Early Vixen Engines

[Astacus]

My Series one Vixen came with a recently rebuilt engine and, apart from painting, stripping and checking it, I had not planned to do anything else to it. I may uprate it later, once the car is up and running, but thats another story. Anyhow, a recent conversation with a fellow owner got me thinking. My engine is a 711M and so clearly not the original motor. In fact, going by the number, it dates from around 1976. I imagine a previous owner swapped it out as an exchange at some point. It also has a DGV carb. My question is, what was the original motor type for the Series One cars? Was it a 681? 691? 2737? And what carburettor was actually used? mine is a very early serial number DGV so conceivably COULD be the original (early 1600Es had the DFM carb and GTs had the 32/36DGV?). Of course, since TVR got them new from Ford, they could choose what spec they wanted.

So does anyone have a definitive answer? Series One owners, whats under your bonnet?

[Astacus]

thegamekeeper said:

Ford Cortina GT 1600, engine block 681. Cylinder head redrilled to take large AC compatible temp sender. Same engine was used in Series 2 Vixen with hydraulic clutch. 711 block from Ford Capri GT with cable clutch was fitted to Series 3 Vixens and 1600M.

Apart from the Broadspeed tuned Sport and Supersport TVR did not tune or modify them in any way, out of the box into the car.

Thanks Steve (I kind of knew you'd have the answer )

What are the Sport and Supersport versions? Were these options on the Vixens. Do you have any more info on them?

[tomtrout]

The 28/36 DCD is also a compatible carb with the 1600 crossflow and has a manual choke. Although I have the original 681 block I have gone for a 711 motor and was able to source an AC temperature sender from a Viva which screws straight into the head. As the car is still a non runner I have only bench tested the gauge but seems to work fine.

[Grantura MKI]

Not sure of your chassis number of your car, but a few SIs were fitted with MGB lumps. I have done one that is a full blown racer.

[Astacus]

Mine is chassis 158 from memory, so well into the ford units.

I am still confused as to the original carb fitting. I thought that cortina 1600 GTs were fitted with 32 /36 DGVs but I have read several conflicting views as to what was fitted. If it was a standard 1600 GT engine/carb etc combo what was the carb? The more I dig into this the more complex it gets. I am not sure I even have the correct linkages and manifold for the engine/ carb pair I have now. I'm pretty sure the linkage bracket on my engine was put on back to front, in an attempt to align the throttle linkage (now, frustratingly absent ), so I may have to make up a custom bracket

ah well, it keeps me off the street

[Electron]

I dug out my Haynes Ford Cortina Mk 11 book ... reprint 1980

Carburetters
1598 GT Model 32 DFM (Standard)
32 DFD (Emission controlled)


1500 GT Model 28/36 DCD 23 (Standard)
28/36 DCD 38 (Emission Controlled)

and Tuning Four Cylinder Fords Paul Davies (Car and Car Conversions) data matches ... 1971 !

Edited by Electron on Thursday 10th January 20:32

[Astacus]

Wahay!

Thanks Electron

[tomtrout]

I really wouldn't loose too much sleep over the linkage issue as finding a workable solution should be quite simple once you've located a carb you are happy with. Take a look at the "quality" linkage that was fitted to my car! Hey, perhaps mine was one of Steve's ellusive Superspeed models? Err - perhaps not - don't think even TVR would supply a linkage like that!

The only reason I suggested the 28/36 carb was that I remember in my youth messing about with early escorts and the 28/36 carb is a very simple and adaptable carb that can make the 1600GT sing. If my adventure with my tuned 1700 and twin 40s doesn't go well I will resurrect the old engine, rebuild to standard 1600 GT spec and match it to a 28/36.

[Astacus]

So, I am bumping this topic because I have again been digging into the details my original engine. This was prompted when I finally located the chassis plate for my car.

Since the car came stripped completely I had checked all the boxes but had never found it. The original owner promised to look for it, but didn't find it. I finally came across it when I found something rattling around inside the heater box at the weekend and low and behold there it was...joy. Quite pathetic really, but that really made my day, I really didn't want to put a new engine plate back on.

Anyhow, the engine number is of the form D53**/39. I wanted to tie this to a date, but the ford engine numbers start with two letters and dont have a slash. This got me wondering whether The Factory bought the engines with blank engines and stamped their own engine serial number. Alternativey, Ford gave their engines a number before they were sold, which was of a different format to the one on their own cars (Standard Ford engine numbering apparently doesnt have a slash). Anyone got any idea what is going on here?

Edited by Astacus on Monday 4th March 22:13

[Grantura MKI]

Lump numbers are stamped on the top face of the block. Many numbers have been removed due to decking.

[heightswitch]

http://rcma.free.fr/escort/ford_kent_crossflow.pdf

Good article for some reading.

Again. Don't be to worried about the originality side of things. you have the best block for tuning use..

Lifted this from another source...

" 2737E-6015 (in 1st Mark 2 Cortinas)

681F-6015 (in later Mark 2 Cortinas)

691M-6015 (in 1st series Capris and later Mark 2 Cortinas)

711M-6015 (in later Capris, TC cortinas, Mk 2 Escorts locally) and
the Mark 1 Escort Mexico in UK.

All the 3 early blocks used the 8cc chambered head, as well as the 1st
series Escort 1300GT motor, all other motors (1100,1300,1600) used
flat heads, with several different valve sizes.

All the 1600 motors used 2737E conrods.
All the 3 early 1600 motors used 2737E cranks, the 711m motor used its own crank (711M).

The 2737E and 681F have round main bearing caps.
The 691M and 711M have square main bearing caps.

I also seem to remember the 681F block being used
as a short block in some Lotus Twin Cam Motors ?????.

Prior to the 691m and 711m square mains caps being released,
people fitted machined steel caps to earlier motors, there is no
need with the later caps as they will take 200+ HP.

All 3 early blocks use small stem cam followers.
The 711M block uses the large stem cam follower. "


Your engine number may not have anything to do with ford. I would go to a couple of classic car shows and have a look at early cortina GT's to compare??

Edited by heightswitch on Tuesday 5th March 06:55

Edited by heightswitch on Tuesday 5th March 07:03

[RCK974X]

I read that and thought "Wow - a square main bearing - that's er.... interesting..." Then I saw the word "Caps"....