🔧 BUILD 1984 Ford LTD Wagon 4.8L 78/75 Turbo 4L80E Build

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It didn't just feel right, not having an 80s shitbox. There has just been a void in my heart that I couldn't fill with new cars. Since my recent mishap with my Mustang, there was an open spot in the stable. I do have a new DD, but that's another thread for another day.

Saw this gem of a vehicle on the BookFace, only a short 4.5 hour drive up in Wisconsin. Thing looked pretty clean in the pictures so I figured I'd check it out. Talked the fiance into the drive, somehow.

I got up there and it was even cleaner than in the pictures. The interior is like a time capsule. It's just about Mint, no cracks, no breaks, 100% original and unharmed. Only downside is that it is red. Although, the ugly color kind of fits the ugly (read: awesome) car.

It's a 1984 Ford LTD Wagon. It's basically a Mustang Wagon. It sits in the fox chassis, and pretty much all the parts are interchangeable. It had a little bit of surface rust here and there, and then some rust on the bottom of the driver side doors. Nothing that really concerned me.The paint seems like it may be original. Can't totally tell, but looks like it.

It has a 3.8L V6 which makes a blistering 120HP (new, this one probably makes considerably less). It has a 4 speed automatic transmission with overdrive. The car runs surprisingly well, and transmission shifts silky smooth. It felt like it ran a little bit choppy on decel, but nothing that really concerned me. The car made thr 4.5 hour drive from middle of nowhere Wisconsin no problem.

I took one picture myself, the rest are from the ad. Will add more pictures tomorrow when the sun comes up.

Mook Mook already made the "how long til you sell it after doing nothing with it joke" so save yourself the time :rofl:

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Sprayin

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That is ALOT of excuses [emoji23]. You sure you didn't mean to post that on FB?
:rofl: I know it is. I'm just explaining why it made max power at 5400rpm mostly and why it's not much power. I'm actually pretty happy with what it has for what's going on. Car isn't going to see anything for a while I horde other parts like suspension and stuff. Just needed some motivation to keep buying shit. This is basically built by teaching high school kids how to work on cars.
 

Sprayin

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6PSI+87?

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Turn it up to 8, get to about 450 at the tire and drive it. Don't get greedy if it's a production block, she'll be gtg. I wouldn't go to more than 12 in general on a 5.0 that's stock, just my paranoia though. That seems to be where you get to head gasket issues if you're dealing with production heads at least based off what I've seen.

Being a wagon she should dead nuts hook and you'll still break some off for a lotta people.
It's a Chevy 4.8L. These things are supposed to eat :dunno:
 
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Sprayin

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So wait are you an auto shop teacher?

Props on spreading the wealth of knowledge ya have. I often think my knowledge is wasted on just me.
Nah, a friend of mine is. Gives the kids something fun to work on that the school would never bank roll.
 

Sprayin

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Car is in the state that we've put all the parts that I've bought onto the car and it runs. It "drives" too but only in a straight line. When I bought the wheels, 2 things went wrong: I looked at fox body fit specs, and we out SN95 spindles on it, and the way the fairmont/LTD/Zephyr is, they tuck the wheels under the body lip (Mustang doesn't have the lip) kinda like an old school Caddy. So the wheels fit inside the wheel well but I can't turn the wheels more than like 20* either way :rofl:

Car needs to move on from where it's at, so I'm not quite sure where I'm going with it just yet. At least it looks nice.
 

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