Project Idea, IDI powered car

[Fordman75]

I've been thinking about a future project. I have been wanting to pick up another early to mid 80's 2dr Crown Vic/LTD. And I have been thinking it might be fun to swap a 7.3L/ZF 5spd combo into one.

Swap out the front springs, beef up/swap out the rear diff.

I think it would make a fun car.

 

[Bill-W]

I was thinking about a similar think thing, I've got a neighbor with a 70's Lincoln Mark???. It has a blown 460 in it, I was thinking the engine weight might be similar if not it would lower the front and then cut the springs in the back to even it out. If I was able to get a OD and some tall axle gears in it I bet the MPG could be fairly good.

Hmm now I'm really thinking about it, guess it might be time to start saving up some $$$.

It would defiantly be easier to work on than the damm minivan the wifey drives cooler also!

 

[Diesel_brad]

Even as much as i HATE autos, I would say use A E4OD

 

[Clydesdale]

IDI weighs 140# over a 460. Thinking the lincoln would be fine (susp wise) alacarte.

One could fantasize that it would replicate the night moose in mpg.. that did well enough, it gave my 2002 Corolla an inferiority complex.

 

[david85]

IDI weighs 140# over a 460.

Really??? I was sure the weight difference was more

Anyway, I would agree that a lincoln would be a killer IDI cruiser
Beef it up if you have to - maybe with air bags.

 

[Clydesdale]

720 vs 860

or

740 vs 860.

Posted a spec here once, lord knows what thread it was in.

 

[david85]

I guess that's dry vs dry without any accessories.....huh. It really is awfully close.....

 

[riotwarrior]

Do a late 60's with suicide doors the ones that had the 462/534 type engine...oh hell ya that would be a sweet ride!

 

[Dieselcrawler]

i say leave the trans alone(5 speed) and put like 2.73 gears in it! be one hell of a cruiser then.....

 

[OLDBULL8]

Cruising Craigslist for Lincolns. 56 Lincoln for $5500 WOW 85 Lincoln Town Car for $900 with a 302 engine, looks in fantastic shape, rear wheel drive. Looks like from 90 up that they are all front wheel drive, maybe earlier.

That 85 does have the E4OD tranny.

 

[The Warden]

Cruising Craigslist for Lincolns. 56 Lincoln for $5500 WOW 85 Lincoln Town Car for $900 with a 302 engine, looks in fantastic shape, rear wheel drive. Looks like from 90 up that they are all front wheel drive, maybe earlier.

FYI all Town Cars are rear wheel drive, even the ones being built today. With that said, I have a feeling that, on the '91 and up Town Cars, the engine bay isn't tall enough to fit an IDI...although i've never measured. CERTAINLY, it would be a tight squeeze....would be cool to see, though. I have to wonder if a smaller inline 6 (like an MB OM606) would be a better fit space-wise? ...it wouldn't have the cool factor of an IDI, but it'd probably be more fuel-efficient...

 

[Fordman75]

My idea was more of a muscle car type deal not just a daily driver.

I want to build mine like the cars I remember when I was a kid. All the "cool" guys had the muscle cars with the jacked up rear end and big wide tires.

I really like the looks of the 2dr Crown vics/LTD. I want one black on black, dark tinted windows, blacked out chrome/trim. Some American racing Torque thrust D rims and a Mustang Boss 429 hoodscoop.

Kind of going for the Interceptor look from the Mad Max movie.

No automatics for me!! I like to shift my own gears.

And for the IDI I'm thinking about doing something that no one seems to think is a good idea. Adding a couple M112 Eaton positive displacement superchargers and a big intercooler.


I figure it would look pretty mean, be pretty quick with all that torque pushing 3500-3800 pounds. And it should get fairly decent mileage too.

 

[david85]

That 85 does have the E4OD tranny.

That would be the ford AOD (automatic over drive 1980-1993),
not the E4OD (electronic 4 speed over drive 1989-1998?).
The AOD has no shared DNA with the E4OD at all and is based on the older FMX 3 speed auto where as the E4OD is based on the C6 3 speed auto.

The AOD is only available in the windsor small block bolt pattern (302, 351 and 300 six), although I heard a VERY rare 400 big block might have been made for some interceptors in the early 80s (never was confirmed).

The AOD uses only a throttle cable instead of a computer or vacuum modulator, has a very wide overdrive ratio, and is zero slip in 3rd and 4th gear.

Bad news is the gear spread isn't good for a diesel and can even be asking a lot for a 302 at anything under 75% throttle (ask me how I know).

Its also not considered strong enough for a diesel or big block, but they can (like anything else) be built up and adapter kits are out there for the big blocks at least. Never knew of anyone that tried to adapt an AOD to a diesel and AFAIK there is no such kit for that application.

This isn't in character for me, but I would be tempted to go with a 5 speed for a cruiser like this. Since the rear ends are available with taller ratios than even 3.08/3.07, the only real advantage of the E4OD goes out the window. If money is no object, then I guess an E4OD could work, but that thing is a big fat transmission and I don't know if it can fit where a C6 or FMX came from.

 

[NapaBavarian]

I know it's a little too chevy...but I have a 66 Chevelle and a 6.2 for it, just need time and money (always have one, not the other!)

 

[TLBREWER]

I know it's a little too chevy...but I have a 66 Chevelle and a 6.2 for it, just need time and money (always have one, not the other!)

My '66 Impala SS may have a Duramax some day. Considered a 7.3 IDI for a long time to stay with the old muscle car feel and sound. However, I think the DMax will win out for ultimate power and economy. I'm thinking I could pull in 35 Mpg in a car that light (well lighter than a 7K truck anyway) and still pull 12-13's in the quarter...mostly stock. Now about that time and money thing...

Tom