XR4ti pic thread. 1 with Duratec and turbo swap for Vad.

[todras]

Since some tard mucked up the SVT Contour thread and some discussion on Merkurs came up thought I'd make a new thread. Vad was asking about the Duratec swap in the XR. Here some pics I've taken and collected from others. Please post up any pics you have of sweet Xr's or Sierras.
Here is David Godfrey's CR with 3L Duratec swap AND TURBO.







Others I've taken at Carlisle.

[Air and water do mix]

That is a lot of plumbing. You say there's a Duratec in there somewhere?

In all seriousness, it looks really well done, just complex. I'd bet it runs like a scared cat!

[bzcat]

I haven't seen a Duratec swap yet so this is something new.

Although if I'm going to swap and stick with Ford engine, I'd go all the way to 5.0 and be done with it (I'm sure someone will now google and find the factory 5.0 Sierra unicorn from South Africa).

[The Igneous Faction]

I got curious and thought I'd look for a XR4Ti swapped Scorpio and found a few, but there is just no way to make that car look cool...

[rice is burning]

I don't have much to add to this, but this one was one of my favorite Matchbox cars when I was a ute:




Also, my ex M-I-L had one of those when they were new. It was such a POS the Merkur dealer could not keep it running, so when it was 6 months old she dumped it at the dealership and told FMC to repo it.

[VadGTI]

I got curious and thought I'd look for a XR4Ti swapped Scorpio and found a few, but there is just no way to make that car look cool...

Let's try and find some .

This is hard...








Then there's this...



and this...

[VadGTI]

I don't have much to add to this, but this one was one of my favorite Matchbox cars when I was a ute:




Also, my ex M-I-L had one of those when they were new. It was such a POS the Merkur dealer could not keep it running, so when it was 6 months old she dumped it at the dealership and told FMC to repo it.

When I was a kid, I loved going to this one doctor for check-ups because her play area had a Merkur toy like that . I contemplated taking it home but never did.

[Juniper Monkeys]

I don't have much to add to this, but this one was one of my favorite Matchbox cars when I was a ute:

(Merkur Matchbox)

Hmm, me too, except mine had orange windows and big orange stripes on the side, that made it go faster. Oddly, my favorite Matchboxes when I was little — not including a little set that had a Porsche transporter and a 959 — were that Merkur, a Matra Rancho, and a Rover Stirling. I feel like there's some nutty Belgian out there with those three cars in his driveway, that I will sadly never meet.

[VadGTI]

Hmm, me too, except mine had orange windows and big orange stripes on the side, that made it go faster. Oddly, my favorite Matchboxes when I was little — not including a little set that had a Porsche transporter and a 959 — were that Merkur, a Matra Rancho, and a Rover Stirling. I feel like there's some nutty Belgian out there with those three cars in his driveway, that I will sadly never meet.

Dude, I have that Sterling in burgundy. That was one of my favorites!

My two others (colors are correct):

RHD Vauxhall Cavalier:


Nissan Prairie (RHD Axxess):



This was my Sterling:


Bunch of feckin' weirdos in TCL we are.

[Juniper Monkeys]

Dude, I have that Sterling in burgundy. That was one of my favorites!

Nice! My Stirling is dark silver. I think the Matchboxes with those wheels handle the best. Such chassis dynamics!

[rice is burning]

When I was a kid, I loved going to this one doctor for check-ups because her play area had a Merkur toy like that . I contemplated taking it home but never did.

I'm about 99% sure it's in my garage in one of those crappy vinyl and plastic car carriers that kids of the '70s and early '80s had to store their extremely valuable and beloved little toys.

Also there may be Star Wars there too.

[rice is burning]

Hmm, me too, except mine had orange windows and big orange stripes on the side, that made it go faster. Oddly, my favorite Matchboxes when I was little — not including a little set that had a Porsche transporter and a 959 — were that Merkur, a Matra Rancho, and a Rover Stirling. I feel like there's some nutty Belgian out there with those three cars in his driveway, that I will sadly never meet.

Hot Wheels was particularly egregious in their insistence on making everything a stupid racecar with stupid race car stripes. I used to steal my mom's nail polish remover and strip that crap off of them. Seriously. I did that.

[Juniper Monkeys]

Hot Wheels was particularly egregious in their insistence on making everything a stupid racecar with stupid race car stripes. I used to steal my mom's nail polish remover and strip that crap off of them. Seriously. I did that.

Yeah, I don't know what their deal was. I used to get a car after trips to the dentist, and when it came down to them or Matchbox I'd always do the five year-old equivalent of "Bitch, f**k a Hot Wheels."

I'll have to go through all my cars the next time I visit my dad's... we snagged a big Matchbox display case from a department store that was closing (Bergmann's, for any old Palo Alto people), so they're all crammed in there like it's the MV Cougar Ace.

[VadGTI]

Yeah, I don't know what their deal was. I used to get a car after trips to the dentist, and when it came down to them or Matchbox I'd always do the five year-old equivalent of "Bitch, f**k a Hot Wheels."

I'll have to go through all my cars the next time I visit my dad's... we snagged a big Matchbox display case from a department store that was closing (Bergmann's, for any old Palo Alto people), so they're all crammed in there like it's the MV Cougar Ace.

For me, it was Majorette or Matchbox. I would bike down to the store weekly to see if anything new came in.

The Matchboxes seemed more to scale and realistic but the Majorettes had opening parts . And yes, F**k Hot Wheels.

I had this 288 GTO by Majorette:


Then again, I had this vintage (stamped 1979) Matchbox 911 that had opening doors:


I rarely bought Hot Wheels because they didn't look "real"... However, my two favorite Hot Wheels are:

This 380SEL with the dog in the back seat:


and this Mk2 GTI:


Like the pics above, I used to make huge diaramas for them with three dimentional houses, trees, etc., all out of paper and glue .

[rice is burning]

I had the SEL, but I don't think it had the dog. I got in a Happy Meal.

Also, I found my XR4Ti. I'll post a pic as soon as my ****ty camera charges.

[Smoltz]

Dude, I have that Sterling in burgundy. That was one of my favorites!


This was my Sterling:


Bunch of feckin' weirdos in TCL we are.

I have one of these as well, was one of my favorites as a kid.

[BRealistic]

I got curious and thought I'd look for a XR4Ti swapped Scorpio and found a few, but there is just no way to make that car look cool...

It kind of has an 80's Audi vibe.



These had nice euro interiors IIIRC.

[BRealistic]

I haven't seen a Duratec swap yet so this is something new.

Although if I'm going to swap and stick with Ford engine, I'd go all the way to 5.0 and be done with it (I'm sure someone will now google and find the factory 5.0 Sierra unicorn from South Africa).

I remember reading a story ten years ago or so about some Ford engineers building a drag with a twin turbo 3.0 duratec making over 1000 hp (they probably had plenty of 3.0 duratec engines laying around to toy with)...
Supposedly the stock block and crank can handle 1000 hp, but the oem pistons and rods can just handle 475-500 hp.
So... anything is possible with the proper parts.

[VadGTI]

I had the SEL, but I don't think it had the dog. I got in a Happy Meal.

Also, I found my XR4Ti. I'll post a pic as soon as my ****ty camera charges.

Go find your SEL and look in the back seat. They all had a dog.

[rice is burning]

Go find your SEL and look in the back seat. They all had a dog.

Son of a bitch, it does have the dog in the backseat! Mine is silver/black two tone with gold wheels.

Also, I found a second XR4Ti, it's silver.

Edit: Apparently I have a sedan as well.

[VadGTI]

Son of a bitch, it does have the dog in the backseat! Mine is silver/black two tone with gold wheels.

Also, I found a second XR4Ti, it's silver.

Edit: Apparently I have a sedan as well.

Told ya! I used to take my cars very seriously .

Sedan as in a Sapphire? Didn't know they made those!

[VadGTI]

By the way, this is what the doctor had... It was an actual Sierra (based on the writing on the side), which was just rebadged as a Merkur for the US Matchboxes :

[LuckyDogg]

Why did Ford just not sell these as part of the Mercury line and why does the NA XR4ti have 2 rear quarter windows when the Sierra coupe had just 1?

[todras]

I remember reading a story ten years ago or so about some Ford engineers building a drag with a twin turbo 3.0 duratec making over 1000 hp (they probably had plenty of 3.0 duratec engines laying around to toy with)...
Supposedly the stock block and crank can handle 1000 hp, but the oem pistons and rods can just handle 475-500 hp.
So... anything is possible with the proper parts.

Duttweiler built a twin turbo duratec and stuffed it in a focus wagon back in the day that made about 400 horses. So long ago I can't find much on the web now. Never heard of a 1000hp'd one.

[VadGTI]

Why did Ford just not sell these as part of the Mercury line and why does the NA XR4ti have 2 rear quarter windows when the Sierra coupe had just 1?

Only the base Sierra (and the Cossie) had the big window. The upmarket Sierras had the same windows as our Merkur.

[rice is burning]

Told ya! I used to take my cars very seriously .

Sedan as in a Sapphire? Didn't know they made those!

Ha ha here you go



Man, I have I have widebody AMG SEC and every permutation of a Countach that a 10 year old could buy.

[Uberchad]

My 2nd XR. It was totally beat. The car started life in Arizona, the previous owner shipped it to the UK, did a pseudo sierra cosworth build on it with some of the worst craftsmanship i have ever seen, shipped it back, I bought it on ebay as a junior in college. Flew out to Queens NY, bought it from some dude in a leather vest, tried to drive it back to MN, the transmission blew up in PA, and I took a 24hr greyhound trip home. It was still effin awesome though. Lots of original euro parts. I shouldn't have chopped it up to do the full cossie conversion. At least the new owner is finishing it.

Now I want one again. Thanks Vad, yah jerk!

Also omfg ugly windows.

[Darkness]

Son of a bitch, it does have the dog in the backseat! Mine is silver/black two tone with gold wheels.

Also, I found a second XR4Ti, it's silver.

Edit: Apparently I have a sedan as well.

My 380 SEL is the exact same as the one pictured, mine's got 3-spoke throwing stars though. in all those years, I never noticed the dog!

[VadGTI]

Ha ha here you go



Man, I have I have widebody AMG SEC and every permutation of a Countach that a 10 year old could buy.

Pics of everything, please. Also, profile shots of those!

[VadGTI]

My 2nd XR. It was totally beat. The car started life in Arizona, the previous owner shipped it to the UK, did a pseudo sierra cosworth build on it with some of the worst craftsmanship i have ever seen, shipped it back, I bought it on ebay as a junior in college. Flew out to Queens NY, bought it from some dude in a leather vest, tried to drive it back to MN, the transmission blew up in PA, and I took a 24hr greyhound trip home. It was still effin awesome though. Lots of original euro parts. I shouldn't have chopped it up to do the full cossie conversion. At least the new owner is finishing it.

Now I want one again. Thanks Vad, yah jerk!

Also omfg ugly windows.

Someone shipped a Merkur to England?

And they call me insane!

[I-PlayWithMyGolf]

this is mine, i took the whole thing apart to get rid of the god awful orange glass. vht'd that ****.

[rice is burning]

Pics of everything, please. Also, profile shots of those!

Including my 2 Citation X-11s?

Ha ha I'm on EST and I have pre-trial orders due tomorrow on two cases, and we haven't finished discovery yet. Same judge. I'm pretty sure he'll have a tomahawk headed at me. Federal judges don't like BS delays. I'm getting a good night's sleep so I can get up in the morning and fix that crap.

I'll try to put out for this thread this weekend.

[.:FrankRizzo:.]

I've always wanted an XR4Ti.

When I hit the lotto, I am importing a Sierra Cosworth

[StressStrain]

Cool thread, and cool cars.

That first XR wins an award for the most complicated strut tower brace.

[bzcat]

Why did Ford just not sell these as part of the Mercury line and why does the NA XR4ti have 2 rear quarter windows when the Sierra coupe had just 1?

Merkur = Mercury in German

The badge really doesn't matter because the XR4Ti arrived a year after Ford killed off the Fox Body Capri and effectively replaced it in the Mercury showroom.

The split quarter window on the XR4Ti came from Sierra XR4i, which was the sporty model.



The single piece rear window on the Cosworth is from the non-sporty model (L/GL/Ghia), and the now uber rare XR4x4 4WD model.