Pinto or Zetec?

[MKMark]

Trying to decide which way to go next so thought I'd ask for your opinions. At the moment the Anglia runs a 2.0L pinto with stock bottom end (205 block), but its had a big valve head fitted and R131 cam. It also runs twin 40 Webers. My best 1/4 mile so far is 15.2 seconds. The question is what do I do next? keep this engine in and swap the carbs for twin 45's, and rebuild the bottom end. Or swap the engine for a 2.0L zetec with bike carbs. My goal is to go a bit quicker but also have a set up that is reliable on the street as I use the car regularly.

[Vista]

With that head and cam (I assume the head is flowed and ported as well?) you're restricting its potential quite substantially and should see quite a bit more power with a set of well set up 45's.

 

The RL 31 delivers its power much lower down the rev range than some cam choices so your stock bottom end should be ok, perhaps upgrade the conrod bolts but otherwise I'd stick with the carb upgrade and see how you get on before considering going down the zetec route

[aardvark101]

Going through a similar dilema with my Anglia Mark, do i sink a couple of grand into a rapid crossflow which will be loud and tempramental (Lol) and if it goes bang will cost me a packet.

Or spend a grand /1500 quid fitting an ST170 which will give me the same power be docile and economical, and if it goes wrong i can get another one off the Bay for £400...

..think ive answered my own question there.

[SmokeEm]

Stay pinto! HT1 cam and 45's will see you right

[LUKE261]

Pinto will be faster

[shaun1.6ghia]

You would say that Luke lol

Price wise, zetecs are up to £120 with low miles, if you build the conversion parts you could do it for MUCH less than buying them.

If it goes bang it's just another £120 so you won't be scared to have fun in it, an can upgrade cams, little port and polish, skim the head down an run 45's or bike carbs for reasonable price an get good power

Then everything is changeable

 

But as always more fun equals more cash :-/

[MKMark]

thanks for your views, its given me something to think about.

[MK2Ed]

All the quickest street Fords at CF Show this year were Pinto if I remember correctly.  It's all about the head and compression with a quick Pinto then as the boys have said 45's minimum - could end up cheaper for you than a sorted Zetec which might then also be slower than the Pints..

[Tom E Cropp]

Going through a similar dilema with my Anglia Mark, do i sink a couple of grand into a rapid crossflow which will be loud and tempramental (Lol) and if it goes bang will cost me a packet.

Or spend a grand /1500 quid fitting an ST170 which will give me the same power be docile and economical, and if it goes wrong i can get another one off the Bay for £400...

..think ive answered my own question there.

Rapid x flow it is then

[2litreScapri]

Stick with a Pinto

[SmokeEm]

Just to give you and idea, we too had totally stock bottom end, a Vulcan maxiflow2 head, HT1 cam & 45's and she produced about 170bhp and ran 14.0 in the Capri. Always blew the zetec cars into the weeds.

As Ed has said, the secret to power in a pinto is a bloody good head and high compression. Ours was only 10.5:1 though.

[Nick]

what skim would be needed on a standard 2 litre (none 205) to get the right CR? 

[Joe-ashtonmobile]

Mark, will talk at retro

[MKMark]

OK Joe. Better look for some twin 45's.

[4-Door Pete]

Have you thought of a 4AGE from a Toyota MR2, I think 105speed do all the conversion bits great tuning potential as well. Retro Ford mag did the conversion a couple of years back with their Anglia.

Just wanted to ad to the dilema.

[Fiesta Steve]

You would be very disappointed with a Zetec on bike carbs !! Show me a quick one, with 1/4 mile times to back it up !! They don't exist..

[lead foot]

Glenbo has run in the 13s with bike carbs on his Zetec mk1 escort

[Jiffer]

in my red one

14.6, with an st170 on bike carbs

14.1 with my NA cossie on 45s

in my geen one

14.0 with pinto and 48s

[Col-ashtonmobile]

Mark , stick with the pinto , fitting a zetec will cost you loads in the installation kit whereas your half way there with your pinto , your not running massive compression as when I done the head I had no history of your bottom end , so its no point in looking at throwing in HT1 cams etc as your valve heights and geometry are wrong for that cam plus throwing that and loads of compression the engine will end up the same the other engines did and spewing all its guts out on the strip , we'll talk at the pod about getting more power coupled with strength and reliability and all the other bits to go with it i.e fueling decent throttle linkage etc ...... listen to Col i'll steer you in the right direction ..........cheers mate

[Joe-ashtonmobile]

Just to give you and idea, we too had totally stock bottom end, a Vulcan maxiflow2 head, HT1 cam & 45's and she produced about 170bhp and ran 14.0 in the Capri. Always blew the zetec cars into the weeds.

As Ed has said, the secret to power in a pinto is a bloody good head and high compression. Ours was only 10.5:1 though.

was this not the car that had no lights etc in it?? if so not really a comparison to marks road going anglia 

[XjamesX]

Pinto

[SmokeEm]

Yes Joe, same car. It did however run 14.6 FULLY road legal with just a glass bonnet. (weighing a lot more than an anglia) including driving 120 mile there and back.

 

Incidently, that engine was built outside in a garden with 2nd hand bits off Ebay. Now whilst I couldn't hold a torch to you pro engine builders, I think 167 D/D BHP from a bitsa engine is a great result considering it cost less than £1100 all in (Yes, including carbs, new facet & regulator & full bestek system)

 

After the 14.6 road legal run it ran slicks (£10, ebay) at the next round for a 14.3 & then he fully stripped the car for its 14.0.

 

The next season it underwent no changes but overrevved it to 8k and one of the pistons parted company with the rod and he decided to break the engine back onto ebay where it made just over it's £1100 back.

 

Not bad I think you will agree. The car currently sits in a garage awaiting a 5.0 V8 transplant which when completed should AGAIN cost less than £1100 all in.

[Fiesta Steve]

Glenbo has run in the 13s with bike carbs on his Zetec mk1 escort

That's mighty impressive, probably run 12's with webers, lol

[mr zefect]

13 is good mine ran a 14.2 a few years back with a 35.4 diff and the fueling and timing all over the place on my old standard silver top not run it on the strip since.

 

I bought or made most of the conversion parts before they become popular and expensive.

[MKMark]

Thanks for all your advice, I've decided to stick with the pinto. If anyone knows where I can get some twin 45's let me know.