Originally Posted by
driftwood
I have just read thru the last 7 pages of posts comments view
Here is my $1.50 worth
Formula Ford is alive around the world in various guises in Historics classes and modern car design cut off dates classes in different countries.
Here in the "motherland" we still run FFord to the letter of the rules set out donkeys years ago
Kent engines as per the original rules ( USA has alloy heads different pistons flywheels and cranks) we can now use the Scat crank
Dampers and wheels are steel Usa has modified this rule
Dampers are 2 way units at most
Tyres are still a treaded tyre not slick
we have avon ACB10 for modern FFord and softer ACB9 with the old dunlop tread pattern for classic & Historic FFord
FYI Historic is pre 72
Classic is 73pre 82 ie rocker suspension
We have Pre 90 Fford
then the regional championships are headed by Vd 90-92 type cars and VD2000 zetec conversions with later 06 ish Rays VD cars converted from Zetec Duratec cars
However some of these cars become expensive to convert to Kent spec as the donor car has alloy dampers alloy callipers ( need to often change uprights radial calipre need lug mounted uprights) alloy wheels engine cover
Most people opt for VD 99-01 car as easiest car to convert for Zetec
Kent FFord in UK ran to 92 and in 93 we had the Dreadful Zetec car and class B Fford was kent engine and Swift built 93 kent car VD didnt bother
In 2003 ish? Ford introduced the Duratec motor but the grids where not good and even the zetec B class didnt bolster things but a lot of this was down to the inept way Ford dictated things and the crass management/organiser involved
Then in 2012 Ford in their infinate wisdom brought out the Eco bosst motor ran car less wings and it flopped
Now they have wings on it and it will have double figure grids but sill a poorly managed promoted championship with high budgets
IMHO IF NZ wants a stepping stone category from karting to F Toyota then look at running 2 year old Duratec cars from Pomland or dig in and sort Kent out in NZ by getting techy with cars
1 steel dampers 1 way or 2 way at most ( maybe nominate damper supplier)
2 weight limit in UK is 420 kg for car 505 car driver
3 ban data logger allow digital dash rpm oil water lap timer but no other sensors
4 Tyres what do u run? our avons now have bar code on them so easy for Techy to bar code tyres so make it 4 new tyres for 3 rounds and allow 1 front 1 rear used as spare/accident damage puncture
this way you can keep tabs on what guys are spending
5 Kent engine parts are getting harder to source for rebuild few issue with pistons and relinering costs heaps
so maybe allow plus 20 though type over bore but add weight to car to compensate for possible extra power the over bore gives versus the £500 relinering cost we have here
Regarding new cars
who needs new car?
Plenty of VD90-92 cars around few Stealths from 93-98 era you have Vd99-02 cars there just get on and get them out of the shed and run them
If precious little Johnny cannot better the times set by Stitchbury Kenny etc etc who drove them 5 10 20 years ago then they aint really trying
We have great FFord Festival for Kents and the Walter Hayes Trophy meeting and numerous local championships running the cars of all different ages
As for combining grids of different year cars ie modern and classic/Historic FFords just get set up some classes with some incentives ie best novice prize /highest u the grid older car etc offer free tyres fuel race entry ferry crossing to encourage grid swelling by finding some donor sponsors
Each year a newer Fford has gone 1-2 tenths alap quicker not leaps n bounds so a 2001 car is only going to be 1.5-2 seconds a lap quicker than a 76 car
In the old days at Brands hatch the pro FFord lap record was set in 85 by Johnny herbert 47.4 the club series guys in champ of brands managed 48.5 as best time circa 93 ish
Jan Magnusson left the record in 92 a tad quicker
Today the circuit has been changed and is slower
Kent record was set in 2011 at the festival @ 49.95 in a Vd2k and the Champ of Brands runners are doing 50.3/4 ish in similar age car
The VD80 car in classic FFord is doing 51.8 ish and Historic cars are 52.1/2
FFord is a great class it does not need new engine it does not need new chassis it does not need 1 make chassis engine either
It needs promoting ( ignore FoMoCo they are a holes) from within NZ on north and south island let them have own "national" championship then have 2 festivals rotating each year to different tracks at the same date each year on each island then get everyone down for heats final to determine who is the best.
In the UK we have Irish series runners Scotland and england and the festival and WHT brings everyone together to see who is top dog
USA and Canada also send over their top drivers to these 2 events
France runs pre 94 cars as they see Kent as it ran up to Zetec cars
Germany was pre 93 until this year
now they allow pre 02 cars to race
I run VD2k i have just bought a VD90 to rebuild and i have Alexis 71 car to restore to race this year
I have 84 Mondiale semi restored ( allegedly eddie irvine car)
I am also in middle of buying another historic car that I will bring down to your January festival to race and you will be excited to see it run in its original drivers livery
I also race modern F3 cars and i enjoy driving my VD2 k as much as my dallara
Remember these dads with karting sons are spending la la money in karting anyway in UK USA EEC and NZ and its been like that for 40 years so let the front runners spend the $ just encourage the rest to come out and race fill the grid and have someone else to dice with after all If Kenny is still racing FFord what does that tell you?
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