modern engines in 50s/60s Fords?

[cjhillman]

The older i'm getting and the more I drive 80s & 70s Classics like its normal, I'm starting to look at older 50s/60s Cars and thinking, I wonder if you can pick them up (in a rough state) cheaper now as people love their 70s-90s Cars at the moment and pop a 2.0 Zetec in them for a bit a of fun.

Ford Consuls keep catching my eye which i understand is still probably desirable, the 375 one I saw at the Haynes Motor Museum this week really started me thinking. I know people used to put V8s etc in these years ago but I'm surprised to find few people putting modern engines in these cars? I'm guessing It would be a bit of a power and reliability upgrade. I also know the old Anglia/pop 100E is a popular mod but they seem a bit small. Theres some lovely old Vauxhalls Crestas too but i'm not that up on them. I have no idea if people modify the suspension and steering on these things? Interested to hear more about these old barges.

Heres a few pics of 50s/60s cars that catch my eye.

[grizz]

I love the idea.

If you can Zetec a 63 Taunus Transit then the rest will be easy.

When Edd did this one for me in 2009 it was a revelation, going from a 1500cc 55bhp original to 110 bhp 1800cc Zetec power.

Jan 18, 2010 21:46:12 GMT bodieanddoyle said:

today something magic happened.


I know its not in yet, but it's been a chalenge enough to get this far. and the engine had to be slid under the front as I haven't got enough elevation- my jack runs out of lift
me and rob0r stuck it on some hardboard and slipped it under. thanks Rob- I really appreciated the extra muscle


"and a light shone from above and it was pronounced that from this day forward you will be zetec powered"



and thats where it lives, on the bar I've made at the front of the bay. it will also hold the coil pack too.

thats about it so far, no doubt more in store.
don't forget- silvertop thermostat housing pleaaase

this post is over the page, sorry, there's more on the page before

[grizz]

[akku]

Yes, no, maybe.

Theres a delight in those older engines and they have character of their own. Seems a shame everyone* seems to want to chuck them in favour of a Zetec or whatever. Most of these engines respond well to simple* tuning mods, and so long as you start with the largest one of the family you should be in a better starting place.

I guess stuff like the 100E you are on a bit of a loser with that flathead 4, but I await someone telling me otherwise. I mean, supercharge the damn thing would wake it up and be more interesting than another Zetec'd one.

YMMV

[rattlecan]

Jul 17, 2022 17:57:23 GMT akku said:

Yes, no, maybe.

Theres a delight in those older engines and they have character of their own. Seems a shame everyone* seems to want to chuck them in favour of a Zetec or whatever. Most of these engines respond well to simple* tuning mods, and so long as you start with the largest one of the family you should be in a better starting place.

I guess stuff like the 100E you are on a bit of a loser with that flathead 4, but I await someone telling me otherwise. I mean, supercharge the damn thing would wake it up and be more interesting than another Zetec'd one.

YMMV

I’m with you all the way, but obviously a whole multitude of other things come into play, not least, ‘bang for your buck’ or quite simply cash & like it or not, you can probably (definitely, perhaps 😀🤦🏼‍♂️) chuck a big standard Zetec in sumat, for no money & have reliability, reasonable mpg & good bhp.
Whereas stick a blower on a, say 50’s pre x flow & it’s probably always gonna be high maintenance, not very good & cost sh!t loads for less power.
I’m not saying, everyone will do it, but you can kinda see why they do 😀

[akku]

Jul 17, 2022 18:49:42 GMT rattlecan said:

Jul 17, 2022 17:57:23 GMT akku said:

Yes, no, maybe.

YMMV

I’m not saying, everyone will do it, but you can kinda see why they do 😀

To drop a Zetec in something 50s isn't "no money" because Zetecs have some value, you need to find a RWD box for it and those are getting more spendy, and then you need to either have the skills to make all the install stuff y'self or pay for kit parts for carb conversion or a fuel injection upgrade to the fuel system of the car, etc.

For the 100E I'd for sure swap the 1172 Sidevalve for a 1600 xflow or something. Pintos were always the go-to for Consuls.

If you put a load more power in then you have to sort the brakes, suspension, steering, etc etc as well and it becomes a significnt project

Which isn't a reason nto to do it, but its a point it stops being a quick and cheap swap idea.

A Zodiac or Cresta or something though, those straight sixes are lovely engines (both the Ford and Vauxhall) so unless you're going for a V8 I don't see why you'd pull for a swap.

Again, each to their own and all

Yes, no and maybe

[kevins]

Mx5 lumps are another option all come with a rwd box, but as with any modern engine you will need a engine control and high pressure fuel system on top of whatever the engine costs.

[rattlecan]

Jul 17, 2022 19:19:32 GMT akku said:

Jul 17, 2022 18:49:42 GMT rattlecan said:

I’m not saying, everyone will do it, but you can kinda see why they do 😀

To drop a Zetec in something 50s isn't "no money" because Zetecs have some value, you need to find a RWD box for it and those are getting more spendy, and then you need to either have the skills to make all the install stuff y'self or pay for kit parts for carb conversion or a fuel injection upgrade to the fuel system of the car, etc.

For the 100E I'd for sure swap the 1172 Sidevalve for a 1600 xflow or something. Pintos were always the go-to for Consuls.

If you put a load more power in then you have to sort the brakes, suspension, steering, etc etc as well and it becomes a significnt project

Which isn't a reason nto to do it, but its a point it stops being a quick and cheap swap idea.

A Zodiac or Cresta or something though, those straight sixes are lovely engines (both the Ford and Vauxhall) so unless you're going for a V8 I don't see why you'd pull for a swap.

Again, each to their own and all

Yes, no and maybe

I agree, but maybe you have an old 60’s motor, done 50k, let’s be honest it’s toast, so ya gonna, do the do, crank, shells, rebore etc etc.
Get a 50k mile zetec, you’d bung it in & call it good & tbh, it would be.
Money on brakes, suspension etc, you’d still have to spend if you stuck a blower on a whatever.
As I say, I’m with you all the way (I have an RS2000, still runs a pinto 😀btw it’s sh!t,110 bhp & apparently they were fast!) some will some won’t I’d guess 😀

[akku]

What is fast/quick has really changed over the time I've been driving. Spec wise anyway. Sub 10 seconds was sporty when I passed my test. Oddly cars are way quicker now but most people drive slower....

[shagracer]

this is for sale on this er forum, looks good, ok not a zetec, but a pinto in a 100e, and all the hard works done

forum.retro-rides.org/thread/221743/1959-pinto-swapped-crewkerne-somerset

IMG_0722

[cjhillman]

I'm with you with the old straight 6 engines. I can imagine that some of them are quite nice and putting a modern 4 pot in wouldn't be a great upgrade. I'm guessing these cars are quite heavy and a Zetec might not have the same low down torque too? Also I guess youd have to swap the gearbox meaning no column change? Can't imagine a modern engine would mate up to whatever box these cars have in, although they will a type 9?

I had a quick look in the engine bay of a Consul at Capesthorne Hall yesterday, much smaller than I thought. I might be wrong but I feel like most non original engines could be a squeeze.

Re Pinto, If the 2.0 in my Capri is anything to go by it wouldnt be worth it in the bigger cars. I thought mine was going to be really quick but its not much quicker than my 1.1 Escort. Has more low down grunt though of course.

Lovely 100E by the way. I think i've seen your build thread before. I do like these Cars. Funny how small the Anglia 105E looked compared to this model in the Haynes museum.

Heres some older Cars from yesterdays show. A bloke let me sit in an Austin Cambridge too. Very nice!












slightly off topic but this Jag came flying past me on the way home. It took me all my time to get out the way in my Escort haha. I can see why robbers used them.

[akku]

Someone like Dez probably knows for sure, but I am vaguely recalling that you can mount a Pinto to the 3 speed column shift box in a Mk2 Consul. Takes you from like 70 bhp to like 100 bhp and a bit more torque. I wouldn't hate you for doing it You could fit Zodiac discs and so on easy enough if the drums don't do it for you.

[misteralz]

Wasn't it a 'thing' to find an Aussie crossmember for the mk2 Consul/Zephyr/Zodiac so you could fit an SBF? And I'm sure where an SBF fits, an LS will as well...

[squonk]

The legendary Ron Harris was renowned for doing this swap in the 70s and 80s. Interesting article about that and other swaps here: www.adrianflux.co.uk/influx/features/ron-harris-ford-fiesta/

[crockpot]

Jul 20, 2022 6:57:56 GMT misteralz said:

Wasn't it a 'thing' to find an Aussie crossmember for the mk2 Consul/Zephyr/Zodiac so you could fit an SBF? And I'm sure where an SBF fits, an LS will as well...

The standard cross member works just fine.

[Zebedee]

This was at our local cars and coffee meet.


2L zetec

[Mercdan68]

I like some of these cars with zetec and st170 conversions
But sometimes the whole mk1 escort modified scene just loses my interest , I like to see a x flow in a ford escort and cortina’s
But most people build a car to there tastes so fair play
There’s some great modded stuff out there

[mk2cossie]

Jul 20, 2022 17:31:02 GMT Zebedee said:

This was at our local cars and coffee meet.


2L zetec

From the cam cover going over the timing chain, I'd say that's a Duratec

Still a tidy looking engine swap tho

[ajprice]

As it's about Ford's and the MX5 motor has been mentioned, it seems right to include the Urchfab 'Mongrel' 100E track car. It's a bit more than an engine swap though, it's the MX5 mechanicals inside it. youtube.com/playlist?list=PLgAuCBRNekbEf1lwD91-t9w9Fn9vP46zE

[cjhillman]

I look forward to digging into your youtube videos!! Looks like an epic build. Does seem like the mx5 motor goes well into older cars. I've seen someone using it in a Hillman Hunter and a Triumph spitfire 1500.

Just looking through ebay at older cars. I wonder if Morris Oxford / Austin Cambridge's have been modified or they just arnt cool enough if you like?