Newsletter 3 - Chicagoland Sports Car Club

The Downshift - Page
Formula Ford Replacement Engine Proposal: Honda Fit
ELKHART LAKE, Wis. As one of the initial offerings
in its new grassroots motorsports initiative,
Honda Performance Development, Inc. (HPD), the
authorized Honda and Acura auto racing company
in North America, is proposing entry into an SCCA
Club Racing program with an eye toward lowering
operating costs, while strengthening FF’s position
as the first step in American open-wheel racing.
HPD’s concept, submitted to the Sports Car Club of
America for membership input and approval, incorporates
a 1.5-liter, Honda Fit L15A7 engine into an
existing FF chassis. During initial testing, the Honda
engine provided performance equal to the long outof-production
“Kent” engine, but featuring a modern
fuel-injected design with superior service life, improved
availability and lower operating costs.
“FF has a tremendous history, here in North America and around the world. Through the ‘70s and ‘80s, it was THE
place for open-wheel racers to ‘cut their racing teeth’,” said Erik Berkman, President of Honda Performance Development.
“So many champion drivers, such as our own Jimmy Vasser, Gil de Ferran and Bryan Herta, got their start in
FF. Our goal is not to force competitors to make a change, but to make FF more affordable and more competitive.”
A prototype, utilizing a Swift DB-1 chassis and HPD-developed bolt-on conversion kit, will make its public debut this
weekend with demonstration laps during Road America’s FF 40th Anniversary Celebration. The Swift-Honda will be on
display in Road America’s North Paddock throughout the weekend, and officials from HPD and its parent, American
Honda Motor Company, Inc., will be on hand to meet with SCCA members and answer questions. HPD and American
Honda are actively soliciting the reactions and thoughts of both current and potential FF competitors.
The Honda FF engine has been developed by Honda Performance Development in cooperation with Sandy Shamlian
of Quicksilver Race Engines. The engine is being developed to equal the performance of the Kent powerplant through
utilization of an HPD-developed intake restrictor plate and appropriately mapped Engine Control Unit (ECU). If testing
reveals the need for additional performance adjustments, changes can be made to the restrictor plate and/or the
ECU maps to achieve this goal.
“Many of us, myself included, have been involved in FF
racing,” said Marc Sours, HPD Production Division Manager
and Large Project Leader for HPD’s grassroots projects.
“We’ve all seen FF engine costs rise and replacement
parts become increasingly difficult to locate. “The result
has been a decline in FF participation. We believe that
introducing the modern, less-expensive Honda Fit engine
can restore interest in and raise the profile of FF to a point
where it once again becomes the place for young drivers
to begin their careers, and where existing SCCA club racers
will find economical, close competition.”
Original equipment in the 2009 Honda Fit, the L15A7 is
a fuel-injected, 1.5-liter, overhead cam engine. It is at
the beginning of its current production generation, with a
minimum of 10 years’ parts support required by law at the
conclusion of production. HPD will supply all necessary
parts from intake through exhaust, including the chassis
conversion kit. The result will be a modern and reliable
engine requiring minimal maintenance and tuning. Specifically, HPD expects FF competitors to reduce their engine
operating costs. Engine rebuilds would be reduced from two per year to one every other year; top-end refreshing
would be needed just once a year rather than multiple times per season; both crankshaft and valvespring life would
be extended dramatically; and most ignition and all carburetor maintenance would be eliminated.
The complete Honda FF kit is expected to sell for under $12,000. The package would include a base L15A7 engine,
FF race kit (including intake, exhaust, dry sump, restrictor plate and ECU), and a bolt-in chassis kit, to permit installation
of the engine without welding or other major modifications. Individual component parts would also be available
for purchase separately.
Editor Notes: Strategy and mechanics aside, replacement of the iconic Ford 1600 cc crossflow engine in a long running
racing class that bears its name, may require a deep breath to fully absorb. Ford was contacted for comment, but
at press deadline, had not responded to our inquiry. The Honda proof of concept and running prototype demonstrate
the feasibility of the overall objective.Honda has worked hard to duplicate the current FF engine profile (114 HP @
6800 RPM) in order to maintain parity with the Ford engines. Is “Formula Fit” the solution to the anticipated demise of
FF engine parts, or just one of several alternative strategies that is being pursued? Time will tell.