Okay, my wife has a 97 ford escort sport (2.0 sohc) and i want to add some "Umph" to it but I'm an old school mechanic and I need some help finding some web sites or some help info for this style engine.

 

Nitrous oxide or a turbo/super charger. Or, jack up the radiator cap, and slide a mustang 5.0 underneat it.. Okeydokey, you don't like that idea. The only two things i can think of I have already mentioned. I think there was an Escort GT, that had a turbo Mazda engine... but it would be old.
good luck
tom