Formula...Fit?

[emjaya]

Honda might have scrapped its F1 programme, but that doesn’t mean it has given up on motorsport. As Formula Ford celebrated its 40th anniversary in the US last weekend at Road America, Honda revealed its own take on the venerable open-wheel formula, with a prototype fitted with an engine from a Honda Jazz.

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&f=42&t=725366&mid=0&nmt=RE


http://www.gordonkirby.com/categories/columns/theway/2009/the_way_it_is_no194.html


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[Michaelhatesfans]

I'm only surprised that it took them this long to figure it out. Datsun got a lot more bang for the buck racing 510s than Honda ever did with it's billion dollar F1 program.

[pchall]

Nice idea. If the SCCA approves it I'd hope Cosworth would step in with a Duratech 1600 to keep the Ford name in the game.

[Napoleon]

I scanned through the articles and although it seems implicit in some of the discussion they don't really say if the engine is a sealed unit that you would have to get from one prep shop (or licensed prep shops).

As it stands you could theoretically pull and engine from a Pinto in a bone yard and build your own engine instead of having to buy a factory prepped unit.

BTW, the one article mentions the 40th FF anniversary weekend. My brother drove the 40th FV weekend at Road America. The main event was a race with something like 114 cars in it.

[patski]

I scanned through the articles and although it seems implicit in some of the discussion they don't really say if the engine is a sealed unit that you would have to get from one prep shop (or licensed prep shops).

As it stands you could theoretically pull and engine from a Pinto in a bone yard and build your own engine instead of having to buy a factory prepped unit.

BTW, the one article mentions the 40th FF anniversary weekend. My brother drove the 40th FV weekend at Road America. The main event was a race with something like 114 cars in it.

Wish I could have been there.

[grungex]

My buddy drove in it, said the track was too stupidly crowded for words. He still doesn't know where he placed. :shakehead

[opinionated ow]

Formula Ford in the UK, Europe and Australia has moved on from the old donk and we're now all running Duratec 1600 engines-out of the Ford Fiesta. And at least in Aus (and therefore more than likely in the UK and Europe) they're not sealed units.

[emjaya]

Ford fights back

http://www.ford.com/about-ford/news-announcements/press-releases/press-releases-detail/pr-legendary-kent-formula-ford-engine-31216


Ford is to throw a lifeline to thousands of historic Formula Ford racers worldwide thanks to a decision to put the legendary 'Kent' engine block back into production. Engineering work has already begun at Ford Racing’s Performance Parts division in the USA, with sales scheduled to start in 2010

:saywhat:

[Napoleon]

Wow.

[cameraman]

I'm not sure they are "fighting back". Sounds more like they have finally recognized an long-existing market for Kent engines.

[Napoleon]

I'm not sure they are "fighting back". Sounds more like they have finally recognized an long-existing market for Kent engines.

You also have to wonder with the economy in the toilet whether this is a project that does not otherwise meet Fords ROI requirements, but because of a slack in demand and assuming Ford's bean counters can at least project it will break even and keep people working that they may otherwise have to lay off Ford decided to do this project at this time.

[Easy]

The SCCA did approve the Honda engine for Formula Ford which will now be officially referred to as Formula F.

[stroker]

I love it.

Ford and Honda go head to head in an entry level series but we can't get two manufacturers in the "pinnacle" of AOW.

Jeebus.

Just another reason to go get my drunk on.