Why on earth would you put an LS in a Roadster

[Jim Frahm]

Yeah, people have asked me that question and it's really simple.... To make this long story short I'll just cut to the good stuff. I bought my very first new truck in 1990 and it was a Ford F150. Shortly after picking it up I noticed it had a paint issue. (The paint never dried). The dealer repainted the truck and it looked like a $99 paint job. I was devastated. :mad:I tried everything to get them to make it right and they never did. I even contacted Ford HQ. So, it was at that point that I decided to never buy another Ford product again. As a consumer, that's all you can do. I have come oh so close to buying a Mustang GT but I never did. I bought a C6 corvette instead. Now FFR is offering the XTF truck and I want one so bad but I'll just wait until they offer the stage 1 kit for the GM vehicles. FINGERS CROSSED.:cool:

So, now you know!

[Rebostar]

Yeah, people have asked me that question and it's really simple.... To make this long story short I'll just cut to the good stuff. I bought my very first new truck in 1990 and it was a Ford F150. Shortly after picking it up I noticed it had a paint issue. (The paint never dried). The dealer repainted the truck and it looked like a $99 paint job. I was devastated. :mad:I tried everything to get them to make it right and they never did. I even contacted Ford HQ. So, it was at that point that I decided to never buy another Ford product again. As a consumer, that's all you can do. I have come oh so close to buying a Mustang GT but I never did. I bought a C6 corvette instead. Now FFR is offering the XTF truck and I want one so bad but I'll just wait until they offer the stage 1 kit for the GM vehicles. FINGERS CROSSED.:cool:

So, now you know!

I have a similar story about a Chevy dealer selling a 19 year old kid (me) a Chevy pick up. Less than a week later a rod went through the block. I had it towed back to the dealership. They told me to get my junk off their lot, oh and I still owed $1500 on it so I needed to pay up! That was the last GM product I've ever bought. That was 1976.
Happy Trails

[phileas_fogg]

Firestone for me. I had a '66 Rambler station wagon given to me by my grandfather. Spent all summer of 1985 restoring it to roadworthiness (or something kinda close; I'd never worked on brakes before & the drums were an absolute mystery). Go out one day and the car won't start. Towed it to the closest repair shop - Firestone. They tell me I need a new battery. Buy it, and the car works for about a day and a half. Turns out it was the alternator. I'll never knowingly have a Firestone product in my possession again.


John

[FFinisher]

WOW,,,,,

The better question is why not? if it works for you go for it. I have had great success with LS's, Coyotes, small block Chevy's and Fords. To each their own, build it to your heart's desire drive the heck out of it and enjoy it!

[Jim Frahm]

WOW,,,,,

The better question is why not? if it works for you go for it. I have had great success with LS's, Coyotes, small block Chevy's and Fords. To each their own, build it to your heart's desire drive the heck out of it and enjoy it!

Exactly what I did!!!!

[MB750]

I'm a Ford guy, but that LS is a solid engine. There's even carb retrofit intake manifolds for it if you really wanna go old school. Easy 600hp rated bone stock too if you just wanna boost it.

[BRRT]

I provided automation to various Ford plants in the US and Europe. I saw so many interesting things go on that I will not own a Ford car.

[OB6]

I chose the LS because I really like the platform, not because of any particular sentiment about Ford or GM. But I can definitely see how sentiment could (and does) affect someone's decision.

[kirby]

I won't buy most American brands!!

GM and Dodge both took a government bailout to run a business they should have been able to manage.

My 2019 Ford expedition is in the shop constantly...cam phasers, turbos, transmission, 4 wheel drive issues.

Anybody try a Toyota motor in a roadster?

Full disclosure mine has a coyote...whatever works for each person. It's your car...have fun with the build and the driving.

[Al_C]

Wow, lots of long memories here! I had less than wonderful (OK, bad...) experiences with Chevy, Toyota and Firestone. But things change, especially over time. I would consider a Chevy once again as well as a Toyota. I used the local Firestone shop to mount tires last year. I guess my comment is really to just keep an open mind because products change over time as do the people involved. As far as putting an LS in a Roadster - it's your car. Build it the way that makes you happy!

[Pizzman76]

I never really understood why people get so emotional about running a "non-Ford" powertrain in these cars. Its a kit car made to look like a Shelby which just so happened to have a ford motor installed in the 60ies.

I actually enjoy seeing the creativity people execute with different configs rather than following some undefined rules. Each one of the cars are unique by the end of the project either by accident or on purpose.

[Avalanche325]

Why would you? The LS is a very good engine. It also has great aftermarket support.

Why would you not? It narrows the market for when / if you sell the roadster. A vast majority of people think they should have a Ford engine. I am in that group myself. Narrow market usually means lower resale price.

[Mike.Bray]

Why would you? The LS is a very good engine. It also has great aftermarket support.

Why would you not? It narrows the market for when / if you sell the roadster. A vast majority of people think they should have a Ford engine. I am in that group myself. Narrow market usually means lower resale price.

Both points very true. I built a Cobra years ago with a SBC and crossram EFI. It was a great engine that looked and ran amazing. When I went to sell the car I had so many potential buyers pass on it because of the SBC that I finally pulled the engine and sold it as a roller. For the same price lol Then I sold the engine for a few thousand dollars so I ended up making more than I would have originally as a complete car. Funny ting was when I asked what they were planning to put the engine in, they were building a Cobra!

[OB6]

Why would you not? It narrows the market for when / if you sell the roadster. A vast majority of people think they should have a Ford engine. I am in that group myself. Narrow market usually means lower resale price.

Couldn't agree more. I considered this when I made my choice, and then decided this project was not one to pursue if resale/return was a concern and I'd be better off putting the same money into an air-cooled Porsche.

[Kbl7td]

I don’t want to rustle feathers, but I bought the car because of the way it looks (coupe). Not its history. FFR has done a good job thankfully of making sure the car is nothing like the original. Especially now with the MK5. None of the body lines are even close to the original, and obviously the frame is light years better. Let’s not even get into the topic of the coyote lol.

[Papa]

I would love to see a BMW V10 in a roadster! Anyone ever done it?

[rich grsc]

Yes, he was from Texas, can't remember his name

[Jeff Kleiner]

John Hardy and Wayne Presley put a BMW V-12 in a Mk3…and added a pair of turbos!

Jeff

[Avalanche325]

None of the body lines are even close to the original

The MKIV is a laser scan of Dick Smith's original Cobra. I thought the MKV was using the same body?

I'll assume you are aware that originals were all different. Some were VERY different. Especially the rear hips.

[Avalanche325]

Way back someone put a Ferrari V-12 in one.

[Its Bruce]

The roadster, a no-brainer.

My next project - a '65 Mustang GT, I'm going to have to go coyote.

[rich grsc]

The roadster, a no-brainer.

My next project - a '65 Mustang GT, I'm going to have to go coyote.

So put an LS in it

[Claybuster]

Don't stop this discussion! It has been great! For me, as others have said, it's all about what each builder wants to do and/or accomplish! A buddy of mine just resto-modded/restored a 1969 Camaro and put an LS4 in it with custom built exhaust. He drove up one day when I was prepping my SBF 302 for install into my MkIV chassis. After I stood in my driveway drooling over his Camaro about how good it looked (it has houndstooth fabric on the seats!) and sounded, he walked up and drooled over my naked chassis waiting for its heartbeat. He asked when we would be ready for first start because he genuinely wanted to be part of it.
We are all in it for the same reasons. It's all just cool. Does it really matter if it is Ford, Chevy, Toyota, BMW, Mercuiser, Volvo Penta, or Briggs and Stratton? Personally, I want to see it!
Enjoy your builds, everyone!
Jason

[Jim Frahm]

Ford trauma aside, I would have installed the LS regardless. If a Ford would have been the only option then a SMF would have been my choice. The Coyote takes up too much room for my liking even though it's an awesome engine. Anyway, like others have said, it's your car, your money, and your choice. You can get a birds eye view of all the options thanks to this forum.

Now the real question I need to answer next is,,,,, what's my next project???

[narly1]

Simple answer:

Because you only get to go around once.

Nothing more needs to be said.

Earl

[JCB52]

As a kid, the only thing I could afford to mess with was the old Y-Blocks (292 & 312 ). These were not good engines. As soon as I could afford something better, I switched to Chevy and never looked back until the MKIV build. It was a donor build so the worn out 302 was torn down and only the block was used for the carbureted 347. It’s a nice piece for the street, but as a lifetime drag racer and BBC guy, I’m a bit of a “acceleration snob “. Now that I’m deep into my 70’s, it’s getting harder to egress the Altered seat. The MKV space frame is just the ticket to build a BBC street/strip ride, and as long as my health holds out will be my next project.
210192

[rich grsc]

As a kid I had an old mercury with a Y-block, a fascinating engine. It would start every time on the 1st compression stroke. I used to play a game, "can I flick the key fast enough that it wouldn't start", I lost every single time.

[CNIdog]

I think what has really soured customers with any vehicle brand is their experience with the dealers. I've bought foreign and domestic (although everything has foreign content these days) and any car can have issues. How the dealer handles it is important. I've had good and also terrible stories to tell. Being like most guys here with a fair bit of vehicle knowlege, we tend to have a good idea of what's wrong when you take a car in for service. Issues like having your wife lied to by the service counter guy about it needing expensive extra work when you know for certain it doesn't. The over sticker price gouging by many dealers of the last few years has turned me off buying anything from them. Of those, if they're choking to death on over-priced inventory now, karma is b__! :-)