Only in my dreams - so far

I guess I watch Speed TV too much, and think about a complete
auto restoration/modification on my 84 Mercury Capri 5.0.
The car is in nice original condition with less than 70K miles,
but a 428 with a turbo or a blower sticking through the hood
would be better. A complete frame off restoration and modification
would probably cost 100K, so for now, it's only in my dreams.
I did buy a lottery ticket!
Dick

On Dec 8, 3:48 pm, "Dick R." > wrote:
> I guess I watch Speed TV too much, and think about a complete
> auto restoration/modification on my 84 Mercury Capri 5.0.
> The car is in nice original condition with less than 70K miles,
> but a 428 with a turbo or a blower sticking through the hood
> would be better. A complete frame off restoration and modification
> would probably cost 100K, so for now, it's only in my dreams.

Go the low-buck route. The Ford Motorsport catalog still sells the
motor mounts and oil pan to put a 429/460 in your car. To me, it's an
engine with more potential than the 428 anyway. If you are entering
your car in a bunch of car shows, a frame-off would be nice, but if
you are going to drive it regularly, it makes it that much more of a
sleeper. After you got the engine installed and running, the blower
and tubbed wheel wells can come later.....

Kruse wrote:
> On Dec 8, 3:48 pm, "Dick R." > wrote:
>
>>I guess I watch Speed TV too much, and think about a complete
>>auto restoration/modification on my 84 Mercury Capri 5.0.
>>The car is in nice original condition with less than 70K miles,
>>but a 428 with a turbo or a blower sticking through the hood
>>would be better. A complete frame off restoration and modification
>>would probably cost 100K, so for now, it's only in my dreams.
>
>
> Go the low-buck route. The Ford Motorsport catalog still sells the
> motor mounts and oil pan to put a 429/460 in your car. To me, it's an
> engine with more potential than the 428 anyway. If you are entering
> your car in a bunch of car shows, a frame-off would be nice, but if
> you are going to drive it regularly, it makes it that much more of a
> sleeper. After you got the engine installed and running, the blower
> and tubbed wheel wells can come later.....

In my younger days, I would replace engines, transmissions, and do
lots of other auto stuff. I still have all my tools and they're
around the house somewhere. I only drive the Capri <50 miles/year,
mainly because it has the Michelin metric 4 bolt wheels and the tires
are wearing thin. New tires from Coker are $360+ apiece, which seems
a little excessive. I'm kind of stalled right now, but if I come into
a bunch of money I'll take your advice. Thanks.

Dick

"Dick R." > wrote in
:

> I only drive the Capri <50 miles/year,
> mainly because it has the Michelin metric 4 bolt wheels and the tires
> are wearing thin. New tires from Coker are $360+ apiece, which seems
> a little excessive.

LOL. You're talking about a frame off and blown 428, and not driving the
car because the tires are expensive. If you did all that, a new set of
wheel and tires would be part of the deal, right? Get yourself a new set of
wheels and tires, and put the metrics away for the museum someday.

Don't know if you know about this or not:

www.vb.foureyedpride.com

elaich wrote:
> "Dick R." > wrote in
> :
>
>
>>I only drive the Capri <50 miles/year,
>>mainly because it has the Michelin metric 4 bolt wheels and the tires
>>are wearing thin. New tires from Coker are $360+ apiece, which seems
>>a little excessive.
>
>
> LOL. You're talking about a frame off and blown 428, and not driving the
> car because the tires are expensive. If you did all that, a new set of
> wheel and tires would be part of the deal, right? Get yourself a new set of
> wheels and tires, and put the metrics away for the museum someday.
>
> Don't know if you know about this or not:
>
> www.vb.foureyedpride.com
Thanks for the link, I'll check it out. Because I'm a retired older gentleman,
with limited $$$ for fun stuff, my dreams will only come true if I win the
lottery.
Dick

You can bolt on '85 and up 15" wheels. The bolt pattern is the same, as is
the metric tire's rolling diameter compared to the stock 225-60/15's on the
later Capri 5.0's (I have an '86) and GT's. Put the original rims and tires
away, find some 10-hole GT rims on e-bay or Craigslist cheap, drop some
cheap rubber on them and go make tire smoke.
There's also lots of cheap go-fast goodies for a 5.0. No need for a 428,
it'd just make the front end too heavy and probably ruin the handling
without also doing alot of suspension work. Would obviously need a new
tranny too. And any time you make the car go faster, you gotta beef up the
brakes that much more too. Unless you like "Bodywork By Trees" ;-)

mkl




"Dick R." > wrote in message
. ..
> Kruse wrote:
>> On Dec 8, 3:48 pm, "Dick R." > wrote:
>>
>>>I guess I watch Speed TV too much, and think about a complete
>>>auto restoration/modification on my 84 Mercury Capri 5.0.
>>>The car is in nice original condition with less than 70K miles,
>>>but a 428 with a turbo or a blower sticking through the hood
>>>would be better. A complete frame off restoration and modification
>>>would probably cost 100K, so for now, it's only in my dreams.
>>
>>
>> Go the low-buck route. The Ford Motorsport catalog still sells the
>> motor mounts and oil pan to put a 429/460 in your car. To me, it's an
>> engine with more potential than the 428 anyway. If you are entering
>> your car in a bunch of car shows, a frame-off would be nice, but if
>> you are going to drive it regularly, it makes it that much more of a
>> sleeper. After you got the engine installed and running, the blower
>> and tubbed wheel wells can come later.....
>
> In my younger days, I would replace engines, transmissions, and do
> lots of other auto stuff. I still have all my tools and they're
> around the house somewhere. I only drive the Capri <50 miles/year,
> mainly because it has the Michelin metric 4 bolt wheels and the tires
> are wearing thin. New tires from Coker are $360+ apiece, which seems
> a little excessive. I'm kind of stalled right now, but if I come into
> a bunch of money I'll take your advice. Thanks.
>
> Dick

Mike Lenker wrote:
> You can bolt on '85 and up 15" wheels. The bolt pattern is the same, as
> is the metric tire's rolling diameter compared to the stock 225-60/15's
> on the later Capri 5.0's (I have an '86) and GT's. Put the original
> rims and tires away, find some 10-hole GT rims on e-bay or Craigslist
> cheap, drop some cheap rubber on them and go make tire smoke.
> There's also lots of cheap go-fast goodies for a 5.0. No need for a
> 428, it'd just make the front end too heavy and probably ruin the
> handling without also doing alot of suspension work. Would obviously
> need a new tranny too. And any time you make the car go faster, you
> gotta beef up the brakes that much more too. Unless you like "Bodywork
> By Trees" ;-)
Hey Mike,
In our previous emails, didn't you say that only 84s and 85s had a 4 bolt
pattern? What is a 10-hole GT rim?
My 84 Capri is in my garage for a long winter sleep.

Dick

Dick R. wrote:
> Mike Lenker wrote:
>
<snip>
>
> Hey Mike,
> In our previous emails, didn't you say that only 84s and 85s had a 4 bolt
> pattern? What is a 10-hole GT rim?
> My 84 Capri is in my garage for a long winter sleep.
>
I found your email from 2007, and yes, you mentioned the 85 and 86 rims
were 4 bolt 15". Still curious about the 10-hole GT rims.
Dick

Dick R. wrote:
> Dick R. wrote:
>> Mike Lenker wrote:
>>
> <snip>
>>
>> Hey Mike,
>> In our previous emails, didn't you say that only 84s and 85s had a 4 bolt
>> pattern? What is a 10-hole GT rim?
>> My 84 Capri is in my garage for a long winter sleep.
>>
> I found your email from 2007, and yes, you mentioned the 85 and 86 rims
> were 4 bolt 15". Still curious about the 10-hole GT rims.
> Dick
These are 10-holes http://tinyurl.com/5prg4z

GILL wrote:

> These are 10-holes http://tinyurl.com/5prg4z

Thanks for the photo. Yup, those are nice wheels.

Dick