It's nice to see that we have the same cast, singing the same song.
Honda, Honda Rah! Rah!
Ford, BOOO! HISS!
reminds me of the pot and the kettle idiom...
I believe one can be pro-Honda without being anti-Ford. I own a bit of Ford stock. Own a Ford powered motorhome. Have owned a Ford Truck. I'm not anti-Ford. I just happen to believe that the Fit is good for the class. Too bad you seem to have a problem with that.
I believe one can be pro-Honda without being anti-Ford.
Insisting on the use of a 50-year-old engine in primarily British-built non-production chassis doesn't do much to polish the Blue Oval. But maybe we are confusing devotion to the "old" class name with devotion to the brand. I road and drag raced Mustangs for almost 15 years, own a Ford truck, and am pretty much an all-around die-hard Ford guy. I have never owned a Honda car and don't want one--but they make great generators and pit bikes! I really would like to own a FF with a modern Ford engine, but I would probably take a Honda-powered one before a Kent because my priority is having a cheap, reliable, easily replaced engine.
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Matt King
FV19 Citation XTC-41
CenDiv-Milwaukee
KEEP THE KINK!
sometimes i'm amazed at the tunnel vision. if ford steps up to the plate and brings better parts...GREAT! i hope they do. if the parts bring greater engine longevity and cheaper rebuilds...the class benefits. if they somehow bring more hp, crb will adjust the honda to be close. the place for absolute engine equality is NOT the SCCA and it was never intended to be. there will be other more appropriate avenues for that. BUT, my absolute favorite is someone explain to me how a fuel injected motor is faster INTO a corner it'd be nice if we could save the pissing and moaning until a honda wins a national.
We have choices,Honda or Ford.It appears the Honda is getting more competitive all the time.There is no need to argue over something that is not even available yet.When the blocks are out there we will see if it adds more HP or just longevity.I would guess much more longevity than HP.I do realize it is impossible for all the experts on this forum to agree on anything.It is really quite amusing.Roland and others can stay with their Ford Kent engines and anyone who wants a Honda can buy one.It America we all have choices.
This is, after all, a FORUM. Things get posted, mentioned or "announced", and then people chime in in favor or against. Opinions are expressed. Things are debated. Facts - and non-facts - are laid out for all to ponder. It's energetic, thought provoking, usually interesting (especially the terrific technical things that are discussed and shared) and quite often fun.
But it seems to me that in the end whatever happens with a given part or spec or SCCA decision - well, what happens happens...mostly because the "marketplace" is where things are decided. If Ford wants to offer up a nifty item like this here block, guys will either buy it or they won't. If FF1600 engines - that is, if TOP NOTCH engines cost $12,000, and if people buy them, that's fine. (The costs are NEVER going to come down now, are they?) If I want to cough up a measly $3,000 for a Regional engine (less than the cost of a super alloy head) that needs some work, I can do that too. Over time, what matters is what the "consumer" wants so things come and go, fads peak and fade away while other things continue to have a life for whatever reasons. This is all about sport, right? An amateur sport at that. Guys buy Miatas and go racing with them. Others rebuild their MG Midget engines every month and race them too. Others just love FF1600 and all that it represents. It's all what you wanna do.
But one other point: None of us can be sure how the FIT deal will work out in the end. It's going to be a topsy-turvy period for the class, that's for sure. Achieving the "ideal" outcome that the CRB envisioned may not be possible in actuality. One thing that is for sure is that one of the most appealing aspects of of FF1600 was its fundamental stability - of the rules. of chassis design and even parts availability. So what we had - a known quantity and with clear and easily perceived qualities - has been thrown for a loop and pushed aside causing controversy, disagreement and an unfortunate level of tension to pervade this class of this sport. To me, that's really regretable.
<on edit> well most of it anyway I'm conflicted because I think the class needed a new motor to bring in more folks. However, I'm not a fan of classes that allow competition adjustments because of the politics, bickering, whining and constantly changing of the rules that comes along with that. Should have introduced the Fit at a "slight disadvantage to a very good Kent" and left it alone. It is what it is. It is what we proposed. Choose your weapon and race.
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Daryl DeArman
Last edited by Quickshoe; July 16th, 2010 at 12:09 PM.
Found the answer - I was informed this is now done to engine blocks synthetically to replicate the stress relief within the surface layer of the casting.
I know it is done, but don't know how they do it? I'm told that back in the late 40's and early 50's Bedford truck engine blocks were left in the sea for a period of time, before machining, and early Massey Fergeson tractor block had a problem with this as well.
Roger
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jonathan Hirst
Found the answer - I was informed this is now done to engine blocks synthetically to replicate the stress relief within the surface layer of the casting.
Thank you FRP for the confirmation. I was sure there must be a more modern method.
Another question - from someone admittedly well beyond the class weight limit - with the additional material (ring?) connecting the adapter ears and the other changes, I am expecting this new block to weigh more than the original.
Can you publish the machined weight of the new block?
I don't have a F Ford but do have a Ford powered car.
How large can you safely bore this new 1.6L block?
Are the main cap bolts anything special?
Regarding the short deck "optional" block, why are you referring to it as a 2 litre? How large can it be bored?
Thanks.
For all the straight scoop on what can be done, contact Jay Ivey at Ivey Engines. He has done a lot of development work on this block with Ford Morotsport.
it'd be nice if we could save the pissing and moaning until a honda wins a national.
I'm conflicted because I think the class needed a new motor to bring in more folks. However, I'm not a fan of classes that allow competition adjustments because of the politics, bickering, whining and constantly changing of the rules that comes along with that. Should have introduced the Fit at a "slight disadvantage to a very good Kent" and left it alone. It is what it is. It is what we proposed. Choose your weapon and race.
