Yea, I haven't ruled out any position just yet. If it wasn't a driver, there are more choices but I plan to keep it as a driver so that tightens up the options. I'm not going to do it but a rear seat delete and enclosing that area opens up a bunch of new possibilities. Really, under the hood in the air filter area would still cause exhaust routing problem but might be the easiest to do. My thing is I want the engine bay to stay just like it is now and the power adder to be somewhat hidden but keep serviceability as good as I can make it. Putting it under the front bumper cover was one of my earlier ideas but of course, a quick look under the bumper and see lots of concerns.
There is one guy on here that did a traditional under hood turbo on a Mark VIII. He did a great job, but I have never been able to connect with him.
I thought about the rear seat area. Since I am adding a six point roll cage in the Spring, I may revisit that again. Once the shoulder bar goes in the main hoop, and the back stays are connected directly above the front IRS mounts, accessibility to the rear seat will be limilimited. I suppose I could firewall the back of the main hoop to seal it off. Lots of room for stuff there without back seats. I totally sacrificed a 60k mile really nice rust free a 97 Mark VIII to optimize the Mercury build...that was a hard thing to do, but I got it so cheap it made great economic sense. I have lots of spare parts now.
I just finished a DOHC engine swap and new CV 1/2 shafts, Hub Assemblies, upper and lower rear control arms, bushings, all new exhaust, and a front and rear brake upgrade. I need to it tuned or figure it out myself.
Last year I did the chassis, steering mods, new rockers, lowered it, new gear set and shaft. J-Mod, forced lube, and a wild converter.
I had already put new coil springs, rear shocks, coilovers, it goes on and on.
I hope to get the cage in to make it to The Maine Event in July. I hope.