• The Roadster Factory Recovery Fund - Friends, as you may have heard, The Roadster Factory, a respected British Car Parts business in PA, suffered a total loss in a fire on Christmas Day. Read about it, discuss or ask questions >> HERE. The Triumph Register of America is sponsoring a fund raiser to help TRF get back on their feet. If you can help, vist >> their GoFundMe page.
  • Hey there Guest!
    If you enjoy BCF and find our forum a useful resource, if you appreciate not having ads pop up all over the place and you want to ensure we can stay online - Please consider supporting with an "optional" low-cost annual subscription.
    **Upgrade Now**
    (PS: Subscribers don't see this UGLY banner)
Tips
Tips

Pinto Engine In Bugeye

P

Paul McGuffin

Guest
Guest
Offline
This is on eBay now....Pinto Engine
s-l1600.jpg
 

Boink

Yoda
Bronze
Country flag
Offline
Rather tidy.
 
OP
P

Paul McGuffin

Guest
Guest
Offline
It’s hard to believe that stock radiator is big enough for a Pinto engine, even with the cooling fan added. I have yet to see an engine swap, where they retained a heater.
PM
 

Boink

Yoda
Bronze
Country flag
Offline
It’s hard to believe that stock radiator is big enough for a Pinto engine, even with the cooling fan added. I have yet to see an engine swap, where they retained a heater.
PM
It looks like they took out the entire battery-tray/heater shelf (and the interior photo suggests a modified tunnel).
And, of course, the wipers are gone.
 
OP
D

Deleted member 8987

Guest
Guest
Offline
Pinto fours had fairly small radiators. I had one...a 72 wagon, 2.0L auto for the wife. Nice little car. Got a free Fairmont Squire with 302 and air from the in-laws, so sold off the little Pinto.
Used to work on Pintos, never could remember an overheating problem unless the 2.0L head cracked (more common than you would imagine....I kept a couple of spare heads around until Pintos dropped off the charts).
 

SD Bugeye

Jedi Warrior
Country flag
Offline
Rather odd choice for a swap
i think I could come up with a more reasonable swap.
seems odd why pick a that?
maybe a cosworth from a vega but a pinto
i know it shares a lot with the cortina still...
 
OP
D

Deleted member 8987

Guest
Guest
Offline
I would imagine availability of parts and cost.
You can still pick up about anything you need for a 2.3L Ford engine (as used non-exclusively in Pintos).
Just how much would a Vegamatic Cosworth set you back, and would parts be readily available in East Nowhere, North Dakota?
I think it's a neat install, with the sidedraughts and headers, on a light body, I would think it would scream.
 

nomad

Yoda
Offline
It’s hard to believe that stock radiator is big enough for a Pinto engine, even with the cooling fan added. I have yet to see an engine swap, where they retained a heater.
PM
My Datsun swap retains the heater and if it wouldn't I wouldn't have done it. Even in warm climates you need to occasionally defog the windshield.

Kurt.
 
OP
P

Paul McGuffin

Guest
Guest
Offline
I don’t understand why he didn’t move things around and keep the windshield wipers.
PM
 

nomad

Yoda
Offline
I'd be more impressed with the early pinto Kent engine. The engine that powered Formula Ford and an engine that's been tweaked into the 200HP range.

Kurt
 
OP
P

Paul McGuffin

Guest
Guest
Offline
Here’s a BMW Bugeye! Very clean job, but again, now windshield wipers
BruceUchida-BB.jpg
 
OP
P

Paul McGuffin

Guest
Guest
Offline
The one thing I’ve noticed about all these Sprites, with engine swaps is....they all lose their heater. I need a heater..period.
 

nomad

Yoda
Offline
TC, saw your post on another forum, This one hasn't modified the bonnet apparently because the engine has been moved so far back. Don't remember if yours retains the heater.

Kurt
 

Pat MM

Senior Member
Country flag
Offline
Does anyone have pictures of a Kent 1600 (early Pinto) in a Bugeye, or Spridget?
(Or a Morris Minor for that matter! They have clearance problems with the steering rack at the back of the engine bay so folks notch the manual transmissions to clear, or set the engine too low, like mine that has a Datsun A14 engine with an old 3 speed automatic, yuck!)
That may be my next project if I can figure out a tranny / bell housing combo without breaking the bank! I've got the engine already.
 

nomad

Yoda
Offline
The early Pinto [Kent] engine is worth good money. I'd advertise it and keep the Datsun engine but with a standard trans.

The pinto engine was the base for Formula Ford and many other competitive cars.
 
Similar threads
Thread starter Title Forum Replies Date
AngliaGT Pinto Wagon Spotted 13
D Pinto is GONE!!! Racing 17
aeronca65t 907-powered Pinto Other British Cars 6
L Engine ID British Motor Corp 2
J Can a TF engine be installed in a TD body? MG 7
K TR2/3/3A Coil against hot engine?.....relocating the coil? Triumph 11
C Engine Operating Temperature Austin Healey 21
CARSINC WANTED: 1275 Engine Spridgets 0
tinman58 TR2/3/3A Por-15 in engine block? Triumph 12
W BN4 Engine Mounts Austin Healey 2
B MGB while driving engine cuts out if I let off or push more throttle it comes right back on MG 5
nitro BJ8 Engine Design Austin Healey 1
S Spitfire Triumph Spitfire 1300 engine SU carb problem Triumph 10
G TR2/3/3A TS37903F Is my engine a TR3A engine because my starter says no. Triumph 3
Frameman 1949 Engine Misfiring & Starter Cranks Slowly When Hot Austin Healey 8
B Engine Stalls When Warmed Up Austin Healey 6
HealeyPassion AH Project: Cool Air to Engine Austin Healey 5
F Wanted BJ8 Engine Block Austin Healey Classifieds 1
R For Sale 100 engine block w/head Austin Healey Classifieds 3
R TR6 question re: Engine Oil Triumph 3
P General TR What color is original for engine parts? Triumph 7
AUSMHLY Clutch Stalls Engine Austin Healey 16
SherpaPilot TR6 Unidentified fitting on TR6 Engine Triumph 3
S TR2/3/3A "Vintage" engine analyzer tach unstable? Triumph 14
MikeAH100M High Temp Engine Miss Austin Healey 2
K TR2/3/3A Replacing engine and gearbox mounts? Triumph 8
KVH General Tech Engine Misses Only at 2200 rpm Triumph 12
J For Sale Hoist and engine stand Triumph Classifieds 0
S TR2/3/3A engine and trans are stuck together pretty well Triumph 8
Carlbanan56 MGB No spark and engine cranking slow MG 10
bigjones TR2/3/3A Starting up an engine that hasn't ran for a while. Triumph 39
tr6nitjulius General TR Waterless, easy/peasy, engine cleaning Triumph 2
Darwin Wanted Spitfire engine needed Triumph Classifieds 0
sim oil pressure gage bad or engine needs rebuild It starts our cold at 60 psi but when warm it down to 10 psi Spridgets 21
D A distributer question on the 1275 engine. Spridgets 7
SherpaPilot TR6 Engine Mounting Question Triumph 3
KVH General Tech Loud Metallic Click Pop Every Time After Engine Off Triumph 11
AUSMHLY Engine Flush After Head Gasket Leak Austin Healey 19
Joel Lester TR2/3/3A Priming new engine with oil Triumph 9
BoyRacer Austin A90 mystery engine British Motor Corp 2
T For Sale Excellent Original 1968 TR250 Frame with Engine & Transmission Triumph Classifieds 6
M General MG MG 1500 engine 4-91 or 4-110 MG 3
kodpkd 1961 BT7 engine oil Austin Healey 31
S TR2/3/3A engine removal Triumph 12
R TR2/3/3A Engine stalling and backfiring Triumph 25
M Engine ID Austin Healey 2
JMACENGINESHOP BJ7 Engine Rebuilding Austin Healey 23
KVH TR4/4A Engine Installation Triumph 28
P Spitfire Going up-Engine with my Herald Triumph 6
J Engine Parts Suppliers Austin Healey 6

Similar threads

Top