To drive a 1600 has it's up sides. You really do sit back and enjoy the journey as there's bugger all else you can do.
In fairness providing the roads are relatively clear it's surprising how small the time difference is over a average journey without motorways of course. My mate left the campsite by Conwy Falls on Sunday the same time we did, he was in his 62 plate Focus St - he got home approx 40 mins quicker over a 100 mile journey. I thought it would have been more - and certainly would have been if we weren't able to maintain a fairly steady 55 all the way back without the need to keep getting up to speed.
You never frustrated stuck behind someone, because you couldn't overtake even if it was a dual carriageway. Slowing down to a crawl up hills is embarrassing though. I don't like to cause a jam.
It was my basic idea. But yes I wouldn't have a clue, the skills, the machinery, the patience with customers wanting silly engines... If one already had a 2l engine in good order it wouldn't cost all that much though, in the scheme of things. £12-1500 parts and Rob's labour?
Soooo ..... Reading between the lines you`ve spent 12k restoring the wrong van .... It`s a 1600 , sit back and enjoy the ( leisurely ) ride
So you could spend £2000 of your hard earned cash to get there a few minutes quicker. What is the point in that? You have a good van with a good stock engine so why mess with it.
Attempting to be polite. That's my business, and I'm pretty sure I'm not alone in desiring a engine that is a little more drivable.
I spent considerably more than that to get there a few minutes quicker. The point you ask? Because I wanted to.
And we're all different but I find it more relaxing being able to keep up with the traffic without thrashing it in every gear.
This is exactly the point...... Riding a torque curve rather than revving out is where I like to be. Even once I've sorted it out with mods or a bigger motor I won't be flying about, just keeping up or there abouts. Personally over 60 in the van feels somewhat scary anyway especially with a gust of wind or two. Crawling up a hill at 25 mph with lorries harassing the back of you however is somewhat different to trickling along at 40mph which is still pretty slow, but acceptable considering many lorries manage the same.
I used to love my stock 1600 but in the end I bit the bullet and got a Subaru and no way would I go back now
Upping your capacity to 1776 and mild reworking of your heads would give you the needed increase in torque The rest of the engine can be kept stock. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
