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Zetec Vs V8


Darrell O'Neill

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Well the house move is nearly done.........westy time!

Narrowed my search down to a 2L Zetec but the V8 voice keeps calling in my right ear.

Can you guys give me some opinions on the two, pro's & cons etc? I know the Zetec is lighter but with that torque of the V8 is the performance/handling difference that much?......and the sound of the V8, it keeps calling me...

I am hoping to maybe venture to a few local hill climbs, sprints etc. will the V8 limit me here? Which engine will be easier to maintain/upgrade etc...

Well, I've opened the flood gates I guess....... I know the other engines are good but these are my choices.....for this week anyway.

Cheers guys

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secondhand ideally, hav'nt got the patience to build, had to wait three years to get this far!!
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I personally think that the Zetec *may* be more user friendly, especially if you do decide to try a bit of hillclimbing etc.

The S/H market will offer wider choice compared to V8's too.

But there aint nuthin like the sound of an 8 pot :love:

Keep your options open, look at all types. Get along to a local meet, and kick some tyres with the owners. Trouble is, only a few folk will have owned both Zetec and V8 to be able to offer a balanced opinion, so ultimately, only you can make that choice.

Personally, I think it is a wrong choice, VX is the way to go...  :devil:  :p  :cool:

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dont worry about the name either......been called worse.

thanks anyway..

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Darrell your from Cornwall aren't you?

Then your local Area organiser is Matt Seabrook, send him a PM and he should be able to let you know where and when the next meet is, then get yourself down there and have a chat with the guys/look at the engines, I'm sure there will be both types there plus plenty of others.

HTH

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Darrell your from Cornwall aren't you?

Then your local Area organiser is Matt Seabrook, send him a PM and he should be able to let you know where and when the next meet is, then get yourself down there and have a chat with the guys/look at the engines, I'm sure there will be both types there plus plenty of others.

HTH

And he'll convince you of the merits of a zetec......... :devil:  :D  ;)

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Darrell,

I agree with the suggestion to look at the VX. I am actually looking at the Zetec cos I am on a budget and am building myself. The VX is slightly heavier (apparently) although is much easier to produce closer to 200hp in standard form. My reason for chosing Zetec was cheaper and more support with more people fitting this option. Not sure about s/h market though. Clean garage, passionate about car, build photos reciepts etc. etc.

Worth the wait and build yourself with a Stella or two to help smooth over the rough edges! :D

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[slight thread drift]

TBH, I dont see how a VX is considered to be more expensive to fit when compared to a Zetec. Perhaps in the early days, when VX engines were fetching 1000+GBP before you even thought about fitting, then fair comment. But nowadays, base units are going for roughly the same price. AFAICS, they will both need roughly the same amount of investment to fit. OK, so the VX needs a bellhousing conversion. But the price of that is offset by the fact that you can pick an 8v dizzy up from the scrappy, and fit that in for sparks.  

[/slight thread drift]

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Make sur eyou know what you want the car for. I'd buy a 7 with a (relatively) lightweight powerplant - it's what they were designed for (agility.) Nothing wrong with a V8 - great dragsters! (NOT MEANT TO OFFEND ANYONE!!! )
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a pinto is  a heavy powerplant, a v8 is all alloy the gearbox weighs abit fair enough! my v8 cost much* less than a pinto or zetec for the same output!  how much does a 200bhp vx cost?  ???
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200bhp from a Vx is a simple matter of carbs, a pair of cams and some close attention to detail....

There is currently a stonking Vx car for sale on the racecar.com bulletin board. For the money (and assuming it's as good as it's described) this has to be one of the best Vx Westfields out there. At under 10K, it's a steal. If I had the spare cash, this would not be for sale any longer...

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Hmmm, Zetec v V8. Well we've had both in the garage for the last 2 days.

Zetec, simple to work on, reliable, goes quite quick, light, lots of knowledge in the community.

V8, Sounds great, goes like stink, you need small hands to do some of the jobs, setup right and they do handle (on average they'll weigh up to 100Kg more than a Zetec). Even in standard lazy tune they're bl**** quick though, read that as also bl**** scary in the wet until you get used to it.

Get out in both and decide what you want.

If you are going to do some hillclimbs/Sprints then I think you'll get more satisfaction from a Zetec. The V8 takes some taming on a tight track

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