v8 supercars& the us free trade agreement.

[aj_308]

so what? australia cant built a 5.0 because repco have gone back to ripping every poor @@@@ off?

[louonline]

I believe we have the talent in this country build engines and anything else as good as or better than anyone in the world.
The problem is more often than not we don’t recognise it and we loose it overseas.
Heck, if we can sell wine to the French, spaghetti to the Italians and camels to the Arabs, we can do anything!
Spa, if you don’t think it’ll happen in your lifetime (or mine) that doesn’t mean we can’t start laying down the ground-work so that it’ll happen in the lifetime of those that come after us.
It doesn’t matter where we are or how big we are; build a better mouse-trap and the world will beat a path to our door.
(this is Lou being patriotic )

[Morris 1100]

What he is saying is that it is impossible to build race engines in Australia since he retired.

[Beatcha]

Ok I am totally lost on what Spa is saying, some of the Top engine builders in the states are Aussies, I can name many who work in Nascar in the past and at present, as well as engineers in IRL, Champcars and F1. Even Drag Racing has been dominated at some time or other by Aussie Engineers.

[louonline]

Originally posted by Beatcha
Ok I am totally lost on what Spa is saying, some of the Top engine builders in the states are Aussies, I can name many who work in Nascar in the past and at present, as well as engineers in IRL, Champcars and F1. Even Drag Racing has been dominated at some time or other by Aussie Engineers.

Exactly!!!

[Techo]

Originally posted by spa-eau rouge
australia currently does'nt have the specialty machining capability or expertise required for motorsport purposes and the required trades people definitely do not exist here ,if they do ,then they are retired ,like myself....

more information please, as i do not agree with this broard statement.
modest to boot

[Techo]

Originally posted by spa-eau rouge
and that will include engines ,so why even develop and build them here ,all the expertise on pushrod v 8's is in the USA and not here....

Broad statement, like Henry Ford is the best at mass production, so nobody else is good at it !!!!!

[Techo]

Originally posted by spa-eau rouge
dyno's can and do tell untruths in any country no matter where ,the true gauge is " when the flag drops, the **** stops" ...there are very few good engine persons in this country or area of the world, all the very smart persons have gone to the northern hemisphere following the action and there dreams..

In your opinion, and that counts because ?

[Techo]

Population- XXXXX $$$$$$, wait till China hits off, the US will even fall behide in car sales ! _ The future largest economy

[retro]

Not wanting to be over critical here but I have some friends that are Machinists(Turners) and as you would know Techo these blokes could build a Nuclear bomb and make it work (if they had the plans).
As an example that Drag guy(Terry Sainty)that builds his own Top Fuel engines from an aluminium billet.

[lcfp2297]

uhhmmm, I am even more confused than ever after the additional comments by Spa and Ryan...

Please explain HOW DOES THE FTA MAKE MOTORSPORT CHEAPER IN AUSTRALIA?

Spa, free trade refers to government intervention such as subsidies, tarrifs etc, it has no impact on the cost of trade...read duties, nor on company or organisation policies, read Union policed US import quotas on automobile numbers etc...Your idea of FREE TRADE links in closely with Victorian L-Platers idea of FREE-WAYS, free to do what they like...

Ryan, The FTA will not make it any easier for motorsport, nor automobile related companies to spawn their business overseas, all it does is take away a few export restrictions...two completely different actions.

I think some people need to read Spa's other thread.

[spa-eau rouge]

the one thing it doesn't remove is the imports into australia ,but enhances USA access to this market for their gain and our disadvantage ,economies of scale leaning towards the USA.

[Robert Ryan]

Misunderstanding. I agree the FTA will have no effect on export potential. I was not talking abou the FTA, but the local Motorsport industry.

[spa-eau rouge]

getting back to Louonline,s comment, one thing i am is patriotic to this great nation, but it will only recieve this patriotism when it is justified in my veiw and no one elses . the one thing i have recieved is the best of training from a very australian company[REPCO pre-1984,before the SPIV,S got hold of it & milked it dry], so we did & can have the talent here if it is let loose in a very vibrantindustry & economy.

[spa-eau rouge]

the top engine builders in the USA may be AUSTRALIAN'S, but this is not helping us down here ,is it , will they bring there friends & families back down-under if there liverly hood is deependant on the scene up there...

[lcfp2297]

Robert Ryan, my profound apologies.

Spa, then what we need is an ex-pat program to encourage them back to Australia. ...we have them in other industries...FTA will have no impact whatsoever. I am still confused as to how the FTA will OPEN up Australian markets in this Industry to the US. This is the sort of arguement the opposition and the current affairs shows would like us to believe

[plasma]

Originally posted by spa-eau rouge
the v8 supercar teams will now have the USA as their oyster, especialy with engine development & rebuilds and freshen-ups... and of course any specialty machining to be done acurately and quickly to realistic timeframes of which they are acustomed to..

the part about specialty machining interests me. Quite an unresearched statement.

[spa-eau rouge]

it is not unresearched, but a plain simple fact, if there are specialty machining facilities in this great land of ours, then they are not available to the general populace , to have these facilities made availible for their use in manufacture of their parts requirements..we just donot have the economy of scale on our requirements..

[Techo]

I suggest a look at HRT/HMS in clayton, you will find all the specialist CNC Machines (CMM as well)to make whatever you like - heads, blocks, all the specialist racing components in fact, even a complete front bumper mound if you like !
And this is all what HRT have access to on site...

[spa-eau rouge]

this is only one team, of which initialy was financed by the largest car company in the world market. this facility is not available to other holden teams, is it... remember holden and walkinshaw built this facility in the old nissan plant for their use only.....

[lcfp2297]

If it is specialist machinery you are after, we have it all...and open access as well. You come up with the CAD design, and they will make it!

These facilities are not just specific to motorsport and automotive!

[spa-eau rouge]

why are'nt more people using the facility?

[plasma]

eau rouge.....motorsport "specialist machining" is by no means at the top of the list of difficulty for machining.
Plastics die machining utilises 9 axis nc milling centres at times, and there are plenty in this country. Motorsport wouldnt even come close to needing one of these.
Like I implied earlier...make comments on something youknow about.
This country has very good motorsport specialist machining businesses, something you, obviously are unaware of.

[Techo]

Originally posted by spa-eau rouge
this is only one team, of which initialy was financed by the largest car company in the world market. this facility is not available to other holden teams, is it... remember holden and walkinshaw built this facility in the old nissan plant for their use only.....

That produce parts for many holden team (HRT,KRT,PWR,TMS)thats 7 cars I can think of directly(TMS customer engine).
Of the other Holden teams CPR & PMM also have impressive CNC manufacturing capabilities.

Ford teams DJR,FPR have CNC,s SBR have a deal with CNC's..

Who else ? thats quite a few teams that have "in house" CNC's.

Then again a small company called Harrop as being around a few years now.. Not much they car'nt handle !

[spa-eau rouge]

in fact the largest tool tool room in this country is at the ford facility at geelong victoria ,it is absolutly world class with world class trades people . i am more aware than yourself of what is available in this country and where they are.....