Hi all,
Just thinking out loud and I know there are some 'old skool' engine tuners / modders on here ...
I'm thinking of tidying the old Rickman Ranger kitcar up (again, keep getting distracted) we built over 20 years ago as a cheap post apocalyptic runabout and the first thing I'm considering is the engine.
The current lump is a stock 1300 Kent as we pulled form a 78k 1978 MkII scrote which was the main donor. It starts and runs ok but is noisy and pretty tired in general.
I also have available a tried and tested 1300 (well, tested on the floor, it came with the gearbox I wanted but the guy pulled it from his own car), a 1300GT out of a second car we broke at the time (a 2 door MK1 ... what would that be worth now?) and a 1600, again, was supposed to be running ok when I bought it from a mate who had taken it out of his Ranger for a 2L Pinto.
1) I know the 1300s will go straight in and everything with fit / line up and is the cheapest insurance (GT?) and TAX but probably not so economical as a 1600 or as good when towing (I have a folding caravan and some general purpose / goods / motorcycle trailers).2) The taller 1600 block will need the taller turret brace (got) and a bit of a faf with the windscreen wiper motor (mounts on the brace) but the (stainless) exhaust should be ok, as should all the other stuff (dizzy / Luminition mainly).
Q1. Were there any differences between the engine / gearbox interface between the 1300 and 1600 Kent models can anyone remember please? I 'might' have the box that came with the 1600 but again I think that's got different output splines so I'd need a new nose on the prop.
Secondly, the gvnmt have cleverly set the road TAX engine size threshold for this age of vehicle at 1549cc, so if I was to go to the
1600 that would take it (currently) from £120 to £215 pa and whilst that's not a deal breaker it's a shame because we are only talking about ~50cc. For the same TAX cost I could go for the 2L Pinto (out of my old Sierra) but that's even more faf (engine / gearbox mounts, exhaust on the other side, gearstick further back, shorter prop (different front splines / coupling) etc etc.Q2. Is there an easy way to reduce the 1600 (1598?) cc by ~50 (genuinely ) does anyone know? I was thinking maybe cylinder sleeves and new pistons (rather than different crank / lowered block etc). I know it might end up 'expensive' but if it might pay itself back over say 5 years then it might be worth doing as a bit of a project / experiment?
Would they just accept that the cc was now below 1549?
Once I've got some ideas I'll speak to the insurance Co to confim costs from that pov.
Cheers, T i m.