Classic Ford Pinto Engine

The Ford Pinto was an unofficial name that stuck, for the range of inline 4-cylinder engines, launched by Ford in 1970. The name came from the successful Ford Pinto vehicle in the US, that used the engine range. All engines were of a cast iron cylinder head and block, and feature a belt driven overhead camshaft, with two valves per cylinder. Available in the UK market with a range of displacements from 1.3 through to 2.0 litres, it featured in numerous ubiquitous Ford models from the mk1 Escort through to the Granada Scorpio, and also the Transit van.

Perhaps the most well known use of the engine was in the Escort RS2000. In standard 2 litre form the engine produced just over 100bhp, and benefits from a broad torque curve, giving the lightweight Escort excellent performance figures for its time. Also the Pinto formed the basis of the renowned Cosworth YB engine used in the Sierra RS Cosworth, and subsequent models, where a Cosworth developed alloy twin-cam head and Garrett turbocharger delivered some serious power.

In the world of motorsport, the Pinto was chosen for Formula Ford 2000, a single seater category conceived to bridge the gap between FF1600 and Formula 3. It has seen many drivers in this category go on to successful single seater careers, including a number of F1 world champions. The Pinto’s success in rallying was unrivalled in era, with the Escort RS2000 building Fords reputation in rally, and delivering multiple world championships.

Scholar Pinto Engines

Following on from the Kent, Scholar have been building Pinto engines since their early introduction – from race and rally engines, to standard classic Ford road cars, and all the other vehicles the Pinto has featured, including kit cars and light commercials.

Our experience and continued development of the Ford Pinto engine means you can benefit from increased performance and better durability, with an engine built to your required specifications. We have a wide range of quality proven parts which, along with our in-house reworked components, precision machining and accurate assembly, combine to mean our Ford Pinto engines are built to the highest level of detail.

All engines can be dyno tested and engine break-in/running-in carried out to ensure that you get the best from your build before it heads for your intended use.

Based on your requirements, our Ford Pinto engines can feature:

• Typical power outputs range from standard 100bhp to 180+bhp
• Carburettor or fuel injected configurations
• Ported, Gas-Flowed Cylinder Heads
• Rebore up to 2100cc
• New or good used parts stock including blocks, cylinder heads, cams, etc.

Popular Pinto engine applications:

• Popular in many classic Ford models including Escort RS2000, Capri, Sierra, Granada, Transit
• Formula Ford 2000 & Sport 2000
• Kit Car applications
• Escort rally car