Which engine is for me?

[SootySport]

For your budget you'll be able to afford a Redtop/Zetec engined car.  Bike engine cars will be out of your budget and more maintainance will be required.  The Redtop has plenty of tuning parts available and supported by SBD, they are still improving the power of Redtops which are popular with the rally Escorts.  Millington 2.4 Redtops are beasts but expensive.   Look around the internet and all sorts of parts are available, budget or expensive.

A standard Redtop with twin 40/45 carbs will give 170bhp when set up right.

[Kingster]

Interesting comment regarding gearbox, what is a ideal gearbox in the package as most I have looked at have been type 9 ?

 

Haven't seen any duratec in my radar yet either with regards to that engine

 

Well, it's just that the type 9 and MT75 as standard were designed for big old Sierras/Granadas possibly towing caravans up hills. So first gear is pretty much useless. Also, it's a fairly old design and gear change is a tad pants compared to a nice modern box like the Honda tintop I drive as a daily.

 

So, you can get something like a BGH gearbox with a 'long' first and also pay more for one with closer ratios throughout the box. It will still be a bit of an old design, but much better than std. Expect to pay £1k or more for the luxury though.

 

Many other members will no doubt be able to extoll the virtues of a nicely spaced gearbox!

 

Another alternative being floated recently is using a Mazda RX8 6-speed box with an adaptor plate. 1st is still way too short, but 2nd - 6th are more useable, so you end up with a relatively cheap 5 speed close ratio box that is slick and stronger than a std type 9. I might have a go at this option over winter.

 

The type 9 isn't 'bad' as such - and I really am a bit of a newbie to it (having only had my car on the road for a few weeks), but it is the one area I'd like to improve now my car has been geo'd (and mapping booked in next week).

 

Also - the reason Type 9's and MT75's are popular is because they bolt straight on to a Zetec and have plenty of bellhousings available for other engines.

[Dave Eastwood (Gadgetman) - Club Chairman]

The thing with the Type 9 is that virtually for decades, it was almost the default front engine, rear drive, gearbox choice for almost anyone building a front engine rear drive car for motorsports. 

 

As as a production part, it was used in many, many Fords.

 

Put the two together and the end result is that not only is there a wealth of alternative gear ratios made for it, specialist competition parts, up to and including lightweight cast aluminium main cases etc But the parts are also spread from good budget prices, right on up.

 

Interesting little factoid, it became so much the default box that competition vehicles were designed and built round, that even when people like Quaife, Elite, Sadev etc make high end completely brand new design gear boxes, they still offer them in a form that would swap (sort of) straight over from a Type 9!