Escort mk2 - unleaded?

[Tubb]

Just bought a nice un-molested '79 Escort, but can anyone tell me if its OK to use unleaded petrol?
Its an 1100 Crossflow motor.
Cheers

[Hooli]

No, but it'll probably be ok due to lead memory. I had a 1.3 that got driven by a typical 17 year old when 4star vanished & that never died from valve problems. It did die from standing on the boot, then landing on the roof, but it run ok afterwards

[S0 What]

It'll last ok for a while but TBH it depends on the use, lots of motorway work will recess the valves quicker than a quick trip to the shops every day, heat pluss hard use it what does em in quick.
Personly i'd just wip the head off and have new Ex valve seats put in, it can be done for under £100 if you do the stripping yourself and just drop a bare head off at the machine shop, if your gonna drop in another engine at some later date i wouldn't bother, just enjoy and wait till it starts missing a bit on idle then get the seats done

[boyse7en]

I used to put lead substitute in my Mini and pinto-engined Tiger.

Think it was Millers, but my memory might be wrong.