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Awesome change!

What is the engine?
Valve/Cam? cover seems unusually flat.

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It looks like a Ford CVH, used in Escorts and such. People sometimes refer to it as "considerable vibration and harshness", though I've never driven a car with one, so I can't comment.

What an unusual valve cover - almost looks like they took the oil pan and just flipped it over!

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It is indeed a CVH. And although I can't comment on any harshness or vibration, throttle response is brilliant, and it pulls hard to redline.

The valve cover has been recoated with black 'crinkle' paint. The original silver paint finish was in pretty rough shape.

It's currently fitted with the OEM hydraulic cam..... however I have plans to replace it with a hotter solid lifter cam which should wake it up a bit.

So it's not an unusual engine, just one I had not seen before as I so rarely look at anything made after about 1980.
Obviously runs on carbs and appears to have a conventional distributor - WIN!
Now I'm curious how tall it is, I expect it's fairly short since there is no bulge in your bonnet.
Seems to be an 80's engine so may be readily available in wreckers but not at low mileage.

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If I must be a one-man PC free zone, so be it!

I believe they were set-up to run on fuel-injection around 1992-3? Plus, there are CVH's that were factory configured for turbo.

If you would like me to measure the engine height, please let me know which points you would like me to take the measurements taken from?

Bottom of pan to highest point at the top that cannot easily be shortened.
Thanks, I'm guessing these replace the SOHC 2.0 Pinto.
Would be handy if they use the Pinto bell housing bolt pattern.

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If I must be a one-man PC free zone, so be it!

OK, the engine measures 23-inches in height.....measured from the lowest point on the oil pan, to the top of the valve cover. You could shave 1-inch off the front of the valve cover (vent line connection area) if you had to.

There's a good tutorial (and parts supply) on the CVH here:

http://www.burtonpower.com/tuning-guide ... guide.html