what engine is best

[rae80inch]

ive been thinking about which engine to put in the 66 convertible what options do I have is there a more modern engine and box I can put in what options are there and what are the pros and cons is there a jap ar I need to look out for a donor car thank you ,rae

[MarkyB]

I think Datsun Sunny engine and box fits without much work.
Hasn't the automatic traveller on Ebay got one fitted?

[rae80inch]

is that a 1300 and 5 speed box finding one off them is going to be hard is it a good engine what sort off mpg does one off them do,rae

[MarkyB]

It's quite a popular modification in Australia and the East in general.
You need to ask someone who has one about MPG and how easy it is to fit.
Is better MPG what you want from a replacement engine?

[rae80inch]

engine and box are both worn out so I was thinking off upgradeing as hopefully it will be a everyday car for the wife so a bit more reliability and mpg would be better I did think off marina upgrade but impossible to find and lot off money I just wanted to know what my option are iam on a tight budget so I need as many option as possible it seams good engines and boxes are hard to find ,rae

[MarkyB]

Where are you based?
Almost any 4 cylinder FWD setup can be made to fit with some welding and fabrication.
these should be possible;
Bedford Rascal
Holden Scurry
Maruti Omni
Maruti Versa
Mazda Scrum
Ford Pronto
Suzuki Bravo
Vauxhall Rascal

MG 1275 is a bolt in job but I guess they are rare and expensive too.
Fiat Mirafiori lumps are quite common too.

How badly worn out is what you have, is may be cheaper and easier to just sort it out.

[kevin s]

How about a ford ka engine coupled to a sierra type 9 box it may need a bit o
pf messing about finding the correct clutch but otherwise they bolt together easily enough. With a mega squirt you could eve keep the fuel injection fairly cheaply.

[rae80inch]

iam in mid wales knighton my engines siezed gearbox was noisy so prevoise owner told me iam just weighing up the options hopeing something will come my way ,rae

[Matt]

All 1.3L & 60hp from a KA?

Why not fit a 1.8L zetec engine with standard ford management and have 105-130hp and 35mpg + ?

[rayofleamington]

The easiest is to refit another 1098 and some very mild upgrades (better head & exhaust).
If you keep the standard carb you shouldn't need to loose any fuel economy - actually you can gain.
The 1098 is not the fastest engine around but the original lump keeps a lot of the car's character and you can arrive with a smile on your face without achieving higher speed.

Any 1275 / Marina or Ital 1.3 (the 1.3 is a 1275..) rwd engine is the next easiest conversion.

After that, the world is your scrapyard regarding donor engine choice.
Fiat twin cams were popular but becoming rare to find.
Modern Fords units are now more of an option as aftermarket fuel injection / ECU's are not nearly as hard to set up as they used to be.


For gearboxes..
If using an A-series, then the 1098 gearbox will last a while, and the Midget 1275 4 speed box is similar but slightly more robust. Or a 5 speed box is a nice upgrade.
If using a Fiat lump, people usually keep the Fiat box.
For 5 speed, the Ford type 9 5 speed gearbox is common (and fitting kits are available mail order) , but not always the best.
My favourite is the toyota RWD 5 speed.

[bmcecosse]

As above - an A series if reasonably maintained will be very reliable (why would it not be?) - and on a limited budget - that's exactly the way to go. Any fancy alternative engine swap is doing to either need great mechanical skills and/or deep pockets. I would go as far as to suggest best economy will be with an 848 engine - but not many about, next up will be a 948 engine - but 1098 is fine too.