Ford 3.1L V6 Essex Engine....what do i do with it?

[Boosted LS1]

You could use a turbo 4 pot that's known for reliability with proven endurance?

[paintman]

In the Essex engined Scimitars they used a 4-speed manual box with laycock overdrive which was electrically switched & inhibited to only work on 3rd & 4th (mine) - if you look at pics the switch is the long stalk sticking out of the dash to the upper right of the steering wheel.

Quick Google suggests the 5-speed Cologne box was fitted to the Essex, but only for a very short period & conversion looks to be a lot of work/expense:
http://www.rodsnsods.co.uk/forum/tech-discussion/f...
http://www.turbosport.co.uk/showthread.php?t=15412...
http://www.scimitarweb.co.uk/scimiwiki/images/8/84...

Edited by paintman on Wednesday 28th June 01:10

[Martin350]

Boosted LS1 said:

You could use a turbo 4 pot that's known for reliability with proven endurance?

Yes, he could, but it would sound rubbish!

[Boosted LS1]

Martin350 said:

Boosted LS1 said:

You could use a turbo 4 pot that's known for reliability with proven endurance?

Yes, he could, but it would sound rubbish!

Ha ha, that's why I didn't get to specific but a saab 2,3 turbo 225 hp to 300 with just an ecu flash. they can move pretty swiftly to :-)

[anonymous-user]

What you need is capacity! For lots of nice, low stressed torque.

So, think >4 litres.

If you want to keep it period (and why wouldn't you) one of the larger capacity Rv8s is surely the answer, and there must be some of them floating around still. Even a 3.9l RV8 is going to provide a significant torque increase over the old essex boat anchor! Perfect would be a 4.6 Rv8, but these do have some issues with robustness, compared to the 3.9 which is pretty buitl proof.

Of course, if you want to go modern there's a whole host of cheap modern engines to choose from, with the BMW 4l v8 or the Lexus V8 being decent choices.


personally, i'd stay period, and trade off performance against looking the part!

[Samudesu]

Max_Torque said:

What you need is capacity! For lots of nice, low stressed torque.

So, think >4 litres.

If you want to keep it period (and why wouldn't you) one of the larger capacity Rv8s is surely the answer, and there must be some of them floating around still. Even a 3.9l RV8 is going to provide a significant torque increase over the old essex boat anchor! Perfect would be a 4.6 Rv8, but these do have some issues with robustness, compared to the 3.9 which is pretty buitl proof.

Of course, if you want to go modern there's a whole host of cheap modern engines to choose from, with the BMW 4l v8 or the Lexus V8 being decent choices.


personally, i'd stay period, and trade off performance against looking the part!

Also sounding the part, she has a lovely grumble to her....

[blade7]

paintman said:

In the Essex engined Scimitars they used a 4-speed manual box with laycock overdrive which was electrically switched & inhibited to only work on 3rd & 4th (mine) - if you look at pics the switch is the long stalk sticking out of the dash to the upper right of the steering wheel.

Quick Google suggests the 5-speed Cologne box was fitted to the Essex, but only for a very short period & conversion looks to be a lot of work/expense:
http://www.rodsnsods.co.uk/forum/tech-discussion/f...
http://www.turbosport.co.uk/showthread.php?t=15412...
http://www.scimitarweb.co.uk/scimiwiki/images/8/84...

I haven't read the links so it may be mentioned in them, but I fitted a Ford 5 speed gearbox to my 3.0 Capri 20+ years ago using I think a Granada 2.5 V6 bell housing.

[paintman]

It is.

"There is a rare Ford option – the 1972-1975 Ford Consul or 1972-1977 Mk1
Granada with the 2.5 litre V6 Essex or 2 litre V4 Essex, used the type E four
speed gearbox – which the type 9 (also called the type N) box was based on.
Apparently the bellhousing part number is: 72GB 7505 LA"

But nice to hear from someone that's done it

[Sardonicus]

blade7 said:

paintman said:

In the Essex engined Scimitars they used a 4-speed manual box with laycock overdrive which was electrically switched & inhibited to only work on 3rd & 4th (mine) - if you look at pics the switch is the long stalk sticking out of the dash to the upper right of the steering wheel.

Quick Google suggests the 5-speed Cologne box was fitted to the Essex, but only for a very short period & conversion looks to be a lot of work/expense:
http://www.rodsnsods.co.uk/forum/tech-discussion/f...
http://www.turbosport.co.uk/showthread.php?t=15412...
http://www.scimitarweb.co.uk/scimiwiki/images/8/84...

I haven't read the links so it may be mentioned in them, but I fitted a Ford 5 speed gearbox to my 3.0 Capri 20+ years ago using I think a Granada 2.5 V6 bell housing.

My brother done the same thing with his 3.0S hard to track down that bell-housing before the days of the internet etc trick conversion though

[blade7]

I did have to reduce the dia of the input shaft where it fitted into the crank bearing though, maybe there was a bearing that would have avoided that ?