What station wagon platform came with supercharger options?
Posted by Virtualization_Freak@reddit | askcarguys | View on Reddit | 75 comments
I'm not sure exactly what sub to ask this in.
i want to gut a station wagon, do some general handling and safety improvements.
I love the geometric designs of the 80/90 saabs, fox body, bmws, skylines, etc of those era. I refuse to buy a dodge.
However, I want to base my choice off of what would be a realistic starting point for a supercharger based engine. i4/i6/v6/v8 are all fine options.
Is there any solid option for this? or would I be better off just paying some performance folks to either do a crate motor swap or bolt a supercharger on.
Happy to give further refinement details. Thanks in advance.
waffle911@reddit
Paul Newman bought a trio of 90-something Volvo 960/V90 wagons and dropped in supercharged Ford V8's to use as estate vehicles. Those late model bricks came with independent rear suspension and an inline-6 from the factory, whereas the earlier models had a live rear axle, which honestly makes for a better hotrod platform. Plenty of Corvette and Mustang swaps in those Volvo wagons.
Disastrous-Group3390@reddit
GM built G-body wagons from ‘78-‘83; all will fit a v8 with a blower. Check out Chevy Malibus, Pontiac Lemans Safari, Buick Century/Regal, Olds Cutlase Cruiser…
Virtualization_Freak@reddit (OP)
I've got a gbody Camino in the family. I'm looking for something slightly different.
Theuncola4vr@reddit
Cadillac CTS-V has a supercharger option, it's a beast...basically a Corvette wagon.
Virtualization_Freak@reddit (OP)
I'll be damned. I do love the looks of the cts, but didn't know about the V. Dollar for dollar this will be hard to beat.
ColonClenseByFire@reddit
Might want to look at the prices of the wagon... They have dropped in price since COVID but your still in the mid 40s+ range for a 15ish ish year old car.
Virtualization_Freak@reddit (OP)
That price isn't off the table.
Though I do forget I'm trying to stay away from modern day maintenance. I just hate the locked down electronics.
ColonClenseByFire@reddit
It's old enough that it doesn't have some crazy electronics on most of the car. It's more of parts availability. For example struts are gonna fail eventually and with the mag ride the replacements are crazy expensive (if you can find replacements) also if you swap to non mag ride its only slightly less expensive.
I own both a CTSV (summer car) and an XTS Vsport (DD) and just the front struts on my XTS just got replaced last week. $1100 for just the struts without markup. After labor and alignment it was $2000. I am not trying to shy you away but these cars have both the Cadillac tax and the sports car tax.
Tinyberzerker@reddit
The V’s are pretty special and a ton of fun. I have a first Gen manual but they are money pits. Those wagons are aging now and parts may be hard to come by. My car is in excellent condition but everything made of plastic is starting to break down.
ColonClenseByFire@reddit
Corvette in a tuxedo. They are very very comfortable and drive amazing but I am biased... Own a V sedan
Theuncola4vr@reddit
haha, vette in a tux, that's great.
AlmiranteCrujido@reddit
Not sure if there is any wagon that will fit it, but the Buick 3800 with supercharger from the late 1990s/early 2000s (L67 I think?) was a heck of an engine.
Virtualization_Freak@reddit (OP)
Ah yes! I have heard of those infamous engines. Wasnt that the same one put in the grand prix (or something similar) of the same era?
AlmiranteCrujido@reddit
Yeah, the Grand Prix of the era had either the regular or the supercharged one.
The regular was a very reliable, but pretty boring and pedestrian engine. The supercharged one, stock, was very fun torquey engine... just begging for a rebuild to give it more of a top end.
From memory, like 240HP/280 lb-ft, which for a '99 model sedan in the Regal was a pretty good deal, as limited as those numbers sound 27 years later.
One of my dream frankencars is an '88 Fiero with a tuned 3800SC.
ZimaGotchi@reddit
There's a fox platform station wagon, the Fairmont. It was only ever produced in economy packages but all the mustang drivetrain components fit it so you should be able to find somebody's sleeper with a supercharged Windsor.
fuuuuugyoooo@reddit
I had a ford fairmont as my second car back in 1991. It was a 3 speed stick 6 cylinder and it ripped up the pavement. The reared would bounce like crazy when I spun the tires. The shaggin wagon. lol
ZimaGotchi@reddit
Yeah, the factory rear suspension on Fox is hilarious. When I drop second and get a bonus bark in my Capri with a little fish wiggle, that's one of the most memorable driving experiences ever.
Southern-Usual4211@reddit
Right fox cars are a riot. I even get that in my SN95 5.0 Cobra 😂
jondes99@reddit
Didn’t Dax Shepard do that with a Coyote engine and even go so far as to slap a Capri front end on it?
Southern-Usual4211@reddit
He sure did! Super cool project
ZimaGotchi@reddit
There are definitely Fairmonts out there with pony clips
Virtualization_Freak@reddit (OP)
That's an interesting direction. I'm shook. That is nearly exactly what I want.
Right down to no round edges, even has those lovely square head lights.
I found the 4cyl uses the same k member as the v8.
Tempting by the second
SailingSpark@reddit
If you cannot find a Fairmont, its replacement the LTD (not the crown vic) was basically the same car with a slightly more aero nose
https://flic.kr/p/a4k57U
navlgazer9@reddit
My neighbor has a 65 Falcon wagon , with a hot 302 and slot Mags and skyjacker air Shocks
Looks like it fell Out of a 1978 high school parking lot He’s got fuel injection and vintage air AC
It’s a pretty cool ride .
Crewstage8387@reddit
To be different I would go with a Ford 300 inline 6 with a supercharger from Aussiespeed. Also the 300 shares the same bellhousing as the the V8 so you could swap in a manual transmission too
3rdSafest@reddit
Not a Ford guy, but the 300 is a top 5 best engines ever built.
PowerfulPainter6900@reddit
Because it's a fox body, there is a huge aftermarket of Mustang parts that would carry-over.
theFamooos@reddit
We had one of these wagons when I was kid. Fire engine red. Roomy. Great for camping trips. The vinyl seats and chrome seatbelts burned the crap out of you when it had been sitting parked in the desert sunshine.
CockroachVarious2761@reddit
My grandfather had one, and my mom bought a Granada wagon which was the same car just "luxury" - with a small I6 and 2.73:1 gears it took about a week to go 0-60.
Comfortable-Help9587@reddit
Interesting platform for the SC’d 3.8L that was in the TBird Super Coupe.
supern8ural@reddit
BMW actually made an E91 (wagon) 335i (turbo 3.0l I-6, N54 or N55) but they didn't bring it to the US. Also the 335d (turbodiesel) would have been badass, but again that was only offered in the US as an E90 (4-door sedan) and only with an automatic transmission. Also, they apparently sold 3 or 4 of them.
SailingSpark@reddit
Volvo 745. It's already turbocharged. You could either boost the hell out of it, or possibly drop a supercharged V8 into it's cavernous engine bay.
Virtualization_Freak@reddit (OP)
You nailed the looks.
https://share.google/if4nGgG1U7IzuM4YY
I think that gets realllllly close.
Oak510land@reddit
Definitely Volvo. I have a 240 wagon and I swapped in the engine from a 940 turbo and run it around 11psi which the engine can support without any mods. People go crazy from there though. It's a very popular platform to turbo. Check out turbobricks.com
nostradumbass7544678@reddit
Volvo 960 wagon with a SC Ford 5.0 and a T56. Put quiet mufflers on it, and it's the ultimate sleeper.
jrileyy229@reddit
You don't want to deal with the additional maintenance/price tag of newer vehicles... Hmm... Instead you want to do a motor swap and a custom supercharger... I don't think you realize what this is going to cost to pay a shop to do this
bigloser42@reddit
BMW e34, e39, and e46 all came as wagons and have plentiful supercharger options for the I6’s and V8’s that came with them. As a bonus, all are available with a manual. The e39 540i sport wagon w/6-speed is one of the rarest BMWs to ever hit our shores.
SearArtist@reddit
2012-2016 E63 AMG
feelin_raudi@reddit
1991 Audi 200 Avant. I daily drove one at 500+hp for years on a completely stock engine all the way to 300,000 miles.
Pinkys_Revenge@reddit
Pretty sure some Volvo wagons came supercharged… but I’m guessing that’s not what you’re looking for
wpmason@reddit
I could be wrong, but I think Volvos used more turbos than superchargers.
Unique_Mix9060@reddit
Older E class Wagan, like the E55.
Also C class Wagan might also have a super charged inline4
Virtualization_Freak@reddit (OP)
Any particular reason? I didn't know they came supercharged. I'll need to investigate.
thegreatmattsby24@reddit
They’re twincharged (turbo + supercharged on the same engine). The only other engine I can think of like that is the 1.4 that Audi used.
Virtualization_Freak@reddit (OP)
Ah, so twin charged is the name for hybrid setups.
I just always assumed marketing was lazy and it was twin turbos.
thegreatmattsby24@reddit
They offer them with or without hybridization, in the US at least. T6 = twincharged no hybrid or T8 = twincharged plug in hybrid. They’re calling them B6 nowadays though due to the addition of a mild hybrid system.
Virtualization_Freak@reddit (OP)
Thanks for the info!
aftiggerintel@reddit
Crown Victoria Country Squire wagon - my dad had a tendency to swap in the police interceptor package into the vehicles we had. He was a die hard ford / Lincoln guy so that was his specialty. I know now you can put an Eaton on the crown Vic’s engine. Ours was a v8 5.8L 351 with a supercharger system. I was little when they bought it so I remember him putting the supercharger portion on but I don’t remember off hand if it was the 351 stock - knowing my dad it probably was even if it was limited to fleet or police use because he would have just had my uncle order it as a reserve officer vehicle or put it under the business for fleet.
lowerbainite@reddit
The Jag XF was available with a supercharged V6.
Hythe667@reddit
And a supercharged V8, but any of the sportbrakes are super rare in the US.
Great-Internal-380@reddit
taycan cross turismo can now supercharge as an option. Ha ha
Bubbly-Pirate-3311@reddit
Oh you're so funny
Bubbly-Pirate-3311@reddit
B8/8.5 Audi S4 Avant. 3.0L supercharged v6
sexywizard420@reddit
Volvo V60 is twin charged
MasterKaleidoscope97@reddit
E55 Wagon
MichaDaFox@reddit
For packaging usually you are going to find centrifugal super chargers in use in 80's/90's sedans and wagons, which are not going to have the "super charger whine" of a roots type supercharger.
Toyota Crown Athletes and Nissan Cedric Wagons might also fit for that boxy look if you are fine with RHD.
Crown wagons have a variety of engine options, up to the 1jz-gte in the 99-2002 models.
The Cedric Wagons have usually have VG20e motors and can use Z31 300ZX/Fairlady Drop in centrifugal super chargers (like from HKS) with a little intake work and some bigger fuel injectectors. Lower trims have an LD28 which can usually be turbo'ed fairly easily.
Virtualization_Freak@reddit (OP)
Hey that's super awesome info to have.
I didn't consider they'd be centrifugal vs roots.
I have experience with RHD. I'll look into those other options.
MaximumDerpification@reddit
Go big or go home: Buick Roadmaster. LS swap it and boost it.
Virtualization_Freak@reddit (OP)
Just ugly as sin though.
MaximumDerpification@reddit
Strong disagree. Lowered a little bit on the right wheels they look badass!
https://i.imgur.com/A7eqca3.jpeg
Virtualization_Freak@reddit (OP)
I'm glad you appreciate them!
They are so round, it's the complete opposite of the geometric design I'm looking for.
Virtualization_Freak@reddit (OP)
Also, didn't the buicks come with LSs?
MaximumDerpification@reddit
I'm pretty sure production ended before the LS1 came out... the first car to get the LS1 was the 97 Corvette, the Roadmaster Wagon's final year was 1996.
jaqattack02@reddit
This was going to be my suggestion too. I looked into getting one not long ago, but they are hard to find anymore and usually not cheap.
SuburbanDadBodDMV@reddit
BMW and Audi has turbo charged wagons that can be tuned
howrunowgoodnyou@reddit
He asked for SC
FLOHTX@reddit
Or in Europe, the B8/8.5 S4 Avant is supercharged.
Binford6100User@reddit
3.0T was available in the A6 Avant. Earlier versions had a supercharger instead of the turbo.
averagemaleuser86@reddit
Buy a Volvo 240 wagon and do an LSx based swap. There is a company that makes a swap kit.
Whiskeypants17@reddit
Hmmm estates.... minis and Mercedes come to mind. Maybe the dodge magnum?
Normal-Teacher-485@reddit
Mercedes has a supercharged wagon. They don't call it a wagon in Europe
Virtualization_Freak@reddit (OP)
Has that been a consistent model over the years?
The Mercedes dealership was trying to sell me an e63. For the 200k price tag, I'd rather have something in not worried about getting some scratches on.
CourtneyRWilliams@reddit
Basically, you want a wagon that goes “suburban soccer mom” by day and “full-on street cred” by night. Turbo your dreams, my friend :)
Virtualization_Freak@reddit (OP)
I just prefer wagon styling. Nothing about this will be daily soccer mom. There'll only be two seats when I'm done.
Bulky_Employ_4259@reddit
Subaru Outbacks are available with turbocharged engines and I think Volvo had a supercharged wagon but that might have been a turbo as well.