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Ford V4 engine 1960s
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old iron



Joined: 22 Mar 2016
Posts: 185

PostPosted: Wed Jul 28, 2021 5:00 pm    Post subject: Ford V4 engine 1960s Reply with quote

How good/poor is the Ford V4 as used during the 60s and 70s in a multitude of Ford cars and vans. The transit I have stumbled across s running this engine in the 2.00lt guise.
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Ray White



Joined: 02 Dec 2014
Posts: 6282
Location: Derby

PostPosted: Wed Jul 28, 2021 7:52 pm    Post subject: Re: For V4 engine 1960s Reply with quote

old iron wrote:
How good/poor is the Ford V4 as used during the 60s and 70s in a multitude of Ford cars and vans. The transit I have stumbled across s running this engine in the 2.00lt guise.


They tend to run rough. The Ford Corsair, I remember, dropped the familiar 1500 straight 4 cylinder in favour of the V4 and it was generally considered a bad move.

Didn't the V engine have hemi heads?
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norustplease



Joined: 11 Apr 2011
Posts: 779
Location: Lancashire

PostPosted: Thu Jul 29, 2021 5:07 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I have had both Transit and Corsair V4's. They are inherently out of balance and I think had to have some kind of countershaft to make them smoother in operation. The 2 litre version was reasonably powerful, but had relatively little low end torque as I recall it and so needed to be revved through the gears to get the necessary performance. This was counter intuitive in the day to many drivers who were graduating from cars that would pull top gear comfortably at 25mph!
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1964 Volvo PV544
1957 Austin A55 Mk 1
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alastairq



Joined: 14 Oct 2016
Posts: 1950
Location: East Yorkshire

PostPosted: Thu Jul 29, 2021 5:37 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
from cars that would pull top gear comfortably at 25mph!


Blimey! As fast as that?
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Dellow Mk2, 1951 built, reg 1952.
Fiat 126 BIS
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Ray White



Joined: 02 Dec 2014
Posts: 6282
Location: Derby

PostPosted: Thu Jul 29, 2021 7:38 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I mentioned the Corsair. Dad had a 2 door 1500GT.
I loved it. A clean, white example with black interior. The unique front and back corners were joined by a neat chrome strip down the sides; something the V4 lacked.

My brother took it on and not being mechanical minded ran it into the ground. I don't blame him; they were just another old Ford back then.

These days, however, a genuine 1500 GT Corsair is one of the rarest cars in the World.
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peter scott



Joined: 18 Dec 2007
Posts: 7113
Location: Edinburgh

PostPosted: Thu Jul 29, 2021 8:31 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Ray White wrote:
I mentioned the Corsair. Dad had a 2 door 1500GT.


A mini Thunderbird.
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old iron



Joined: 22 Mar 2016
Posts: 185

PostPosted: Thu Jul 29, 2021 10:02 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks for replies chaps, not the best engine to find its way from the Ford factory then. Still I expect one that been looked after can still plod about harmlessly.
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Ray White



Joined: 02 Dec 2014
Posts: 6282
Location: Derby

PostPosted: Thu Jul 29, 2021 10:19 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

There may be an irony in that the petrol we use these days may require you to retard the ignition... which should enable the V4 to run more smoothly.

Smile
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V8 Nutter



Joined: 27 Aug 2012
Posts: 587

PostPosted: Fri Jul 30, 2021 8:33 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Re-built lots of those back in the day, not the smoothest engine, but went well with lots of revs. They did have a tendency to to strip the teeth off the fibre timing gear. I was called out several times after re-grinding a crankshaft. "This cranks no good. It only does have a turn and locks up". The MECHANICS hadn't realised the balance shaft had to be timed in.
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lowdrag



Joined: 10 Apr 2009
Posts: 1585
Location: Le Mans

PostPosted: Fri Jul 30, 2021 10:39 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I only drove a V4 once, and it was like a bag of nails. The whole engineering concept seemed wrong from the start, and the engine was inherently out of balance. IIRC very little torque from 4x500cc cylinders either. Can you still get spares for them? They didn't seem to be around for long.
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old iron



Joined: 22 Mar 2016
Posts: 185

PostPosted: Fri Jul 30, 2021 11:25 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

It’s one of those conundrums perhaps, keep the vehicle as factory or go for an upgrade when the old engine expires.
It’s hypothetical for me as I need to find a buyer for my outgoing car and caravan before committing.
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Kenham



Joined: 12 Mar 2012
Posts: 209
Location: Kent

PostPosted: Fri Jul 30, 2021 1:34 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I had a few of the V4's, not the best engine Ford ever made. They were ok when running well but if ever they got just a little too hot then problems were never ending. I was quite quick at changing heads and gaskets by the time I finished with them. Another quirk was the stripped the hexagonal drive shaft to the distributor. If I was thinking of a Transit now i would fit the Essex V6 engine , lovely engine but of course you would need the diesel front grill, that makes a transit a joy to drive.
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Ray White



Joined: 02 Dec 2014
Posts: 6282
Location: Derby

PostPosted: Fri Jul 30, 2021 2:47 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Kenham wrote:
.....If I was thinking of a Transit now i would fit the Essex V6 engine , lovely engine ....


The only way is Essex! Embarassed
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alastairq



Joined: 14 Oct 2016
Posts: 1950
Location: East Yorkshire

PostPosted: Fri Jul 30, 2021 3:04 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Bogg Brothers, of East Lutton, not far from me...fabricators of [inlet] manifolds to suit any application [first started with bike carbs on allsorts]...Sons to David Bogg, who ran a rolling road and garage in the village...famous for tuning all sorts, especially old or vintage cars...
Anyway, I digress...old man David had a beavertail Mk1 Ford Transit for recovery purposes, carting grey Fergies, etc...This has a diesel front end and a 3.1 Essex V6 under the front. the chassis was extended [by David]...I think he'd like a V8, even at his age....Anyway, certainly sounds the part!
I looked for pix on the net, thus far unsuccessfully.
_________________
Dellow Mk2, 1951 built, reg 1952.
Fiat 126 BIS
Cannon special [1996 registered. Built in 1950's]
----------------------------------------------
Ford Pop chassis, Ashley 1172 bodyshell, in pieces.
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