Picture Of XR2 Cars

The XR2's engine is a rare beast in the crossflow family, with a shorter crank to bring the flywheel and clutch assembly closer to the block, a different water pump and, of course, no side mounts as it's a FWD. So if your original unit is missing or scrap, ensure any replacement is a genuine 1600 XR2 item.

As said, the XR2 Cars in standard form already had great handling and braking, so there's scope for engine improvements before any safety imperatives force precious cash to be spent elsewhere.

The starting point for engine work is to get the breathing better. First of all, replace the original air filter with a complete K&N unit, bolt on an Ashley four-branch manifold and performance exhaust and go to a rolling road to sort the carb jetting. This should gain between 8 and 15 bhp depending on the health of the original motor. Ditch the Ford electronic ignition system if the dizzy s looking old, spot-on sparking from the likes of Lumenition or Aldon will be needed for higher mods.