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Timothy Amey's 1974 TR-6 with Ford SVT 2.0L DOHC/16v Engine

Timothy Amey · 1974 Triumph TR-6

Triumph TR6

britishv8.org

Read the full write-up at britishv8.org ↗

Photo: britishv8.org

1974 Triumph TR-6 rebuilt with a supercharged Ford SVT 2.0L DOHC four

Timothy Amey and Tri-C Engineering swapped a Ford SVT Focus 2.0L DOHC 16v engine, supercharged and fitted with a modern direct ignition system, into a 1974 TR-6. The build required custom motor mounts, a modified front crossmember, and a rebuilt Borg-Warner T5 gearbox, alongside a full interior refresh and a Vintage Air climate system. It is a rare example of a rear-drive conversion for an engine originally built for front-wheel-drive use, sourced from a wrecked low-mileage donor car.

Specs

As the owner states it.

Engine
Ford SVT 2.0L 16v DOHC inline four, with Jackson/Eaton Rootes-type supercharger and Simple Digital Systems direct ignition
Exhaust
stock SVT header
Cooling
Griffin aluminum crossflow radiator, large electric fan, aluminum sheetmetal fan shroud
Transmission
Borg-Warner T5 (Ford pattern), rebuilt by Boxes N Gear, with Clutch Masters single mass clutch, McLoed hydraulic throw-out bearing, and Wenco driveshaft
Rear axle
stock
Suspension
stock (front and rear)
Chassis
minor frame adjustment moving a lateral brace for engine clearance
Body/Interior
new trim panels, carpet, and plinth; four pull levers replaced with rotary air conditioning controls; Vintage Air air conditioning system
Electrical
Toyota alternator

Parts used

What the owner names in the write-up, grouped the way the Parts page groups them. Where one of the shops we index lists the same thing for this car, it is shown underneath with a link to the shop.

Engine 2

  • Ford SVT 2.0L DOHC 16v inline fourFord SVT

    donor engine for the swap, sourced from a wrecked low mileage SVT Focus

  • Jackson/Eaton Rootes-type superchargerJackson / Eaton

    forced induction added to the engine

Fuel & Ignition 2

  • Simple Digital Systems direct ignition systemSimple Digital Systems

    replaced distributor-based ignition

  • stock SVT header

    retained from the donor engine for exhaust

Cooling 3

Gearbox & Drivetrain 4

Interior 1

  • Vintage Air air conditioning systemVintage Air

    installed with new rotary controls in place of original pull levers

Electrical 1

  • Toyota alternatorToyota

    fitted to supply the car's electrical system

Other 1

  • engine conversion serviceTri-C Engineering

    performed the full engine swap and fabrication work

Photos

All 27 pictures in the write-up, in the order they were posted, shown from britishv8.org. A picture opens larger here, with the way through to the page it is on.

Timothy Amey's 1974 TR-6 is Powered by a Ford SVT 2.0L 16v DOHC EnginePhoto: britishv8.org
Supercharged Ford SVT enginePhoto: britishv8.org
Jackson Racing superchargerPhoto: britishv8.org
modified front crossmemberPhoto: britishv8.org
motor mountsPhoto: britishv8.org
Simple Digital Systems ignition programmerPhoto: britishv8.org
Simple Digital Systems ignition coil installationPhoto: britishv8.org
Toyota alternatorPhoto: britishv8.org
Griffin aluminum radiator, great big fan, and aluminum fan shroudPhoto: britishv8.org
stock SVT headerPhoto: britishv8.org
Clutch Masters single mass clutch systemPhoto: britishv8.org
McLoed hydraulic throw-out bearingPhoto: britishv8.org
Borg-Warner T5 five speedPhoto: britishv8.org
mounting bracket for Borg-Warner T5 transmissionPhoto: britishv8.org
Wenco driveshaftPhoto: britishv8.org
Vintage Air air conditioning condensorPhoto: britishv8.org
Vintage Air under-dashboard climate unitPhoto: britishv8.org
Vintage Air air conditioning blower fanPhoto: britishv8.org
rotary air conditioning controlsPhoto: britishv8.org
this is how the engine arrivedPhoto: britishv8.org
initial installation in the engine bayPhoto: britishv8.org
assessing clearance to the front crossmemberPhoto: britishv8.org
ready to start fabricating motor mountsPhoto: britishv8.org
custom front crossmemberPhoto: britishv8.org
planning the cooling systemPhoto: britishv8.org
fitting a fan shroud and electric cooling fanPhoto: britishv8.org
Donate Now!Photo: britishv8.org

How it was done

Sourcing the engine

The Ford SVT 2.0L DOHC 16v engine was chosen while still available through Ford's crate motor program. Supply dried up quickly once Ford discontinued the program and a midget racing series began using the same engine for rear-drive conversions. Tri-C Engineering eventually found a wrecked, low mileage SVT Focus to use as the donor car for the swap.

Fitting the engine

Getting the transverse-mounted four cylinder into the TR-6 engine bay meant checking clearance against the front crossmember and fabricating new motor mounts. The team also made a minor frame adjustment, moving a lateral brace to make room for the engine's deeper stance, and built a custom front crossmember to suit.

Forced induction and ignition

A Jackson/Eaton Rootes-type supercharger was added to boost the engine, paired with a Simple Digital Systems direct ignition system in place of a distributor. The stock SVT header was retained for the exhaust side.

Cooling the engine

A Griffin aluminum crossflow radiator was fitted along with a large electric fan and a custom aluminum sheetmetal fan shroud, sized to suit the new engine and its higher output.

Drivetrain

Power goes through a Borg-Warner T5 five-speed gearbox in Ford pattern, rebuilt by Boxes N Gear. A Clutch Masters single mass clutch and a McLoed hydraulic throw-out bearing were fitted, connected to the stock rear axle by a Wenco driveshaft.

Interior and climate

The interior received all new trim panels, carpet, and plinth. The original pull levers for heat, blower, and choke were replaced with rotary controls to run a Vintage Air air conditioning system, giving the car modern climate control.

Electrical

A Toyota alternator was fitted to support the car's electrical demands with the new engine and accessories.

A summary in our own words. The full account, with all its detail, is the owner's: read it at britishv8.org ↗

britishv8.org

Read in full on 6 September 2026. The work, the words and the pictures are Timothy Amey’s; this page is a catalogue of them in our own words, and a signpost.

Read the full write-up at britishv8.org ↗

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