FORD: Just for those who do give a shit

**The Stranger:Me** · 7th February 2008, 13:34

Originally Posted by more_fasterer

Please elaborate how stifling diversity by writing the rules to specifically only allow australian-produced cars is "good work".

Why would I? that's your proposition not mine, you support it if you like, or not.
The good work to which I refer is the promotion and running of the event itself.

**bucket boy** · 7th February 2008, 13:40

Originally Posted by rudolph

Ford Cleveland and Windsor motors were always lots of fun

as a boat anchor

**scumdog** · 7th February 2008, 14:11

Originally Posted by bucket boy

as a boat anchor

No, no -that would be the 272 to 312 Y-block Ford you're referingto...

**Hitcher** · 7th February 2008, 15:41

Interestingly the only current truly Aussie designed-and-built car is the Mitsubishi 380. Why isn't this model allowed in the farce that passes for "Australian Touring Car" racing? I'm sure Mitsubishi could dust off a V8 if needed to build a one-off car, on the same basis that Ford and Holden currently do.

The whole Ford vs Holden thing on which this "motor sport" is predicated amazes me. With homologation they're essentially identical cars with different body shells. If unbridled open slather were allowed, only the Holdens would win.

**Coldrider** · 7th February 2008, 15:50

Originally Posted by Hitcher

....I'm sure Mitsubishi could dust off a V8 if needed to build a one-off car, on the same basis that Ford and Holden currently do.

Mitsubishi would not be capable of engineering an 'Aussie built' (to qualify) 'ol pushrod V8 engine, and indeed why would they want to.

**Motu** · 7th February 2008, 17:19

The old Falcon 6 cyl block goes right back to the very first Falcons,I've lost count of the different cyl heads they've put on it.I don't think any car has been totally designed in Australia,Holdens were all GM USA until the Commodore,which was just a rebadged Opel Commodore.Opel does to design work,then hands the plans to the likes of Vauxhall and Holden and lets them put in the power train and trim.Ford do the same.The Mitsi 380 met the same fate as the P76 - the Aussies will sink anything that dares compete with the big 3....er,make that the little 2.

**Timber020** · 7th February 2008, 19:15

What? Change the straight 6? It has to be the most flogged dead donkey on the planet. You would have thought after Holden went to nissan motors that ford might have picked up a clue, but no, there were obviously to many surplus parts going cheap in the USA , we had a local farmer who ended up with 3 engines in his brand new EA. Good bye and good riddance, about time the falcon saw a modern powerplant.

**scumdog** · 7th February 2008, 20:57

Originally Posted by Motu

The old Falcon 6 cyl block goes right back to the very first Falcons,I've lost count of the different cyl heads they've put on it.I don't think any car has been totally designed in Australia,Holdens were all GM USA until the Commodore,which was just a rebadged Opel Commodore.Opel does to design work,then hands the plans to the likes of Vauxhall and Holden and lets them put in the power train and trim.Ford do the same.The Mitsi 380 met the same fate as the P76 - the Aussies will sink anything that dares compete with the big 3....er,make that the little 2.

And don't forget the V6 commode donk was derived from the creaky old Buick motor of the 60's.

And while the Ford inline 6 is also old it made a good showing in the XR6 and turbo XR6 (or are we not allowed to remember that?)

**Motu** · 7th February 2008, 21:31

Originally Posted by scumdog

And don't forget the V6 commode donk was derived from the creaky old Buick motor of the 60's.

And while the Ford inline 6 is also old it made a good showing in the XR6 and turbo XR6 (or are we not allowed to remember that?)

I'm not knocking the ford 6,just pointing out that it has been around for a long long time.Actually,it's too long,alloy heads bend on it.The red rocker cover 250 was the pick of them all....it was sorted,then they tried to tart it up.Max torque at 1600 rpm,loved those old things.

The GM3800 in my opinion is the best motor ever on NZ roads - it's simple and bullet proof.Name a car in the last 20 years that you can do a water pump on in 1/2 hr.This is just my take on things after 38 years fixing cars for a living....I'm lazy and like easy cars to work on that don't break down.

**MaxB** · 7th February 2008, 21:48

What pisses me off is there seems to be no engineering reason to switch from an inline to a V6. The only thing seems to be that it is easier to meet the frontal impact crash regulations. Mercedes quote this as a reason for dropping their I6.

BMW are still kicking out great inline 6s that have no problem getting over 200kW from 3 litres. Like I said before all Fords offerings wil have the same type of motor. Yawn.

So now we have a Holden Commodore with a glorified Vauxhall Vectra motor and a Ford Falcon with a bored out Mondeo V6 in it.

**homer** · 7th February 2008, 21:53

Originally Posted by turtleman

What're you on about - Ford have had a V6 for decades!

Look up the 3L Capri, MkIV Zephy, Telstar XRi, Granada...

The Holden Commodore 4 cylinder of the late 70's and early 80's came from Opel initially, and then the 'Starfire' 4 cyl was introduced to replace them - designed an manufactured in Australia. Both were relative boat anchors !

I guess you havnt seen a commodore sedan with the 1.9 litre 4 cyl in it i bet is blue
most likely a SL model sedan
Yeah i d guess good for anchors

**homer** · 7th February 2008, 21:56

Originally Posted by Mully

Apparently, when the AU was making Ford AU bleed red ink from every orifice, they considered this. According to their research, no-one in Aussie would buy a FWD Falcon, and Ford Global had nothing else suitable (the Taurus was designed to be both LHD and RHD, IIRC) in the stable to stick the Falcon badge on.

Plus, Aussies will wave the flag at any opportunity, so that would hand the win to Holden by default.

Yes the taurus was designed for the yanks and a lot went there some ended up as well

**homer** · 7th February 2008, 21:58

Originally Posted by Motu

I'm not knocking the ford 6,just pointing out that it has been around for a long long time.Actually,it's too long,alloy heads bend on it.The red rocker cover 250 was the pick of them all....it was sorted,then they tried to tart it up.Max torque at 1600 rpm,loved those old things.

The GM3800 in my opinion is the best motor ever on NZ roads - it's simple and bullet proof.Name a car in the last 20 years that you can do a water pump on in 1/2 hr.This is just my take on things after 38 years fixing cars for a living....I'm lazy and like easy cars to work on that don't break down.

Is the falcon engine today not simple ,considering its decades old

**homer** · 7th February 2008, 22:03

Originally Posted by Timber020

What? Change the straight 6? It has to be the most flogged dead donkey on the planet. You would have thought after Holden went to nissan motors that ford might have picked up a clue, but no, there were obviously to many surplus parts going cheap in the USA , we had a local farmer who ended up with 3 engines in his brand new EA. Good bye and good riddance, about time the falcon saw a modern powerplant.

The falcon 6 inline is a very good engine ,for those who want more then you get a V8 dont you ?
considering that the inline 6 is now DOHC and a 4 speed auto with OD and its got VCT the cars dont even change down gears going over most hills .....unless you make it ....which i love the most .
All in all there a wicked motor old or not