Cheers alistair i think your right. Im looking at 2 options now,

1. 1800 zetec on carbs, theres enough carbs around to make a good conversion. Probably a cracking project with a good result, i think something i would be happy with.

2. Take on a 1.8 petrol mondeo as a donor car and take everything, including keys, dash clocks, ecu and full loom. Have a lengthy fight with the loom trying to minimise duplicate wires, have another lengthy fight with the inlet manifold... Probably fit the mondeo ignition barrel and dash clocks... Thinking about it sounds easy but my head is bursting. On the downside theres way more work including customising and trial and error, i don't think lamda's can be cut out. On the upside there are many learning opprtunities, theres obdII, theres an efficient, economic result.

If there was a 3. It would be throttle bodies, i think carbs can offer alot on this comparison.

Whats folks thoughts on option 2 above?

Appreciate the advice its all taken on board as it should be.