josh99ta

Not sure if this is where this goes, but I didn't see another section that fit it any better so I'm throwing it in here.

I'm about to get back the first car I ever owned, a 1988 Ford Mustang 2.3L auto LX hatch. It'll be a project car and it will be a slow build from the ground up, and I want to know my possibilities.

I want a V8/manual combo in it, and it will have to be fuel injected. What I need to know is how feasible is this swap, and what transmissions are available. Seems like I've heard some Mustang guys are running T-56 transmissions, what is involved in getting one of those in or would I be better off with a beefed up T-5?

Right now for the motor I'm thinking of using a built 302, probably stoke it out to a 347 with plans of a blower going on later as well. Do any aftermarket companies (like Painless) make a full harness so I dont have to deal with the hassle of salvaging one out of an old 5.0?

The car itself has some sentimental value in that it was the first car I ever owned so selling it and picking up a 5.0 to start with isn't an option. Just need to know where I'm headed and what I'm getting myself into.

Wnts2Go10O

if youre gonna use a 347 id suggest something a bit stronger than a t5. its a very feasible porject and has been done hundreds of times. the 4 cylinder cars seem to have the best stock suspension for drag racing too. you can get HO 302's cheap as all hell. im sure youll be able to get the ecu/harness/maf with the motor

DONAIMIAN

Might as well do a T-56

josh99ta

I'd love to have a T-56. That is the plan if it will work, which I believe I've seen it work before, but it's been years since I've looked at Mustang stuff.

Thanks for the encouragement Wnts, definitely want to build a stroked and blown car just for heritage's sake (the Mustang is an American icon, and stroked and blown cars are just old-school cool). The Trans Am is my real "track" car if you can call it that. I just want to build the Mustang as a tribute to my mom and just make it a nice all-around street/strip car. It was her car and I got it when she passed.

Brains

This is one of the most straight forward engine swaps of all time. Everything bolts in and plugs in. Just get the various V8 parts and drop them in:
1. K-member
2. Double-hump trans crossmember so you can run dual exhaust
3. Engine wiring harness
4. PCM

Blue91

I've done this project on my wife's 91. We used all factory wiring from v8 cars so by looking at it, you cannot tell it was ever a 4cyl car. Everything that is v8 specific was put on the car.

No need to swap K members. The 88 4cyl K is the same as the V8. You will need v8 specific motor mounts however. Also, you will need new fuel lines, as the 4cyl run up the drivers side of the car (vs pass side on v8). The rear brake hardline is different as well and the 4cyl rear brake softline can easily be burned by v8 tailpipes b/c of this.

I would also upgrade the rearend to an 8.8 eventually, put a beefy trans (if you're going to have a stout motor), and use a v8 driveshaft.

Interior wise, you'll need a v8 cluster.

IMO, get a wreck v8 car as a donor. I look back and wish we had done so b/c we could have got the car done a LOT faster. It took us forever b/c we were always missing/needing one thing or another.

josh99ta

Good info fellas, thanks a ton for the input and ideas. A V8 donor car wouldnt be a bad idea even though I want to replace quite a bit of the car with aftermarket stuff. I could always scavenge what I need off the wrecked V8 car (which shouldnt be hard to find for dirt cheap) and haul the rest to a junkyard when I'm finished.

Blue91

Exactly.

baddogz28

Great thread, I'm going to do the same thing to my 90 notch 2.3L, except I'll be doing a stalled auto.

Sukkoi19

http://www.corral.net/forums/showthr...=cylinder+swap

http://www.jason.fletcher.net/tech/v8/v8.htm