John, Iain and all,
My brother spent a good number of years working for Ford in the engine
building area (foundry chemistry). I forwarded your question and comment
about the Essex engine to him and this is his reply....
Gary
1991 +8
Grafton, OH
He writes:
Here is what I know about the Essex 3.8L engine. Back in the early 1980's
Ford built a nice new engine plant in Essex county, Ontario Canada. It is
approximately on the city limits of Windsor. For the next ten years if you
bought a Ford product and it had a 3.0 L V6 engine it was built in Lima Ohio.
If it had a 3.8L V6 it was probably built in the Essex engine plant. This
was in the days of cast iron cylinder blocks with aluminum heads.
It was a strong, heavy engine compared to the current crop but as I remember
the mileage was not much better than the V-8. It had various configurations
over the years and at various times was rearwheel drive and then both front
and rear wheel.
At 05:49 PM 7/22/99 -0400, you wrote:
>I received the following post a few days ago.
>
>-----------
>
>At 07:53 AM 7/20/99 -0500, you wrote:
>>
>>Hi.
>>
>>I have often wondered whether the essex V6 is related to the windsor
>>smallblock V8 (or any other). Even the rocker covers are the same
>>shape. Where was the essex designed? Was the Essex used much in the
>>US? If you have time perhaps you would let me know. Ps, I liked your
>>kent information.: I have always liked those.
>
>
>Iain,
>
> Unfortunately I don't know the answers to your question. The info I
>have on the Kent eng was provided by one of the major companies that
>supports the Formula Ford racing in this country.
>
>I couldn't find much on the Essex engine. The following is the only
>real reference I found on the NET other than the article my page:
>
>http://www.niagara.com/~bevc/caprius8.htm
>
>The ancient inline six was replaced by an all new 3.8 liter, 90 degree even
>fire V-6, rather confusingly called the "Essex" V-6. Despite the name this
>engine was in no way related to the British 3.0 liter, 60 degree V-6 that
>was used in European Capris for many years; it was an entirely new design,
>and actually had more in common with Ford's "Windsor" and "Cleveland" V-8s
>than with the British V-6. The 3.8 V-6 had many features that suggested real
>performance potential, but during the period it was used in the Capri it was
>strictly an economy engine. In its initial form the 3.8 was equipped with a
>2 bbl. carburetor, and produced 105 HP. It was invariably mated to a Ford C5
>automatic transmission.
>
>---------------
>
>Can anyone shed any more light (history) on this eng. than the quote I
>have?
>
>
>John
>
>John T. Blair WA4OHZ email: jblair@exis.net
>Va. Beach, Va Phone: (757) 495-8229
>
> 48 TR1800 65 Morgan 4/4 Series V (B1109)
>71 Saab Sonett III (71500840) 75 Bricklin SV1 (0887) 77 Spitfire
>
>Morgan: www.team.net/www/morgan
>Bricklin: www.bricklin.org
>
>
>
>
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