The T888 Commodore ...

retro · 5 Nov 2009, 13:01 (Ref:2576354)

here...

Quote:

THIS is the exclusive picture that will infuriate Ford fans.

While still driving Falcons is this year's V8 Supercars series, Team Vodafone have been building a Holden Commodore for their defection to the rival team next year.

The Daily Telegraph yesterday obtained pictures which clearly show a Triple Eight Commodore in the early stages of construction

Pro Racer · 5 Nov 2009, 13:04 (Ref:2576361)

just seen that myself and was about to post.

profi · 5 Nov 2009, 13:49 (Ref:2576380)

They have had that for a little while now, chassis started life as a ford

redesp · 5 Nov 2009, 20:35 (Ref:2576599)

Makes sense to me... did the entire world think that T8 would wiat until after homebush before buildinga a car??

Or maybe they could have bought an ex-HRT.

Gotta start sometime.. dunno if it needs this much tabloid attention.

Denosaur · 5 Nov 2009, 20:46 (Ref:2576607)

Sounds like some typical media blow up....
Really, it's nothing to be writing home about, happens every day in motorsport. Just in this case involves one of the biggest teams switching sides.

Thou this also raises an interesting question. If the car started out on the jig to become a Ford, how much had to changed for it to become a Holden?? Other than the stamped panels from Holden, what's happened with the frame, rails and so on. If that's the case already, then what is Mr Skaife wasting time and money on.....??

GoLowndes · 5 Nov 2009, 21:57 (Ref:2576644)

On one of the recent v8s telecasts (think it was GC), Larko mentioned how much was generic to both the fords & holdens and there was a lot of common components, including the chassis and rollcages.

Interesting though in the news on Sunrise this morning, JW is blaming the unreliability of the car this year & possibility of losing the championship on their move to holden. Personally I would have thought that driving it into a wall on the last lap of race 3 at GC wouldn't have helped either.

Axeman444 · 5 Nov 2009, 22:43 (Ref:2576679)

just another media beat up... who cares, as it has been said, they can't wait until after Homebush to start building, they have to build 2 for themselves as well as cover whatever arrangment they are going to have with PMM. How long did it take them to do the 5 cars for the start of this year? a lot more than 2 months i'm sure

typical Telegraph

RotorFan · 5 Nov 2009, 22:49 (Ref:2576690)

At least if he loses the championship he can blame it on having had to drive a Ford.

Amazing how little journalists need to spin an evocative story these days. Anyway, that picture doesn't actually identify 888 does it?

I wonder what perspective they will bring to building the "Commodore" after having built "Falcons" for so long, some interesting ways of doing things?

Mixer · 6 Nov 2009, 00:29 (Ref:2576741)

Quote:

Originally Posted by GoLowndes

Interesting though in the news on Sunrise this morning, JW is blaming the unreliability of the car this year & possibility of losing the championship on their move to holden. Personally I would have thought that driving it into a wall on the last lap of race 3 at GC wouldn't have helped either.

That's a joke, he had a lapse of concentration, its real simple, he's had enough success I would have thought he should just man up to a mistake. Some things I love about Lowndes and Tander sometimes.

Quote:

Originally Posted by RotorFan

I wonder what perspective they will bring to building the "Commodore" after having built "Falcons" for so long, some interesting ways of doing things?

Should be interesting - Ludo proved he can build a better Falcon than anybody else in the field, by a fair margin.

retro · 6 Nov 2009, 00:48 (Ref:2576747)

V8 Fireworks · 6 Nov 2009, 01:17 (Ref:2576753)

They can definately get that out for Homebush can't they with a PMM/KRE donk in it?

The Hogs Breath signage on the badge would have to be reconfigured but there are no real issues other than that are there? I guess it will depend on how close or not the championship battle is. If not at least go testing with it in front of a horde of cameras, and get big publicity that way in the lead-up to the round?

http://i259.photobucket.com/albums/h...4102009001.jpg

888 seem to have quite a large opening on the passengers side of the cage compared to the drivers? Perhaps it just saves weight, but do 888 seem like the kind of pragmatic team that would ensure a less indignified experience for their big wig corporate rides if it doesn't compromise the performance of the car in any measurable way?

alfacors · 6 Nov 2009, 01:40 (Ref:2576763)

Larger passenger opening also means easier extraction of a driver (or for the driver to climb out) in the event of an accident where the drivers side is inaccessible.

profi · 6 Nov 2009, 10:02 (Ref:2576901)

Larger opening means cage isnt finished, that bar that is missing is one of the most vital bars in the cars rigidity hence why they go so high up into the main hoop. triangles!!!!!!!!!!!

Chris - Melb · 6 Nov 2009, 10:45 (Ref:2576923)

Fair margin? FPR looked pretty quick at the Gold Coast, with a driver who was not 100 percent, a driver who I believe has had the most pole positions this year, but not the most luck.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mixer

Should be interesting - Ludo proved he can build a better Falcon than anybody else in the field, by a fair margin.

Mixer · 6 Nov 2009, 11:02 (Ref:2576935)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris - Melb

Fair margin? FPR looked pretty quick at the Gold Coast, with a driver who was not 100 percent, a driver who I believe has had the most pole positions this year, but not the most luck.

FPR can be quick sometimes but if you look at 888 Falcons its clear they are bloody well built and perhaps easier to set up, a wider setup window.

Plus who knows what tricks Campbell Little taught FPR.

STEALTHY · 6 Nov 2009, 11:10 (Ref:2576937)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mixer

FPR can be quick sometimes but if you look at 888 Falcons its clear they are bloody well built and perhaps easier to set up, a wider setup window.

Plus who knows what tricks Campbell Little taught FPR.

He could have taught them how to hire '2' gun drivers.....not one with flashes of speed, and the other with flashes of demo derby talent.

Mixer · 6 Nov 2009, 11:18 (Ref:2576941)

Quote:

Originally Posted by STEALTHY

He could have taught them how to hire '2' gun drivers.....not one with flashes of speed, and the other with flashes of demo derby talent.

That's cruel, but unfortunately true!

So is Frosty head and shoulders the best driver ever to come out of Fujitsu?

I think most of the other winners have been nongs.

Canto, Dumbrell, Andy Jones don't really have 'it', Steven Owen probably the best driver of the rest but apparently not sponsor friendly...

Pro Racer · 6 Nov 2009, 11:39 (Ref:2576951)

obviously he is he is the only one up the front winning races.

V8 Fireworks · 6 Nov 2009, 11:47 (Ref:2576955)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mixer

Canto.

To be fair wasn't Canto was faster than Lethal Lee until the VE was wheeled out, and not too far off Radisich (former BTCC Ford superstar after all)... I wonder how Lethal Lee and his engineer suddenly unlocked the speed in the old VZ and became so quick!

Mixer · 6 Nov 2009, 11:52 (Ref:2576959)

I never rated Canto in the main game, to me he's in that category with Besnard, Ritter in that he's a bulletproof co-driver but not good enough in sprint races to be anything special.

Muznik · 6 Nov 2009, 13:01 (Ref:2576981)

Yeah read the Telegraph article and couldn't stop laughing.

Jamie has mentioned they have been building this previously in the media so it is hardly the "top secret" project they claim

Typical Telegraph who's creditability is around the same as No Idea !

And Jamie seems to be banking excuses. Who care what the engineeer is doing, he should be focused on the Championship. So far its been his mistakes not the car that has let him down.

Mixer · 6 Nov 2009, 23:07 (Ref:2577347)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Muznik

And Jamie seems to be banking excuses. Who care what the engineeer is doing, he should be focused on the Championship. So far its been his mistakes not the car that has let him down.

Exactly - Will has got to read this and be licking his chops...

retro · 7 Nov 2009, 00:41 (Ref:2577380)

D.R.T. · 7 Nov 2009, 03:36 (Ref:2577434)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Denosaur

Sounds like some typical media blow up....

Exactly and it is no coincidence that it has been compiled by James Phelps.

Funny that the exclusive story is released just days before the Island 300 an event hasn't been setting the sports pages alight.

Driver TBA · 7 Nov 2009, 03:46 (Ref:2577437)

Quote:

Originally Posted by D.R.T.

Funny that the exclusive story is released just days before the Island 300 an event hasn't been setting the sports pages alight.

Not suprised really. This week in Melbourne we have this thing called the spring racing carnival, which attracts around 450,000 to four days of racing.
So unless your 4 foot tall, got 4 legs or wearing a pretty dress you've got no chance of making the first 10 or last 20 pages of the paper.

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Commodore Cup	Oaksnaf	Australasian Touring Cars.	28	22 Mar 2006 21:13
VZ Commodore	Mattracer	Road Car Forum	18	28 Dec 2004 06:16
Commodore Cup	the man	Australasian Touring Cars.	32	5 Sep 2004 04:29
Commodore VZ	anthony81901	Australasian Touring Cars.	29	2 Aug 2004 23:28
VY Commodore!	TheDevil	Touring Car Racing	7	16 Feb 2001 02:56