my question is what are other options for a 4 banger's in a model A ????? i have a on going project and was thinking of useing a 87 mazda b2000 motor and trans ..i figured small light easy to get parts for and cheap...what do you think?? plus they make a **** load of speed parts for it ...
I don't think a Mazda engine in a Model A will fly well here, but it's your car - come see us in the banger threads - lot's of better options (in my opinion). At least try to keep it american by using an iron duke, etc...
tuff little motors---nice valve train--the 5spd is pretty indestruto not a lot of off the shelf spd parts--webber carb; header; lite flywheel are abt it
I would NOT use that B2000 motor. Those things **** balls. Very heavy, no top end whatsoever, and only so-so fuel economy. The early 2000cc Mazda motor is *okay* (the one with a timing chain, not a belt), but hard to find and zero parts support. Flat torque curve, fuel sipping and it's tough as hammered dog poo. RX-7 trannies bolt up for better gears. The Cortina motors are great, and even the Pinto motor has a ton of parts support if you want to keep it domestic. Ecotec is a good one too. Just make sure you keep a hood on it...
your not all that funny... this is a banger Its a B engine under all the speed parts 217 posts and you said the mazda word........ SILLY BOY
Can't go wrong with a Ford 2.3 OHC engine (Pinto's, Mustangs, Rangers), "plus they make a **** load of speed parts for it". Click on my signature for info.
why is that a silly thing to say ..i have actually seen a model A powerd bye that engine and it moved pretty good had alot of head work done with a custom cam .header ,webbers and a header sounded pretty good and moved well also...and to boot it wasnt in a rat rod it was in a very nice a coupe..just a thought .. hey wait wasnt there a nissan powerd car at boniville this year i could be wrong but i thought i seen a sr20de in a car ..
yes i was gonna run a hood on the car .... i know these motors are really not hamb friendly but i cant afford a real model A 4 banger i had 2 a while back and gave em away ...dumb on my part
There are plenty of Pre 64 4 cyl. out there,,that will do the job,,also proper rear end gears help too
thats what i figured i have the roadster all set up and ready for a motor and trans i can fab motor and trans mount up for any combo its just my pockets are shallow these days with other projects going at the same time ...i have a banjo dont know the gear ratio though..
Even scarier thought oh no not Toyota engines such as the 22r now theres power and fuel economy. I have a pinto dirt track special motor laying in the garage that I was going to put in my model A but decided that banger power is for me after falling into the scene with all the old men running bangers lol. It does not hurt to have one of the premier restorers for the central valley living about 2 blocks away either. If you go the pinto route and want to retain a manual I found that early jeeps have a trans that will bolt up pretty easily with a novak adapter. This allows you to have your shifter in the stock location without hacking up the center crossmember. If you try to retain the stock pinto manual trans it is a toploader and the shifter ends up in the middle of where your seat would be. We have a gentleman with pinto engine in our model A club here in bako and he gets past by the stockers going up hills until he drops down into second gear and winds the hell outta his engine. Just so you know the pinto 2.3 variations are strong. I had a pinto racer for awhile and I twisted the hell outta it and then sold the car and the next guy ran it hard also. Funny note on that engine it was actually in a street driven model T here in bako for awhile. 2.3 engines have a giant aftermarket available. Esslinger and Racer Walsh are the guys to go to for parts.-Weeks
i bought a 89 ranger with a 2.3, 5 speed, been driving the little truck till i get my model-T in the shop to work on, i bought a reman points dist., a mr gasket fuel pump, a holley regulator, it looks like i can just take the big elbow off that runs from the throttle to the intake and make a plate to mount a holley 94 in it's place, so far i have $600 into the drivetrain and that includes the ranger i bought for $300.
There's a ton of pinto stuff out there, making for an economical motor, but the Iron Duke is also everywhere, and there is alot of aftermarket around for that as well. Plus it looks right, at least sort of. Have a couple around, and one in my T, very happy with it.
what about the old volvo motors with sidedraft webbers? I had started a thread on one made into a great little rod, maby foreign but it was a real steel car, and the thread was very popular. great looking and sounding little motor. it's the thread where's he's going in circles doing donuts. edit: here it is found it, these motors have been around a long time, would take some time to find one, but it would be different thats for sure. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=325390
I Have a 2.5 Chevy Marine engine 1986 recently gone through bearings rings hardened seats SS valves Built for running at high rpm for hours at a time still in boat can hear run Come tow the whole thing back good OMC out drive on Rolco trailer I recently had 2 strokes & 2 spinal taps wife says Sell to pay part of my deductible $500
When you go with the late model 4 cylinder stuff you end up with some sort of ECU, and lots of wiring etc. Most of the late model engines do not have a distributor so if you decide to go with Webers or such you will need to figure out a way to make the spark plugs sparkle. I have a Ford Zetec in my 29 lakes modified, and have more money in the injection and ECU than the engine and ******! The early A and B motors are super expensive to build, especially if you are looking for any kind of HPs and when you are done they still sound like a tractor. (Which of course lots of guys running them think they sound great.) They weigh a ton and if you really hop them up they can have reliability questions. Probably for your money you can't beat the old Ford 2.3, lots of speed equip, easy to find, bolt up to BW T5 gear box, and reliable to a fault. Rex
The old Volvo motors are really great to work with. Some are even pre-64, so it could slide into HAMB territory (though I doubt anybody did the swap back in the day...) The late 2.0L is the strongest blocks of the lot, with the 75 being the pick of the litter. Just strip off the weird fuel injection. Or keep it. K-jet mechanical injection on an old Ford would make people's head a-splode.
Rex, followed your build, love that car. Building a similar one now. Have a Kinsler Injection I'm saving to use on my Duke, hopefully the price will come down by the time the car's on the road.
You know, another easy motor to use is the Miata engine. Lots of info out there on converting those to carb. It's basically a matter of installing a dashpot on the throttle linkage to give the ECU a throttle position signal. It's a dang nice looking motor too, the valve cover was patterned after the old DOHC alfas. Just fill in where it says Mazda. Those engines sound mighty fine with a pair of webers.
You could try a the Pontiac 195cid 4 banger out of 61-63 Lemans and Tempests. Basically its a 389 cut in half. Lots of parts interchange and easy to find.
there's one in cl***ic motor sports really nice build with a Ford Cortina with a Miata engine, he replaced the Mazda emblem with the ford emblem, they own Mazda anyway, and it's hard to tell it's a modern engine.
I like the Pontiac Tempest 4 cylinder idea, just saw one last week at a show and 33chevy409 is right they are 1/2 of a big Pontiac 389 so lots of speed equipment and they probably will bolt to almost any GM ******. A little heavy but I'll bet you could get 200 hp+ out of one with great driveability. hugh M, is the Kinsler you have a constant flow style? Getting them to work on the street can be a real challenge. It's all in the barrel valve and the high speed lean out set up. Rex
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