[OHIO_FOCUS]

hey all, i've got a 1996 Ford Probe GT with a ton of miles, and i was wondering if i could swap in a rebuilt 302 V8 or a similar V8. and since this can be in a focus, why not this? would it be a relatively easy swap? would i HAVE to convert to RWD or could i keep FWD, that would be an awesome sleeper!! just wondering b/c i can get the engine for very little money.. connections!

thanks again

Matt

 

[FocallyDistorted]

Straight not feasable. Has no room for RWD, to much torque for FWD. Besides there would be more fitment issues than you would want to deal with.

 

[OmniFocus]

You can make any engine fit in any car... to a point.

The V8 doesn't really "fit" in the Focus, as there is a great deal of custom fabrication involve.

Using this same logic, you can install a V8 in a Probe. The only difference is that somebody actually makes kit pieces to assist the Focus.

As for FWD? Hey... If you've got huge piles of money, anything is possible.

 

[FocallyDistorted]

Originally posted by OmniFocus:
You can make any engine fit in any car... to a point.

The V8 doesn't really "fit" in the Focus, as there is a great deal of custom fabrication involve.

Using this same logic, you can install a V8 in a Probe. The only difference is that somebody actually makes kit pieces to assist the Focus.

As for FWD? Hey... If you've got huge piles of money, anything is possible.

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">I mean yeah if I had $100,000 lying around I could put a Viper V10 into a Geo Metro and make it RWD, but it brings up the point, of do I really want to?

 

[poondobber]

It would be a pain in the ass with alot of fabrication.

There is plenty of room in the trunk. Just move the gas tank to the front.

I had an 89. I thought about it alot.

 

[AnythingButAFocus]

Sell the probe for a 5.0 Mustang. A hell load cheaper than a conversion.

Andrew

 

[sicko]

Originally posted by FocallyDistorted:
I mean yeah if I had $100,000 lying around I could put a Viper V10 into a Geo Metro and make it RWD, but it brings up the point, of do I really want to?

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">it took 200,000 to put a viper v10 into a motorcycle but damn, it is SO worth it.

I dream tomahawk!

 

[ZedX31485]

can you say torque steer?

 

[Honkeytonk Monkey]

Looking at the probe for a second, I'm seeing major hood clearance issues. Finding a strong enough spot to put motor mounts would be tough, since they would have to be fairly low. Now, the LS1 fits in the corvette, so obviously it can be done, but it will depend on the particular V8 chosen.

Your next challenge would be routing the driveshaft. The focus has a huge exhaust tunnel that accomodates the driveshaft. If the bottom of the Probe looks anything like the bottom of the Contour or Cougar though, you may have a lot of sheetmetal fabrication ahead of you to accomodate the driveshaft and transmission.

If you look at a V8 focus, you'll also notice the exhaust almost touches the ground towards the front end. I can only imagine this being worse in a lower profiled car where the engine has to sit lower.

There's the gas tank too, it might have to be relocated. A relo can turn your Probe into a Pinto if placed incorrectly. Fuel cell in the trunk would probably be the way to go.

In a nutshell it can be done, but I think the driveability/inability to drive on normal pavement (potholes and speedbumps) would make it a bad idea. I'd look instead into a turbo setup for the engine that's in there. It would probably end up costing the same.

 

[BerinG]

Originally posted by AnythingButAFocus:
Sell the probe for a 5.0 Mustang. A hell load cheaper than a conversion.

Andrew

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">There you go!

Problem solved

 

[P-51]

it took 200,000 to put a viper v10 into a motorcycle but damn, it is SO worth it.

I dream tomahawk!

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Why was it worth it?

Any sport bike available for less than $10,000 can do 9-10 second 1/4 miles. How much faster do you want to go? Heck, I doubt the Tomahawk can do 12 second 1/4 miles because it's such a cluster**** of engineering it must be a real beast to ride.

In fact, I can't imagine anymore driving it at faster than a walking pace.

I just don't understand the point of projects like these. They always end up being cluster****s of design, and hugely expensive, and usually dangerous to drive. I've never seen something like this outperform a factory vehicle.

[ 04-04-2003, 07:09 AM: Message edited by: P-51 ]

 

[The ANTI-chrysler]

all you have to do is call art morrison of morrison racing, in tacoma. they will make you a tube frame pro/stock style (think bob glidden) cut cut weld weld fab fab poof! an 8 second ford probe.teehee