ok i got ahold of west coast fieros and they in formd me that as long a im in calfornia im pretty lmited on options so i guess i can do a 3.4 or a 3800 non sc motor and still be ok for smog so of the two witch would be the best for all around power and torque
You know that is one thing I will argue WCF on is the whole you can't get a 3800sc to pass cali smog because I know of a few of them that are on the roads today. Infact, one of the guys that lives less than a block from me has an 88 gt fast back with a series II sc in it. And that car has california tags that are good till next year so it had to pass smog somehow right?
There are only a limited number of engines though that you can have in california. I know that the V8's are generally a lot harder to deal with and because of that a lot of guys will go pick up a 350 out of an old chevy before the gas smog requirements came into play.
So from everything I've read on here you want low end torque, don't care too much for a high revving engine, want something quick and reliable, right?
IS the high revving for the reliability reasons, fuel consumption, or is there another purpose as to why you don't want that?
From everything I've read here, and if you have some more than average skill in an engine bay, I'm gonna suggest you take a quick peak into using a 1997 or older 1.9L TDI and transaxle out of a golf or jetta. it's got something like a 4500 rpm redline, it's diesel so it gets killer fuel economy, also diesel is nothing but low end torque, they're nothing to scouf at when it comes to speed, they are diesel so you know it's reliable and durable, and kinda fun cause when the International is parked at the pump next to you and your pushing 10 gallons of diesel into your gas tank it'll make for quite a show. Oh and 97 or older because of the Urea drip and smog. You don't want to have to mess with that.