What Mountaineer would you choose to modify for performance, 2nd or 3rd gen?!?!?

[SaleenEXP]

If it was your truck, what setup would you go for.

A 2nd gen Mountaineer (aka Troll Jr lol) with Troll's setup, scince he already has the Explorer version. 347 crate engine, supercharged etc etc in case any newbies read this. I still love the idea of this, plus it has a live rear axle. Would make one hell of a "Mercury" sleeper, wicked powerful, and would be lot's of fun to pick on Vipers etc...ricers will be eaten alive and spit out, sorta like what happens anyways when our trucks are stock, heh. Would also be probably a little cheaper then the 3rd gen w/ mods, but not really worried about that.

Or a 3rd gen Mountaineer 2wd w/ the 4.6 taken out, and an 03' Cobra engine swapped in along with a KenneBell twin-screw charger, and lot's of other goodies, custom headers and full true dual 3" exhaust with Magnaflow mufflers, built Lentech auto etc. The only thing I'm kinda worried about and will discuss with Dan (blk mk8 on this forum) at his shop is the rear IRS because the KennBell blower on an 03' Cobra engine equals over 600rwhp and can be pushed easily to produce more boost safely (check out nitrous pete from the stang boards and you'll see), not to mention the added power that will incure from that engines incredible response to mods. I'm most likely going to go with this setup, pure sleeper of a beast, until they hear the mean growl of that dohc screaming and seeing a blur of what was a truck

I just would like to see your guys reponses to this, as for what you would do in my place, hopefully I'll have the truck and be finished by the end of this summer. Then there will be a 2nd gen Explorer (Troll), along with X-Box who lives 5min from me with his supercharged 347 Explorer and me most likely in the 03' (Troll Jr lol) terrorizing the tracks here. Mmmm 3 very fast Explorers/Mounty's all very close to each other, mmmm...the evilness of pure power!

I wish I could afford option 3.

----->Would love to hear your guy's opinions on this, tell me what you think, or what truck you would choose etc!!! Thanks

 

[jimbo74]

i would say trolls setup for ease and reliability, but the new body style would shock everyone not that troll's doesnt already... i tell people that ithere is an explorer on our website than can go faster than 11s, and they dont believe it!

 

[Crankcase]

I changed it for you. The 03 would be hella fast....

 

[Crankcase]

Actually, this thread would be better suited in Explorer related polls.

 

[james t]

i would go for the 4.6, simply because no one's touched it in an explorer platform yet. slap on some exhaust and a kennebell and forget about it.

 

[jssong]

def 3rd gen

 

[DarkFox1]

the new mountaineer is fat, and the 2nd gen is already REALLY slow, so the 3rd gen must be even worse, I say stick with the small one, at least it could be nimble if you put the right mods into it

 

[lonestar]

Originally posted by SaleenEXP
I wish I could afford option 3.

What's option 3?

 

[SaleenEXP]

Re: Re: What Mountaineer would you choose to modify for performance, 2nd or 3rd gen?!?!?

Originally posted by DarkFox1
the new mountaineer is fat, and the 2nd gen is already REALLY slow, so the 3rd gen must be even worse, I say stick with the small one, at least it could be nimble if you put the right mods into it

Actually the 02+ 4.6 will walk a 5.0 Explorer/Mounty stock vs stock in acceleration they will consistantly pull of low to mid 15's in the 1/4 completley stock (usually a 15.5 here and thats in hot, humid wheather, very impressive, while the best I could do in our 5.0 Mounty was a 16.1). And they are actually more nimble and will outhandle a 2nd gen.
Yours is the only slow truck on here lol, tell your dealer and shops around you to stop fuggin up your truck

Originally posted by lonestar
What's option 3?

The "both choices are good option". Crankcase put that in lol, if I could afford that I probably would, be nice having two very fast trucks of two different gens, but that would cost more then I want to know. He's trying to make me go broke lol.

 

[DarkFox1]

well given you do have the distinct advantage of having 4 wheel independant suspension with the 3rd gen, but does it really look that sporty? I mean true I've never seen one thats been.. uh.. "sported out" I guess you could say

but the 2nd gen has more sport-a-bility to me. Honestly if I had the money.. and I planned to keep mine I'd probablly make it a nice street truck.. cos it certainly isn't one righ tnow

 

[Crankcase]

The "both are good" is for people that are undecided....Telling you to go with either...LOL

 

[james t]

Originally posted by DarkFox1
I mean true I've never seen one thats been.. uh.. "sported out" I guess you could say

they look rather nice with a 2" drop and some wheels...

 

[Black Magic]

I voted O3 and am with James 100%

 

[Magicfan25]

the 03 option would be wicked, but theres a few problems.

That 8.xx" rear is NEVER going to withstand 500+ftlbs of torque, yet alone 600 or 700.

Also the 03 Cobra motor, youd be hard pressed to find a new complete motor for under 11k.

With sticky tires stock cobras are blowing apart half shafts, with beefed up shafts theyre breaking the next thing down the line. The entire rear setup is gonna have to go to put down that much power.

Any option will be killer, if you can afford to do it right.

 

[DarkFox1]

whats the spline of an 8.8" rear? I bet it could handle 500 tq.. I've read magazines and such comparing the chevy 12 bolt and the 8.8s and even the 9" and if a GM 12 bolt can hold it, I'm sure a ford 8.8 can hold it, I think they're about the same size

 

[Big Green]

I'd definatly go with the 03' that is something I've wanted to do for a long time. My personal best in my 02' is a 15.47 at 89 mph (bone stock) I was very impressed. How much do the new Ex's weight? I couldnt get mine to register on the scales. You can get a new 4.6 4V (320hp) minus the supercharger, for around $9500 from the dealer, I know I've checked. Lots of money. The new Lincoln Aviators have the 4V 4.6 (305hp) in them the only difference in power is the exhaust. I have seen somewhere some company was selling those motors for around $5,000, if its for real its not a bad deal. I'll try and find out where I saw that.

 

[DarkFox1]

15 in the 1/4 stock? nice.. my 0-60 is about that with the a/c on

 

[clarkkent]

man.. a 11 second mountaineer would be sweet!!! I wanna do that to mine "Prerunner/DraG!"!! that'd be soo sweet!

 

[rocket 5979]

I would say stick with the 02 explorer. I dont know about the 03 explorers but if their front ends look anything like the new mounties then they look kinda weird in my eyes. I dont know why they changed them like that. Or maybe it is just a mountry to explorer front end thing again to be a little different. Get the Mach 1 motor and throw a KB on it with a titanium shaft and bigger rear axle shafts. And make sure to get good brakes too. Wheeeeeeeew.

 

[section525]

Someone voted this to the top. I never saw it till now. So I'll add to it.

I'm torn. The 2nd gen would be sweet.. cause I have one. But the 3rd gen would be sweet cause its a lot more streetable. And since thats the route you wanna go... I say do it. Plus, I saw Nitrous Petes dyno run and numbers.