The engine has been "tickled" by OAP race engines(01342844566) - it's 2.1 litres with forged pistons and a fully lightened and balanced bottom end. Top end it remains standard for the minute, (although camshafts are definitely in the pipeline), running a mildly ported head and SBD's (0208 391 0121) fantastic tapered throttle body kit. I am very much into my naturally aspirated power, and love the response and drivability that the throttle bodies give you.. oh yeah and the noise, I love the noise!

There are a few bits and bobs that I want to get sorted though. It runs a lowered rack mount crossmember and it suffers badly from bump steer, so I need to have a look at that. the brakes are good, but I can't help but feel they could do with beefing up.

The Test Engine
The engine we're conducting this test on is Mr Morley's, as fitted in his Mk1 Escort van. It's fairly typical of an XE fitted to an old-skool Ford, because the standard injection system has been binned as has the dizzy (yes, we know you can move the dizzy to the front of the engine, but most people get rid). The spec of the engine is as follows: bored to 2.1-litres, lightened and balanced crank and rods, ARP rod bolts, Accralite 11:1 compression pistons, SBD/Jenvey 45mm tapered throttle bodies, MBE engine management, Vauxhall Astra GTE 16v fuel injectors and fuel pump, SBD Clubman exhaust manifold, home made exhaust system. It's quite a simple setup and not overly difficult or expensive to achieve, but what if you XE isn't quite as modified as this one? Read on….

Operator's comments
"As expected really - a smooth graph with no real negative points but nothing to write home about. The engine could definitely be made to come alive with different cams I reckon."

Owner's Comments
"The first thing I noticed after the cams were fitted was the increased induction noise when revved. This inspired me with confidence as it sounded like the engine was working harder. Behind the wheel this hunch was proved right - on full throttle the engine has really woken up. Before, the car would run out of steam at high revs, now it just keeps pulling and you can really feel it come 'on cam'. On the road I didn't really notice a difference in low-down grunt, so I'm very pleased from a driving perspective!

Operator's comments
"They work! You can see the extra power they make, but I'd bet that with a remap you'd see even more throughout the mid range as well a better, smoother torque curve."

SBD also reckons that the cams and indeed the whole engine, are being held back by the 4-2-1 'Clubman' style exhaust manifold (1.75" primaries, 2" secondaries and 2.5" outlet). SBD's advice is that one of its high-spec 4-2-1 manifolds with 1 7/8" primaries, 2 1/8" secondaries and 2.5" outlet would really enable the cams to work and would help them to improve the torque as well as the power.

Overall this really is a lesson in specing the parts of your engine to work in harmony with each other - your inlet and exhaust have got to be sorted if you want to get the best from theses sticks. Saying that, on the road, Ben didn't notice the drop off in torque but really did notice the big difference in how that car pulled and pulled to the redline…he had so much fun he nearly puked! So it's horses for courses, but there's not denying these cams add a big dollop of power an bring the engine to life.. a little bit of fine-tuning and you'd see the torque come back (like I said, watch our for this in Ben's project car page next month) and end up with an all-round stonking engine.

Ben had his car mapped at Track 'n' Road as reported in Retro Ford August 2006

"I owe a huge thanks, not only to Steve Broughton, but to Steve Pitcher and Steve Greenald at Track 'n' Road. With years of experience behind them, these guys really know what's right for you car. Their single roller system is accurate to within 1%, and after seeing a video of an F1 car on a power run, it can handle big power too. So whether you need a power run, your carbs balancing or a full 3D map, give these guys a call!"

It was meant to be so easy…Just take the van to Track 'n' Road in Essex and get the engine management re-mapped by Steve Broughton of SB Developments, Steve Greenald and Steve Pitcher: if nothing else it was going to be easy to remember names! I headed round the M25, sat in the usual traffic for the best part of half an hour and had to pay £1.80 to go though the Dartford Toll (because it's a van). The pain of the traffic and the extortionate road tolls soon faded after a brief, but nonetheless exciting, full throttle blat through the Dartford Tunnel - Induction noise + long tunnel = big smile.

When I got to T&R, the three Steves set to work, for all of five minutes, until they discovered that the throttle linkage was still no good. I still wasn't getting full throttle and thanks to the design of the Bias pedal box, the cable was at a bad angle and slowly cutting its way through the bulkhead. The guys at T&R really came through for me though, they spent a good few hours making up a new throttle linkage. Before the old girl even saw a power run, the feel of the throttle was totally different. Then it was on to being 3D mapped, using Steve Broughton's new closed loop mapping system. The van really went through its paces on Track 'n' Road's unique single roller system, and when finished it was a totally different drive.

The beauty of 3D mapping is that you can pinpoint any throttle position at any point in the rev range and adjust the ignition timing and fuelling to suit. This means that you rally can get the most out of the engine. The difference from before to after was black and white: the power delivery was totally transformed. The throttle was so much more responsive and it pulled so much stronger from any point in the rev range. The only problem now is that my power is really been restricted by the exhaust manifold and system that I am running - all three Steves were confident that I should see s significant gain in both power an torque if I get myself a 'proper' exhaust; so that is next on the shopping list. But for the time being at least, the van has really come alive, and to anyone that is considering putting an XE in their retro Ford, I can't recommend SBD's tapered throttle body kit nearly enough.