I'm trying.

[89GT2.3H]

So I found an 1991 Thunderbird Turbo Coupe in the junk yard. I barter hard and end up taking the engine all the way from the pulleys to the bellhousing home with the ECM, wire harnesses and everything I could unbolt in the engine bay that was hooked to the engine. $300 and he delivered!
Was that a good deal?
So I stripped it down and sent the block to get align honed on the crank journals, clean-up align bored cylinders, head and block a clean-up decking and ARP head and crank studs installed. Block is being set up with a 2.5L stroker crank and rod kit.
The head is being Extrude-Honed on the exhaust, same for the exhaust manifold, the intake side is being mildly ported, intake port matched and hardened valve seats with a 3 angle job.
Am I good so far?
Now for a few questions:
What piston should I run to keep it alive running 91 Octane Unleaded?
My buds are saying "Throw a monster snail on there!" Are they right?

I want this thing to start every time, be driveable by my wife, good for around town or extended road trips.
Am I nuts for wanting to keep the stock intake set up and maybe adjust the waste-gate and BOV for a little more pressure?

[hotwheels]

Shit, i think that is a great deal........

[rockytoohot]

Great snag. I think putting a larger turbo on wouldn't be the best idea if your looking for great reliability and more power. As everyone knows, the more it's modified, the greater the chance of breakage. I would install a good set of forged pistons, turn up the boost a couple of pounds and run an MSD box with a boost retard so you can run on 91 octane all day long.

[89GT2.3H]

Thanks Rocky.
That's sort of the plan. If I keep it around 8.9:1 to 9.1:1 and keep the timing
mild to start with I'm thinking I'll be in the ball park.
I WAS going to put it in my friend's 89 Mustang LX he was trading with me
for my 2000 ZX2, but his kid whined and pouted and now the deal is off.
I know it will end up wrapped around a tree or sitting in the back yard blowed-up.
So now I'm looking at a 90 LX with a blown head gasket, dash hacked for a sound system, missing radiator and other stuff gone. At least the body is straight with just some surface rust.

[TurboStang]

not a bad price at all, my fathers new 2.3T in his thunderbird he only payed $300 for the engine after the original one blew