new from idaho

Hell gents, names Joe Thrasher!

I drive an 81 fairmont wagon I an the second owner of this monster. Nothing to special about it, jus a little 2.3 non turbo with a factory 4 speed an a/c. I don't know if I've done much to help the car but I'm trying, I've done a full an in-depth tune up only to discover the rings are shot an I have massive blow by! Lol, oh well I was gonna do a 302 swap but I hate doing what everyone else is doing. I've been a fan for the 2.3 I actually had a turbo motor an loved it!!! But since I cant find one in my area I'm doing a built 2.3: 10.1 compression with nitrous an a t5 trans swap with an 8.8... The cars gutted right now so I can clean an improve the car, new seats carpet, head liner dash board the works!... Eventually when I have the money.

I think that's about it soooooo I'm looking forward to chatting with you guys!

A turbo wagon sounds pretty special to me! Didn't most of them come with V8s? Can't tell in your picture, do you have the tubo hood too?

Anyway, sounds like an awesome project!

My wagon is a 2.3 non turbo about to be a 2.3 high compression wagon with a 75 shot of nitrous! One day I wanna switch it out for a 2.3 turbo but thats gonna be a ways down the road.

Oh, haha. perhaps I should read all the words. haha. Still sweet though.

Think you sir, its something different for sure

I like the old pinto engines, I’ve had several of them ranging from the 1.6 to the 2.3 litre. They are reliable, and easy to find, easy to modify. I know that they were used in Formula Ford racing for years!
If you go to some car shows, you will see them all turbo’ed –out. I don’t know what kind of HP they put out, but they sound kinda beastie. Some of the non-turbo units will also lay some pretty impressive black marks on the pavement.
Its kinda win-win with a Fairmont wagon, they aren’t that plentiful, so the “wow” or “what the hell is that” factor is high, and to have a habanero-hot 4 cyl, it should be pretty interesting.
Look on the bright side, if you get really bored, you could drop a v-8 in that k-member, the 4 banger & v-8 use the same members.

I've actually got a 302 with some goodies in my garage right now but I'm just not wanting to go that route.... Yet. I had a 2.3 turbo in a foxbody an loved it but the oil feed line for the turbo blew off an I messed up the motor. Ibid love the power an the wft effect it had that what I think my plan Is for the wagon later one, right now the 2.3 n/a with a 75 shot is the plan besides its a wagon I wanna make It handle like its on rails an use the nitrous for the "oh shit" effect.

The 2.3 I'm purchasing has a "D" turbine head that's has been milled with titanium springs and retainers, new lifts an over sized valves the bottem end is a stock 93 ranger I plan on putting ARP rod an head studs in it and an Esslinger cam (4500-8200 rpm) an a 350 cfm holley 2 barrel with a holley blue electronic fuel pump an whatever cheap nitrous kit I can find at that time. Then back it with my 8.8 (3.73 gears) an my new T5 5speed an cal it a day.