I bought this car brand new in August of 89. As noted elsewhere in this voluminous accounting, I  drove it for 4 years and 90K miles before the head gaskets went (typical of the early supercharged  3.8L Ford motors, due to inferior head bolts). I had entertained thoughts of putting in a blown 351 Windsor for quite a while once the 100K mile warranty expired, but the $25 total cost to repair at Galpin Ford (per the warranty) set my thoughts of tossing away the V-6 aside. But then at 106K miles, the head gaskets failed again, and Galpin wouldn't honor their warranty on the first repair. At that point I just jerked the motor out, and started on the V-8 install.

The initial work was done at Monza Auto in Van Nuys, but Victor Alarcon was really not up to the hot rod task, notwithstanding that he did get the motor and trans installed, and modified the double-hump pan to clear the front subframe.

I took it to a well-known, oft-publicized place: Advanced Engineering West in Ontario and Mark Sanchez. What was estimated to be a two-week install for about $2500 became an $8500 one-year project. It was not totally good when FINALLY delivered to me in December of 94 at the CIFCA banquet in Buena Park, next to Knotts Berry Farm. Sanchez by this point insisted on his last payment of approximately $1000 in cash. As the “SAGA” unfolds, you will see just what haunted me for the next 5 years, at which point it got REALLY bad. Knowing what I now know (ten years later) about Buick Grand National and Regal turbo motors and Kenny Duttweiler, I should NEVER have taken the original motor out. But that's why this is THE SAGA!

Happy reading!