New Guy With a Woody

Discussion in 'The Welcome Wagon' started by trbowgn, Mar 24, 2010.

  1. trbowgn

    trbowgn New Member

    Joined:
    Mar 3, 2010
    Messages:
    10
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    Location:
    KZOO
    Hello All,
    I found this forum through another forum I am on called turbo-mopar.com, there are quite a few wagon guys on there.

    A little back ground on myself, I am 30, married and have a soon to be 2 year old son. I am an engineer and live in the Kalamazoo, MI area.
    I am an avid car guy with a true love of Mopars and turbo Mopars.

    My wagon is an 86 Chrysler Town and Country Turbo, that I daily drive. It is currently sporting the non intercooled 2.2 TI, but in about a month should be upgraded to TII intercooled status. It has a three speed auto and is quite fun to drive in its current form but will be much more fun with more hp.

    I bought the wagon about 18 months ago out of Ann Arbor, MI. It was advertised on craigs list for $500 with a blown head gasket and 63,000 original miles. I ended up paying $250 for it with a promise that I would not scrap it and that I would fix it. I pulled the head put a new head gasket on and now have 72,000 on the odo.
    The body is far from perfect but it has almost zero rust (for michigan at least) and shines up pretty nice.

    So far I have replaced the shocks and struts and lowered it about 1" up front. It has a 2.5" exhaust with a Magnaflow muffler, underdrive pulley, G-valve, and a MP computer.

    My goal is to keep the wagon as stock appearing as possible but be able to suprise a mustang or scubie every now and then.
     

    Attached Files:

  2. Stormin' Norman

    Stormin' Norman Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    May 30, 2007
    Messages:
    19,635
    Likes Received:
    34
    Trophy Points:
    813
    Wagon Garage:
    1
    Location:
    Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
    One of the nicest modern woodies, those wagons. Welcome aboard! :Welcome:

    What's the engine rating for the Turbo that your swapping in?

    I'm planning on upgrading my perky I6 (85 HP) for a Ford 2.3L Turbo, with somewhere between 145 HP to 170 HP.
     
  3. trbowgn

    trbowgn New Member

    Joined:
    Mar 3, 2010
    Messages:
    10
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    Location:
    KZOO
    TII was stock 174Hp and 200ft/lbs trq. I plan on being in the 225 to 250 neighborhood with the combo and tune I am puting together.
     
  4. tbirdsps

    tbirdsps New Member Charter Member

    Joined:
    May 26, 2006
    Messages:
    5,341
    Likes Received:
    6
    Trophy Points:
    0
    Location:
    Ridgecrest, Ca.
    :Welcome:trbo. What a great wagon! It's about time we got some more K car action here. Chrysler was doing great things with I4's and the turbo option made those cars real sleepers.

    :cheers:
     
  5. Stormin' Norman

    Stormin' Norman Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    May 30, 2007
    Messages:
    19,635
    Likes Received:
    34
    Trophy Points:
    813
    Wagon Garage:
    1
    Location:
    Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
    Thanks. We want a 'robust' :rofl2: highway travel wagon. My wife and the wagon get homesick every other year. :rofl2:
     
  6. snooterbuckets

    snooterbuckets Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Aug 4, 2009
    Messages:
    3,742
    Likes Received:
    34
    Trophy Points:
    106
    Location:
    Cranford, New Jersey
    Nice wagon, trbo. I've always loved the wood treatments on those Town and Country's.
     
  7. The Stickman

    The Stickman Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Nov 26, 2008
    Messages:
    1,316
    Likes Received:
    9
    Trophy Points:
    111
    Wagon Garage:
    3
    Location:
    Lehigh Valley pa
    Welcome to the forum. It's cool that you svaed it plus getting s great deal on it.
     
  8. silverfox

    silverfox New Member

    Joined:
    Feb 18, 2009
    Messages:
    16,780
    Likes Received:
    12
    Trophy Points:
    0
    Wagon Garage:
    1
    Location:
    Wisconsin
    :Welcome:to the wagon train, trbowgn. I'm still looking for one of those myself. Every time I find one it's big bucks. You got a good deal and I know they are out there. What I worry about, when I find one that's down and cheap, is that it may be MORE than the head gasket or worn turbo parts. I'd hate to travel to pick it up, get it home and find a cracked head or block. I want one of those bad...just having a hard time finding one.
     
  9. trbowgn

    trbowgn New Member

    Joined:
    Mar 3, 2010
    Messages:
    10
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    Location:
    KZOO
    Thank you
    Cracked head or block or bent rods or valves from hydrolock were some of my biggest fears when I bought it. So I feel I got very lucky with it just being a head gasket.
     
  10. Krash Kadillak

    Krash Kadillak Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Feb 14, 2008
    Messages:
    20,912
    Likes Received:
    1,985
    Trophy Points:
    798
    Wagon Garage:
    1
    Location:
    Springfield, Oregon
    Welcome to the forum, trbowgn. Lots of stuff going on around here. We've got a couple of K-wagon dudes (I think...) who'll love what you've done to the LeBaron.

    Marshall
     
  11. Fat Tedy

    Fat Tedy Island Red Neck

    Joined:
    Apr 9, 2009
    Messages:
    18,099
    Likes Received:
    1,096
    Trophy Points:
    1,108
    Location:
    Victoria BC Canada
    Nice wagon,:Welcome:. I have to admit I as never fond of the engine due to it's known problems but always liked the look of those wagons. Alot of years ago I got to drive one of the Shelby Dodge Omni/Horizons and ...YEAH, I was impresed. Your clean looking wagon with a Turbo would be sweet!(y)
     
  12. the Rev

    the Rev senior junior Charter Member

    Joined:
    Aug 24, 2006
    Messages:
    9,327
    Likes Received:
    50
    Trophy Points:
    217
    Wagon Garage:
    3
    Location:
    BC,canada
    thats a wicked lil Kcar there Turbo(y)
    :Welcome: to the board

    ps..check out the pics of the one I saw the other day in the thread...
    "looky ma..another wagon" in 'general chat'....well....as soon as i put them up:biglaugh:
     
  13. trbowgn

    trbowgn New Member

    Joined:
    Mar 3, 2010
    Messages:
    10
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    Location:
    KZOO
    By CS wheels do you meen the pumpers or the crabs?
    I currently have a set of "snow flakes" and a set of 17" rims from a PT cruiser. I have a picture up with both wheels. I do have a set of pumpers but no tires for them and the original wire hub caps but those were used as curb feelers for so long I only hold on to them for posterity.
     
  14. Roadking41A

    Roadking41A Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Nov 4, 2007
    Messages:
    5,436
    Likes Received:
    53
    Trophy Points:
    120
    Location:
    Oklahoma
    Welcome.....
     
  15. trbowgn

    trbowgn New Member

    Joined:
    Mar 3, 2010
    Messages:
    10
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    Location:
    KZOO
    Thanks every one for the welcomes, I have realy enjoyed reading through all the threads on this forum so far.
     

Share This Page