Formula Ford
 

I am on the verge of buying a forumula ford to use for autocross. The one I have currently focused on is an 85 Reynard.

FF have a 1.6 kent engine. That was the standard engine in the old Pinto. Hopped up a bit with a two barrell carb they put out about 104 hp and in autocross gearing supposedly will go zero to 60 in about five seconds (prolly with someone lighter than me).

It is a pretty nifty little race car which looks a lot like an Indy car with small wheels and no wings. Every thing you would ever want to is adjustable.

I am pumped.

Sounds like a real kick in the A$$!

The bang for the buck in the Formula Ford and Formula V is quite good. I'm only vaguely familiar with all these classes, but I think what makes the Formula Ford so much better is that you have quite a bit bigger tire patch.

My BIL used to crew chief for a guy in Formula Mazda. The power to weight of these small race cars makes them really fun to drive.

Enjoy and keep us posted.

I'm surprised those engines got "over there" I thought they were strictly European - well it just goes to show - you live and learn.

If you get one put up some pictures please - better still make a video with your camera mounted just next to the front wheel and give it some stick!

These engines were used in the Pinto, the Mustang II and the early Fox bodied Mustangs as well as the small Ford Ranger pickup in the US.

They had a bad reputation which I think was somewhat undeserved. In their early days, we didn't have oil as good as we have today. If oil was not kept changed, it gunked up the camshaft and caused problems. The camlobes were lubed through the center of the camshaft, at least on the early ones.

If they were maintained reasonably, they actually were pretty durable engines for the money.

I agree - though most European Ford engines of that vintage were prone to that familiar camshaft ticking sound that indicated a lack of maintenance... to be fair the same can be said for Opels, Renaults, Citroens, and Audis of that era

Go for it, Tom.

That should be a fun ride, Tom! I had a 1980 Ford Fiesta with the Kent engine that I autocrossed and rallied all through college.

I messed with the engine a bit and it was always a solid performer. I remember buying a spare head at the junk yard so I could port it. One side or the other had a terrible break in the flow that could be smoothed into a "trumpet" like shape.

I used to race CF (Club Ford) in SCCA. I had a '76 Hawke FF that was an absolute blast to race. I never autocrossed, but threw in the 'cross gearset one day for giggles. Neck-snapping acceleration.

From my experience with an obsolete mark of which very few were made, the more common Reynard would be a better choice. I always had to fabricate parts every time I crashed. (Yes it's racing kids -- every once in a while you hit something or someone hits you.)

I was racing in the early 2000s. Back then, the Crossle chassis were the defacto Club Ford terrors. In Formula Ford, both the Swift DB-6 and the late-model Van Diemans typically wound up on the podium. Parts were abundant for these makes.

Not sure what the heat is nowadays.

Have a good time and keep us posted.

Sorry, Swift DB-1 (DB-6 was it's Formula Continental brother)

http://chambers.ceat.okstate.edu/SwiftDB1done.JPG

not these engines.
your thinking of the 2300cc engines.the later ones in rangers had 8 spark plugs.the valve cover looped over the end cam journals.and they threw timing belts like candy in the winter.if they ever did use em in pinto's mustangs etc i never saw one.which was kinda weird as whenever i called for parts they asked if it was a 2000 or 2300.but i never in 18 yrs saw a 2000cc engine.

The swift chassis is a lovely design. The Reynard is pretty too but not as much as the swift. The swifts though are a lot newer and a lot more $.

Tom

FF is a cool class, glad to see it is still around. I used to enjoy reading Peter Egan over at Road & Track ruminate about rebuilding Formula Ford cars. I sort of wanted one, but a well over 6"3", I was SOL :(. I had a friend back in the day that had a Kent engined Pinto he had an SCCA guy breath on. It was FUN, screamed and basically sounded like what it was; a FF engine in a grocery getter. :)

I've never driven a Formula Ford, but I've driven a Formula SAE 616cc that was good for 60 closer to 3 seconds. Absolutely nuts on the AutoX. Go for it!

Go for it, Tom! That way, maybe I can bribe you to let me take it for a spin someday when I'm up your way. I have always dreamed of picking up an old racer like one of those. Here's a pretty one on eBay:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1969-Crossle-16-F-Formula-Ford-/170569021658?pt=Race_Cars_Not_Street_Legal_&hash=item27b6b4b8da