Suggest me an engine.

[uk_senator]

Another one would be the lightweight Fiat FIRE engine, they use that in Austin Seven 750 Racing series, but I`m not sure what box they mate it to. Maybe Panda 4x4 transmission with the front end locked off?

[DodgeRover]

Just out of interest what Bedford is it going into?

[cros]

Bedford PC. An a series engine would just about do it and with a Minor gearbox is very easy to do but would be struggling a bit with a load. The 1100 and minor box works well in my Morris 10 so I've been there already. I don't think a bike engine would be right for such an old lump. Or the van.

[DodgeRover]

Would a standard vanguard / Fergy tractor engine be too big/ heavy?

[uk_senator]

Oh, I thought it was a HA..

[PhilA]

Toyota Starlet? The later ones are fairly compact for a 1.6, but you get fancy stuff like two camshafts and stuff, still with fixtures and fittings for distributors and other useful items.

 

Only other one I could come up with is the upright 1596 Rootes lump, which aren't powerful but are fairly smooth and torquey for their size, but weigh almost as much as the QE2.

[Longblackcoat]

How about the 1.4 lump from the Volvo 340?

[cros]

Toyota Starlet? The later ones are fairly compact for a 1.6, but you get fancy stuff like two camshafts and stuff, still with fixtures and fittings for distributors and other useful items.

Only other one I could come up with is the upright 1596 Rootes lump, which aren't powerful but are fairly smooth and torquey for their size, but weigh almost as much as the QE2.

Starlet would be very good especially because of the 5 speed gearbox, but I can't imagine there are any rear wheel drive ones left. Midget and Minor folks would have hoovered up anything still working.

The Standard engine is too big, Rootes is OK but probably as hard to find as a decent Vauxhall lump. Lastly, the 340 engine I have a lot of respect for, preferably in a Renault 12. Problem is that the Volvo's gearbox lives in the rear, my main objection to the 340. The location might have done wonders for weight distribution but if you gave a shit you probably wouldn't be looking at this car anyway. Having a propshaft the wrong side of the gearbox just made engaging reverse a slow or noisy process and forced the petrol tank to be located further back.

[Longblackcoat]

Point taken about the 340 gearbox , but is there no way you could use it with either a custom propshaft or (more likely, I suspect) some form of adapter to allow you to use the current box/transmission? 

 

Probably no more work than any other solution?

[cros]

I visited my local scrapyard today, but sadly there were only a couple of things remotely suitable, a Terios and a Vitara. Both too late for someone like me who has only recently embraced electricity, and then only in its simplest form. Terios engine nice and compact though.

This is what my Sherpa Sports looks like under the bonnet even after I added LPG. Guess which one I'd rather change a head gasket on?

[Guest Hooli]

Just had an idea, a shaft drive motorbike engine with reverse, something like a big BMW flat 4 lump or a Honda Goldwing, 1200-1800. Could knock up a subframe so you dont have to cut anything & get a new prop made up?

 

Alternatively you could stick a bendix starter motor onto a mini-ring gear/sandwich plate at the end of the prop with a separate battery on a split charge relay for reverse.

 

I think* that Goldwing reverse is just the starter motor turning it all backwards as a proper reverse gear requires a car licence.

 

 

 

 

*read it somewhere on the internet once.

[red5]

It's true - battery operated.

[andy18s]

How much room do you have?

And do you have to keep the original gearbox?

If not what about a Carlton 1.8?

Comes attached to a nice 5sp box,and a swap to a Manta 1.8 carb and manifold shouldn't be too taxing...

[cros]

How much room do you have?

And do you have to keep the original gearbox?

If not what about a Carlton 1.8?

Comes attached to a nice 5sp box,and a swap to a Manta 1.8 carb and manifold shouldn't be too taxing...

Another one I'd never thought of. Is this a similar engine to the one fitted to the cf2 Bedford van? For some reason I'd never considered that either, best start looking around.

Regarding keeping my gearbox, it's knackered. In theory I'd like to keep the van with its column change and 3 speed box, and I won't be chucking it away, but it would be hard to join to most engines other than the original one. The Vauxhall block has lugs on the block instead of the more usual back plate, and no fixing at all below the crank centre-line. Something could be cobbled up, but not easily.

[Sir Snipes]

You'll be competing with the XE RWD crowd for Manta/Carlton 1.8s, and they're not exactly common anymore.

 

I think the Bedford vans had Cam In Head engines, more like the 2.0 Manta and earlier Carltons. The 1.8 is OHC, similar to Cavalier mk3. It's one of the earlier engines that lead to the twin overhead cam family from the mid 80s(ie; Astra & Cav GTEs, Calibra) which is why it's useful to people wanting to convert the 16v XE to RWD.

[twosmoke300]

Surely a 1.6 / 1.4 Vaux sohc from an old Astra / nova/ cav is the answer here ?

Or the very similar 1.6/1.7d

Or even the 1256 chevette ( try and get an Opel built engine )

[andy18s]

You'll be competing with the XE RWD crowd for Manta/Carlton 1.8s, and they're not exactly common anymore.

 

I think the Bedford vans had Cam In Head engines, more like the 2.0 Manta and earlier Carltons. The 1.8 is OHC, similar to Cavalier mk3. It's one of the earlier engines that lead to the twin overhead cam family from the mid 80s(ie; Astra & Cav GTEs, Calibra) which is why it's useful to people wanting to convert the 16v XE to RWD.

There's very little on a 1.8 Carlton that's of any use for an XE conversion

Wrong sump,engine mounts,dizzy in the wrong place

Possibly the gearbox but I think it's a bit bigger than the Mantas 5spd so not as desirable

I know the block is a family 2 but no one wants to build a 16v 1.8...do they?

[cros]

Surely a 1.6 / 1.4 Vaux sohc from an old Astra / nova/ cav is the answer here ?

Or the very similar 1.6/1.7d

Or even the 1256 chevette ( try and get an Opel built engine )

Chevette is out as I might as well use an A series and box, both much more readily available from under my bench, but not quite big enough. SOHC Astra/Cav 1.6 would be fine power wise, but how to use with rear wheel drive? I'm guessing the distributor is on the end of the cam which though getroundable is inconvenient.

[junkyarddog]

AFAIK the FWD 1.7 diesel GM engine found in Astras and the like,can be mated to the Manta gearbox.

 

Personally speaking I would be going diesel on this,

as a petrol will be slow in this van anyway,so you may as well be slow and economical.

 

When I converted my FE,I expected it to be really slow,

but in fact performance is about the same,the diesel ticks over a lot smoother(the 2.3 slant 4 was a lumpy old thing)

plus it now does 45mpg!

[twosmoke300]

The early astra had the chevette engine so i would imagine the ohc motor would mate to a rwd vx gearbox from an HA or Chevette

[Des]

This is what Vanette boxes look like.

 

 

Measures two foot long flange to snout, two selector pivots can be seen, and can be heard pleading for a dab of grease, and there's that mount where it hangs off the floor, so at least one challenge knocking up a mount cradle at the rear extension bolts.

 

Engine room.

 

 

Pushrods and points ignition, admirable lack of modern shit for Japcrap, I'd forgotten these have an aluminium head, GT spec moderate weight saving FTW.

I fear the ship has possibly sailed on these as an option though, they've suddenly become as rare as courteous driving on the A406, must be the odd one out there housing chickens or something.

[cros]

∆∆∆ This would do the job perfectly, thanks for taking the pictures Des. There was a Vanette near me until recently, I'll ask around to see what happened to it.

[Asimo]

Sherpa / O series, £180   in Goole?

https://www.gumtree.com/p/campervan-caravan-parts/layland-sherpa-rear-screen-and-prop-2-liter-petrol-engine/1233700675

[JeeExEll]

Ford V4 1996cc and 2000E box from a Corsair.