Looking for overall opinions and cheap upgrades for Gastropod applications.... I'm guessing I need to start looking for cheap T-bird Super Coupes so we don't need to cover that ground.
Looking for overall opinions and cheap upgrades for Gastropod applications.... I'm guessing I need to start looking for cheap T-bird Super Coupes so we don't need to cover that ground.
I have a heavily modded Supercoupe and recently rebuilt the 4.2 in my F150. What do you want to know?
General info: modern MLS head gaskets solve most of the horror stories you'll hear about failures. The split-port heads are the best as-cast heads, but absolutely will never bolt up with a Supercoupe intake manifold. SC rods and pistons if you want boost + 4.2 crank. Split-port Mustang or F150 engine with Windstar intake manifold is probably your best bet for NA.
So it sounds like better to swap the entire SC engine rather than piecemeal an upgrade?
Probably. Here are my thoughts.
Best option: the 94-95 SC engine. 230 hp and 330 lb-ft. You're not going to piece together other factory stuff and make more power than that (unless you put a 4.2 crank in the SC engine). Hard to find.
Second best option: 89-93 SC engine. 210 hp, 315 lb-ft. Add the truck crank if you want. Much easier to find than the 94-95 engine, though. Can swap in the 94-95 blower if you can find one.
Third best option: Mustang or F150 split port, Windstar intake (the F150 intakes make good power, but they're really tall and just won't fit in a lot of vehicles). 200 hp, 265-ish lb-ft. Truck crank and maybe an early SC cam will gain some power, but how much I'm not certain. Decent choice if you want to go turbo.
Ultimately, the SC engines will be less work and offer more potential short of a turbo build.
Look to sccoa.com for cheap power upgrades.
And while you're at it, you may as well just get the whole Super Coupe, restore it, and enjoy one of the finest luxury coupes of the 90s with the best styling. 
I thought the Essex was a UK-only V6 engine from the 1960s and 70s.
In reply to Knurled. :
That's the UK Essex, there's also the Canadian Essex that was made in Windsor, Ontario. Confusing? That's Ford engine names for ya!
The engine in question is used in the Fox platform model LTD from 1983 to 1986, per Wikipedia. It seems like an improvement over the 200 c.i. straight six but not a huge one.
In reply to stroker :
My mom had a Fairmont wagon with a 200......it wasn't fast by any means.
Most engines would probably be an upgrade power wise
The 200 had a cast in the head intake manifold and is not a crossflow head. A steaming pile.
But the Aussies have a crossflow head for it that makes it rock. (Barra?)
The 3.8L pushrod V6 has a project here
bentwrench said:The 3.8L pushrod V6 has a project here
Thanks for the link! That's terrific!
bentwrench said:The 200 had a cast in the head intake manifold and is not a crossflow head. A steaming pile.
But the Aussies have a crossflow head for it that makes it rock. (Barra?)
The crossflow was from right around when Ford of US abandoned the small six. IIRC it was a nice aluminum head on a 250.
The Barra is a DOHC engine.
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