Engine in Tamiya's Lotus Super 7?

[afx]

What engine is included in this kit? Is it the Ford Pinto engine?

[Ace-Garageguy]

The instructions state it's a "1.3 liter Ford Cosworth" engine, which is really just an English Ford 109E 1340cc 4-cylinder with a crossflow head, Cosworth-built steel main bearing caps and rocker stands, etc., and two Weber 40mm sidedraft carbs, with a corresponding intake manifold and headers.

The architecture and appearance of the engine (minus the Webers and headers) is very very similar to the early Pinto 1600cc pushrod engine, which was a development of the earlier engine, itself a development of the 105E non-crossflow English Ford mill.

Edited March 27, 2015 by Ace-Garageguy

[chunkypeanutbutter]

It's a Cosworth engine with side-draft Webers.

[GeeBee]

It's the 1300 c.c Ford "Kent" crossflow engine

Edited March 27, 2015 by GeeBee

[afx]

Thanks for the info guys. I am interested in acquiring this complete engine if anyone has one they want to trade.

[chunkypeanutbutter]

I have one missing one of the little trumpet-end lookin' things from the carb. Velocity stacks?

[jbwelda]

jb

[dublin boy]

It's obviously the pre-crossflow engine guys!

The intake and exhaust are on the same side, this is a 1340cc engine, the Cortina Mk1 GT had a 1500cc version.

The crossflows are generally called the Kent engine, 1100,1300 and 1600cc.

The Pinto was just that, the US Pinto 2 litre OHC engine, as per millions of Cortinas, Capris and Granadas, oh and the RS2000 mK1 and 2.

Edit, the Pinto was available as a 1.6 litre too.

Edited March 27, 2015 by dublin boy

[Mike_G]

The '71 Pinto had a 1.6L "Kent" engine- it's virtually the same engine as in my Fiesta, the main difference being that the Pinto head was semi-chambered and the Fiesta head is flat. The same bottom end was used in the twin-cam Lotus Europa owing to it's stout construction using 5 main bearings. My '80 Fiesta currently has 462,000 miles on it.

[dublin boy]

The Pre crossflow and Kent are ohv engines that share nothing in common with the OHC Pinto engines, it's that simple, all the SOHC engines are called Pinto engines over here.

The US market Mk`1 fiesta had a 1600cc ohv Kent engine.

[Ace-Garageguy]

It's obviously the pre-crossflow engine guys!

The intake and exhaust are on the same side, this is a 1340cc engine, the Cortina Mk1 GT had a 1500cc version.

The crossflows are generally called the Kent engine, 1100,1300 and 1600cc.

The Pinto was just that, the US Pinto 2 litre OHC engine, as per millions of Cortinas, Capris and Granadas, oh and the RS2000 mK1 and 2.

Edit, the Pinto was available as a 1.6 litre too.

Yup, my bad. My own Super7 Series II/III had been the London auto show car, and had a crossflow head on a 1340 bottom end (also all chrome suspension!).

I just checked the kit and you are absolutely correct (as Mr. Welda's photo confirms), it IS the non-crossflow pushrod head on a 1340 . Still prepped by Cosworth with steel main caps and rocker stands though.

To clarify the Pinto thing, early Pintos were available with the 1600cc pushrod "Kent" engine, as stated above. The 2-liter OHC engine, that shared no components with the "Kent" engine, was an optional upgrade. Both these engines responded very well to performance mods like Webers, hot cams and headers. The Kent engine was raced extensively as the basis of Formula Ford, and the 2-liter had an impressive list of racing accomplishments and Cosworth upgrades.

Edited March 27, 2015 by Ace-Garageguy

[dublin boy]

We had 1600 ohv Kent and 1600cc OHC Pinto engines over here at the same time,

A Mk2 Escort Sport had the 1600 ohv while the Mexico had a 1600 Pinto. It can get confusing, but the OHC and ohv are completly different.

[Ace-Garageguy]

We had 1600 ohv Kent and 1600cc OHC Pinto engines over here at the same time,

A Mk2 Escort Sport had the 1600 ohv while the Mexico had a 1600 Pinto. It can get confusing, but the OHC and ohv are completly different.

I didn't realize there was a 1600cc version of the OHC engine. We never got it here. I had a hot 2 liter, and it would rev all day to 7500 and stay together. I'd love to build something really light with a full-house 1600 OHC.

[Mike_G]

I didn't realize there was a 1600cc version of the OHC engine. We never got it here. I had a hot 2 liter, and it would rev all day to 7500 and stay together. I'd love to build something really light with a full-house 1600 OHC.

I was also unaware of the 1.6L OHC version

I have most of the parts to build a ~130hp 1600# Fiesta, including a Quaife diff

[dublin boy]

I had a Supersport Fiesta back in the day, 1300 Kent engine.

It was a teaser for the XR2 which you guys didn't get either.

[Ace-Garageguy]

I have most of the parts to build a ~130hp 1600# Fiesta, including a Quaife diff

Most excellent. I sold a not-too-bad Fiesta I'd bought for $100 (sold for $250) a few years back, had been thinking of much the same thing. Seemed like it would be fun to smoke some of the fart-can boys with a ratty old Fiesta. Should make a great little autocrosser too.

[Ace-Garageguy]

I had a Supersport Fiesta back in the day, 1300 Kent engine.

It was a teaser for the XR2 which you guys didn't get either.

The XR2 was a new one on me. I just looked it up...cool little car. I had no idea.

You know, now I think about it, what a fine pair of sleepers you could build with a Pinto and a Fiesta.

[dublin boy]

I had about 95 hp in the Supersport, it was a bit of an animal for a bored out 1300, lumpy camshaft, twin 40's, much faster than a 1600 XR2.

130hp in a Mk1 Fiesta would be wild, they weigh about 700 and something kg

I've seen one converted to RWD, it's the only way to get a Pinto in it!

The later CVH engine has been used in them from more modern Turbo versions of the Escort with a five speed box that means cutting the chassis rails which is difficult.

Edited March 27, 2015 by dublin boy

[dublin boy]

Then again...

[Lucas van H]

I've build this kit, goes together without a hitch. The only problem was that the hood didn't fit right after painting, might want to check the fit before to see if you need to remove some material.

Lucas.

[Mike_G]

Most excellent. I sold a not-too-bad Fiesta I'd bought for $100 (sold for $250) a few years back, had been thinking of much the same thing. Seemed like it would be fun to smoke some of the fart-can boys with a ratty old Fiesta. Should make a great little autocrosser too.

Mine is all set up for autocrossing with Bilsteins, heavier 20mm lowering springs, urethane bushings, lowered motor, 19mm rear swaybar, XR2 gears in 3rd and 4th (closer ratio) XR2 front tie-bar brackets, Bosch distributor, Formula Ford head, Tri-Y header, XR2 intake and carb, lightened rods, heavy duty clutch, oil windage tray and baffled oil pan to avoid oil starvation on hard left turns, battery relocated to the right rear- lotsa tricks! It did real well in local autocross events, I took 3rd for the season my second year against a bunch of much newer, more powerful cars.

[afx]

From Ford's Escort Rally Prep Manual:

[Mike_G]

[Mike_G]

I had a Supersport Fiesta back in the day, 1300 Kent engine.

It was a teaser for the XR2 which you guys didn't get either.

Nice car, I love those supersport wheels. Needs round headlights

Here's my '80 "Sport" at the same Ford meet as the Escort photo was taken at:

[dublin boy]

The Supersport wheels were the same design as the classic RS 4 spoke alloy, but were only for fwd, they look the same bit are not dished and have a different offset Mike.

I still have one in my shed for some reason..

Thankfully I was right about the engines from memory JC, I'm not an anorak, I just grew up near the only Ford RS dealer in Dublin, Richard used to rally an ex Malcolm Wilson Mk 2 and had a beautiful RS3100 Capri with X-Pack arches as a road car.