Here is the story. I've been building this buggy for about 6 years now, as most know. The engine is a 2.3 Turbo Ford that is a stroker now at 2.5 liters. Got it running but had an issue with the head I ported, got a little deep, and it leaked water into the oil. The head had a $1000 setup of cam, springs, valves and roller rockers, not to mention machine work. I'm back to a stock head and cam for now. I'm also having a problem with being heavy back there. The 2.0 Airshocks just aren't enough and I need to upgrade to 2.5's. So here's the deal. I can sell this engine off with plenty of leftover money to buy a 2.2 or 2.4 Ecotec and computer. The Ecotec should be plenty light enough to keep my existing suspension. I also won't have to re-do my cylinder head and fork over another $500 for machine work to get the cam and valves in. I have this buggy set up so nice right now with this engine but it kills me that I will have to spend a decent amount of money to get it back to where I need it. Poor planning and trial by fire on my part. Would you all just keep what I have and move forward or sell it off to the mustang crowd and buy an Ecotec and slap it in there. I already have the radiator and all that. Basically just need to re-work the harness, flash the computer, fab an exhaust and motor mounts, and buy and adapter kit. I can probably sell what I have for around $4500-5000 with all the accessories. I'd probably try for the 2.4 Ecotec.

With that said, who has access to a good engine and how much do you want? A reworked harness and flashed computer would just be icing on the cake!

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"Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eyes off your goal." -Henry Ford

i say ecotec but i'm a gm guy and partial. i am starting to mock up the turbo and intercooler off my totaled t-bird turbo coupe on my ecotec. you have the turbo stuff also. just a thought. Also you appear to be a ford guy. i have a focus with the dohc z-tec that has over 260,000 miles and all i have ever done to it is a timing belt. i think that would be a good buggy engine also. as far as ease of install and engine packaging its hard to beat the ecotec

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Turbocharged Ecotec,vanogon midshift,Berrien WoodsBuggy wagon.

I'm very partial to Ford and honestly hate GM. I have fought this my entire life with projects. It is so much cheaper and easier to build a 350 small block than it is a 351 Cleveland. A turbo ford is harder to find modern support than an Ecotec. I'm getting less stubborn with age and have decided that I really just want to ride and not stress over working on the stuff. Ecotec is much more modern than what I have. I do believe I have a very reliable engine right now but it's just heavy! Power wise, I'm way ahead right now. My engine with the "good" head on it would make 400-500hp if I wanted it to. Totally unusable with a 094. A waste to even have it really. I could use the extra money from the engine to offset a crappy business year as well. It just kills me to start over when the car was built around this engine.

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"Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eyes off your goal." -Henry Ford

Go eco there is a lot of aftermatket support. And a stock will run forevere on a buggy.

Oh and I have a low mileage 2.4 if your interested

pm sent Terry. Thanks guys, you're making me think pretty hard about this.

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"Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eyes off your goal." -Henry Ford

If it would make anyone feel better the ECOTEC was originally designed by GM's Opel division in Germany. It sure ain't your Daddy's Chevy when they can get 1000 HP from it and still have production parts in it.

Forty, I hate to see you scrap the Ford but the dollars and cents are hard to ignore. A cobalt SS supercharged 2.2 makes some unreal power. I chose to go with the Acura 3.2 as it was rated a 265 horse bone stock. The computer and harness modifications were a little pricey but I am in it less than 2k cheaper than any VW engine I ever built.

I have a friend that had a pinto 4cyl in his rail, he also went Acura as the weight was about the same as the Ford cast iron. If I had been on this site prior to starting my project I would probably opted for the GM Echotec, They are very common, tons of after market support.

I am contemplating a new two seat project for riding when the wife chooses to stay home. I bought a Honda S2000 engine (not Cheap) as I could run it in Class 5 if I choose to build a competition/ off road car. I just would like to be able to race it when the economy gets better.

I really like your build the car is designed and executed very well. the time you spent was not wasted. We all change directions at some point. I had a very hard time going water cooled as I was an air cooled purist for 18+ years. Times change and unfortunately finances often dictate how our toys are built.

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Water Cooled Consortium, Chairman of the Build (Former AC purist)

I haven't decided on anything yet. Got the 2.3 running great today. Fixed and oil leak too and it's hitting hard. I still have an issue with employment. This year sucked with my business and I'm just torn what to do. I'd like to have the extra money from this engine but if I can score a job I'll probably keep it. The problem I'm seeing with the Ecotec is the cost and headache of the add on's. They seem to use electric steering on a lot of these cars. Adding an aftermarket pump just adds to the cost. Right now I run the factory Ford pump and it works great. I'm going to run what I have for the moment but if money gets crazy tight I'll sell whatever I need to when it comes to toys. If we could get cold temperatures and some snow I wouldn't worry a bit about any of it. We plow snow in the winter.

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"Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eyes off your goal." -Henry Ford

Sorry to hear about the employment situation as I myself am looking hard for employment. It is looking like I am going to have to move again to secure work. We really love it in Tennessee and it just has so many great places to ride. I am glad to hear you got it running good. You can probably adapt the Ford pump to any engine with your fab skills, you might have to find a different drive pulley.

I ran a honda pump on my last buggy, I wish I had kept that setup instead I opted for the cash and sold it to finance the project.

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Water Cooled Consortium, Chairman of the Build (Former AC purist)

Same here, I'd be fine with a blizzard every week, you would defiantly see my build thread growing. I hope it ain't like last winter or there may not be any build threads from me in a while

These did have steering pumps for cars with conventional hydraulic power steering. pump is driven off intake cam at back of the cylinder head.

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Turbocharged Ecotec,vanogon midshift,Berrien WoodsBuggy wagon.