Well seeing how i em a car nut and i have seen a few GM Astro vans with 350s and even a 454 i was wondering if a 302 or 351W can be shoe-horned into a Aerostar.

I have a roller 302 sitting on a stand with AOD.
I have 83 Cougar with 351W in it.
I think a 302 van would sit right at home parked next to my cougar.

If anyone has seen any in for links or anything please post the links or email me.

Thanks
SirChirpALot

 

I like your handle..."Sir Chirp A Lot". It's certainly what you would be doing with a V8 in an Aerostar!

I think I remember a mention of some car customizer using an Aerostar (Boyd Coddington???) and added a V8 to it, to use as his parts chaser. It was in the early 90's when I remember reading this as a 1 page blurb - perhaps in Car and Driver, or Motor Trend or the like. Unfortunately with my last move, I purged my large collection of car mags, so I won't have it anymore.

Sorry for the sketchy details, but that may give you something to go on...

 

The nick name came from my frist good car.
I built a 82Z28 with 400SB brodex AL heads 585 roller cam with 9inch and lader bars and turbo 350 tranny.
My shop teacher took the car for a spin and when he came back he was like WOW this car ChirpsAlot and from that day the nick was there.

I em now looking for a aero.
I missed a 89 eddy black and gold for 500bucks with headgaskets blown.

I have seen some for a good price here and there.
I need a van for runing around already so might get 2500 buck one with 4L and go from there.

I just like to tow my cougar to the track then run my van.
Come on if u cant beat my Tow Vehicle dont even bother to run my car LOL

Thanks Alot
SirChirpAlot

 

Sir:

Well, I just purchased a 92 4L LWB for $2500 (Canadian, which is much like the Peso in worth in comparison to the US $!), so they're out there!

Mine was in fine shape, after a tranny service and new brakes and rotors. Good Luck.

 

WILL NOT FIT. Period.
Sorry, but not enough room in there without cuttingup everything, and the chassis(front brakes WAY TOO SMALL, chassis flexes too much, etc) cannot handle the extra power anyway.....I had nitrous on my 4.0 Sport for an afternoon, and it blew the rearend out (I had the 8.8 rear.....), and could also not get traction, either.....

 

It can be done. There was an Aerostar for sale on ebay that had a carbourated 302 with a Nitrous kit. The only problem with it is that the engine took up a lot of room and a new steering column had to be fabricated. I think there was a posting last year that gave a better description.

 

You can put 500 hp in a wheelbarrow if you try hard enough. It's obviously not going to be a drop in swap, but anything can be done.

 

I know it will not be a easy swap.
I have a far idea on what i want to do.
I know i will be getting one very soon.
I wish i grabed the frist one i seen.

I already have the motor tranny and rear end i just need a body.
Most of the people that know me think i will build another stang
and i was thinking a ranger but the van is such a good idea even if its more work.

If i get my hands on one i will be doing a page on the build up from start to finsh. I do find it strang that there are no other V8 aero pages

 

I talked to the guy via e-mail who had the v-8 aerostar, and he told me he would never do it again. I believe he said he had $25,000 in the van, ad most of that was fabrication costs.

 

25gs is way over priced for that work.
heck i could make a tube frame to NHRA specks and drop the body on for less.

i'm planing on doing this for less then 4gs seeing how i have the motor,tranny and rear end already.
I will do frame work and lader bar to 9inch out back.
25gs is blown up a tad.


SirChirpAlot

 

How is there not enough room? It's wide enough, there's just enough room heightwise... You could free up another 6" or more lengthwise if you went with an electric fan on the front of the rad and made long engine mounts...

The brakes are very weak, even for the 2.8 liter carbed V6, they'd obviously have to be replaced. I bet the brakes from a police LTD/Crown Vic would make for a great swap.

 

Boyd used the 3.8SC out of the 89-95 Thunderbird SC. It's in many ways superior to a 5.0, since it comes with a forged bottom end, and an Eaton M90 blower on top. With exhuast, porting, a cam and a supercharger pulley, they pull well over 300hp, and they make 330lbft stock, so torque numbers probably approach 400lbft.

The engine is about the same size as the 4.0 Cologne motor, but it's based off the truck/passenger car 3.8 liter V6...

 

concerning the room.....it is wide enough, but only at one point. I have access to several local wrecking yards, and one just up the road from my house. I have measured a few that had the engines pulled, and while you might get a block and heads in there, you will not have any room to actually bolt on the exhaust or intake manifold, or change plugs, or even much room for the belt driven accessories. If you set the engine back (cutting the floor out, and fabricating an engine cover), you could easily have room for the 302/351w, but that is about the only way I see how.....

Brakes? No, the CV fronts are all wrong for the aerostar.....however, I have been comparing suspension systems between the various ford products....I think the 89-97 t-bird fronts are alot closer to fitting, AND those spindles can be upgraded to using 13" cobra mustang brakes.....

 

Hello Im new here; In your Post you mentioned Boyd Coddington Aerostar; I own that van but have yet to come across that magazine article mentioned. Ive heard of the article from many people but don't know the first place to finding it. If anyone knows, please post a link. Thank you!

 

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