engine swaps

[mistermeena]

hey guys found a 1.3 escort mk 2 coupe for sale near work today is it a beech to put a pinto in if i can find one? have not rang the guy yet but sign says it has 5 speed sierra box. not too much rust on the outside just crappy paint looks ok for less than 500 bucks if its a runner just not too keen on this 1.3lt buisness
thanks

[mk2_1979_escort]

The 2.0 Litre conversion isnt too much hassle, everything bolts up, engine mounts gear box etc. Bit of wiring needs to be done but its not too hard. The exhaust runs down the other side of the car, carby is on other side to so ud be up for new accelrator cable, new starter motor, alternator (unless they come with the pinto that u buy for it) Eventually u will have to change ur struts to 2.O otherwise its a bit squishy and u can upgrade ur rotors at the front for bigger ones. But all up its quite simply can be done in a weekend if u have the right tools and ur organised. PM for any more info.

HOPE THAT HELPS

[mistermeena]

thanks for your help sounds a bit much for me though maybe i should just try to find one with pinto attached. just frustrating as this is the first escort ive seen for sale up here! think i need to scam a weekend off work and fly down to bris

[whooligan]

Mistermeena - If that car has a 5 speed in it and it is only $500, BUY IT!
If it is a 1300, it will probably be a pre-pollution model so you can strap on a couple of webers and still register it. A 2lt conversion is pizz-easy and shouldn't put you off buying it. If you don't buy this car, tell me where it is and I'll buy it.

[rfk1]

I did a 2.0 litre conversion to my MkII rally pak van way back in 1980 before the proper sump or extractors were available & I had to fabricate the sump & have cortina extractors modified to fit. For the fun of it, I left the 1.3 Badges of the sides. Don't forget to run the fuel supply line down the passenger side from the tank to the fuel pump, because you really don't want it running in the original position near the new exhaust!!!!! Watch out that the Main Wire to the starter doesn't rub on the engine mount & rub through like mine did at first, as it causes great inconvenience & a lot of smoke & burning. I also remember a bit of stuffing around & fabricating to get the weber opening fully. Watch the fuel inlet to the weber is sound as they had a habit of coming adrift a spraying petrol around the place, Ford recalled the early TC's to fix this problem. You will need to swap the side straps of the radiator from L to R & from R to L so that it will sit further forward. Get a bigger core fitted while it's apart as they do tend to run a bit hot otherwise. You will also need to cut the radiator support top to fit the radiator in. I got a cortina box & swapped the extension housing , output shaft etc. over to escort ones after I stuffed up the original. If you want to run a 5 speed get a sierra one as it will fit in the little trans hump. Tip: the Auto escorts had a bigger trans hump so a bigger box will fit, you've just got to hang a manual pedal box & put a hole in the firewall for the clutch cable.

The Cortina 1.6litre OHC (as in the earliest TC's) & 2.0litre OHC Engine (which becomes the Escort engine by changing the sump & oil pick up) is NOT the same as the American Pinto (also used in the boring 4 cylinder Mustang thing designed by some space cadet) 2.0liter & 2.3litre Engine. They are basically the same design & a few internal parts are interchangable. The Pinto engines, to accomodate the increased bore of the 2.3litre version had a larger bore spacing so the engine ends up being about (can't remember the exact measurement) an inch or so longer. So don't get sucked into buying one of those.

REMEMBER: Eleventh Commandment: Thou shalt not drop the clutch. (Unless of course you like replacing diff centres).

[kiwijohn42]

Just get a 1600 GT kent motor. More than adequate in a Mk1 scort.