Morris Minor Owners Club

ok as i have been thinking about what engine to get, i desided that getting a 200bhp 2.0 zetec would be an excellent option, as i wont be able to afford that for a while, i wondered about buying a used zetec lump for cheap and using it as a mock up engine so when i can afford to i can get new zetec and drop it in. saying that i would have to get it from a ford focus or fiesta which are front wheel drives, so would i be able to change them into rear wheel drives or is that a big nono??? i was looking at this as its cheap but the same size as the one i will get later http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/FORD-FOCUS-2-O-ZE ... 1c1919480f

sorry if i dont make sense, this was just a rushed question

CHEERS!!!

There are a few Minors with modern Ford lumps so some combinations must be possible.
Quite a few of the kit cars have Ford mated to RWD boxes, as well as car like Caterhams.
You can also get off the shelf kits - hopefully someone may be along to recomend one they've used.

I'm sure by now you must be good friends with Jonathon at JLH.. He will advise you on the modded bits needed, these are from memory; sump, water rail, clutch, flywheel, alternator mounting, different water pump (and power steering, air-con pumps removed) and engine mounts. Other things such as the ecu and remote oil filter housing? can be added later and i dont think are essential for mocking up. If it is purely for mocking up purposes, just go get a dead zetec engine from ur local scrap yard, shouldn't cost much at all, or buy a good second had and save it. They only cost around £800 for a brand new 2.0 with a years warranty. But as you can see, its the mods and other bits that cost all the money..

i was just thinking of getting a 2.0l engine and putting a type 9 box on and there have it a mock up, but the thing im not too possitive on is whether different year engines are different sizes or are they all exactly the same??? like the engine from a mk 1 focus would it be different size to a zetec from a mk2??? i think im having a dumb day!!!

A mock up for what purpose though? Admittedly you can manage without a water rail yet, just take the pipes off the back, but without the modified sump, working out the mounting location might be difficult.. and you ideally want to know exact rear clearances needed for the bulkhead alterations? I'm pretty sure a 2.0 blacktop zetec is standard. But wait for conformation.

basically i want the mock up so i can start with positioning the engine mounts gearbox mounts and how much needs to be cut from the cross-member, this engine is never going to be started.

Jlh do a type 9 gearbox crossmember. As i said if it was me i'd like the correct sump installed before i started working out the mounting position, but yea as long as your type 9 has the correct bellhousing it should bolt straight up, and yes remove the water pipes from the back and the such to check the clearance, and see how much room the water rail may take.

The way fuel costs are going - if I was doing an engine swap I would looking at a small economical turbo diesel. Excellent performance because of the light Minor weight - and good consumption.

ill change the engine again when we run out of petrol

For what it's worth, a mock up will cost money and chances are your final engine fitment will throw up unexpected differences. Surely better waiting until you get the desired mechanics. You then won't have wasted your time if the ideal engine doesn't materialise, or indeed things decide you against the idea.