Just picked up this awesome project. She’s crusty but very salvageable. Unfortunately she was in a garage fire a few winters back. Her power plant was strange but done very well. Has a 2.5 Cosworth motor but everything is pretty bad. I’d like to keep the 5 speed manual trans… which I was told is out of a 2006 ranger. But I’d like to go to a traditional motor. Something easy to work on and look a little more period correct. I do have a stock banger motor out of a model a but I was thinking something with more power. Also something with the exhaust on the passenger side to keep the style of exhaust it has. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Oh, and no high dollar motors… the budget for this is low!
Turbocharged 2.3 liter Ford four cylinder. 300 hp with junkyard parts. This one is in my '27 roadster.
Let’s see, build plan, check, vehicle, check, engine, pending, rear axle, pending, front axle, pending, suspension, pending, paint, it’ll buff out, wheels, pending, tires, pending, frame, pending, interior, pending, mirrors, what mirrors?, exhaust, pending, mufflers? You don’t need no stinking mufflers!! Carry on.
Some good potential there. For a neat looking engine that is more power, how about a Quad 4? Don't know much about them beside they look kind of like an Offy when you strip them down to basics.
Mine has a 2.0 Pinto. It's been hopped up a little. Runs good. Problem is they aren't easy to find anymore.
Maybe an A15 four banger and 5 speed out of a Datsun 210? Non overhead cam so it looks more traditional. Lots of hop up stuff from down under. Or if you want to stay American how about a Chevy 4 banger from a 140 Mercruiser with a T5?
A double overhead cam Fiat Spider power plant would look good and traditional under the hood. Pretty reliable once you simplify the electronics…
Have you seen what people are asking for Pintos? Pinto's could be had for less than 2 grand in 1971, I saw one listed on Market place, stone stock for $13 grand, HRP