Hey all,

I've got an Xt-Fairmont with a 3.6 ltr six, 3 spd Manual, its pretty much in original condition but i've decided to modernise it a little. I plan to leave the interior pretty much standard except for a nice stereo. Some nice wheels and suspension. In this form it will cruise nicely, but i wanted to have a motor to match the looks.

I was wondering if anyone knew if an XR6 Turbo motor would be feasible?
Any suggestions would be nice though, i'm open to other motors, i'd love a V8, 302 would be best, but i guess the biggest issue is with the gearbox and it being a colomn shift......i'm not sure how easy it is to convert to another motor and gearbox?

Any help would be appreciated.

The trouble with putting an earlier model motor like this into an older model car is that everything then needs to comply with the ADR's that were in place in 2002 when they came out. So getting it to pass emisions might take a little work. Also, the XT would have to recieve the wiring looms from an XR6T and computer as well. It would also be an idea to upgrade the brakes as well. Added to that is the price of an XR6T motor, loom, computer, and everything else that you need. xr8 dismantler, from ferntree gully auto salvage could help you out with prices, but be prepared for a shock. It would be an awesome car if you could do it, but it may not be pheaseable. cheers

Thanks for the reply Andrew. I know it would be alot of money. Since i posted last, i thought maybe a nissan engine, like the skyline engine, would be good too. I know its not a ford, and i would much rather keep it all ford, but they are cheap and powerful.

I will probably be crucified at shows for putting a Jap engine into a nice classic ford, but maybe it is an option.

I have a XD Fairmont Ghia that i don't use, the electrics on that car are shot to pieces, otherwise it is in new condition. I was thinking about upgrading the brakes on the XT to that of the XD. The 10.25" discs all round are awesome. I guess i would use the LSD of the XD as well. I'm not sure how much work this will all be though.

we just sold a XR6T motor to go into a XY GT replica something different for sure!!! the guy is pulling a 351 out to put the BA motor in. i cant wait to see that one.

all the XD gear would be a good option aswell.

Does any one know if the XD gear is simple to transplant over, as in a straight swap? or is it more involved and some fabrication will be needed.

XR8 dismantler: Are you able keep me posted on the progress of the BA -> XW transplant, sounds interesting.

In Tasmania the ADRs from the date of manufacture of the car are the ones that apply, not for the engine. They prefer the emmissions gear to match the engine, but it doesn't need to as long as it matches the build date for the car.

well i have a ZB 69 fairlane, engine bay quite similar
i was going to put the new ba 5.4 lightning motor in out of the BA XR8 falcon

but after i looked at the price for the loom,computer,tranny, and the exhaust.

not to mention the tower mods
and a whole new front end from RRS in sydney
the cost was so overwhelming

here is a quick example for you

5.4 260 kw bought here $6,500-8,500
original computer and loom $10,000
imported from the states a mustang cut front $8,500 complete loom and puter

aftermarket loom, with stuffing around in getting it sorted by an autoelec $5,500-$7,000

tower mod as towers are not wide enough to fit the 5.4 motor

a template from RRS was $150

get some one to mod the towers probably cost ya like $2,000
or if you can weld in the new tower plates for less than $150 and just your time.

take your pick for the new front end from RRS from $3,500 to a whopping
$7,500

as they have standard to like very high performance front ends
there front ends keep the old shock towers but the new front end is strut and chuck away the old steering box and use their rack and pinnion setup

buy a an auto $2,500 to suit the 5.4

modify the tail shaft, i never bothered to price that 1

and a much better radiator with thermo's to suit

also then there is the front brake upgrade from hopper stoppers for like $1600

the complete exhaust from DI FILIPPO in melton victoria price $4,500
now keep in mind that setup bolts straight into a BA faclon so add a bit more to fit my 69 ZB Fairlane not much difference to your xt

the cheapest 5.4 conversion i could come up with under the bonnet standard motor conversion, was $20,000 -less exhaust

so as you can see not much for under the bonnet for your bucks

i would say the average jo blo if they wernt too mechanically minded would pay for that conversion at least minimum say $28,000 - less exhaust

as for the xr6 turbo motor i am not sure what mods you have to undertake there, brakes, tailshaft, auto or manual, cooling side, and ehaust, but still would be a hefty price more than $12,000 thats motor,loom, computer and of course manual or auto, and then tail shaft and a better cooling system

for the 6 turbo job here is the price for BA falcon add more for your car
price: $3,244

so i decided to completly chuck my ford towers into the bin
and put a wishbone setup just sourcing out a rack for it

and the engine i am chuckin in a 700hp 460 bb.

so i hope i didnt shock ya too much so add those figures up and have a bloody heart attche lol


as for your colum shift its not that hard, you still keep the old colum unless you are going to do something out of the ordinary as i have quoted.

last comment :yes the exaust and emissions were to ADR specs of the BA falcon.

cya rick..

one last thing i forgot to add to the 5.4 conversion is

the bloody crossmember at an extra charge.
cya
rick..

351w your comments were horrible and so spot on, we often forget how everything adds up, it would make it cheaper to either stay old style or buy a new car.

As much as everyone is raving about the RRS front end, it is just a McPherson like front end, nothing special (other than the parts they used), if someone was to be switched on they would be better to modify the existing suspension or fit a wishbone setup like a Cortina setup to remove the towers. (Do not mention that other brand that uses something similar in here)

now you thinkin Damage

about the cortina front end
ok i will not mention the other front, but i must say this it is a good lookin
front end if it's the one your thinkin of with lets say a Mitsubishi L300 with a holden manual rack ?? i know ya didnt want me to say it lol, i have even seen a camry power steering rack in that combo of all things lol.

the only thing i have read about say the tc-td and te fronts is they seem to be complaing about getting there rack rebuilt here as most joints cant be bothered with that anymore as they are getting too old and i also would say their margins in profit for the labour and time just aint worth it, and most of them are sourcing from england as they are still well used

but i am in the process into lookin at some corti's to see what mods have to be done in regaurds as strenthen/stretching and see what the difference is in the width rail to rail. then i could see what rack to be used and best of all it would still be a ford front end in a ford car.

and boy does the x series same as mine the ZB fairlane engine bay looks massive without those stupid towers with a 460bb in it you would swear at a glance it was a 302-351 small block, the best point of this whole exercise and the reason is cooling, easy to change plugs and exhaust is also a breeze


on ya damage good coment..

all the best
cya rick..

Another option is modern Transit van, you would need to narrow it, I wanted a power steer rack for an X series, back in 96 there wasn't anything available, the closest rack with enough travel using standard front spindles was the 96 Transit, from memory (which is bad lately) I think you need 170mm travel, E series gives you about 150mm, and most other brands (including the name we must not speak in here) had much less travel (I even measured Volvo )

If you were to use the whole Transit front end you would get the lower type wishbone setup, only problem is the unsprung weight of the disc/hub and calliper, it is very large and uses a different stud pattern.

Advantage is most parts would be still available new etc and is designed to take more weight etc than a Falcon setup could take.

i agree with what you are saying totally but
because i am installing airbag setup
the front for my purpose is, what you call it series 1 or 2 mark 1 or 2 jag-71-75 model xj6 frontend

as for the 4-link 9"rear thats no probs

the L300 is too much muckin around for the airbag in terms of mounting a shock in that combo

below is 2 pics of an engine bay just picture mine without the towers
i really think the tower setup could have been done better than that IMO..

here is a pic of the engine bay before and the RRS setup after mod
http://www.rrs-online.com/html/testimonials.htm

cya
rick..

Is the Transit front end slef contained in its own subframe?
We have been looking at options for an IFS to fit in our 1969 Transit Mk1 to replace the beam axle and leaf springs, and we want power rack and pinion without losing turning circle. I never knew anything about the new Transits.
We were thinking of either a widened Holden front end or custom building one which would be expensive. A Transit one would be good if it would work. An adapter would have to be made to run Falcon hubs and discs with some sort of normal calipers. We currently run XY discs and hubs on the Transit stub axles using an adapter collar and custom brackets running HQ calipers. It's not that hard to do.
I saw a bloke the other day who has a Camry power rack on a Transit, so it must be a common rack for conversions.