A Coupla Questions...

[hypo]

Are any Ford teams running Blueprint engine internals?
When do they have to start using them?

Also, if the Holden teams can run the 18degree Chev next year, will they have to run weight limited internals like the Aurora and Ford?

Thats more than a couple of questions, but anyways...

[Fordplay]

FPR is rumoured to be running one come EC.

[GTRMagic]

Hypo some teams are already running the 2004-spec heavyweight internals, which should stand them in good stead for 2004 with some race-spec development already done

The FPR engine on line at Eastern Creek is one with a totally different camshaft, valve, timing, headflow, exhaust and engine mapping philosophy to the current ex-GSR engines. They are likely to run 'Blueprint' spec but will be noticeably different from the current powerplants

[Gaz170]

How different are the "blueprint" engines to the current ones????

[hypo]

Cheers for that

So what of the 18 degree Chev, has TEGA actually said it can be used in 2004? and if so are they to run heavyweight internals

[GTRMagic]

The 'Blueprint' internals have specific weights for pistons, conrods, valve gear etc etc.... the engines in cars like HRT's have lightweight items that allow them to rev up faster.

There is a difference in the weights of some items by as much as 40% of the 2004 allowable weight.

I presume if the Holden mobs want to use the VX engine, it must comply to Blueprint spec too.

TEGA was due to rubberstamp the use of the VX engine in VCS Supercar for 2004 and 2005 sometime this week

[hypo]

Thanks, was just making sure that Holden hadn't found another loophole..

I hope the Ford teams have had their 2004 donks on the dynos then

[Grimace]

Does BLUEPRINT allow any homolagation updates like this sort of Ford HI PORT head similar to this they are trying to get into the underperforming NASCAR Ford Taurus ?

Arent our blocks NASCAR blocks?

Does anyone know any details of the Prodrive Falcon engine programme??other than the first engine is due for Eastern Creek (ill bet Lowndes gets it!)

http://www.makperformance.com/details.cfm?itemID=13

[GTRMagic]

Ford is supposed to be making application to TEGA to get the new hi-port engine included in Project Blueprint (it currently isnt involved at all)

Indeed it is said that more than one Ford team already has the new engine in development....

The prodrive engine program has a number of prodrive UK people designing, building & developing the current Ford powerplant based on the original GSR design. They hope to produce more power, but noise was the team kept blowing up engines on the dyno, hence the delay.

FPR drivers have said the GSR engines are not overly powerful, and the cam design and timing leaves unwanted power and torque holes at different stages of the rev range, although they are said to be relatively economical fuel wise when tuned this way..