Total Costs

 

Most ZETEC powered cars appearing in the likes of Classic Ford magazine must cost at least £10K for the complete conversion.  I have seen a few bolt on kits for  ZETECs.  These complete kit cost from about £1k (engine not included) and often keep certain parts of the engine ancillaries/injection set up.  I personnel don't like the look of the build quality of some of these kits and have heard a few bad things about one of the companies that offer a kit.  Some kits will offer you less power than a standard engine of a higher capacity, what is the point?

            1.6 and 1.8 (105 bhp) engines can be picked up for £100 these days.  You can buy a written off, low mileage 2 ltr Mondeo for £300.  The companies asking £500+ for an engine are having a laugh!  Ford will sell you a brand new block for that.

Bellow is a complete realistic costs list for a throttle bodied 1.8 ltr (165 bhp) conversion.  This is based on a pinto powered Escort being converted that already has good standard or slightly up-rated suspension, LSD, 5 spd Type 9 gearbox and electric fan:

 

All prices approx (the manufacturers are always changing them)

 

Engine + ancillaries                                       -           £100

Sump (Escort Agency)                                      -           £135

Engine Mounts (Escort Agency)                        -           £70

Alternator brackets (Phoenix)                           -           £35

Water rail (Raceline)                                         -           £150

Megasquirt ECU                                               -           £170
EDIS unit                                                           -            £15

Motorbike throttle boddies and throttle sensor   -           £45

Custom inlet manifold                                        -           £50

Fuel pump (second hand)+ relay                       -           £10

Exchange flywheel (Retroford)                          -           £40

New pinto clutch                                              -           £35

Fuel lines, odds and sods                                  -           £30

 

Total                                                 -        £885

 

For carbs (155 bhp), assuming you have Twin 40/45 already, you can take off:

 

£100    -           for the cheaper ECU

£45      -           Throttle boddies, sensor

£90      -           Custom manifold, fuel pump, fuel lines etc

 

and add £90 for the inlet manifold and carb fitting kit leaving

 

Total                                                 -        £740

 

As you can see it as not as expensive as it looks you can save further pounds by making your own sump, mounts etc.

Pros/Cons

 

Pros                                                                 Cons

 

Modern Engine                                     Cost for ECUs etc

Power/Torque

Spare availability

Servicing costs

Economy (30+ mpg)

Cheap engines

Sound fantastic

 

Winner             -           obvious

 

Saving Money

 

There are loads of ways to save further money, here are a few ideas:

 

- Sell the stuff you don't need from you car, my car paid for it's self from selling the interior, suspension etc and I still have some more bits to sell.

 

- Buy in bulk be joining up with friends, or buy job lots and sell what you don't need.  I bought a box full of ZETEC engine parts just for the new set of 130 bhp spec cams, I sold what I didn't need and made all but £30 back!

 

- For a cheap LSD buy a complete Capri 2.8 Special.  Remove the LSD, keep the bilstien front struts and brakes and sell the rest.  I recently bought a Capri 2.8 Special for £100 and all it was missing was the gearbox and front seats.  I expect to make at least £200 selling what I don't need and will use some of the parts on my X Pack Capri.

 

- Look at E-bay and sites like www.findit.co.uk and see what bargains you can find.  I picked up a brand new Omex ECU with loom and sensors for £325!!