My buddy just picked up a Mountaineer 5.0 AWD for like $300 with a broken plug and 2 broken head bolts trying to repair said plug. My friend can fix that stuff no problem. The question is, now what? Anyone know if the Explorer/Mountaineer share their frame with anything smaller and racier? I was thinking an old Crown Vic (80's) and making an AWD beast. What's something insane and fun to build from this vehicle?
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Oct. 21, 2011 3:51 p.m. Conquest351 HalfDork
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Oct. 21, 2011 3:58 p.m. 92CelicaHalfTrac SuperDork
Gut it, lower it, put some rally tires on it and a E36 M3load of lights. Full exo-cage.
Go enter some rallyx or stage rally stuff.
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Oct. 21, 2011 4:00 p.m. SlickDizzy SuperDork
I don't know why anyone would go through the trouble of doing anything to modify an Exploder/Maintenanceer when one could just flip it and get something far more entertaining.
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Oct. 21, 2011 4:01 p.m. oldtin Dork
Plonk a 30s-50s pickup or delivery body on it. AWD locost donor or alternately, find smallest, lightest car handy - swap drivetrain. Keep engine, part rest of it - engine swap for vehicle of your choice. Take out to field, cover in phosphorous, light it up - oh wait, that was mythbusters. 5.0 Volvos are intriguing - awd version would be too.
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Oct. 21, 2011 6:28 p.m. 93gsxturbo HalfDork
They are decent daily drivers and run forever but expect them to always have something small wrong with them, a lot like a VW or Audi.
The 5.0 is a decent budget swap to a fox body with a shelled out motor.
Thats about it.
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Oct. 21, 2011 6:32 p.m. Will Dork
Pretty sure those have good GT40 heads/intake and distributorless ignition. If so, that's a cool motor for a swap.
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Oct. 21, 2011 7:17 p.m. familytruckster Reader
Well, that's a nice GT 40 headed/intake motor with a distributorless ignition, and EEC5 good motor swap for a crown vic. Good, I meant GREAT swap.
AWD vic would be fun.
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Oct. 21, 2011 7:40 p.m. BobOfTheFuture HalfDork
Some of the nuttier types have made that drivetrain fit into a Merkur, but with the 2.3. I like one-upsmanship.
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Oct. 21, 2011 7:43 p.m. BoostedBrandon HalfDork
From what I've heard, the explorer 5.0 is the hot ticket in junkyard fodder.
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Oct. 22, 2011 7:44 a.m. driver109x HalfDork
Figure out a way to cram the drivetrain in a falcon wagon and you will be teh awesomeness...
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Oct. 22, 2011 9:02 a.m. egnorant Dork
These have those odd heads..supposed to flow better but exhaust manifold is a unique piece and regular 5.0 stuff won't fit.
Spark plugs are at a funny angle and are a snap to change...in a Mountaineer as you just go through the wheel well. Might be tough stuffed into a Falcon or such.
Spark plug wire routing is important as this is the second one I have seen that was too close to the #6 exhaust and burned through.
I had planned to drop a 54 Ford panel truck on it, but after I got it running right and cleaned it up, my 6 foot 6 inch buddy talked me into removing him from his Nissan Hardbody truck and cash!
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Oct. 22, 2011 11:43 a.m. Conquest351 HalfDork
He has a Fairmont Wagon... AWD swap? Can the auto be swapped for a manual and keep the AWD?
I have a 2000 Crown Vic... AWD Vic sounds awesome...
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Oct. 22, 2011 12:07 p.m. pres589 Dork
That's the motor I'd like to start with to upgrade my SN95; all the nice EDIS stuff and a decent intake manifold, etc etc, just waiting for a better set of heads and an MS.
I'm sure I'm not the only Mustang owner thinking similar things. $300 seems like great value.
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Oct. 22, 2011 12:12 p.m. Taiden Dork
sell the bits to mustang guys and crush the body. turn the seats into more places at the dinner table
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Oct. 22, 2011 2:58 p.m. ValuePack Dork
92CelicaHalfTrac wrote:
Gut it, lower it, put some rally tires on it and a E36 M3load of lights. Full exo-cage.
Go enter some rallyx or stage rally stuff.
I had my own ideas... your's are better. Just needs a "something something blower with a drive pulley the size of a US dime something" in there somewhere.
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Oct. 22, 2011 9:28 p.m. jimbbski Reader
egnorant wrote:
These have those odd heads..supposed to flow better but exhaust manifold is a unique piece and regular 5.0 stuff won't fit.
The early V8 Explorer got the regular GT40 heads. I think it was late '96 or early '97's when Ford changed over to the GT40P heads. I have read that some headers work better then others and if you convert to 90 deg. plug boots you can get enough clearence to make it work.
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Oct. 23, 2011 12:47 a.m. SlickDizzy SuperDork
Conquest351 wrote:
He has a Fairmont Wagon... AWD swap? Can the auto be swapped for a manual and keep the AWD?
I have a 2000 Crown Vic... AWD Vic sounds awesome...
I know Fords are largely parts-binned but I don't think THAT much so. To run AWD Explorer gear on the Panther platform, let alone the Fox would probably involve a large amount of custom front end hacking, welding, and fabrication. Then again, I could be totally wrong. I still think a $300 Exploder is best flipped for $1500 and turned around into something much more interesting, but that's just me.
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Oct. 24, 2011 12:11 a.m. Conquest351 HalfDork
SlickDizzy wrote:
Conquest351 wrote:
He has a Fairmont Wagon... AWD swap? Can the auto be swapped for a manual and keep the AWD?
I have a 2000 Crown Vic... AWD Vic sounds awesome...
I know Fords are largely parts-binned but I don't think THAT much so. To run AWD Explorer gear on the Panther platform, let alone the Fox would probably involve a large amount of custom front end hacking, welding, and fabrication. Then again, I could be totally wrong. I still think a $300 Exploder is best flipped for $1500 and turned around into something much more interesting, but that's just me.
You're right, and I agree with you 100%. But, the problem is, that's LOGICAL thinking. We don't do logical thinking around here. Haven't you been paying attention?
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Oct. 24, 2011 12:08 p.m. Xceler8x SuperDork
Rallycross beater?
This swap talk makes me shake. I prefer quick and easy changes so that you can get down to the fun part, driving and hooning.
For practical stuff it could be your tow beast and/or winter beater. MPG is going to be really, really low.
