN.
FIND
Addicted CEG'er
So.... when I have monies again I pm you for some body parts?
Although... If I did ever get around to the swap, what would you charge me for making front & rear subframes if I could send you out some mock up subframes for dimensions?
Everyone I know is gonna use a SVT for the conversion. That's whats so fun about it.
KyleQ
Hard-core CEG'er
I got the body parts for me - in case I need em. I'm sure some day I'll get into an accident and need to rebuild me car, so I am prepared. As for building the subframes - I've got to finish up my current project and I've got another one lined up after that (another 4x4) and in between that I need to get a lot of work done on my car. I wont have time for a long time - and I don't really want to build something without being able to mock it up and make adjustments. Food for thought - it would be quite some time before I got into a project like this, saving money to buy a home kinda rules out a 3rd project :nonono:
FIND
Addicted CEG'er
Yeah I know the feeling. Classes are killing me. I should have done more of the whole school thing when I was younger and got it completely out of my system.
TRicker
Hard-core CEG'er
you'd be surprised what 6000 bucks can buy you in the ford world. pick up a ford racing catalog. i could build 600hp for 6000 or less. if i was gonna do a v8 swap, i'd do it once, and it'd be bulletproof.
TRicker
Hard-core CEG'er
and a 9" solid rear end would completely ruin the handling characteristics of a contour setup. i'd take the whole rear subframe from a terminator cobra and go from there.
leave the front end of the contour intact, and if you have to change the front end to support steering without the car having axles in teh front you can always go with a tubular setup and spindles off a rwd car.
the rear end would probably have to be narrowed, but not necesarily. offset of wheels would depend, i think the mustang is wider but the axle would probably fit with a weird offset wheel.
the subframe in the rear could be mocked up as close to the contour bolt pattern as possible, holes drilled so it would sit straight, put something in the holes to match it up and weld the thing in all the way around, and bolt it anywhere possible. that'd be easy.
the driveshaft would need a place to run of course. the driveshaft would probably fit where the exhaust currently runs, but would have to be fixed where the gas tank is. i'd just pull the tank and install a fuel cell in the trunk.
The biggest problem is where the transmission passes the subframe. I'd cut the subframe in the middle rear section, and make a loop going under the transmission. it would act as a mount, and give it ground clearance. the power steering rack would be an issue. as would the shifter, unless there's a cable shift transmission for a v8.
its doable guys. but it would require complete demolition of a good shell. a bare contour shell would almost be easier to start with. if i had a garage and my own place, i would try. of course, i wouldnt be here talking about it in that case, i'd be in the garage makin it work.
leave the front end of the contour intact, and if you have to change the front end to support steering without the car having axles in teh front you can always go with a tubular setup and spindles off a rwd car.
the rear end would probably have to be narrowed, but not necesarily. offset of wheels would depend, i think the mustang is wider but the axle would probably fit with a weird offset wheel.
the subframe in the rear could be mocked up as close to the contour bolt pattern as possible, holes drilled so it would sit straight, put something in the holes to match it up and weld the thing in all the way around, and bolt it anywhere possible. that'd be easy.
the driveshaft would need a place to run of course. the driveshaft would probably fit where the exhaust currently runs, but would have to be fixed where the gas tank is. i'd just pull the tank and install a fuel cell in the trunk.
The biggest problem is where the transmission passes the subframe. I'd cut the subframe in the middle rear section, and make a loop going under the transmission. it would act as a mount, and give it ground clearance. the power steering rack would be an issue. as would the shifter, unless there's a cable shift transmission for a v8.
its doable guys. but it would require complete demolition of a good shell. a bare contour shell would almost be easier to start with. if i had a garage and my own place, i would try. of course, i wouldnt be here talking about it in that case, i'd be in the garage makin it work.
dude, i dont need a lesson in the small black ford world. I was talking about $600 not $6000. my whole point was stock 302 blocks are wimpy, stock ls blocks are robust. simple as that.
i would say this would be the way to go if the steering rack wasnt on the back side of the subframe. i would probably use a subframe from some other RWD car and modify to mount tot the contour chassis before I tried to modify the contour subframe, that way you could use the whole suspension from the donor car and not worry about custom steering setup.
TheMexicanJob
Banned?
5.0 Cammer.
hourang
CEG'er
why is everyone making this so complicated? do it the way it has been done in the focus or it will never get done (or it will cost a fortune):
http://www.kugelkomponents.com/focus/focus.html
carbed motor, 8.8 rear, fuel cell, custom subframes, etc. i think if someone just roughs the swap and proves that it can be done, more and more people would be willing to put money into it. who cares how it handles, or what features you loose (heat, a/c, etc.). as long as it runs and drives your golden.
then with all the trial and error that went into getting it working, the knowledge will be there to support more radical setups. btw why the hell would want an irs rear, its a waste, they are weak and expensive. camaros have solid rears and have amazing handling. keep it simple!
hahhahahahaha now that is FUNNY! what are you gonna tell me next, the mustang 4-link handles well? wow. I should have known you didn't know what you were talking about when you said IRS is a waste. Ever think people dont want to trade off the parts that make the contour such a fun car (handling)? I would never do a rwd swap unless it handles as well as the car did originally, I would def use an IRS of some sort.
I love the logic that people use to say IRS is junk because cobra guys always swap to solid axle, but dont take into consideration 99% of people that do that either drag race or are too cheap to beef up the IRS to handle the power, but they are trading off handling for strength
hourang
CEG'er
no the mustang is horrible in the handling department. yeah go look at the handling stats on a third gen camaro and tell me how dumb i am. it is a 3link solid rear. im not saying irs is a waste of time, just a waste of extra money that will make this project never happen for the average contour owner.
i dont use that logic and i never said it was junk. They swap to a solid rear because it is a LOT cheaper to make one handle the power. its the same reason why FWD cars have trouble with axles in high hp applications, its expensive to build an axle that can flex and isnt a solid straight axle with no joints.
so do you go over to the focus guys and
how they are supposedly loosing all their handling with the solid rear? no you drool over the fact that they even have a v8 in their car. unless someone over there has done an irs :shrug: i seriously doubt you would loose that much handling if at all. besides its still a relatively light car that is low to the ground with good suspension. tho the added weight from the swap will most likely throw things off.
beyondloadedSE
Hard-core CEG'er
Thats the problem. Even modifying the focus kit to fit and work will cost as much as doing something custom. Nothing of that will bolt right in.
hourang
CEG'er
if you read my post it clearly says to do the conversion the same way as the focus, not use their kit. i also clearly say to use custom subframes...
Dyoel182
Addicted CEG'er
I still say install the engine in the rear and do it all custom. The Integra that was in the SCC contest rocked my boat.
z06killinsbf
CEG'er
A Mustang 2 IRS front may fit. Does anyone have measurements?
FIND
Addicted CEG'er
:facepalm:
remind me again how much the focus kit costs?
What is the point in doing a slapped together swap? Why would you want a v8 in your car if it doesnt improve the drivability of the vehicle? I mean sure you would be able to say you have a v-8 swapped contour, but I mean if all you want is what you are describing, why not just go out and buy a cheap older car, take the body off, and weld the contour unibody to its frame? In my opinion, its worthless to swap a V8 in a car if you are making it into a worse car than you started with.
Just me, but I would rather that if I did the swap, it retained the modern immenities of which I have grown accustomed to. Just running and driving is all well and good, but anyone can do that.
Anyways, I still wouldnt go carbed, because I could save myself a LOT of work, and a LOT of gutting of the car just using piggybacks. To me, the most difficult part of the swap would be subframes, steering, and some of the suspension components. Once all that stuff is done, the rest would basically just drop in and its just a matter of plumbing it and plugging it in.
beyondloadedSE
Hard-core CEG'er
And doing it like the Focus would not cost a fortune per your post?