At 7:56am this morning my Contour was delivered. For the last 2-3 months Rara, Shaggy and myself have been working with Livernois Motorsports in MI for a new drivetrain for the Contour. Actually, Rara, Shaggy and Livernios did all of the work, I just provided the $$$$$. She has finally arrived and all I have to say is OMG!!! Livernois asked us to keep it secret until stage 1 was complete. Here are the details of what they all did...

2002 3.0L block
Beginning bore diameter: 3.504"
Ending Bore Diameter: 3.714" w/ new cast iron sleves
Beginning Stroke: 3.1299"
Ending Stroke: 3.3092"
Engine displacement: 3.5L
Rods: Manley Custom Forged Billet Steel Rods.
Pistons: JE Forged Aluminum Pistons w/ titanium wrist pins.
Linvenois Forged Billet steel crankshaft

2001 3.0L Heads
Beginning Intake Valve Size: 35mm
Ending Intake Valve Size: 37mm
Beginning Exhaust Valve Size: 30mm
Ending Exhaust Valve Size: 33mm
7-angle valve job
Custom ported and Polished intake and exhaust.
Increase 5mm intake and 5mm exhaust ports.
Valves: Manley Forged Titanium valves
Springs: Double Coiled high rate springs
Retainers: Titanium
Lashes: Livernois Forged Titanium lashes with steel rollers.
Cams: SVT Cams(For now, 3.0L cams reground for turbo for less overlap.)
Engine Compression Ratio: 9.0:1

Tranny: MTX-75 w/ Cryo-treated internals. Torsen LSD.
Halfshafts: Forged Billet Steel half-shafts.

Intake: 3.0L LIM, Extrude Honed to match head intake ports.
Custom Zero-length runner UIM
80mm Throttle Body
Custom 65 degree intake Pipe
90mm Cobra MAF
42# injectors
9" Fender mounted K&N w/ custom splash shield(Thanks Brian)
Aeromotive Returnless Fuel System

Exhaust: JDM Engineering Custom equal-length Stainless Steel headers w/ Ceramic
Coating from SwainTech
1-5/8" Tubing
5/8" Flange
JDM Engineering Custom quasi-dual w/ a single 3" splitting into 2.5"
(Expect the exhaust stuff to start rolling out forsale in the next 3-4
months)

Computer: Fordchip.com custom tune for SVT Computer.

The obvious stuff:
Battery relocated to the trunk.
ARP Head Bolts
ARP Custom Made Main studs
Upgraded Front Brakes to Wilwood.
Fidanza Flywheel
Clutchmaster's Stage III

Current HP: 324.35@5850 FWHP(Front Wheel HP)
Current TQ: 340.76@4500 FWTQ(Front Wheel TQ)

It sounds very nice. Very throaty. Similar to a 4.6L GT Mustang only a little bit flatter tone and thankfully no drone or rasp.

What's next? Stage 2 is forced induction. Livernois will be developing a custom Turbo setup. I don't know the details yet. Nevin at Livernois speculated somewhere around 470FWHP and 490FWTQ. They will be starting that sometime this summer, or when I have the $$$ saved up for it.

Tonight I'm taking her to Capitol Raceway to see what kind of numbers she will put up.

I cannot say that this has gone without any problems. One of the reasons why it took so long is the first set of tranny internals didn't hold up well. That's the reason why they went with cryo-treated... Actually, all of the problems were tranny related. After the new tranny internals were installed and tranny was put in, the second thing to go were the half-shafts. The new ones are holding strong.

Thanks to:
Rara(Brian) for helping me get the right specs for what was needed to make this fine piece of machinery perform like it should.

Shaggy(Chris) for his tranny insight and tuning input.

Bnoon(Brad) For a good price on 3.0L heads.

AndyW(Andy) and his dad for the past and future use of his dad's garage. I'll be there tonight putting on the new tires.

I should have pics of the entire build process in the next couple of days. They said they have over 200 pics. As soon as I get them, I'll post them.

Here is the dyno:

Dyno

Brad, I guess it's time for that 3.5L forum...

--Matt

I can't wait to go for a ride at lunch! WOOT!

-Andy

WOW that is awesome!

JDM is making contour stuff? I thought they just did lightning's. How did you pull that off? JDM headers..??? Does that mean there is another option for headers?

Good luck with it.

Holy money batman!!! What do you have in that 20-30K pre-turbo!!

Ooops...Lance, it's time for that 3.5L forum...

Yeah...JDM will do it. You just have to give them your car for about 3 weeks.

--Matt

It did cost quite a bit. Wife told me not to say. However, I can say add $13k, for the 98 GT Convertable we bought my wife because she didn't want to car pool because the contour was being upgraded, to the lower end of your estimate.

--Matt

I may have ditched the Contour to quickly... Searching the net now for a blown engine early SE for cheap...

I'm speechless... This has to be the coolest thing I have ever seen.

First the new Cobra and now this? I hate you.

SHARE THE WEALTH!

all i have to say is WOW ....


ummm... are ANY of theses parts going to be available to the public... such as the headers, valves and valvetrain parts..... (i know the exhaust is but what about the rest)

That is sick!!!

As puck puck said is any of those parts gonna be available for the rest of us? (maybe I'll win the lottery some day )

All of the internals are custom made to order. I don't think they are going to be readily available. You could definitly have some made. According to JDM, yes on the headers as well... I'd say give them a month or so and see what happens.

--Matt

Only if I didn't already decided to abandon all future projects for the Contour (other than getting it up and running again) and shoot for an Impreza. I can't wait til you go to the 1/4 track, better be putting down 12's.

Honestly, I think it would give the Cobra a run for it's money. We'll see tonight though, if it doesn't rain.

--Matt

Please dont rain, please dont rain, please dont rain.......

That is freakin sick man, I must say that is truely outstanding. Good work to all the guys that put that thing together. Incredible numbers for the first NA 3.5L (who is next?? otherwise you'll have your own forum section...lol)

I just sold a loaded 95 SE w/ blown engine for $700. A little late, King Brad.

Originally posted by mmars:

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Honestly, I think it would give the Cobra a run for it's money. We'll see tonight though, if it doesn't rain.

--Matt

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See...and people in my area (non contour owners) doubted me that our cars gould be buitlt up with the right abmount of money....Oh ya, would the shop you got this done at accept a business check form a Multi-million dollar parts distributer from California?????


I'm looking to race and they want to help


Ps...are those torque and HP number really N/a???????? Please , do tell.


Roz