I'm a trader!

[Neil Swanson <75377.3445@compuserve.com>]

Well I am a part time trader,

I'm a lister who owns an Xr4.  Bought, well leased new in '87.  Yes they are a
US spec Sierra Xr4 with a 2.3 turbo instead of the 2.8 V-6. The engine is not a
german piece.  I wanted a RWD car that could be upgraded and carry tons of photo
gear.  I can fit three rolls of 9 foot long background paper in the thing.  And
hard cases of lighting gear etc.  Or a five piece drum set.

The car has now 167K miles on it.  Well the engine got swapped out at only 147K
miles for a fresher 2.3 and a bigger valve ported head, roller cam and other
goodies.  Last month saw a new TO3/4 turbo drop in with a newly ported exhaust
manifold.  Oh and a new heater core.

And the tranny isn't stock anymore.  A Borg Warner T5 with custom ratios was
built for it.  Very strong.  I'll never break it.  The stock tranny was just too
weak for mods.

I've swapped in the "real"  Sierra Cosworth front suspenion with the bigger
rotors and 4-pot calipers. Along with that came revised for homolgation front
suspension geometry. Koni Sports and my own custom wound springs.  Hard rubber
GroupN bushings though out and larger anti roll bars.  A Cossie LSD in the rear.
Cossie hood louvers, front grill and euro lights.   With that dumb bi-plane
spoiler removed and Ford badges nobody knows what the hell it is!  Most call it
an Escort.  Cops are baffled, though I try not to test them.

The thing flat out handles.  Very sharp steering, like a kart. Steering 2.4
turns lock to lock.   Tight firm ride with my suspension.  Totally different
from the 5ktq.

In short, lots of changes. More than I've listed. But it just is evolving like
so many Qs out there.

I agree with Phil that these cars don't like side winds. But his thoughts on CV
joints lasting three months?  Come on, I have all original CVs and boots.
Though I don't know why.

Rusting out?  These things don't rust.  I've seen one hatch rust out.  With all
the body cladding you'd expect more but no.

A friend in Pheonix with the same spec engine but a stock turbo ran it on a
Dyno-Jet and got @265hp and 310lbft calculated at the flywheel.  Even if that is
a little optomistic I can live with that.  Hey it IS a Pinto engine afterall.

Hey that 265hp can be fun with only RWD.  When I drive it after driving the 5ktq
I've got to remember I can break it loose in 4th gear if not careful.  A winter
car?  No! Even with LSD and 4 hakkas.  NO!  

There are alot of things it does well, as is the case with the 5ktq.  They are
just different.  Alot to like about both.

I hope nobody was offended when I drove it to the LRP NEQ meet to take photos.
It was a perfect day and I've been letting it sit.

Besides would anybody have noticed just another pearl 5ktq? 

Neil

The trader, shouldn't that be "traitor"?