89 Ford Situation
Thread Starter
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FTE Legend
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 37,887
Likes: 20
From: North Central Rural Sask.
89 Ford Situation
So here goes.
I went around the city today looking at the cost to rebuild my 302 in my 89.
There wasnt a quote under 2 grand, which is worth more then the truck sits for sure. That was for a damn stock rebuild too!
So anyways my situation is that I would like to keep the truck, but I have to look at things realistically. The cost of the engine is going to be worth more then the truck, and its not going to be much of a special truck after im done with it anyways. My plan was to get the engine done and fix the body and leave it pretty much stock. Considering I have that shortbox, and plan to get an old merc truck to throw a big engine in, I dont really want to blow too much cash on the ol 89.
What do you guys think, taking some of that stuff into consideration?
I went around the city today looking at the cost to rebuild my 302 in my 89.
There wasnt a quote under 2 grand, which is worth more then the truck sits for sure. That was for a damn stock rebuild too!
So anyways my situation is that I would like to keep the truck, but I have to look at things realistically. The cost of the engine is going to be worth more then the truck, and its not going to be much of a special truck after im done with it anyways. My plan was to get the engine done and fix the body and leave it pretty much stock. Considering I have that shortbox, and plan to get an old merc truck to throw a big engine in, I dont really want to blow too much cash on the ol 89.
What do you guys think, taking some of that stuff into consideration?
Lead Driver
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 8,423
Likes: 0
From: Colonsay Sk. Canada
Plenty of cheap 5.0 cars round here. I don't know how much you like you're 89 but lets not fool ourselves.
Never mind mentioning no guarrentee after you buy a 500-1000 car that it comes with a good motor.
Here's a hint if you are concerned about price of restoration it ain't worth restoring.
My vote is
Bring it to a auction or sell it anyway you want, and buy yourself a project worth putting money into.
Sure you couyld put it aside and wait for a dream motor to come along but there is a good chance when the perfect motor comes along the 89 is in worse shape then before mice etc.
Never mind mentioning no guarrentee after you buy a 500-1000 car that it comes with a good motor.
Here's a hint if you are concerned about price of restoration it ain't worth restoring.
My vote is
Bring it to a auction or sell it anyway you want, and buy yourself a project worth putting money into.
Sure you couyld put it aside and wait for a dream motor to come along but there is a good chance when the perfect motor comes along the 89 is in worse shape then before mice etc.
Post Fiend
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 20,099
Likes: 7
From: Yorkton Sask
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Elder User
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 666
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Yea id probably head to the boneyard and grab one with decent miles. Most of the time they will let you listen to them run before you buy em.. I bet you could pick up a decent motor to run for bout 500 out the door. I think you could run one out of an old stang or crown vic too, i think the only difference is the intake and maybe heads?
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Senior User
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 467
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From: Regina,Saskatchewan
Motors at Buck's are only about $200.I have found a couple of real good ones out there.Look for fresh paint or new gaskets peaking out as a first sign and then pull the spark plugs to see how they look and also check for an excessively oily tail pipe.Car that have been in accidents are generally better as they are usually better maintained than a vehicle that has been driven into the ground and then sold to the wreckers.Another good option is to buy a complete vehicle from SGI, you can generally start them up to see how they run and if you part out eveything you don't need you can sometimes get the engine for basically free.The key is to find something with saleable parts on it.
Postmaster
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 4,402
Likes: 1
From: Delisle/Vanscoy, Sk.
Most wreckers now have the vehicles so parted out that it is hard to hear them running. When I worked in the body shop wrecker. All cars and trucks we would try the engines. If they ran good and no smoke. Then we compression test. If everything was good. It was noted for selling that engine. Now a days most wreckers do not even do this..
I seen some crown vic or Marquis on Kijiji for less than 1000.00 so you could check a few of them out. As someone said SGI salvage. have a boo at the cars they are selling. They will let you take a battery on a 2 wheeler to boost. That way you can hear the motor and get the car from anywhere from 200 to 1000. Best time to buy vehicles at SGI is usually March and beginning of April. They sell the cars off cheap to clear out the winter accident cars.
I seen some crown vic or Marquis on Kijiji for less than 1000.00 so you could check a few of them out. As someone said SGI salvage. have a boo at the cars they are selling. They will let you take a battery on a 2 wheeler to boost. That way you can hear the motor and get the car from anywhere from 200 to 1000. Best time to buy vehicles at SGI is usually March and beginning of April. They sell the cars off cheap to clear out the winter accident cars.
Thread Starter
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FTE Legend
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 37,887
Likes: 20
From: North Central Rural Sask.
Well some good ideas fellas. So far cheapest price is a few bucks over 2 grand.
I dont really want to get rid of the truck, and the engine that is in it does run excellent, but you can tell its starting to get worn out. It leaks a little bit of oil, and just doesnt have the power it did 10 years ago.
Its not a 4x4 either, just a plain jane ol 2 wheel drive. I guess when I have more time on the net I will check out some good used engines.
For anyone that is willing to keep their eyes open, take note of any efi 302's that might work for me, or someone that could build an engine for a tad cheaper then a shop.
I dont really want to get rid of the truck, and the engine that is in it does run excellent, but you can tell its starting to get worn out. It leaks a little bit of oil, and just doesnt have the power it did 10 years ago.
Its not a 4x4 either, just a plain jane ol 2 wheel drive. I guess when I have more time on the net I will check out some good used engines.
For anyone that is willing to keep their eyes open, take note of any efi 302's that might work for me, or someone that could build an engine for a tad cheaper then a shop.