I think that a well engineered Zetec Plus 2 is a fabulous car, but there is a very good reason that Spyder charge ?30,000 for the completed machine.
Firstly, would you just put a 2nd hand zetec engine in without checking it? It’s a 16 valve twincam after all, and to strip, inspect and rebuild will cost as much as doing a twink engine.
There are many parts required to convert it from front wheel drive east-west to rear wheel drive north south, and you’ll need a decent 5 speed gearbox as well. And an appropriate propshaft.
Your fuel tank will need modifying for the return, and a swirl pot added. The wiring for the electric fuel pump and engine management system has to be added, and the extra load on the existing wiring loom taken into account. A new fully protected multi-fuse and multi-relay loom is the only safe (and reliable) option.
A new chassis, or modifications to the vacuum chamber & engine mounts will be required for the taller engine to fit. And then there are considerations for the radiator, exhaust system and probably a hundred other smaller jobs.
If you’re going that route for higher performance and reliability, then perhaps the braking system and the suspension should be enhanced with Spyders excellent products as well.
As Mike says, it’s a big job, and not just a ‘simple’ nut and bolt rebuild that a standard specification restoration requires.
I’ve seen a few that have been done cheaply, with tired engines and bodged electrics. They are horrible to drive, and one in particular was not far off catching fire…the old patched-up loom was running hot, the fuel delivery was cutting in and out, the exhaust was banging on the bodywork and the engine started to overheat…and the owner had spent over ?5000 on that car as well as a couple of hundred hours work. And it still looks like a shed as it needs repainting and re-upholstering.
I really don’t think that zetec engines are being put into Plus 2s because it will create a modern, daily driving car. It’s much more likely that it’s the fun and challenge of doing such a project, much like restoring any old car to original perfection. Surely if they were to be a replacement for a modern sports car, you’d also want anti-lock brakes, air bags and all the anti - slide and stability gismos that come with a new Mazda, Honda and BM? Not to mention a bit of side and roll-over protection.
Mark