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Thread: What's the deal with 1300 pinto heads??

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    What's the deal with 1300 pinto heads??

    I'm going to be swapping the engine out in my Mk1 Capri which currently has a 1300 pinto engine in it.

    Before I go and do something daft like weigh it in and get it turned into razor blades...

    Is there any truth in the stories I've read that these 1300 pinto heads actually are good for something. If something decent can be done with it then for sure I'd like to hang on to it.

    Ive read lots of things like...

    it has small ports so can be modified to flow better than an injection head.

    it can be bolted on to a larger pinto to up the compression. 1600cc and 2000cc

    Unfortunately no one ever goes into any detail about it. They just say if you can ever find one then it's the one to use. Are they speaking sh!te or is there any truth in these stories?

    anyone know what cc the combustion chambers are on a 1300 head? Just to save me the hassle of pulling it of to check.

    Just trying to separate fact from fiction.

    could anything interesting be done with the block and crank?

    Cheers,

    Kev
    Last edited by Kev Ush; 28-04-2017 at 16:18.

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    Re: What's the deal with 1300 pinto heads??

    i heard the same years ago.not sure if it's a lost art or a myth never used one myself.

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    Re: What's the deal with 1300 pinto heads??

    I had my 2.3 Pinto re-built by CTM Engineering (Essex). According to Charlie the 1.3 Pinto head is the one to have for exactly the reasons you mentioned; it has small ports so can be modified to flow better. I just happened to come accross an eBay listing for a complete 1.3 Pinto engine for sale and I went and picked it up like a shot. I paid nex to nothing for it as nobody seemed to want it. I didn't even know there was such a thing as a 1.3 Pinto till Charlie told me. They are apparantly very rare. Charlie done a great job on the engine and it now gives decent power and torque now.

    I have no experience of a Pinto built to similar spec using a 1.6 or 2.0 pinto head so I cannot say quanifiably how much better it is.

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    Re: What's the deal with 1300 pinto heads??

    Certainly not a straight bolt on job as compressionwould astronomical.
    I would think it would take a great deal of work to achieve an advantage over a well ported injection head.
    I notice that the cost of the work done to the 1300 head has not been shared or the power and torque figures.
    A comparison with a raised port head power and cost would be useful

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    Re: What's the deal with 1300 pinto heads??

    Quote Originally Posted by beeRS View Post
    I had my 2.3 Pinto re-built by CTM Engineering (Essex). According to Charlie the 1.3 Pinto head is the one to have for exactly the reasons you mentioned; it has small ports so can be modified to flow better. I just happened to come accross an eBay listing for a complete 1.3 Pinto engine for sale and I went and picked it up like a shot. I paid nex to nothing for it as nobody seemed to want it. I didn't even know there was such a thing as a 1.3 Pinto till Charlie told me. They are apparantly very rare. Charlie done a great job on the engine and it now gives decent power and torque now.

    I have no experience of a Pinto built to similar spec using a 1.6 or 2.0 pinto head so I cannot say quanifiably how much better it is.
    Thanks for the info and it's also good to have a company name that knows what they're doing with them.

    Do you know what your compression is? And what spec the head is valve size etc?

    They are not so rare in France...I've seen a few complete 1300 pintos for sale in local classifieds since I've been in France. In fact for a while it's all I could find when I was looking for a 2L pinto.

    Cheers
    Last edited by Kev Ush; 29-04-2017 at 06:10.

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    Re: What's the deal with 1300 pinto heads??

    We had an awfull lot of 1300 cc Pinto's in Belgium (fuel went up and Taunus / Capri's came with 1.3 Pinto, not so many KENT)

    Sure you can port this heads large enough? I remember they had vey small valves. Port? I can't remember but smaller as the 1600 but not the same shape as the later 1600E

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    Re: What's the deal with 1300 pinto heads??

    Quote Originally Posted by Kev Ush View Post
    Thanks for the info and it's also good to have a company name that knows what they're doing with them.

    Do you know what your compression is? And what spec the head is valve size etc?

    They are not so rare in France...I've seen a few complete 1300 pintos for sale in local classifieds since I've been in France. In fact for a while it's all I could find when I was looking for a 2L pinto.

    Cheers
    I'm not what the compression ratio is, but here is what it says on the CTM invoice...

    "Original Pinto block, Cosworth rods, ARP bolts, heavy duty bearings, gas flowed head to race spec using a 1.3 Sierra casting, 1.750” inlet valve, 1.500” exhaust valve, bronze guides, race springs, bronze cam bearings, unleaded valve seats, dowel & port-match inlet manifold, Piper 285 ultimate road cam (OHCB285), Piper vernier cam pulley, competition gaskets, competition timing belt, ‘Ultra light’ flywheel with ARP bolts"

    If I remember correctly, Charlie said that the 1.3 head had more 'meat' in the castings to work with. I think he said the ports in the 1.6 and 2.0 were too big. Remember - this engine was built for a road car and not for out-and-out power.

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    Re: What's the deal with 1300 pinto heads??


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    Re: What's the deal with 1300 pinto heads??

    Sounds good. Only, can't see any good reason why they use "ultra light" flywheel and Piper BP285. Ultra light flywheel is always a No-No on a Pinto unless it's always used at very high RPM's but the BP285 is not a cam who is going to run into these RPM figures

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    Re: What's the deal with 1300 pinto heads??

    I seem to remember a rally mate ran a really strong 2ltr pinto using a 1300 head and modified std cosworth pistons to get the comp down and a cheap strong forged bottom end. I have seen a head and it had a high downward port angle. Looked a good starting point to me.

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