Baxter

/F

x4 for Pinto. By far the easiest/cheapest way to make an Escort move. And the big advantage for a first timer is that it's been done 1000s of times all the hard prototyping work has been done and documented. There used to be an great site that told you all the options of what could and couldn't be used for a Pinto swap a step by step guide with pics (I forget its name sorry, but someone here will know; I think it was an Aussie site iirc). That said, 1600 xflows can be made to go pretty well, easiest motor in the world to work on and plenty of knowledge out there, but yeah and lot of $$ and effort compared with using a stock Jap DOHC instead. I'm tossing up between a 4G63 swap (there's a great site that tells you how to built them up for RWD) as they're comparatively cheap, very robust, and can make big power if turbo. I got as far as measuring it up and iirc it'd fit, but would be very tight. I'm probably going to go the Mazda way with either a Telstar DOHC and ute based gearbox or an MX5 setup. - But every time I think that I remember the super hot xflow I have in parts on my bench that would fun and keep it's classicness

The easiest way to boost torque (more useful off-road than power) is to fit a bigger motor. I reckon a 4G63 would be great in a Niva and have thought of doing that to mine, but as people are saying it is too much work (even if you use a Mitsi 4WD box and avoid the engine-to-box conversion issues, TC shaft comes out the wrong side, etc, etc) unless you were doing it yourself and already had good fabbing skills and equipment. Supercharging would be fun (and better than a turbo for off-roading), and while it can be done on a carby it'll never be as reliable as a less stressed larger motor. I'd avoid turbocharging as on a carby set up it be less reliable than a bigger less stressed motor, plus the power boost will be in the top end which is not ideal for off-roading. Yep, the diff is bolted to a mount on the engine, but no biggy, - especially if you go the Fiat route... The only motor than bolts in easily is the Fiat/Lancia DOHC. The Fiat uses the same mounts as the Lada motor, so far far less fabbing that any other motor will need. Basically all you need to do is get the sump modified to make room for the diff, grind a slot in the gearbox, fab a diff mount, and match the exhaust up. The Fiat 2 litre will be far more reliable than a turbo (especially a carby based turbo set-up), much cheaper, and more useful off-road. This swap has been done hundreds of times and there's plenty of info on doing it. They're getting hard to find at sensible prices these days but they're still to be found, especially in your neck of the woods iirc. Check out my site, there's lots of stuff you'll find handy to know there even about Nivas in general, plus it has Cloggy's Fiat DOHC conversion, which many people have used as a resource to do the same: www.ladaniva.co.uk/baxter. And sign up at the lada.co.uk forum; well worth it for advice and a good community. And there's a good thread there on getting more power out of the Lada engine (though remember you want power low in the rev range, not peaky like a hotted up car). PS - Gee Motors in Napier are your friend. Only genuine parts dealer, and prices aren't too bad on most stuff.

these rule Fuck yeah, super handy.

See viewtopic.php?f=28&t=30284

IIRC you can pop the1300 pistons straight into a 711m flat head as the pistons are the same except the size of the combustion chambers.

Exactly. A couple of places have failed my Niva's bushes which are chronic for looking rooted for years when they're fine. It's just laziness (or worse, dishonesty) really - they should always check for actual movement before failing stuffed looking bushes imho

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I've actually wondered about LP in the past as I have most of an LP system less the tank in the garage somewhere. But there's simply nowhere to put the tank that it's not in the way or at risk off-road.

Also depends on the GT engine - iirc there are at least 2 different GT cams (an earlier and a later one), and I'm pretty sure I've found different valve sizes as well. I think the valves were the same in the production years between the 1600GT and 1300GT, but not sure on the cams sorry.

Aye, that's the image that inspired me. asically I'm planning on copying the Lancia set up as much as I can. That's handy to know, as I was planing a slightly remote instillation. Sadly the Lada manifold isn't siamesed so I can't copy RUNAMUCK's intake. I could get an Lada injection manifold from overseas, but the time I've set all that up I might as well have simply dropped a decent 2l Jap motor in the car an be done with it (which is the other likely option if I don't SC). Hmmmmm; I'll have to have a wee thinky about doing the manifold and essentially sitting the SC on top of the intake. I haven't done the maths, but I assume that if an SC12 can feed a 1600AGE over 6000rpm it should have no problem feeding the 8valve Lada. Most likely the price of the unit will decide if I go SC12 or 14 Yeah, not planning on going crazy with boost. The Lada is already relatively low compression (8 or 8.5 to 1 iirc), but don't like a lot of boost from what I can make out from a few Euro turboed ones (though possibly those were older conversions and probably had shonky ignition set-ups for higher boosts). Too much boost not only stress the clutch, but the Lada 'box isn't the strongest feature of the Niva so not going silly with boost is essential. I had though I'd probably try and use the factory pulleys off an 4AGE as the ratio should be the same for the Niva (also a 1600), assuming they don't run silly boost from the factory. The Volmex dizzy is basically retarded and doesn't alter for boost, and I was simply going to copy that and hadn't though at all about the curve. And that is potentially quite an issue. The spring weights on the Lada can be altered to change the curve, but that's beyond me to get as accurate as it probably needs to be. I might be able to find out what the changes are on the curve on the Volmex and use that as a guide. Actually come to think of it the Volmex dizzy may be able to be adapted easily into the Niva engine (mind you the curve for a SCed sporty 2l dohc might still be arse for a 1600 sohc luger). Hmmmm. Some thing to be done on that as well. Cheers greatly for the pointers.

Anyone know if SC12 and 14s are any good for suck through set-ups? Had a wee Google, but couldn't find anything especially helpful. The main thing that concerns me is that the Toyota SC isn't design for have fuel pass through it; ie can it handle the fuel mix? And will there be fuel pooling issues if the hose between the SC and engine intake is a bit long and bendy? And yes I know blow through is better, but I'm just looking at options for a cheap bolt on set up for the Lada loosely based on a Lancia Volmex set up, but using an easily available Toyota SC.

Ahh, true. It's been so long since I've seen a preX-flow I'd forgotten they're on the proper side Should be pretty easy to make look factory then.

Um no. Not last time I looked. Any swap that involves increase in cc requires a cert afaia. I agree that it's fairly stupid that a bolt in motor that's not really significantly more powerful or heaver etc needs a cert. But unless some of the pointless red-tape regarding such basic car modifications has been removed lately, that's the rules. Having said that, as several people have noted whilst not legal it will probably never be detected by any WOF people too young to know Mk1 Cortinas were never fitted with the x-flow (as long as the exhaust is done neatly as it will be on the opposite side to original).

So just to clarify: Any 2 litre L300 box will bolt to a 'normal' DOHC 4G63 (eg from a fwd Lancer, VR4 etc), and it's only the Starion motor that needs the wider 2.4 gearbox?