So a couple days ago I made a trip two states away to pickup a 4x4 M5OD-R1 for my aero. The dude who sold it to me really knew his stuff about Aerostars and apparently 600 of them were made from the factory, with a 302 installed. However they weren’t sold to the public, but gifted to ford executives. It would be cool to see if there are any documents about that specific Aero. Anyone else know about this?

 

I’ve been around Aerostars for 20 years and never heard that. I’m suspicious...

 

it does seem a bit far-fetched, it would have made more sense if he were referring to the carousel prototype since that had a 390.

 

Many problems with the story.

1. 600 is a staggering number. Anything more than 6 would have been written up in a car mag.
2. Some of those would have found their way onto the resale market. There are only so many barns.
3. There are 600 Ford execs worthy of that "gift"?
4. A Ford exec would not consider it a gift. Got anything else?
5. The Aero bay would not casual soak up a 90 degree V8. I assume that's what you mean by 302.
6. Much expensive engineering for a small run, given away, a total financial loss. The entire C-level must have been morons.

 

600 ??

I know a similar story about AVCO Aerostructures in Nashville TN. but a lot more "digestible":

​​​​​Around 1970, AVCO commissioned the famous automotive illustrator Don Caton of Detroit to paint 15 Sets of 3 Watercolor Prints each, of the fabled 1930's Auburn, Cord, and Duesenberg cars as gifts for retiring execs.

One of those sets was given to Mr. Ted Franklin, VP of Industrial Relations at AVCO.

​​​​​​I dated Ted's daughter and when he passed away in the 1990's I was surprised to learn he left his set of prints to me!! (he knew I was a classic car enthusiast).

Well I still have them, Set Number 15, double-signed by Don Caton himself. Ted was the one who told me there were only 15 sets and he got the last set.

The paintings are large 1:12 scale of each car, the proportions are perfect and the chrome effects very realistic. They are framed in red wood and conservation glass. Not cheap I bet.

So there. I have never seen an Aerostar with anything bigger than a 4.0 and I have owned 3 Aerostars since 1986.

 

well, he must’ve been pulling my leg to see if I was retarded or not.

 

I'll be another "Doubting Thomas" here and say...."I doubt it..."
Surely one of these vans would have surfaced and would have been scrutinized by a Ford magazine or reporter of some sorts. Now, prove me wrong.....

 

It's been done before. I'm sure you've seen this:

 

Yeah I’ve seen that masterpiece, but that was done by one guy. It would’ve been interesting to see evidence of Ford doing that limited internal run of v8 Aeros which was told to me by a guy who sold me a 5 speed.

 

I talked to an old friend (been more than 10 years since we spoke) and asked him about this. He worked at Ford in the 90s and isn’t a bull****ter. He said no way did this happen. Ford definitely experimented with the 5L Aero but that was the extent.

 

its too bad they didn't show the 5.0 under the hood better.id like to get an idea how involved that would be.

 

someone must know who owns this now.id to swap in a 302 and pics would help me decide if its a good idea.maybe an ls engine might fit better.

 

Nope. The LS is bigger than the SBF in every dimension:

https://www.onallcylinders.com/2013/...popular-swaps/

Here, they put 221-351 together at 24" wide. That's actually for the 351W. The 221-302 is about 3" narrower.

The SBF is the most compact v8 made in America. There was a Buick v8 that was smaller, but they sold that design to the Brits.

 

What about a 3.8 Supercoupe motor in an Aerostar. I know that Boyd Coddington did one.

 

The 3.8 liter v6 is a 90 degree V; it's like a 302 v8 with two of the cylinders removed. It's just as wide as a 302 v8, but not as deep, so it may have a better chance of fitting than the 302 v8.