Jump to content


Photo

XF Ford Falcon Group A car


  • Please log in to reply
3 replies to this topic

#1 Graham Clayton

Graham Clayton
  • Member

  • 1,362 posts
  • Joined: January 01

Posted 09 October 2012 - 09:10

Just a hypothetical question, but would have the XF Ford Falcon been competitive as a Group A touring car?
The main disadvantage I can see is that the car only came with a 4.1 litre 6-cylinder engine, compared with the 4.9 litre engine of the VK Holden Commodore.

Is this the main reason why Ford Australia did not homologate the car for Group A racing?

Advertisement

#2 Hank the Deuce

Hank the Deuce
  • Member

  • 286 posts
  • Joined: April 04

Posted 09 October 2012 - 09:31

Just a hypothetical question, but would have the XF Ford Falcon been competitive as a Group A touring car?
The main disadvantage I can see is that the car only came with a 4.1 litre 6-cylinder engine, compared with the 4.9 litre engine of the VK Holden Commodore.

Is this the main reason why Ford Australia did not homologate the car for Group A racing?


Several parties were looking at a turbo version of the 4.1, but the equivalency factor would've had the car up amongst the heaviest in the field - this was the prime motivation for Holden's shrinking of their V8 from 308 to 304ci, to get weight out of the car. Given that the VK Commodore was largely uncompetitive in 1985, one would expect that the Falcon would've struggled, particularly against the well-developed Euro's

#3 Catalina Park

Catalina Park
  • Member

  • 6,768 posts
  • Joined: July 01

Posted 09 October 2012 - 10:06

Ford Australia didn't want to know about touring car racing at that stage. Johnson had huge problems even getting Ford to submit the updates for the already homologated Mustang.
The Falcon had no chance.

#4 Lee Nicolle

Lee Nicolle
  • Member

  • 11,038 posts
  • Joined: July 08

Posted 09 October 2012 - 22:25

The XF was a good road car for its day. Especially the early ones as the update with ULP was an asthmatic slug. But otherwise was actually nicer all round.
But as a racecar would have been hopeless. Even with a homolgation special to solve the engine shortcomings [roller rockers a must] in std 6 cyl form would have been off the pace. And turboed would be as Michael said too heavy, and probably quite fragile, though 400hp would be a real figure.
The V8 XE was raced in NZ as a Gp A but was very fragile though evidently reasonably quick,, until the axles broke!
10 years in hindsight actually solves most of the driveline troubles with that car as the EB used a 28 spine axle and a slightly larger ring and pin. And that is a bolt in operation.