Silly Question...
Discussion
Following on from the excellent results of the 'vague question' thread, I just wondered if any of you modify cars much, Deltaf, I know you do - and pretty special projects from the sound of it!
Can anyone who fits in the above group tell me of a reason I can't squeeze a 1980's Ford RS-turbo engine (or just the head) into the bonnet of my 1991 Escort cabriolet?
This is nothing I'll be doing for a while - I'm at uni for a few moths yet - but when I start earning I'm going to need something pokey to see me through till I can afford a TVR or two... (I wish
)
The Cabrio handels really well, but is basically devoid of grunt. I want to fix that...
I know this is a TVR site, but there's a serious amount of engineering knowledge on here that you just don't find amid the bolt-on boys living on fast-ford forums, or (God forbid) M** P**** forums.
P.S, no I'm not a M** P***** type, if I do make this modification there will be no external changes at all. I just want the extra go!
Can anyone who fits in the above group tell me of a reason I can't squeeze a 1980's Ford RS-turbo engine (or just the head) into the bonnet of my 1991 Escort cabriolet?
This is nothing I'll be doing for a while - I'm at uni for a few moths yet - but when I start earning I'm going to need something pokey to see me through till I can afford a TVR or two... (I wish
) The Cabrio handels really well, but is basically devoid of grunt. I want to fix that...
I know this is a TVR site, but there's a serious amount of engineering knowledge on here that you just don't find amid the bolt-on boys living on fast-ford forums, or (God forbid) M** P**** forums.
P.S, no I'm not a M** P***** type, if I do make this modification there will be no external changes at all. I just want the extra go!
zefarelly said: If its from the same 'family' of engines (like the kent block from the 70's) then you can interchanged, but a turbo engine would be lower compression I think . . .itd be easier to swap the whole engine ?
get down your local breakers yard . . .with a manual that covers the range of escorts and find the most powerful thing you can!
check the brakes and suspension as well !
Exactly what I was hoping you'd say.
I was planning to take the whole engine, loom and computer or it gets complicated (dished pistons to sort out compression ratios etc).
My main wonders were;
a) will the engine/gearbox mounts line up?
b) will the bonnet need altering to fit the turbo?
I'm pretty sure 'b' is a no, as RS turbos have pretty standard looking bonnets, but I'm worried about 'a' as the RS turbos' are usually a MK4 wheras my car is the new shape MK5.
I was also planning on seam welding it, just in case I got my hands on a cossie/garrett turbo at any point.
Is seam welding difficult? I'm an inexperienced amateur welder, but a pretty good one, according to the tutor at the local 'tech.
I'm pretty sure the suspension and brakes will cope, it already corners better than any modified car I've been in, and the brakes were beefier than standard Escort jobs, unless I'm much mistaken?
Fatboy said: I've seen a TVR V8 in a fiesta (1992 vintage) not sure about the V8, but think it was the AJPV8, not the rover, so anything is possible.
You are kidding?!?
It may have had fiesta badges on but that was no fiesta I tell you!
I tried to measure the Escort up for a simple Ford V6 and by my reckoning I'd need to stretch the chasis about 2 metres to fit it!
It was longer than the Escort's bay was wide! I tried every permutation of upside-down/inside out, mounted in the boot or on a roof rack etc but it just wouldn't go.
The only way to do it would have been to mid-mount it and some how interface the V6 with a mid/rear gearbox like in an MR2.
Bearing in mind I wanted to do this at home...
Not going nuts, just standard RS turbo power, plus a bit if I stumble accross an uprated turbo.
I don't want a hugely powerful FWD car as IMHO torque steer completely ruins a good car.
I'm also not going to spend too much money as I'm saving for a decent car (think VX200 turbo) a few years down the line.
I don't want a hugely powerful FWD car as IMHO torque steer completely ruins a good car.
I'm also not going to spend too much money as I'm saving for a decent car (think VX200 turbo) a few years down the line.
Yep, the car is currently a 1.6 CVH. It's a good engine, revs well, but the car has a reinforced chasis (to cope with the lack of roof) so it's just not fast.
I don't mind out in the countryside as I'm having too much fun slinging it at corners, using the (plentiful) momentum, but it's a bit of a drag on long straight roads with frequent roundabouts.
Deltaf, I've had an offer on the car so this whole idea may fall by the wayside for a while (like till after my 3 month paid placement when I can afford another) but I'll let you know how it goes if/when it starts.
I guess that's a large part of what this is all about, 'making it my own'. I'm an engineer, I like to tinker - but to think you've improved something instead of just repaired it is a very good feeling.
I don't mind out in the countryside as I'm having too much fun slinging it at corners, using the (plentiful) momentum, but it's a bit of a drag on long straight roads with frequent roundabouts.
Deltaf, I've had an offer on the car so this whole idea may fall by the wayside for a while (like till after my 3 month paid placement when I can afford another) but I'll let you know how it goes if/when it starts.
I guess that's a large part of what this is all about, 'making it my own'. I'm an engineer, I like to tinker - but to think you've improved something instead of just repaired it is a very good feeling.
Yeah, I was hoping to simply find a donor RS, maybe one that's been arse-ended or failed an MOT on rust, or better yet, a police-confiscated one at auction and simply swap all the bits I can.
That way they'll never know they're part of a modified car, and hopefully not breakdown too often as a result!
That way they'll never know they're part of a modified car, and hopefully not breakdown too often as a result!
Andy,
That kinda misses the point, as I said the whole appeal to me is in doing the conversion myself.
If I had a trailer I'd probably offer you something for that car, or at least the engine.
If the gearbox is knackered/not available I'd probably use a TD gearbox.
It's built to withstand high torque and low revs, a turbo puts out loads of lbft but goes off-boost at 5500rpm. Sounds like a match made in heaven to me... Am I mistaken?
Thing is I have to wait until May at the earliest before I can do anything, as I don't have time, space or money till then.
That kinda misses the point, as I said the whole appeal to me is in doing the conversion myself.
If I had a trailer I'd probably offer you something for that car, or at least the engine.
If the gearbox is knackered/not available I'd probably use a TD gearbox.
It's built to withstand high torque and low revs, a turbo puts out loads of lbft but goes off-boost at 5500rpm. Sounds like a match made in heaven to me... Am I mistaken?
Thing is I have to wait until May at the earliest before I can do anything, as I don't have time, space or money till then.
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