NHRA Outlaws Ford

I just heard from Walt Austin Racing that the Ford Boss 429 engine has been outlawed in Top Alcohol. I know not many teams run this combo and it doesn't effect many but there is still a few that it does effect. Walt Austin has seen potiential in this engine and wanted to start building them. Carol Carter has already been building the blocks and heads and has been for several years. I have this combination and it has taken a lot of extra effort and money to get this motor into a funnycar. We have been putting this car together for the last 4 years. We have sponsers set up for the up coming event at mission B.C. but it appears we are not able to run now. I will be in Vegas with a petition to see it that might help save my investment. The rule stated that any engine before 2001 is ok and now that was just changed for this engine. Just wondering if anyone cares if this engine runs or not. We don't think we are a big threat, we run Ford because we are a Ford family.

 

Run it

 

It amazes me that NHRA can change the rules without reguard for the little guy. Maybee when Greg goes to Vegas he can change It back ??

 

Maybe NHRA is trying to help the little guy. If an entire new motor combination came out every few years, few days or few hours, and each time it proved to be better than the last one, how many little guys would still be racing?

 

This Engine/Combination has been arround for 12-15 years ??

 

I'll buy the old BAE leftovers that nobody wants! These motors have been around forever, Piranio and Jordan brothers ran one in alky funny car in 1990. Article on 429 in TAFC

 

DANNY - THATS THE ARIAS DEVELOPED SHOTGUN DEVELOPED BY NICK ARIAS AND SOLD TO ALLAN ROOT IN THE EARLY 80s. I ran an Arias 8.3 at the same time in an alki f/c and I won't go into the pros & cons of Arias Engines. Just that the AR 429 is a far cry from the engine NHRA has vetoed from the Austin family. Allan Johson had a better idea with the spread bores also, but who can afford the trick of the week? Certainly not the majority of Alki racers!

 

the prob is the big bore spacing they have is an advantage unfare to brad and newberry and fontanna. the ford has I think 5 inches so you could make a huge bore but brad and newberry and fontanna cant'. sence no one has ran one in a while Nhra knows the bore spacing is a advantage because the overdrive was slowed in alch funny car down so now you need to overwind the engine to make any boost. if the crank stroke is made shorter it slows down the piston speed with high rpms so 11000 rpm with a 380 stroke and 470 bore is 527 c.i. could have the same piston speed as a 450 stroke 4310 is 525 c.i. at 9000. the rotating assbly gets very heavy with more rpm so shorter strokes have the advantage except when the pushrods fall off. if they rev up a 450 stroke you better duck.

 

Why not mandate a 4.25 min Bore?

 

I believe the problem with the motor you are talking about was the side bolts and not the bore spacing.

 

now why would they care about side bolts. the real reason is bore spacing. the side bolt issue isnt' a performance advantage. they don't want anyones' combination to be a definit advantage and a 5 inch bore spacing would be. side bolts wouldnt' be. Ruling on side bolts is just a distraction.

 

The original block that WAR tried to get accepted had a number of changes including side bolts. The ford Block is 4.900 bore spacing. The rule is max bore spacing is 4.900 and has been for some time. When this was rejected WAR wanted to run the Ford the way it has been run for the last 10+ years. NHRA then made a rule that the max bore spacing was 4.84 from 4.900 which has been the rule for some time. This decision has outlawed my block which I currently run and have been running for 4 years. I run it because we are ford guys and we want keep our mustang all Ford.

 

How many good rules have NHRA made on performance issues?

Only one the 90% rule...