British Fords

[QWKSNKE]

So I picked up a Performance Ford magazine while in the UK to read on the plane trip back. Ford has produced a lot of turbo 4 banger cars over there since the 80's. Sierra Cosworth, Escort Cosworth, Mondeo's, Fiesta's and now the Brits have had the kick ass Focus RS over there for several years.

My question is,
Will any of the older cosworth parts work on the SVO's or Turbocoupes that we had here during the same era? Was the Merkur Xr4ti a rwd platform too? For some reason I always thought it was FWD but in an article I was just flipping through, I noticed the Sierra Cosworth (Merkur's 300hp brother in the UK) was RWD. Also noticed that it has a DOHC motor. 2.5L I believe.

Anyways it seems there are a ton of suppliers in this book for all of the above mentioned cars. Be nice if some of this stuff would offer improvements on the US 2.3 turbo cars

[EHardy1971]

Yes,the XR4Ti was in fact RWD. Same engine as the SVO as well.:yup:

[qkjuicedpony]

Yes,the XR4Ti was in fact RWD. Same engine as the SVO as well.:yup:

I know where a modded one is for sale

[SlowJoe]

i dont think the 4 valve parts will work on our motors. i heard u can get a whole Cosworth 4 valve motor for 4500 then the shipping what ever that would be.

[EHardy1971]

i dont think the 4 valve parts will work on our motors. i heard u can get a whole Cosworth 4 valve motor for 4500 then the shipping what ever that would be.
The head and all should swap out. On a side note,Bob/Saturn5 on the corral and SGW has a badass SVO with the Volvo head swap.

[SlowJoe]

The head and all should swap out. On a side note,Bob/Saturn5 on the corral and SGW has a badass SVO with the Volvo head swap.

have u seen any dyno numbers from it? it looks like everyone has got away from that swap.

[EHardy1971]

have u seen any dyno numbers from it? it looks like everyone has got away from that swap.
I don't know his current dyno #'s,but I know that thing is a hoss! He just broke the 7.5 locker in it,and is going with an 8.8 finally. He does nice,clean work.

[Sendero]

I'm not sure about direct motor part swaps, but I do know that a number of people have taken the Escort Cosworth drivetrains and put them in US Escort bodies.

[SlowJoe]

I don't know his current dyno #'s,but I know that thing is a hoss! He just broke the 7.5 locker in it,and is going with an 8.8 finally. He does nice,clean work.

the Cosworth is a 2.0. so the heads will not swap out. and the flow rate of the volvo head it not that great and alot of work.

[QWKSNKE]

Yes,the XR4Ti was in fact RWD. Same engine as the SVO as well.:yup:

Same size yes. But I believe there were some differences.

Yes I knew it was a 2.3 liter. For some reason I thought it was FWD. Don't know why

[EHardy1971]

the Cosworth is a 2.0. so the heads will not swap out. and the flow rate of the volvo head it not that great and alot of work.

Ah,ok.

Same size yes. But I believe there were some differences.

Yes I knew it was a 2.3 liter. For some reason I thought it was FWD. Don't know why

2.3 turbo Lima (non intercooled). Also had IRS. They were quick little cars,I drove a couple when I worked at Anniston Lincoln,Mercury,Dodge,Merkur as it was known back in the day.

[QWKSNKE]

i dont think the 4 valve parts will work on our motors.
Probably not. I am sure if it could be swapped onto a 2.3 we would see it now all over turboford.org or svoca.com.

i heard u can get a whole Cosworth 4 valve motor for 4500 then the shipping what ever that would be.

Yeah this i I was more curious about, a complete motor swap or if they came with better intakes, etc..
There are also numerous FMIC's, nice looking oil coolers, etc. in the adverts

[QWKSNKE]

the Cosworth is a 2.0. so the heads will not swap out. and the flow rate of the volvo head it not that great and alot of work.

I think the size depends on which cosworth is being referred. The Sierra in this magazine I have came with a 2.5 L and I think the Sierra Escorts had the 2.0. However it could be a year thing instead of model.

I agree about the Volvo head swap. Seems you can have the stock head worked and make more power than with the Volvo swap.

[SlowJoe]

Probably not. I am sure if it could be swapped onto a 2.3 we would see it now all over turboford.org or svoca.com.

i am going with a kerrys big valve head:jester: u got me wanting to see the mag mail it to me i will send back when i am through.:jester:

[SlowJoe]

I think the size depends on which cosworth is being referred. The Sierra in this magazine I have came with a 2.5 L and I think the Sierra Escorts had the 2.0. However it could be a year thing instead of model.

I agree about the Volvo head swap. Seems you can have the stock head worked and make more power than with the Volvo swap.

the volvo head quits flowing at .450 lift no matter what is done to it.is the 2.5 a 4 valve?

[EHardy1971]

i am going with a kerrys big valve head:jester: u got me wanting to see the mag mail it to me i will send back when i am through.:jester:
He doesn't want the pages stuck together.:jester:

[SvoBrown]

There are 3 of them close to me. all 2.3 with the flat top pistons. Block is the same as the ford.
Had a cheaper tranny and such. No IC.

Merkur

[SlowJoe]

There are 3 of them close to me. all 2.3 with the flat top pistons. Block is the same as the ford.
Had a cheaper tranny and such. No IC.

3 what?

[SvoBrown]

If you look hard you can find a vega with the dohc cosworth. Just a few of them are around.

[EHardy1971]

3 what?
XR4Ti's.

[SvoBrown]

Merkur

[QWKSNKE]

.is the 2.5 a 4 valve?

yes..

[SlowJoe]

yes..

does it say if they have alum blocks? a 2.5 4 valve would be sweet!!!!:metal:

[tuesdaysgone]

Hi y'all, im British but live in Birmingham, AL. The cosworth head was for the european pinto engine block, which I believe is totally different to that of an svo and mekur. All sierras were rwd apart from the xr4x4 and sapphire cosworth 4x4.
The cosworth engine in the escort and sierra was 2.0, i think the cosworth engine in the granada scorpio was 2.8 or 2.9. This was the cologne block. A good cosworth engine would cost $6000 minimum plus shipping. You could probably find cheaper but it will be a dog.
Vega cosworths engines and head is a totally difference beast to the 2.0 dohc engine.

[Sendero]

european pinto engine block

Were there differences in the European (4 cyl) Pinto block and the South American Pinto block. Hot Rod Magazine had a feature years ago (more than 10) about a guy who built a Pinto with a 4 cyl that ran low 11's. He used to terroize the import races because his engine block was a South American import. My memory is fuzzy, but I believe he used the American head on the South American block. If there are differences then you could feasably use an American head on a European block. Now, the accessory drives wouldn't match up but that can be solved with electricity.

Is anyone following me or did I just talk in a circle.

[EHardy1971]

Ok,so what about the original Capri's then? They were the Mercury over here,but Ford Capri's in Europe,and they had the 2.3 IIRC.

[QWKSNKE]

Hi y'all, im British but live in Birmingham, AL. The cosworth head was for the european pinto engine block, which I believe is totally different to that of an svo and mekur. All sierras were rwd apart from the xr4x4 and sapphire cosworth 4x4.
The cosworth engine in the escort and sierra was 2.0, i think the cosworth engine in the granada scorpio was 2.8 or 2.9. This was the cologne block. A good cosworth engine would cost $6000 minimum plus shipping. You could probably find cheaper but it will be a dog.
Vega cosworths engines and head is a totally difference beast to the 2.0 dohc engine.

Welcome UK member.....

Thanks for the sapphire comment... I didn't realize when I saw the word sapphire in this magazine that they were referring to a model of the cosworth and not the color.

[tuesdaysgone]

Hi all.

I am not sure if the European pinto block and the south american block are the same.

The european capris had 1.3, 1.6 pinto, 2.0 pinto, 2.8injection (cologne) i think this engine was that or similar to what was fitted to the 80s ford ranger. the 2.8injection was also available as turbocharged from specialists like turbo technics. and the older 3.0 essex.

The UK didnt get the 2.3 I think. I think in the early 70s german had an rs2300 capri mk1. the UK got the rs3100 which had a bored essex engine.


Sapphire cosworths was the new shaped sierra, but it was available in 4wd. Most of the escort cosworth is a sapphire cosworth 4wd underneath.

I would love to import a sierra cosworth to the states if I could afford it. However my advice to those interested in European engines, is to leave it alone. The US has awesome engines, parts cost significantly less in the US, and there is no substitute for cubic capacity.

[tuesdaysgone]

Sierra RS Cosworth
http://www.ford-club-hannover.de/Ford_RS__XR___Co/Sierra_RS_Cosworth___RS500/Sierra_RS_Cosworth_Front.jpg


RS 500


http://www.fastfordmag.co.uk/resources/fastford/p500.jpg


http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3586/3382979784_ba646d8480.jpg


Sapphire 4x4

http://www.fastfordmag.co.uk/resources/fastford/slowpoke2.jpg


Escort RS 2000 with the X pack

http://www.barbadosrallycarnival.com/rallycarnival/photos/2003/rallybarbados/024.jpg

http://www.djaphoto.co.uk/photoblog/images/20080126094720_ford-escort-cosworth.jpg

[tuesdaysgone]

I spent so many hours of my teenage years drooling over the escort cosworths. I never got to own a cosworth as the cheapest insurance quote I got for 12 months was $5000.

Instead I got a manta 400 clone

http://www.galiciaenralis.com/OPEL/Manta%20B/Opel_Manta400.jpg