Vauxhall engine

[frank horton]

Have friend with a Panther sports car…it’s fitted with the old Victor engine…
Black tin plate rocker cover and those notorious rubbish adjust….
can’t remember if it was OHC…..
i know this engine was fitted to the petrol version of the CF van….
anyhow
his engine is junk and kinda thinking of something mor modern,…
perhaps a 1600 petrol from an Asta/Cavalier….
Any
one know of an original engine OR if the eng/gearbox bolt pattern is the same….
ta…..

 

[frank horton]

Ps… I’m sure it’s 2.3ltr

 

[8ob]

If its a Lima it had the 2.3 engine , Thats the same basic engine Lotus bolted a twin cam head onto. stonking engine, I would stick with it.

Bob

 

[Bullet2012]

The slant 4 ?
a great engine, had a few cars with it fitted.

Vauxhall Slant-4 engine - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[dan.taylor.1]

C20xe red top from an astra, massive aftermarket parts selection, used in all sorts of stuff kit car wise and swaps into other vauxhall models, so probably bell housings available for most applications

 

[Bullet2012]

It was also used in the,
HSR chevette
lotus sunbeam, e sprite and eclat

 

[Blobber]

The gearbox bolt pattern wont match anything else unfortunately, whats up with the engine they are very strong and difficult to kill! we are easily getting 180hp out of them without spending too much cash

 

[Bullet2012]

Vauxhall - The slant-4 engine

vauxpedianet.uk2sitebuilder.com

 

[Kayos]

C20xe red top from an astra, massive aftermarket parts selection, used in all sorts of stuff kit car wise and swaps into other vauxhall models, so probably bell housings available for most applications

Unless you rebuild it and spend thousands, they are old engines

I'd go mid 2000s vauxhall, 1800 small block, cheap, plentiful and tunable. Without being thrashed every second of it's life (like the c20xe)

 

[minimutly]

Unless you rebuild it and spend thousands, they are old engines

I'd go mid 2000s vauxhall, 1800 small block, cheap, plentiful and tunable. Without being thrashed every second of it's life (like the c20xe)

Mid 2000s are old engines now. And they had their share of issues with be bearings and porous heads. Plus they won’t fit the gearbox. A cheap rebuild of the slant 4 would be my choice - rebore, new pistons, bearings, and head rebuild will outlast him and his car. The adjuster screws In The tappets would need replacing, they wear into a step where the valve top sits.
Stonking engine, as @8ob said.
Bill Blydenstein actually welded the cranks up, then reground them to make the 2.6 engines - how’s that for welding content.

 

[Kayos]

Mid 2000s are old engines now. And they had their share of issues with be bearings and porous heads. Plus they won’t fit the gearbox. A cheap rebuild of the slant 4 would be my choice - rebore, new pistons, bearings, and head rebuild will outlast him and his car. The adjuster screws I. The tappets would need replacing, they wear into a step where the valve top sits.
Stonking engine, as @8ob said.
Bill Blydenstein actually welded the cranks up, then reground them to make the 2.6 engines - how’s that for welding content.

Very true. Making it fit the gearbox is simple though, and gives access to a modern(ish) engine without the red top tax

I had an F28 in my V6 Vectra and have used various adaptor plates to fit modern engines to rwd gearboxes. I'd say with a bit of research the box adaptor would be the cheap option

 

[minimutly]

Very true. Making it fit the gearbox is simple though, and gives access to a modern(ish) engine without the red top tax

I had an F28 in my V6 Vectra and have used various adaptor plates to fit modern engines to rwd gearboxes. I'd say with a bit of research the box adaptor would be the cheap option

But why? There is seriously no need to re-invent the wheel sometimes.

 

[Kayos]

But why? There is seriously no need to re-invent the wheel sometimes.

Why what? Do what the op asked and suggest a way to fit a modern engine, which is what my answer was. If the op asked how to rebuild the existing engine I would not have replied as I have little knowledge of that engine

I built an 1800 small block vauxhall years ago, R1 throttle bodies. Was cheap and immense fun

 

[gordon stephenson]

I had a Victor estate 2300 with that layer over engine for a long time, good strong motor,Valve adjustment by a screw with a tapered flat, Only trouble I ever had was a timing belt that stopped a few teeth, No damage done, fitted a new belt and good as new,

 

[Blobber]

Mid 2000s are old engines now. And they had their share of issues with be bearings and porous heads. Plus they won’t fit the gearbox. A cheap rebuild of the slant 4 would be my choice - rebore, new pistons, bearings, and head rebuild will outlast him and his car. The adjuster screws In The tappets would need replacing, they wear into a step where the valve top sits.
Stonking engine, as @8ob said.
Bill Blydenstein actually welded the cranks up, then reground them to make the 2.6 engines - how’s that for welding content.

Thats the problem you wont do a cheap rebuild on a slant 4 now, pistons are £500 a set, bearings will probably be £200 for crank/big ends, oil pumps dont exist and unless you have someone that can bore the block correctly it will give problems, I think if an engine swap is on the cards you need to see what is plentiful in Greece if thats where the car is?

 

[minimutly]

Thats the problem you wont do a cheap rebuild on a slant 4 now, pistons are £500 a set, bearings will probably be £200 for crank/big ends, oil pumps dont exist and unless you have someone that can bore the block correctly it will give problems, I think if an engine swap is on the cards you need to see what is plentiful in Greece if thats where the car is?

Still under a grand. @Kayos , you are right, the op wanted to change the engine, so any myriad of engines would fit. My favourite would be the much maligned Rover K series, best bang for buck on the block. He’d need to change the front springs on the car though....

 

[AVI_8]

Have friend with a Panther sports car…it’s fitted with the old Victor engine…
Black tin plate rocker cover and those notorious rubbish adjust….
can’t remember if it was OHC…..
i know this engine was fitted to the petrol version of the CF van….
anyhow
his engine is junk and kinda thinking of something mor modern,…
perhaps a 1600 petrol from an Asta/Cavalier….
Any
one know of an original engine OR if the eng/gearbox bolt pattern is the same….
ta…..

These engines were fitted to Bedford ambulances back in the day, very much thrashed, I used to work on them as an ambulance mechanic. Not a particularly refined engine but very reliable.
I can’t help but think that removing it and replacing it with a 1.6 litre is going to be a major disappointment in a sports car with regards to torque.

 

[merryman]

My father had an FD Victor with that engine, it was very good, ate clutches though, don't know why. Stick with it unless it really is toast. With a bonnet the length of the Lima's I would have thought just about anything would fit, but modern engines have modern ECU controls, so are rarely used for transplants these days. Those made before complex engine management are getting old, and parts for them will soon be as rare as those for the Victor engine.

 

[qwakers]

Stick a v8 in it

 

[Chippie]

Go electric…..it’s the future you know and it’s clean…