Deliberating over the above. I currently have an old crossflow installed, but have a 2 ltr pinto and 5 spd box lying on the garage floor. The pinto is hellish heavy, I know, but I wondered what the opinions of the forum were for these two engines?

I was in a similar position to you and decided to go the pinto route, it came with a 5spd box and was far cheaper than tuning a xflow to get the same power that the 2 litre chucks out as standard.

Check height clearances as the 2L pinto is very tall, it's often either poor ground clearance or too high under the bonnet - or both. Everything is back to front too eg exhaust on the other side.

I had the same choice to make but went for the Crossflow for several reasons.

1. Smaller (shorter)
2. Lighter
3. Simple, (but the Pintos pretty straightforward to)
4 Had lots of x/f bits kicking round already.

Other than that I guess I would have got a Pinto.

X/F Power clearly lower than the pinto but less tall and uprated parts seem to cost slightly less.

Had to chop the sump on the x/f anyway.

I just like the nature of these engines from a mispent yoof sliding rwd eskies round wet roundabouts. There's plenty power for me to start with in a 1/2 ton car.

How many times have I driven a 215+ bhp/ton car er none. --- Yet

Once its running and legal, I'll start work on the BEC conversion.

ATB

Dave