Performance build(s) conundrum...need help decided what vehicle gets what.

[sick88tbird]

So, I'm at a cross-roads again....well, more like a 5 point intersection. I'm thinking about taking the '85 Tudor off the road permanently...the interior needs a ton of work and it's been hit in the front and rear with less than great body repairs made....so I'm thinking about putting the '88 back together and putting some fun stuff on it to make it tolerable to drive everyday....nice interior, just needs a couple window motors, a door lock actuator and go with it.

I've been driving 260mi roundtrips to my g/f's house 1-2 weekends a month and the 351w is killing my on gas mileage/premium fuel prices. It' will ping without premium. But I'm so in love with the idle lope/performance. Here is a little of my vehicles and available parts....I can't decide.

Stone stock '88 CV
Zero option '88 Ranger(currently mocked up for 302/AOD)

My current D/D 351W with heavily ported GT40 irons, very free flowing, heavily ported PP Typhoon EFI upper and lower intakes, 75mm throttle body with matching fox-body EGR plate machined for panther use, and T5Z trans(with 2.95) first gear.

Parts bin:
Anderson Ford PMS(originally bought for the Ranger, but think I could get much better fuel economy/drivability out of the 351 with it)
Fast EZ-EFI injection system(currently on 351w)
Carb style 302 intake with injector bungs(bought for ranger build)
Edelbrock intake elbow for above intake
1 7/8" header kit(bought for ranger build)
Rediculous Edelbrock hyd roller cam with like .650"+ lift and a bunch of duration(bought for ranger build)
Complete 5.0 Explorer accessory drive for ranger build(can't use with 351w unless bottom end is rebalanced with Explorer damper)
Eaton M90 supercharger
Two turbo's from newer 2.5L Subaru's in need of rebuilding
Bare aluminum heads for 2.02/1.60 valves

I have other little odds and ends too...I'm really not fond of the drivabilty of the Fast EZ-EFI, but the WOT performance is quite nice. The ranger is already mocked up with the 302/AOD...the '88 CV would just need a MAF conversion and drop the body on my '85 frame if I wanted to stay 351/T5. T5 the ranger? Kill AOD's all day behind the 351 in a DD, T5 the '88 CV and leave the 302 for a little?....leave the CV alone completely with the exception of my wheels/tires/3.73 trak lock/brakes? Anderson Ford PMS on the CV with twin baby turbo's for the ultimate in bottom end grunt....IDK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

See why I'm having a hard time deciding?

-Don

[zoomie]

I would say, go with what feels right for you.

[johnunit]

If you don't "need" a pickup I'd go milder on the coupe and balls-out with the pickup. Sounds like you gotta decide whether you want/need the CV to be streetable or not.

[sick88tbird]

Yeah, that's along the lines I've been thinking. No REAL need for a truck and I don't plan on it ever being a DD so if I can't keep trannies from exploding it's not the end of the world, as I've got a couple AODs. Decisions, decisions

[gadget73]

Put the stock lopo in the Ranger with a T5. Its got gobs of torque, perfect for a truck, and the strippo truck weighs very little. I would expect at least 20 mpg from that. An AOd would work too, but more drivetrain loss and weight with that option. If you don't want to dick with wiring, stick a 2150 2bbl on there and call it a day. A lopo doesn't make much use of a 4bbl, so unless you've got the intake and carb already I wouldn't bother.



The other option is change the cam in the 351. Done right, they can do at least as good on fuel as a 302. there is a guy on lincolnsonline that did a 351 swap in a Mark VII specifically for fuel economy. i think he's getting something near 100 hp over stock HO levels, and about 5 mpg more at the same time. I want to say he's running a 4R70w with a controller but don't hold me to that. I can dig up the thread somewhere if you're interested in specifics. You're never going to get amazing economy out of a rolling brick like a Vic, but you should be able to knock down 20 mpg without any trouble.

[sick88tbird]

I'd love to hit 22mpg in my 88 CV with the 351 swapped in, BUT, a cam change is out of the question. I still have the old cam I took out(a real mild smooth idling Crane cam) but it's on its face @4k with that one. The Ranger is planned to be a cheap little strip monster. A buddy of mine had one with a stock LOPO swapped in with an Eddy performer intake and matching 600cfm carb and went 14.50's with an AOD and a 3.08 open rear with 275/60-15's! He clicked into 3rd about 150ft before the stripe lol.

[79lincolnlover]

Put your '88 CV back together, if the frame is good.

[sick88tbird]

Put your '88 CV back together, if the frame is good.

Yes that is the plan, frame is great as it also had been a southern car. I'll be starting on putting the header panel back on and going through it this weekend. Jumping into a ready-made family kinda necessitates a 4 door at this point, still has to be fun though!

[Mr.Blue]

This............

T5 the '88 CV and leave the 302 for a little?....CV with my wheels/tires/3.73 trak lock/brakes?

bolt some exploder junk on the lopo and have a amusing DD............

[sick88tbird]

Yeah, that's going to be the plan for now....T5, exploder cam, HO upper/tb, MAF swap with Anderson Ford PMS, suspension/brakes & rear end...then once it's at that point, I'll track mileage a few times and drop in the 351W once its ready for a plug and play installation. Being my DD and only vehicle and taking parts from one for another, I'd like to do it in stages to keep downtime to no more than a day and a half.

[Mr.Blue]

I hear ya...........having 5 mustangs, a baby ltd and a ton of parts/junk makes choosing car/project directions a headache/mess for me also.......so i just go street/strip route with everything lol..........should be a fun runner when you get it rolling..........

[sick88tbird]

Nice, amazing how parts start stacking up over the years!