Formula Ford
It allows freedom of chassis design, engine build and numerous technical items of specification on the car.
Many drivers aspiring to professional careers in open wheelers racing now choose Formula 4 as their first car racing series, as it features cars with aerodynamic downforce, a semi-automatic gearbox, and other features found in Formula One and other professional open-wheeler series.
At about this time, two of the school's Lotus Formula Junior chassis were fitted with a standard 1498cc Ford "Kent" pushrod engine as featured in the recently introduced Cortina GT saloon.
The 1500 Cortina, with its reliability and horsepower output fairly close to “F3 proper” proved a resounding success in the school.
[2] At an informal meeting at the December 1966 racing car show day at Olympia, Webb and Clarke were discussing the possibility of building a fleet of identical open wheel race cars based on the success of combining the Ford power plant and road wheels, radial tires, and Formula Junior style chassis.
Not only would they make ideal school cars, but would also provide a new entry level formula for a race series.
Webb was on the phone the next day to Ford competition manager Henry Taylor, who agreed to provide Clarke and MRS with 54 Cortina GT engines at £50 each (£15 below retail).
[3] Clarke then set about approaching existing race car constructors to build the first Formula Fords.
Russell then approached Taylor who built the Alexis car and a deal was struck to jointly produce the Russell-Alexis.
Chapman and his Lotus 51 did recover, replacing the troublesome Renault gearbox with the Hewland unit, even claiming Russell as a customer in 1968.
Increasing costs forced them to relax the £1,000 price ceiling on Formula Ford as Blueprinting of the engine was now allowed.
Whatever the engine of the Formula Ford car, it has long provided a relatively inexpensive way for drivers to race purpose-built racecars.
The more popular marques as of 2012[update] were Van Diemen, Mygale and the Australian-built Spectrum, but smaller manufacturers such as Ray Race Cars and Vector have had some success.
Historical designers who have made a mark on the series have included: Titan, Lotus, Merlyn, Hawke, Citation, Swift, Euroswift, Elden, Reynard, Crosslé, Lola, Zink, Bowin, Royale, and Cooper Racing.
As the rules limit engine modifications, all cars are relatively equal and racing results tend to be close.
Formula Fords allow suspension, damping, gearing and braking bias changes, but not aerodynamic options such as winged cars.
In 2012, new specifications and regulations were introduced, allowing the use of the new Ford EcoBoost engine along with improvements in chassis design.
By mandating these the frontal areas will be equalised between different manufacturers, removing the potential for significant aerodynamic advantage, making driving ability and the skills of engineers and designers in car set-up the major factors.
The Honda engine was developed in partnership with Quicksilver RacEngines with the intent of providing power similar to the existing Kent motor.
The proposed Formula Turbo Ford, an attempt to update FF2000, of the mid-1980s was limited to one Reynard that ran a few demonstration laps.
Formula Ford remains popular in its 1600 cc form—the cars are widely raced, sprinted and hillclimbed.
The older Kent-engined cars are very popular with club racers, providing the ground for several organizations to run their own series.
In the UK there are many club-level regional series aimed at the amateur enthusiast, as well as championships for older Fords.
Ford officials have noted the US-made Kent blocks are based on modern stamping, and shows how well-established the formula has become.
Entries of several hundred cars from all over the Formula Ford world were common into the 1990s, with racers competing in knockout heats to decide the grid for a grand final.
Currently, the winner wins a ticket to a scouting combine for INDYCAR at the end of the calendar year.
The class operates under the same rules as the SCCA Formula F, with both the Ford Kent and Honda L15A7 engines permitted.
