Project Black Panther: 1988 3.8L Cougar LS

Topic: Project Black Panther: 1988 3.8L Cougar LS (Read 120482 times) previous topic - next topic

new grille

Reply #45 – September 15, 2010, 07:55:30 PM

Got my new grille from SR86C today. Slapped it on. Looks a whole lot better! See the difference?

Now if those taillights would just get here;)

Project Black Panther: 1988 3.8L Cougar LS

Reply #46 – September 15, 2010, 08:08:30 PM

Me gusta.

Project Black Panther: 1988 3.8L Cougar LS

Reply #47 – September 19, 2010, 08:32:11 PM

Got my new taillights put in from 88turbo tonight.

Still need to polish and clean the outside but the insides are beautiful.

Also, all 8 bulbs are now converted to LED, and the innner lights have been converted to 3157 LED's, and have been hooked up to the turn signals also.

However there was a problem see here: [thread]29508[/thread]

On another note, I met a guy last night here in town, who is a SC fanatic.

He took me for a ride in his, (I have never actually seen one in person before, much less ridden in one). I was simply blown away. I had plans since the beginning to throw a supercharger in the cougar, but now, it is for sure. It was mind blowing (to me) the amount of low end tq on that thing. There was no delay, didn't matter where you are in the rpm range, that sob just takes off.

I really want a blower in this thing, but he was also talking about turbo applications, and he said it would be real easy to put a turbo in a fox car. He threw reeaaaally impressive numbers at me. Said he did it for a customer one time, and got ~400 lbs of tq and 2800 rpm on the dyno, and over 300 hp at 5200. I don't care what you say, those are some impressive numbers for a v6. I still don't know what I want to do though, but I think I will be going for the supercharged application, just because I want a cleaner cheaper install.

Either way, I am going to come up with a supercoupe block and get it rebuilt before I do anything so that I can have a motor to handle that much boost.

First thing I'm doing though, is putting in the split port heads and intake from a 99-04 Mustang, and also MAF.

The list is going to go in this order at this point.

-Install s-p n/a heads and intake, fuel rails, MAF computer
-Replace transmission
-install center console
-install floor shifter and remove collumn shifter
-install headers and exhaust

The exhaust setup I'm going to use is Paceseter LT 2-1/2" headers, Y'd into a 3" single, running into a glasspack, Y'd back out into 2-1'4 duals at the axle and back.

I'm honestly so excited about all this I can't stand myself.:D:D:D:D

Project Black Panther: 1988 3.8L Cougar LS

Reply #48 – September 19, 2010, 08:37:29 PM

Taillights look good , where did you get your leds from ?

Project Black Panther: 1988 3.8L Cougar LS

Reply #49 – September 19, 2010, 08:45:51 PM

Auto zone.

There ok, but I want to get better ones, these only have led's in the front, so they're really hotspot(ty?). I want to get the ones that have led's in the front, but also all the way around the bulb.

like these:

Project Black Panther: 1988 3.8L Cougar LS

Reply #50 – September 19, 2010, 08:58:34 PM

Looks good, Steve!

Project Black Panther: 1988 3.8L Cougar LS

Reply #51 – September 20, 2010, 03:50:24 PM

One more tail pic...

I still gotta buff em and get those black lines out

Oh, and don't let the cougar badge fool you. Its not really that shiny:hick:

UPDATE: nvmd, BUFFED:

Properly cleaned, painted, sanded, buffed, and shined::D:D:D:D

Project Black Panther: 1988 3.8L Cougar LS

Reply #52 – September 28, 2010, 12:04:16 PM

Well, got the new chrome radiator supports in. Sweet! If I get that front support bar painted nice and black they'll look real good. I just don't really wanna pull everything out of the engine bay to do it right now....

I think today I'm going to start the dash removal, and go ahead and remove the column shifter and replace the heater core. I also have a MASSIVE rewiring project to undergo.

I put a fuse block in there that I've got all kinds of running to, (including my headlights), that was put there before I realized there was a headlight fuse link (or relay (or whatever it is)) that could blow. Which, I do have to replace. Does anyone know where that is exactly?

The fuse block is going to get moved to the engine compartment, where it will most likely be paired up with another one after the battery is moved to the trunk. I gotta have something to run all my aftermarket bs on....

Project Black Panther: 1988 3.8L Cougar LS

Reply #53 – September 29, 2010, 04:06:25 PM

just curious why are you wanting a sc v6? the v6 I'm running isn't a sc engine and it handled a twin turbo setup and now a nitrous setup. just fine after i ported and polished the heads , 3 angle valve job and stroked it to a 4.4 liter v6 with MAC longtube headers

Project Black Panther: 1988 3.8L Cougar LS

Reply #54 – September 29, 2010, 07:29:12 PM

Just because the SC engines are a drop-in replacement purpose built boost engine. They can be had cheap, and rebuilt for even less, and they are designed specifically to handle boost. The compression ratio, and cam is different, they have different heads, and are all forged internal components.

I know a guy who has been building super coupes for years, and says that in all his experience, the easiest, cheapest, and fastest way to boost your engine right is to just drop an SC engine in it. Sure, you can boost a stock engine, and it is much easier with turbos, but, sooner than later, something will go wrong.

Me, I just have a prejudicial preference towards blowers over turbos, and cannot seem to shake it. I might end up putting a turbo(s) on mine, but for right now I am still pretty dead set on supercharging it. I've seen some pretty impressive numbers but I'm just a stubborn ass and sometimes it takes a lot for me to change my mind. Idk, maybe when I see one in action... But I just LOVE the instant power you can produce with a supercharger, plus it will make for a much cleaner installation, since they were designed to go on there. Not like a turbo set up.

Project Black Panther: 1988 3.8L Cougar LS

Reply #55 – September 29, 2010, 08:05:02 PM

I don't want to sound like a smartass, but why do all you guys put an air filter in your engine bay and remove the airbox? doesn't it suck hot air in instead of cold air? I'm I missing something, or just not understanding something about this.....I feel very confused with all this engine building stuff....

Project Black Panther: 1988 3.8L Cougar LS

Reply #56 – September 29, 2010, 08:15:35 PM

Yes it does. Mines not staying like that very long. It was different setup before and I moved a bunch of stuff and thats just how it looks right now. I'm going to have it breathing colder air in from the fenderwell when I get it fixed.

But, even so, those filters do breathe better than the stock stuff. (it only makes for a less than noticeable performance gain, but I'm a sucker for anything that helps at all) Even where it's at right now though its far enough away from the radiator and the engine that it still isn't getting that warm of air.

Project Black Panther: 1988 3.8L Cougar LS

Reply #57 – September 29, 2010, 08:44:21 PM

Ok, just thought I would ask.

Project Black Panther: 1988 3.8L Cougar LS

Reply #58 – September 29, 2010, 09:21:06 PM

I did the T5 swap behind the 88 3.8 5 years ago, I did a write up on it back then. If you haven't come across it yet here is a link to it.

http://foxtbirdcougarforums.com/showthread.php?t=6042

I now have the 88 XR7 I wanted so bad back then but its not the same. I don't have any passion for the car like I did with the old 3.8 SE.

I had 4.10 gears in mine, it was a little excessive but it would pull pretty hard. I would go with 3.73's now, at this point that would be the single best upgrade you can perform and for nearly nothing. Find a ranger at a pick a part junkyard take along the axle tag information from http://www.therangerstation.com and have a field day, just avoid 4.0 4x4's as they could have the 8.8. After a gear upgrade and T-5 swap you would need to address the low rev limit of the 3.8. Mine would float the valves at a 5k rpm. A good set of valve springs would be the ticket here. I also had a 155 LPH fuel pump, mostly because it was a Walbro and could be had for like $20 more than a stock replacement.

The 3.8 can be a fun engine to have and still get good mileage. While N/A the stock speed density engine in your car will never be a real speed demon those three things I listed will make the car a completely different animal. If at that point you care to go any further with the N/A 3.8 find some idiot who thought that a $400 set of headers was a performance upgrade for his Sn-95 mustang 3.8. Word on the street is the early style mustang 3.8 (94-98) header is good for 300 HP. Just by looking at them you can tell they are a real improvement. Jegs sells an H pipe for an Sn-95 3.8 mustang that fits the stock mustang headers and allows you the use of mustang cat backs. I've not tried it myself but there should be no reason that it wouldn't fit, some work may be needed at the transmission hanger. You may have to buy a mustang transmission hanger. I would get someone's decent shape fox mustang take off cat back and do the necessary mods to make it fit, extending this and cutting that. Shouldn't be to much work in a driveway or just take it to a ler shop, they should be able to make the mustang cat back fit well. As temping as it is I wouldn't go with a flowmaster or any other loud ler, the 3.8 has one of the most horrid-terrible exhaust tones on the road. Plus the mustang cat back will be fairly quiet and be more than you will need N/A. I always wanted to convert to Mass Air but its much more difficult on a 3.8 than a 5.0, the 3.8 being bank fire as apposed to sequential. All mustang 3.8 MAF computers are sequential. Also advance the timing, it was a great free performance upgrade and I was still able to run 87 gas with a great seat of the pants improvement.

I'm sure I'll own another 88 3.8 car down the road.

Project Black Panther: 1988 3.8L Cougar LS

Reply #59 – September 29, 2010, 09:39:51 PM

AWESOME!! I think you have just reconvinced me to do this. Having never done a manual swap, this is very good information. Most of what you have put about interchangeability is what I've already figured out, but there is no doubt some really useful stuff in there. I was only able to skim over it for now, but tomorrow I will definitely be dissecting that essay. Thank you good sir!!