A Ford 3L V6 is an easy fit in an Avenger, saw this in a old magazine, not sure about a Hunter. Old engine now and hard to find I suspect.
socram,
Apr 7, 11:14pm
Rover V8 3.5 litre is about the same weight as a BMC 1800cc 4 cylinder.
Weren't some of the Hunter 1725cc motors ally headed!Holbay!
When installing my Rover V8 into the slot previously occupied by a BMC B series, I assumed heavier steering due to the engine (and ancilliaries and also the wider tyres) so fitted a steering rack with a power steering provision.
Preliminary drive up the street and round our 'island' parking bays, shows the steering to be surprisingly light, so don't need the power steering at all. Need a reservoir for the power steering fluid though, rather than just the bypass hose!
Essex Ford V6 is far too heavy.A cast iron lump.
gsimpson,
Apr 8, 2:20am
The Hunter GT suffered ferocious axle tramp. You may want to address that with a higher torque engine.
rscozzie,
Apr 8, 2:38am
put a 1uzfe in it
statesman001,
Apr 8, 3:16am
Was also a green one with chev v8 which would have been late 80's-early 90's kickin around Masterton,got a few ideas from that and done something similar in Palmy Nth but got the block sitting back further to improve handling.Had a full cage to help hold it all together!
quickstitch,
Apr 8, 3:25am
the avenger would be alot bigger than an escort, the hunter looks about the same size as a mk2 cortina, and cortinas go real good with 302s or 351s in them.
fordcrzy,
Apr 8, 3:33am
i'd go with an 1800 MX5 engine and its 6 speed gearbox.
socram,
Apr 8, 4:32am
Avenger overall length is just about the same as a Mk 1 Escort.Hillman Hunter is indeed almost identical length to a Cortina - but the Mk5!
What is often overlooked in a repower is the wheelbase and track dimensions. Can dramatically affect the car's overall ability to handle and its road-holding.
jasongroves,
Apr 8, 4:53am
Not a bad motor.but still only 95-107 odd Kw (unless you go for an SP motor, which will be hard to find and expensive). Bang for buck the 4AGE or ZE is pretty hard to beat and range from 88Kw through to 125Kw. The extra torque from the ZE is handy too. Also, very easy to find one for bugger all and gaining a few extra ponies isn't too hard. especially with the ZE. Just bung a SC14 charger on, change the pulleys to suit, blue top cam shafts for extra lift and duration, exhaust and intake and you are away laughing. Would be interesting to hear back from the OP as to what his preferences are.
jasongroves,
Apr 8, 4:57am
Brake upgrades no matter which engine you go with shouldn't be too much of a drama for a brake specialist. Some blank discs drilled to suit along with new lines, matching callipers and some decent pads and fluids.sweet as a nut;) Wouldn't worry about leaving rear drums close to standard with new shoes and cylinders.
socram,
Apr 8, 5:21am
That IS the wheelbase!
Discs as such are not the real problem. It is the strength of the stub axles/uprights/hubs etc.We ended up with Australian Cortina Mk3 items.From there it was vented Falcon discs at the front and Peugeot 406 discs at the rear, with alloy calipers - not to mention purpose built hardware to hang it all!One of the most expensive parts of my project!
With any repower, no doubt the certifier will demand the brakes and suspension are up to it, as it is his neck on the block once it has been signed off and why all mods are listed on the certification plate.
big.b-lil.c,
Apr 8, 2:17pm
i had a hunter many years ago they are a evil handling poorly built pos. imho serious work would be required to make the handling acceptable if a major power up grade is carried out. having said that the diffs were strong(ish) and the brakes were better than cortinas of the same era. if you must up the power consider a bit of head work, a mid range cam, msd (or similar) and twin carbs. or if you are relay keen go for toyota Independent throttle body injection. good luck hope you enjoy the finished product what ever way you go.
dave653,
Apr 8, 5:32pm
My first car was a '69 Grunter! 1725 with alloy head, had it welded and planed twice in the 10 months I had it. What about fitting a 4g63 and 5 speed, we had an '82 Sigma some years ago, I made a set of headers then replaced the zorst and eventually got 37.6mpg out of it! Not enough power to get you into trouble but enough to keep you cruisin' nicely.
doug207,
Apr 8, 5:59pm
V8s tend to be easier to cram in then a 25det/2jz etc just because of length, they are also far easier to wire up. The chevs are insanely cheap to build, a 300hp chev would be the go in a hunter, I'm sure the doors would stay on for around a week!
dave653,
Apr 8, 6:06pm
x1
Used to be a blue one running at the NP closed road drags, 302 looked fairly comfortable. Went like a raped ape too!
ninja_man,
Apr 8, 11:53pm
2JZ!
doug207,
Apr 9, 12:16am
Isn't that your castor! (Not the oil.)
loose.unit8,
Apr 9, 2:11am
x1
I vote the ZX9R engine!
jasongroves,
Apr 9, 3:17am
If going the 4AGe route, I would look at a newer unit. Those old motors are only 88Kw. The redtops are around 100kw, silver and black top are 120Kw and the ZE a couple more + torque. The T50 gearbox can be mounted to any of the above. Inlet and exhaust just need to be changed to suit the RWD layout which is piss easy.
doug207,
Apr 9, 4:42am
ZE was less kw than a black top, but more torque. Let's be fair, it's still naff all torque.
movnon,
Apr 9, 4:52am
yeah! hunters had mcpherson struts,_ never seen a superjinx with micks! you mustve been born after the grunters, the 1725 engines all had alloy heads ( but as i remember the heads cams & manifolds weren't all interchangeable)
mrfxit,
Apr 9, 5:06am
I think you have misunderstood me. Just about every Hillman/Singer before the Hunter had a beam & "A" frame suspension which made for a very solid suspension swap over in weaker cars The Hunters etc were the FIRST model to have mcpherson struts. There were also cast head 1725cc motors as well as cast head 1600cc motors fitted to various Rootes Group models.
peejeles,
Apr 9, 5:20am
one white one used to knock around kaikohe in the mid 80s. from memory i think it had a 360 chyrsler in it.
jasongroves,
Apr 9, 5:23am
Nope.not true. Black top - 121Kw. ZE - 125 Kw + 40 odd Nm of torque. Naff all torque compared to what! The original 1700 donk!
jasongroves,
Apr 9, 5:24am
Unless you were talking about the ZE used in the AW11 or AE92 which had 108Kw.
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