BDA engine (and car) with a twist

[Miniliteman]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/254560155001

Some "strange" (as in non-std) things about this engine but also car.
What are they??

[alancdavis]

Odd spot for the dizzy

[Tony B.]

ZF Gearbox Mount ?

No front ARB ?

[biz]

Never seen a belt driven distributor like that before. Also those strange links from the TCAs to the chassis legs. Things must have changed a lot on Escorts since my day!

[loydpg]

Compression struts, explains why no anti-rollbar. A common fitment for works competition cars, seen more on stage rally cars, my mates ex-works Escort has them.

I have seen belt driven dizzys on BDA engines in some historic F2/F3 single seater race cars.

[katana]

All of the John Wilcox BD series engines that have distributors have them mounted in the regular place in the block. There are two versions of belt driven mechanical FI - one drives off the cam belt between the pulleys via a cable drive to the rear or this one . . . http://www.wilcoxengines.co.uk/image...h%20border.jpg

The ebay one looks like a bad interpretation and could be faked? Why do it, what does it achieve having the dizzy there?

[alancdavis]

seen them with the injection pump on top of the cam cover

[Miniliteman]

Position and drive of distributor is very odd indeed.
Compression struts are used on a few tarmac cars.
What about the camcover with oilfillercap on a drysump engine.
Anything else?

[Miniliteman]

No dustshield between block and bellhousing (you can see flywheel).

[katana]

Position and drive of distributor is very odd indeed.
Compression struts are used on a few tarmac cars.
What about the camcover with oilfillercap on a drysump engine.
No dustshield between block and bellhousing (you can see flywheel).
Anything else?

I can't see a problem with oil cap - putting a gallon of oil in the engine pre cranking is no bad thing - better than cranking for 30 - 1 minute to move oil from the boot to the cam bearings. Lots of cars have no dirt shield - not recommended but not unusual?
Thing is its sort of all there just in unusual places / order - enough to risk £15k on though?

[katana]

On a 2nd look - the open bellhousing / dirt / gravel scoop doesn't look like a good idea! The dry sump, sump isn't doing it any favours either in the protection stakes!

[alancdavis]

Position and drive of distributor is very odd indeed.
Compression struts are used on a few tarmac cars.
What about the camcover with oilfillercap on a drysump engine.
Anything else?

I think the early BD engines had this type of cam cover

[alancdavis]

No dustshield between block and bellhousing (you can see flywheel).

I have never had a car with said plate but there again the sump gaurd went back enough to cover the scoop

[Miniliteman]

I think the early BD engines had this type of cam cover

Engines with wet sump have a fillercap on camcover, dry sump engines normally have this opening welded shut or don't have it at all.

Did you see the lowering blocks for the x-member, so that it clears the sump?

[biz]

I have never had a car with said plate but there again the sump guard went back enough to cover the scoop

I never had a car without the plate! Stone getting in there and jamming the clutch wouldn't be fun.