Ford Anglia 105E

ANGLEBOX AVANTI

Want to add some wizardry to your Anglia without the use of witchcraft?
Sam Skelton shows you how.

If you were a teenager in the 1960s or 1970s, chances are that you’ll have had a Ford Anglia 105E. And if you didn’t, then your best mate, your girlfriend, or your neighbour did. They were ubiquitous amongst the youth, and as such many were modified for better go or better cornering. But the days of V6, V8s and Jaguar back axles are over – such conversions are too expensive to justify the effort, especially given that better, cheaper options are available. Want to learn more? Read on…

BEFORE YOU START

Bodywork is key. Anglias are notorious for sill rot, so check them thoroughly; as a monocoque the sills are integral and key to the shell’s strength. Ditto A-pillars and A-posts, another Anglia trouble spot – and the rear spring hangers get fl aky too. Doors and wings also go, but these Little can touch a modded Anglia still can be replaced. Expressed Steel offer wings (though they’re done to order – you might have a wait) and Deville do repair sections, but a pair of new old stock front wings recently appeared on an internet auction site for £1500. Better, then, to make sure you get a car with good ones!

Bonnets and bootlids rust but they’re not structural, so you needn’t be too worried if they’re not perfect. Time and care can sort these, and replacements are available.

Trim is available but you’ll find some bits easier to get than others. As a rule Deluxe trim is easiest to come by – the rarer Super and base model bits need a longer wait.

HOTTING UP

The oversquare 997cc Kent unit was always good for more than the 39bhp that it offered in standard form – Keith Duckworth of Cosworth was drawing 100bhp from the Formula Junior variant. It grew first to 1340cc for the Ford Classic, before the halfwayhouse 1198cc type was slotted in to the Cortina and Anglia Super.

“One of the most comprehensive ranges of suspension for any classic Ford comes from Milton www. miltonrace.co.uk,” says Neil McCarty of 105Speed. “They cater for the very basic mods from a standard leg disk brake conversion for people just wanting to make their standard cars stop better right through to fully adjustable suspension all round.”

It depends what you’re after. The 997 and 1198cc engines respond well to tuning and arpund 90bhp but you’re not going to better a larger engine. The Weber 28/36 DCD carburettor from the Cortina 1500GT is a worthwhile mod, and the head responds to basic porting work; 1500 valves are a bonus – or for ease you could try to find a full 1500 head to bolt on. Machining 0.080in from the face will up the compression ratio, but there are ways to do this without costly machining. A 997cc head on a 1200 or a 1200 head on a 1340cc equates roughly to a 10:1CR but smaller values. A Cortina GT fourbranch exhaust manifold, hot cam and a GT distributor and petrol pump will see 75bhp from the 1200 which will go nicely. The 1340 engine wasn’t liked due to crankshaft weakness and the best mod was always fitting the 1500 pre-crossfl ow block which goes straight in and bolt on to the existing gearbox too. although the block is 5/8in taller. This engine can easily be taken out to 1650cc for added guts.

Not happy with the Kent engine? Let’s start with period mods. A 1600E spec crossfl ow is your friend. 1600Es have a front-bowl sump; essential to clear the Anglia steering box although you can use a Capri or Escort engine so long as you use a Cortina sump.

Escort suspension sorts this but it’s an involved job to fit because it moves the engine back 2” in the bay so you need to cut the bulkhead to make space for the engine.

It’s not recommended unless you were looking to cut the bulkhead for an engine installation too. Where the crossfl ow will go, you can even fit a Lotus engine – one of the ultimate period mods but costly today, and you’ll need to re-site the battery tray. People have inserted Pintos – not as easy but a lot cheaper – but for the ultimate in updated Anglias, a Zetec engine provides the answer.

There are full conversion kits out there to squeeze a Zetec under the bonnet of your Anglebox – and you needn’t cut the bulkhead to do so. Bolt spacings on Ford bellhousings were identical for over fifty years, meaning that not only will the Type Nine fit the Kent lump but you could run a Zetec through the original gearbox if you weren’t worried about transmission strength!

HANDLING THE POWER

The Corsair 2000E gearbox was popular at the time and is still a good choice for period upgrades. BGH Geartech (www. bghgeartech.co.uk) can supply 2000E gearsets should you want to take this route – and they fit into the standard Anglia Super 1200 casing, although most want the gearbox as it comes with a delightful gearchange.

A swap which has long been popular is the perennial Ford Type Nine – though conversions are costly because of the bellhousing issues. Milton makes an adaptor plate which adapts the original Anglia bellhousing to the Type 9 which helps to reduce the cost, and it means you can retain the hydraulic clutch. as well.

You’ll need a replacement crossmember and mount from Milton, a propshaft and clutch kit from 105Speed and it will require cutting the car. Given that the gearset is similar to a standard 1200 box, a 2000E gearset is a wiser option for fast road use.

The classic solution (pardon the pun) to improve the brakes was discs and struts donated by a Ford Classic. However, with few Classics left some Anglia modders have moved to Mk2 Cortina (or Capri 2.8i) struts but the swap is more involved. Milton Racing will adapt these to modern coilover springs if you so desire. Enterprising folks have adapted Fiesta discs for the back, though this isn’t necessary for most road driving, but do fit larger Anglia 1200 drums.

Modern tyres are another staple addition when hotting up a classic – many will team these with period alloys or wider steels from the Lotus Cortina. Weller remanufactures wider steels in the style of the Lotus, but beware – they need the hubcaps to look right.

Expect to pay £350-400 for a set of genuine Lotus wheels in good condition but without tyres – Wellers are cheaper at £76 apiece new. Some rims may need spacers to fit. We spoke to Neil McCarty at 105Speed for advice on the suspension, and he had a few choice recommendations for any performance Anglia, road or track. “Front struts with disc brakes and coilovers if you want to lower the car are crucial, and I’d look at adjustable track control arms to keep camber in check. Look at modified steering arms to ensure lock-to-lock and steering speed are restored, and off set top mounts to ensure camber and caster are well suited to a fast road car. Polybush kits are always a wise idea, and I’d be looking at a rear telescopic shock absorber conversion to finish up. There’s always more to do, but this is a good start.”

Adjustable strut top mounts and rack and pinion conversion kits are available if you want to go further – an addtional anti roll bar clamps to the original to reduce understeer is an old mod. Anti tramp bars are needed at the rear along with stiffer rear springs (estate and van types are uprated already). Back in the 1960s Broadspeed devised a Watts linkage similar to an Aston DB5 to keep the rear axle (where ratios od 6.1:1 to 3.3:1 are available) in further check.