A.J. and K.B. both produce hemi based Olds blocks

Having been the manufacturer and only person in recent history (1988-1992) to run a true FORD Boss 429 based fuel engine (top fuel) I wish JFR all the luck. FORD more than likely got tired of all the "negative" press that has been given over the years in the main stream media (print articles including Peterson) to the fact that JFR is actually using Chryler based products to power a FORD sponsored car.

It's just to bad it has to be Chryler based as the "true" FORD has a lot of benefits such as 3" main, 5" bore spacing, simplier oiling, ease to work on (manifold stays on car with heads removed), bolt on rails to allow easy repair etc...

Just my .02 on the subject

"On A quiet night you can hear the Fords rust"
Back in the day there were many a racecar with names other than Chrysler on the valve covers of the 331,354 and 392 Hemis. I always took that as a compliment to the Chrysler design.
It amazes me that Ford would spend a bunch of money for a copy of an existing "spec motor". With the financial problems they are facing I'm sure the stockholders would not be happy. Of coarse if it is just an existing Hemi with some new trick valve covers that say FORD that would make more sense!!!

It's interesting why Ford won't build (or at least design) a competitive engine for pro stock. I'am sure their are many Ford fans who would like to see them compete.

You got that right.. I'd love to see a factory backed Ford Pro Stock.. But if I read correctly the NHRA wouldn't even allow one of the Gliddens to bring out an OLD Bob Glidden engine.

John Force has a bigger fanbase, that's why.

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Just FYI....The fuel blocks are Brad Anderson or TFX...They are derived in theory from the Hemi, but theory is about as far as it goes...lol

Also, its the same for the Heads, and there are only a couple places that make the fuel cranks...Most teams use Sonny Bryant cranks at $3400+ per piece...

I think that Ford, Chevy and Toyota should ALL come up with their own parts...It is part of what helped grow NASCAR...These manufacturers want to win, and they will spend a ton of $$$$ to do it...

The average NASCAR NNC team receives $2,000,000+ cash and also engineering support & sheet metal....They also spend a bunch on the telecasts, the races, awards, etc...?

Would you be surprised that the most that the manufacturers have done in the fuel ranks in the last 10 years was giving a handful of teams the Chevrolet Monte Carlo bodies, and even fewer teams were given the Impala bodies...No parts, vehicles, or cash for anybody but Pro Stock, and even there, the manufacturers don't spend much at all....I'd bet that Fred Simmons from GM Racing has LESS than $2,00,000 for the whole series, let alone one team....Bet on it...

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Jay
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Cool to see Chuck Seyler here. Pretty much the last guy to run a true Ford motor in Top Fuel. There are so few Fords in the Pro ranks other than IHRA Pro Stock. There have been a few Alky cars, only one still around i know of is Greg Hunter but there used to be the Jordan Bros, i think Frankie Pedregon drove a 351C powered alky dragster in the 80's.

I don't undestand why the bore spacing on the "Boss 429" block became an issue to the point where it was illegal in TF. Unless NHRA only wants to cater to Chrysler. Why not make the "Boss" block legal and have some good old fashioned competition between manufacturers?
I , also, would like to see some factory backing from FoMoCo in PS....ah, those were the days.................
And why would they not allow the Glidden boys to bring out one of Bob's old bullets? They probably don't make the HP the engines of today do, buy why are they not allowed?

Scott to answer your questions -
1) Todays fuel rules are written to be Chrysler specific. Therefore you either build a Chrysler based ebgine and call it a Ford or you have enough "pull" to change the rules or you run a Chrysler.

2) The Ford to the best of my knowledge is still legal in Pro-Stock. Except since Bob Gildden "retired" there has been little or no development. True it's used in pro-mod with a blower and a few private individuals but no factory assistance.

Anyone know what is different about the engine that Force is developing?

I was told that the new Ford motors were almost the same as the Hemi but changed enough to allow them to run Ford bearings and a couple other oddities that would make it unique to Ford without providing an advantage that would cause other teams to yell foul.

Fords are definitely legal in NHRA PS, it's just that nobody has a competitive program since Panella / Blakeney got out of the game and there's only one guy out there, Jim Cunningham, that's even trying.

If memory serves, the big FoMoCo motor has been outlawed in all of the NHRA heads-up classes. The only two I've seen otherwise in recent memory were the old Aeromotive Super (Comp?) Mustang Roadster, and the runner up in Super Gas this week in Dallas.

I also remember somebody telling me a story about Austin Coil saying something to the effect that if the big Ford motor was legalized for TF racers it would instantly obsolete the current design.

Dragrace Canada, NHRA, IHRA, Canadian Drag Racing News, DragRaceCanada.com

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