Morris Minor Owners Club

I have been offered a 1600 crossflow kent engine by a friend on the escort scene. Any one know if it would be possible to mate it to a type 9 5 speed box and escort back axle to fit in my 66 2 door? I'm not bothered about the escort PCD as I have a set of escort discs for the front end, so that would match all the wheel stud patterns.

Any opinions gratefully accepted.

I'd say snap it up. Most Ford stuff is interchangeable, and this combination will work well in a minor - possibly the best compromise of power, weight, strength plus good spares availability. It is also quite a physically small engine, and will not compromise the handling - and of course is easily tuneable.
You will have to fabricate engine and gear box mounts, modify propshaft length, and fabricate exhaust system. The Ford radiator I'm sure will fit, but requires new brackets to support it.
I'm sure Jonathon of JLH has experience of this swap, and would be a further source of advice.

Pete

Thanks Pete, I've heard of JLH and they aren't all that far from me. I'll try and find his number and give him a call.

I've already said yes to the engine I've been offered a 2.0 type 9 for £30 from a cortina guy I know up in Sheffield so I'm going up to collect that at the weekend at the same time I fetch the engine. Now to find an axle

Minion
Keep us informed on how you get on re fitting the x-flow and whether the existing type 9 Ford bell housing will fit the Kent engine.

Good luck and a Happy New Year!

millerman wrote:Minion
Keep us informed on how you get on re fitting the x-flow and whether the existing type 9 Ford bell housing will fit the Kent engine.

Good luck and a Happy New Year!

I'll keep you all posted as I go along but it won't be till the new year I get started. The type 9 was from a Mk5 Tina so the bell housing will be different to the Mk2 Escort IIRC but the engine is coming with the original bell housing anyway so should only need modifying to fit the Type 9.

My old pickup had a 1600 xflow engine, the only probs I ever had was with the exhaust system which was always fracturing!
Otherwise it was quite peppy!

I'd go for an A series turbo tho!! he he...

Minion, we can obtain the drawings for both engine and gearbox mounts plus the hydraulic or cable operated clutch. One of our customers fitted one of these last year, but his was tuned to 130+bhp by Burton. Its a very nice conversion and with his bespoke exhaust and manifold it sure sounded the part.
PM or give me a call for more info, think I have some pics somewhere in this computer which I could email.
Good luck

heathy12 wrote:the only probs I ever had was with the exhaust system which was always fracturing!

I was thinking about exhausts earlier and I was intending on making my own system and adding a couple of the flexible sections in to reduce the vibration throughout the whole exhaust.

jonathon wrote:PM or give me a call for more info, think I have some pics somewhere in this computer which I could email.

Thanks, PM sent.

The type 9 bellhousing does fit the x flow (i have one on my cortina). I used the rs2000 type alloy bellhousing to save weight. I also have a concentric hydraulic clutch release (you could use this with half the minor hydraulic kit which would be easier than converting to cable release). I have seen other minors with crossflows and when i zetec the cortina the minor may get my crossflow since its a nice neat fit. You will need a replacement clutch plate but it is the same 190mm/23 spline plate as the minor 5 speed conversion

Cool, thanks Paul That means I'll have a spare bell housing! The car has a marina pedal box fitted with a brake servo and hydraulic clutch already so I was going to stick to hydraulic clutch release.

Hmm sounds interesting to me, I will keep an eye out for the updates with interest.

It is interesting seeing this thread. With a lot of braking and gearbox conversions now being based on ford bits fitting the ford crossflow engine instead of either a tuned A series or an injected modern engine makes a lot of sense. The engine is not a lot bigger than an A series and a lot smaller than most modern retro fit engines and is a better match for its own gearbox or a type 9. Paint the engine in BMC green and it will look right. My personal setup if i was doing it now A 1600 gt spec crossflow (88bhp at 5500 rpm and 91 ft/lb at 3000 if you want more there is a mass of tuning parts to get you well over 100bhp) a type 9 gearbox with a 3.7 diff ford english axle and the ford disc brake kit up front. There a a lot of ford owners (myself included) fitting larger or more modern engines to escorts and cortinas which should put a few crossflows on the market for use in the minor. Why go to the hassle of making a ford gearbox fit when you can use the engine as well for similar money.

I totally agree - a local tuner up here used to prepare crossflows for racing, and I'm sure used to get 190 bhp from them.
Funny thing is though, folk used to replace crossflows with fiat twin cams.

Pete

It's called retro

I realise this thread has been going for a while, but I'm doing (or attempting to do ) this conversion... after it being suggested on a twin-cam wanted thread i posted.

A few questions:

I have a 1.6 Kent engine (20k since rebuild). Two type 9's one a recon V6 version that i'm hoping to fit using the gearbox / bell-housing spacer (haven't been able to source one yet) to sort the input shaft length. I also have two cast and one alloy bell-housings (if i have to cut chunks out as for the twin-cam i assume it will be best to stick with the cast version )

Clutch
I have the 190mm 23spline clutch and cover housing for the type 9 conversion. However I have the marina pedal box fitted and so a hydraulic clutch would be good.
I have a spare marina slave cylinder and a similar looking bolt on one, do i need to go for the one that fits inside the bell-housing (transit) or can i bolt something on the side of the bell-housing....

Exhaust
I have a 4-2-1 competition Mk1 escort exhaust system I'm hoping to fit, i also have a standard Capri mk1 exhaust for extra parts... Is this going to go anywhere or does it need to be all custom...

Radiator
My minor radiator leaks. So I would like to fit a different one - possibly alloy with elec fans, there are quite a few different ones going on eBay for cheap <£40... Has anyone fitted anything like this.... What about heater pipes - do i need T piece hoses... etc

Running Gear
I'm currently running a marina prop and axle... Do i really need to upgrade to ford running gear -- can the marina prop be modified and used

fitting the engine in...
Do i need to modify
1. The bulk head (my 1275 head is already quite close)
2. The front crossmember - removable as for the twin cam conversion?
3. Cut chunks out of the Bell-housing to clear the steering rack?
4. Engine mounts.... is it best to start with ford or minor or completely custom?

Thanks for any help.... I will have two weeks when i go back to my parents house to get as much done as possible, so i'm trying to sort everything I need before-hand.

I look foward to seeing you do this.
Gearbox the v6 i would say has better ratios for a minor (all higher) but as the box length with a spacer increases means you have to cut further back and you will have to shorten the handbrake more too.
Clutch although expensive the retro ford concentric type release is a great solution.
Not sure about the exhaust you may have to mod it
Rad the outlets are on the opposite side just use a ford one instead.
It's most likely easier just to buy a new single piece prop.
I would try an alloy bellhousing first they are so much lighter
Think i would be inclined to make engine mounts using ford rubber mounts.
Not sure about cutting bulkheads and crossmembers I 'm sure it will just be trimming.

Best of luck.

Hello is this thread still active please appreciate 20 years