I have not been in the CEC game for a while now and having sold my BEC last September im having bad thoughts again about spanners, welders, grinders and the like.

Seeing as my house and other committments are taking most of my money I am contemplating a slow (read tight so i can keep my eye out and bag all the bargains that Zil overlooks!)self built chassis with a budget Car engine.

But mu quandry is that i dont know what to go for in terms of powerplant.

I suppose im after the holy grail really, i want cheap to buy, easy to fit, can use standard induction ie not have to buy a set of carbs, parts readily available and not loads of hidden 'extras' that you need to make the thing run out of the donorcar, and can provide reasonable performance...............

Now, I sold an R1 GTS and it was quick i know on a budget im not going to get an engine to match that performance but im happy to go down the 1600-1800cc route and leave it bog standard kicking out around the 100bhp mark.

So what are my choices?

PS i have had pinto power once before.........

That'll be a zetec IMHO.

Or a Vauxhall SOHC hooked up to an Omega box.

Or an MX5 engine and box.

Would you like me to find you one of my famous 99p zetecs ?

i have no idea how its going to work out, plus i had to completly change the front end of the chassis to accomodate it so its not proven by any means. But im using a BMW 1.6 engine pushing about 102 BHP standard. But later on im planning on doing a swap for the 1.8 at 140 BHP. I cant tell you how its going to work out but so far the install seems pretty simple.

there are several problems i have encountered so far but as a plus i picked up my donor for £155 and already sold £150 worth of bits and thats not even the big bits! so happy on that front

Zetec should be easy enough - but put bike carbs on for a bit of extra zip

Bike carbs / EDIS / MJLJ.

YKIMS

Rover K series 1.4 - 103 bhp. From various Rover 100s, 200s, 25s, etc. If you make sure you get all the ECU and immobiliser gubbins the main headache is a bellhousing for a Type 9 but if you are handy with a welder you might be able to do a cut and shut. You will also need a new starter amd Ford clutch arm probably. Mine uses the standard ECU, inlet manifold etc. and I'm well pleased with it. If you got a whole Rover 25 you could prob use the instument binnacle as well

saab turbo plenty of power and use induction and exhaust manifold ecu etc off the car same bolt pattern as xe vauxhall for bell housing to type 9 box speak to john foster on here hes just doing a westy with one in .why make do with 100bhp when you can have easy 200bhp stanadard and up to 500 bhp with just engine chips

Here is a complete donor vehicle......

Just add a Mini Cooper S supercharger....
Linky NTDWM

[Edited on 30/4/08 by minitici]

Another Rover suggestion from me, but slightly larger. With more cylinders. And power.

The V8.

ATB

Simon

What happened to the x-flow? the 1.6 block can give 100 bhp with Webbers on a GT standard cam.
And is cheap

Good replies so far guys,

Im thinking in practical terms too like needing to do any repair/preventative maintanence to the engine prior to installation such as head gasket work - twice a much on a V8 although i do like the idea of one but i cant help thinking im getting carried away from my main criteria when thinking RV8

The saab sound interesting but also complicated and the knowledge base is not so readily available as it is with other proven installations.

is anyone willing to show photos of their (not being rude) basic installations utilising as much of the donors equipment as possible.

Rover or Zetec or if you fancy something out of fashion really cheap a 1600 CVH ---- tuning parts are dirt cheap even Westie exhaust manifolds can be found on ebay.

volvo , comes with everything to make the car .

even nasp 2.3 kick out 135hp.

it doesnt get any cheaper than a cvh.

The banger boys are now racing mondeos and using a single carb due to health and safty.

They are using the 36/32 Dgav. these can be had for ~£20. There are three differant manifolds on ebay and I can give you the info to run the ignition for ~£5.

You can do a zetec very cheap and still get over 100bhp

saab power might not be as complicated as you think ask welder man he fitted it for john it uses the standard turbo induction ,ecu and manifold.and if the engine goes pop fit any saab turbo engine and everything else bolts back on as dispoable as bike engines are ie cheaper to replace than repair.john bought his complete 1994 saab aero for £250 with 200 bhp as standard my make do with 100bhp and then want more power?.engine tuning costs money ie cams etc .bell housing easily sourced unlike k series
http://boardroom.wscc.co.uk/cgi-bin/ikonboard.cgi?act=ST;f=3;t=56147;hl=saab+turbo

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/1997-SAAB-900-SE-TURBO-GREEN_W0QQitemZ110246700536QQihZ001QQcategoryZ18263QQtcZphotoQQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
just one example

[Edited on 30/4/08 by higgsti]

quote:

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Originally posted by big_wasa
it doesnt get any cheaper than a cvh.

The banger boys are now racing mondeos and using a single carb due to health and safty.

---

Low pressure fuel pump so when it gets completely bashed it isn't spraying petrol around at 100psi!

Caber

Pinto

Hi As mentioned above the CVH fits the bill perfect. As you can use the original downdraft carb so no extra manifolds ect. And as also said above westfield exhaust manifolds are around from where they have upgraded. No trick electronics ecu's or injection.

Cheers Matt

Zetec.. standard plastic induction mainfold. Ford standard ECU off an old early 90's Orion or Escort/Fiesta.

Dead easy 130bhp. Dead easy hook up to a type 9, 1.8 engines on ebay from 99p.

8v 2.0 out of a GSI cavalier? Same easy hook up to a manta box. Cheap as chips again.

Early Fj1200 bike engine, old cbr1000 or even for 100bhp ZX750 or cbr600???

Choices, choices.

Now then I want a 250bhp from a turbo engine any suggestions for a grand??

Hmmm not quite convinced by the Saab engine option and for the last 15 years or so (apart from a miserable 6 months in a Toyota ) I've had Saabs as my every day car so I'm a bit of a fan!. They're a big big engine for one and, by the time you've added on all the ancillary bits needed to run it, quite a heavy one. I also suspect they're not ideal for the same reasons diesels aren't ie actually having too much torque for a small light car. The reputation they have for going on for 100,000s of miles without much maintenance is also a complete myth from my experience btw! - If anyone does decide to try one go for a early/mid 90's 9000 engine which will have a full pressure turbo and are the by far the most robust - the later 9-5 engines can and do have all kinds of problems and most scrapyard engines will probably have oil sludge related issues. Yes they are great engines (especialy FPT Aero engines, fitted in a Saab, fitted with an automatic box) but I just don't think they fit the OPs criteria

I wondered whether Volvosport would see this thread and put his Volvo flag in the air lol - im tempted by your suggestions but again its probably the lack of readily available knowledge base that may sway me away from engines such as saab and volvo and towards the zetecs / k series etc.

Volvosport you have u2u