Anyone want to bench build with me? Ford Mod motor content

So I am stuck at my desk and day dreaming. If you had a car with a non-PI 4.6L (say a '96 Town Car), what is a good upgrade path to a 13.99 1/4 mile time. I don't have any interest in nitrous. My thoughts are build for cruising and Drag Week type events. Not that a 13.99 would get me into anything like that. 

Logic would point me at throwing PI heads and intake on with some hot cams for lively combo. But the engine has 156k miles on it and maybe isn't worth the effort. 

There is always boost but see above for reasons not to. 

Swaps are where I want to go but also will likely go crazy on costs very quickly. The swaps that make sense:

4.6L 3V or 4V

5.0L Coyote

5.4L 2v, 3v, or 4v (least likely to fit under the hood)

 Edit: LS because of course

I like the idea of a more modern transmission or going to a manual, which I have read it not nearly as hard as many vehicles would be. 

Daydreaming continues. 

Coyote would be my vote. Will just the Coyote get you to 13.99?  Adding a SC to it certainly will. 

You don't want a 5.4...problematic. 

Depends on budget. Junkyards are full of 3V 4.6s and 5.4s in F-150s. Coyote is a much better engine, but it's going to cost a lot more, too.

Does it have to be a V8?  The 3.5L Ecoboosts would get a good look from me, especially since they can be tune friendly.

Edit: nevermind, re-read the title. Ecoboosts are definitely not mod motors.  Whoops!

Cheap? Explorer 2v or aviator 4v. It's literally a plug and play.

For a little more work, navigator 5.4 4v or make a pseudo 5.4 2v with a m90 on it like a lightning.

All of those will push that boat to 13's. You want to be like roadkill, the less wrenching the more you can enjoy. It doesn't have to be perfect ootb.

Edit- all but the lightning motor idea, I've seen in the pnp yards for under $250, in spades.

Run what you brung!  That Motion Raceworks guys bought a similar car a couple years ago after some tragic carnage on Day 0 or Day 1.   Seriously though a drag pack and way to tell the PCM what gear to stay in or defeat traction control and you should be running alright.

Viper V10 plus T56?

And it wouldn't be a real swap thread unless I suggested a Powerstroke or Duramax

bike engine...

But seriously. Nitrous. 

But but if we're just walking the junkyard, then it looks like a stock f150 with a 5.4 generally does about 15.5 in the 1/4 at 5800 lbs. That same engine in a svelte 4000 lb body should slot in right at 13.8. 

That same engine in a svelte 4000 lb body should slot in right at 13.8. 

This is hilarious. 

In reply to Puddy46 :

An ecoboost would be an interesting option but probably more work than any of the others. 

In reply to Ranger50 :

As in bolts in or that and there enough similarities in wiring that the stock ecu can be used (with a tune, I assume). 

In reply to Curtis73 (Forum Supporter) :

A 7.3l Godzilla with a t56 has definitely crossed my mind. Maybe for stage two or three. 

3-valve 5.4 with uprated cams and a tune etc?  Is that a doable thing?  Performance rear gear ratio also sounds useful.

In reply to pres589 (djronnebaum) :

Gears and a lsd of some sort are a must. 
 

Cams in a 3v 5.4l might be pretty cool. At that point the 5.0l might be cheaper though. 

singleslammer said:

In reply to Ranger50 :

As in bolts in or that and there enough similarities in wiring that the stock ecu can be used (with a tune, I assume). 

Yes 

I just read a timely build thread on EngineLabs, they built a non-Coyote 4.6 to get 413 HP NA.
 

Project Engine Boring 4-Valve – EngineLabs

In reply to clshore :

That is pretty interesting. After looking at that and some other links, looks like the easy button is what Ranger said. aviator 4v 4.6. Next would be a aluminum 3v 4.6. 

I forgot all about the 4v navigator 5.4. apprently with boost they do well. 
 

just a tube is supposed to wake them up big time. 
 

Here is a whole swap thread. 
 

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/682792-navigator-engine-swap.html?ispreloading=1

In reply to Fueled by Caffeine :

Very cool. That is worth a look to see if it fits without cutting a bunch of stuff 

singleslammer said:

In reply to Curtis73 (Forum Supporter) :

A 7.3l Godzilla with a t56 has definitely crossed my mind. Maybe for stage two or three. 

If you're planning three or more stages of this build.... Why not just slap a twin turbo setup on a stock motor and boost it to the moon?  I know you said you didn't want to cause the motor has a bunch of miles on it, but 4.6L motors are in everything, you can go to any junkyard and find a dozen.  I just found half a dozen on FB marketplace for under $400

In reply to Mr_Asa :

This may be the most entertaining solution in the next few years. This was mainly to see if anyone has a "don't use that motor because of this reason". Looks like the cam phasers on the 3v motors are the main one. Who knows, this in most likely all in my head any way. 

When I had my P71, my budget build idea was a 5.4 2v with PI Heads/Intake and 3.73's, mostly due to the fact that I had a 5.4 Expedition with a bad frame available to me. I sold the car before I could do it though.

In reply to Turbine :

This lead me to this link. 
http://www.supermotors.net/registry/16549

13.97 with a 5.4l. Not stock but promising. 

Thanks for the input. I found the answer. 

LOL you bought it didn't you?  Berk if I had gone with you I'd told you to buy it anyway just to hear about the adventure home.