Ford 107e desirability

[VW]

Sort of semi looking out for a 100e. Not really after another sidevalve though so was keeping a bit of an eye open for a modded one.
However, a 107e has come up local. I pretty much understand what these are about but don't know how they are viewed.

In classic ford circles are they more or less sought after that sidevalve ones? Are they considered the best of this body style or the weird odd one out?

[Rich G]

I'd have another one tomorrow (if the boss would let me!). Dropped a 1500 Mk1 Cortina lump and box in mine, servo on drum brakes worked okay, rims widened to 5.5x13, job done. Until some drunk in an MGB-GT wrote it off while it was parked outside the girlfriends.

[MkX]

I can't tell you how they are viewed in classic Ford circles but it seems to have been an engine that was well enough designed to weather many decades of production in its various guises. In crossflow 1.6 litre & 1.7 litre it was used as the stock engine in the later Lotus Sevens. Colin Chapman was an expert in working out how to get the biggest bang for your buck and using a popular make like Ford ensured ready spares availability.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Kent_engine

For its time the sidevalve wasn't a bad engine, it also endured many decades in production across umpteen Ford models and was used in the Lotus Mk IV, Lotus Mk VI and earlier Lotus Sevens.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Sidevalve_engine

There are period publications about on modifying and super-tuning both types of engine. The ohv as the newer design is, as you'd expect, slightly more powerful with increased fuel economy, (performance & mpg's are dire when compared to small cars of today). I'd also expect the ohv model to have better longevity than the sidevalve?

[VW]

Ive built/owned a fully tuned sidevalve before in a little 49 anglia. Was fun, but not really wanting to go back there.

Chapmans lotus is great, i spent aboit an hour on my back underneath it much to the bewilderment of the gaydon motor museums staff

I havent owned any pre crossflows though, only other ford ive owned was a mk2 zephyr estate.

Always fancied a 100e, and their value is only going to go in one direction. Ideally id like one i could drive like a curse word, so something modded, but a 107e may at least give me a better driving experience than the sidevalve while at the same time having the benefit of being standard and therefore holding value better.
Thats why i wondered how their viewed. Tyring to work out what is the better investment while not being toooo slow.

Found a nice mk3 zephyr 4 too (my fave zephyr) but thats another story.

[stealthstylz]

107E is better really as you can fit a crossflow and box without chopping anything as far as I remember

[Rich G]

Oct 9, 2018 20:09:32 GMT stealthstylz said:

107E is better really as you can fit a crossflow and box without chopping anything as far as I remember

Absoloutely right!