The Bridgestone Era: 1993 |
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The mysterious “Nine” Car makes its only appearance... the Runoffs, 1993. | |
| SCCA ENTERPRISES, INC. MEMORANDUM TO: All Spec Racer Owners DATE: March 5, 1993 RE: Status Report On Ford/Jack Roush Engine Replacement Program I apologize for not providing this status report earlier but a program of this magnitude and the number of players seemingly always takes longer to tie up than you can anticipate. I had also hoped to be able to report something definitive and final to you by this point but since I can’t (yet), I did want you to know as much of what is going on as I can tell you (and which won’t change tomorrow!). The process is taking longer, in part because there are a great number of people involved and because their schedules are hard to coordinate. Senior people from SCCA, SCCA Enterprises, Ford SVO and Jack Roush all have to work together and, since these people have other things going on (such as the Daytona 500), it is often hard to get us all together in the same room. I have now been to Detroit twice and, while we have certainly made some good progress, we still have a lot of work to do. The fact that we do not have a signed agreement which we are prepared to announce is not for a lack of effort on the part of all the parties: this is an enormously complex program which is designed to extend over a period of ten years and we all want to make absolutely sure that every contingency has been thought out so that we do not have to make changes later on. Just to set some rumors to rest, we have always taken the position that the initial pricing we quoted to each of you in the proposal cannot be changed and that an integral part of that proposal was that a Pro series would be put on for the Ford-powered Spec Racers. Because of these commitments, and everyone’s desire to keep the price as low as possible, there is not a huge amount of margin available between Ford’s cost and the delivered price to the racer, meaning that we have to watch the costs of the program extremely carefully so that all of the participants’ costs are properly covered. For that same reason, there have been some delays in attempting to obtain the most detailed costing possible on all parts of the conversion kit. If at all possible, we would like to be able to offer the prices contained in the proposal (or better) but we do not feel that we can vary from what was sent to you and what you voted on. Again, please accept my apologies for not being able to keep you better informed but I hope you understand that we are working diligently in your interest to come up with a program which will satisfy not only your short-term needs but also assure the long term health and stability of the Spec Racer class as a whole. Thanks for your patience, SCCA ENTERPRISES, INC. After a final vote by the owners of 344 “Yes” and 81 “No” votes, the Board of Directors approved this program for immediate implementation during their April 5 conference call. There is now agreement on all major points between SCCA, SCCA Enterprises, Ford SVO and Jack Roush and we can now begin to finalize the necessary agreements, complete the field testing and sourcing, and GO RACING! The major features of this program: Pro Series--Pro Racing has committed to 6-7 Spec Racer Pro events during the stand-alone Trans-Am weekends for 1994, these events to be hopefully supplemented by additional dates. By way of guidance, the stand-alone Trans-Am weekends this year include Lime Rock, Atlanta, Des Moines, Dallas, Sears Point, Trois Rivieres, Mosport, etc.. There is a strong possibility that in 1994 there will be additional events in the Southern Pacific area as well as in Florida. Term--It is, I believe, unprecedented in this industry to have a ten year contract but that is the term of the agreement. This means that we not only have a reliable, prestigious and long-term partner supporting SCCA’s largest class but we can also stop worrying about where our future motor and transmission needs are coming from, and at what price. While there are a lot of benefits associated with this program, this one has to contain the most intrinsic value for the long term health and stability of the class and your investment. Change-Over--The same A/B three year change-over format is still in place to give everyone the longest possible time period to implement this change with a minimum of pain. Because we have been somewhat delayed in the launch of this program, there is a little uncertainty as to the best way of handling Runoffs qualifications and participation. A fair number of you, CSR’s as well as Directors, favor making the Ford powered Spec Racer your invitation to the Runoffs in order to compete for a National championship, so long as you have met some reasonable minimum level of participation in National races. The Comp Board is developing a proposal for the Board of Directors to consider at their April 23/24 meeting and if you would like to register your opinions in this regard, write to your Director. Roush is building a second Spec Racer to build on what they learned with the first one and in order to finalize development and specifications for the conversion kit. They are also anticipating a training session for all CSR’s and prep shops (possibly here in Colorado) as well as the opportunity for them to drive the new car at one of our local tracks. Roush will also be developing an instruction manual for those do-it-yourselfers who would prefer to do the conversion and installation themselves. They are hoping for the car to make its competition debut at the June Sprints and for heavy volume deliveries in the July/August time frame. There are a large number of important details I know you are interested in but for which we are just now developing the mechanics. One of these which is doubtless on your mind is the matter of ordering and priority: The best way to assure your "place in line" is to get your deposit in immediately, which will assure you either a specified chassis number or conversion kit. If, as we anticipate, demand exceeds Roush’s ability to deliver, we may have to go to a lottery system and will let you know how that works just as soon as we can. We will be sending you periodic bulletins as issues come up or there is information relevant to your needs but in the meantime, we and your CSR’s stand ready to answer any questions we can and to assist you in this very exciting new direction for the Spec Racer class. Sincerely yours, SCCA ENTERPRISES, INC. As we had predicted and requested —
SCCA’s Board of Directors approved all the major points of this program during their
Board Meeting in Chicago on April 24. Although official notification has to take
place through FasTrack in SportsCar, we can give you an “advance look”, as
follows: Because of the large numbers involved and in an attempt to provide fairness for everyone, we are developing an order form which will allow each Spec Racer owner to identify the month and year during which they would like to take delivery of a conversion kit and Ford motor. While we will make every effort to accommodate everyone’s desires, we recognize the fact that we will need a system in place to establish priority and to assure equity when orders exceed our capacity. Of course, any deposits we already have on hand take priority until this new ordering system comes on line. More details as they develop; with best regards
to all. May, 1993 SportsCar -
“Matters of the Moment” “We are very proud that our American-made engine management system and powertrain components will represent Ford Motor Company in this highly popular class,” said Lee Morse, manager of SVO Performance Operations. “We are particularly proud of the fact that our Ford units were so enthusiastically endorsed by the car owners.” The owners approved the proposed three-year conversion program by a 4-1 margin (344-81) late last year.
With the business specifics now having been worked out among the principal parties and suppliers, work will begin immediately on phasing in the conversion. Details regarding new car orders and conversion kit preparation are being finalized, and according to Craw, “All Ford-engined Spec Racers will compete in a separate race at Road Atlanta during the 1993 Valvoline Runoffs. In addition, there will be a pro series in 1994 for the Ford cars, with races scheduled for the six or seven stand-alone Trans-Am weekends.” “This powertrain program is right up our alley,” said Jack Roush, president of Roush Industries and Roush Racing. “Our initial testing indicates that the Escort engine and transaxle will be more reliable and tractable than the current pieces and will significantly lower operating costs over the long haul.” Based upon dynamometer data, engines will be selected from the Ford assembly line and shipped to Roush Industries. Roush technicians will inspect and prepare these engines for shipment to SCCA Enterprises, ready to race. Preparation will include oil pan baffling, PCV system modifications, header installation and seals. Engine management and fuel injection systems and transaxle units will also be inspected and sealed. A second R&D vehicle is currently under construction at Roush’s Livonia, Mich., facility. According to project director Eric Zinkosky, an extensive eight-week test program is planned. Along with other work, this will involve entering prototype cars in various SCCA races, including the Chicago Region June Sprints. An engine conversion demonstration is also planned for Spec Racer Customer Reps (CSR’s). Delivery of the first conversion kits is scheduled to begin in late July. Kits are priced at $5,652, complete with engine, transmission, all necessary parts and an instruction manual for those who prefer to do the installation themselves. Commenting on the agreement in a memo to Spec
Racer owners, Martyn Thake, president of SCCA Enterprises, stated, “It is, I believe
unprecedented in this industry to have a 10-year contract, but that is the term of the
agreement. This means we not only have a reliable, prestigious and long-term partner
supporting SCCA’s largest class, but we can also stop worrying about where our future
motor and transmission needs are coming from, and at what price. While there are a
lot of benefits associated with this program, this one has to contain the most intrinsic
value for the long-term health and stability of the class and your investment.”
Delete the sentence, "if installed,
the bracket kit furnished with the seat shall be utilized and unmodified.". June, 1993 SportsCar -
“Fastrack News” SCCA ENTERPRISES, INC. Just before the Memorial Day weekend, final agreement was reached between all four parties (Ford SVO, Roush Racing, SCCA Enterprises and SCCA) and signatures affixed to this enormously complex four-way contract. Work can now begin in earnest on a second R&D car, the writing of assembly manuals, release of parts for tooling, etc., etc.. Suffice it to say that Ford and the Roush organizations have an unparalleled reputation for quality and thoroughness and that they will be doing this job first class, all the way. ELEMENTS OF THE CONTRACT: This contract guarantees a source of supply until the year 2003, thus assuring the long term stability and growth of the Spec Racer class. If/when Ford should cease production of the Escort motor and transaxle, they have agreed to make a “batch buy” of whatever we project to be needed between that date and 2003, keeping these pieces in storage for us to draw down as needed. Funding for a series of professional races in 1994, 1995 and 1996 is also provided and we should be able to provide you, for planning purposes, the dates, events and purse structure within the next 30 days. JUNE SPRINTS SHOWING: Although the time is very short, we are hoping to have at least one (and possibly as many as two or three) Ford-powered Spec Racers at the June Sprints, to not only show how these cars will do on the track compared to their Renault-powered cousins but also to allow you the opportunity to see the conversion kit in person, to ask questions of the Roush personnel, etc., etc.. When these plans have been firmed up, we’ll let you know immediately. CONVERSION KIT ORDERS: We are shooting for the availability of 100 conversion kits by September 1 (at the latest, and preferably earlier), which are nearly all spoken for as of this writing. If you intend to take advantage of this unique opportunity to compete at the Runoffs without having to undergo the usual qualifying procedure, get your name on the list NOW! Even if you are not planning to attend the Runoffs this year but plan to race with Ford power next year, you would be well advised to get your name on the list now also so as to assure delivery in time for you to get ready for the 1994 season. See the attached about obtaining priority with a completed Runoffs entry. We will make every effort to keep you
informed through these bulletins but if you have any questions which we haven’t
answered, please feel free to call your CSR or Enterprises. July 1, 1993
SCCA ENTERPRISES, INC. Dear Spec Racer owner: TIRES PRO SERIES BRAKE PADS RUNOFFS CONTINGENCY COMPLIANCE FORD CONVERSIONS INSURANCE If you have any questions please call. Pratt and Whitney to Power Spec Racers by F. Scott Twombly (this originally appeared in Kansas City Region’s “CheckPoint”) August 13th, Denver – In a surprise statement today, SCCA Enterprises spokesman Ben Dover announced that the program to put Ford power into SCCA’s Spec Racer class has been canceled. Instead, Mr. Dover stated, the Hartford, Connecticut-based jet engine manufacturer Pratt and Whitney has been contracted to supply a modified helicopter turbine engine to replace the Renault engine currently used in these cars. When asked to give a reason for this sudden change in policy, Dover replied, “I dunno.” It has been rumored for some time that there have been problems in the Enterprises’ Ford conversion program. At the time of cancellation, the program was about a year behind schedule. A June test at Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, was a disaster and ship dates for the first batch of Ford kits has slipped five times, the latest date being given as September 1, 1993. When asked if these development delays had any impact on the decision to pull the plug on the project, Dover responded, “I’m not sure. I’ve been on vacation.” The phasing out of the Renault powerplant is necessary, Mr. Dover said, because many of the Renault parts have become scarce. “Sometimes we gotta make two or three calls before we can find them,” he said. Mechanical components unique to the Spec Racer design have also become hard to find in recent months, “..and we oughta know because we were the ones who stopped making them. I mean Renault stopped making them. No, they never made them in the first place. Well, we could make them if we wanted to. I mean we used to but they were.... Radioactive. Yeah, Radioactive.” Criticism has also been leveled at the now-defunct program concerning the pricing structure of the Ford kits – or rather the lack of structure. Initially estimated to be a $5,500 item, no actual price was developed for the kit even though Enterprises continued to take deposits. The cost of the program became open-ended. Because of this and other factors, some groups, including the CalClub of Southern California and the professional American Sports Racing series, banned the potential use of Ford-engined cars in their events. The position of these groups concerning the Pratt and Whitney powerplant is unknown; the fate of Ford depositors who wish to withdraw from the turbine program is likewise unclear. Enterprises Comptroller E.S. Crow commented on the status of the Ford deposit money, “Well, it’s probably around here – somewhere. Somebody said they saw it last week, I think. I guess we could look around for it.” Progress in the development of a turbine powered Spec Racer has been swift, Dover said. “My brother-in-law, Spud, is building one in his basement right now and he’s almost got it licked. Say, does anybody know how to weld fiberglass to titanium?” Although no prototype currently exists and no testing has been performed, “The guys are going to be very happy with it. Very, very happy. It’s a real sweet deal for us – I mean them – and we’re gonna start shipping kits next week. Or after the Runoffs in 1995. Rome wasn’t built in a day you know. These things take time.” Time and a considerable amount of cash it seems. Dover estimated the price of the turbine kit at “$65,000, give or take.” Asked if this figure represented a major escalation of the Spec Racer pricing structure, Dover replied, “Carl (Haas, SCCA Board Member and Indy Car team owner) pays $175,000 a pop for his engines, so what’s the big deal?” Pratt and Whitney thinks it is a big deal
apparently. As there are over six hundred cars in the Spec Racer class, the
conversion of all cars to turbine power will result in about $400,000,000 in revenue for
someone. On Wall Street, the Enterprises announcement spurred investor interest.
Stock in United Technologies, Pratt and Whitney’s parent company, closed up one and
on-quarter points today in active trading.
Some 600 Spec Racers are available to be converted from the club-spec 1.7-liter Renault engine to the new 1 .9 liter Ford engine that will be used exclusively in the pro series. Roush Racing will produce sealed engines for the new category. Once converted, the Spec Racer will be eligible for both the professional and club classes.
Yokohama Tire will provide spec tires for the Pro
Spec Racer series and for the club racing class. Yokohama and Ford Motor Co. will provide
financial support for the pro series. ROUSH TECHNOLOGIES The F57E-6A785-AB PCV separator from Ford is not available in large quantities. We will have all 30 pieces on or before October 8th to allow every Ford Spec Racer to have one in time for competition. You may run your vehicle without the separator for break-in and testing. To do so, simply install the PCV valve into the grommet in the PCV tube. The engine will smoke after hard braking or right turns, but these conditions will not damage the engine in any way. It may be helpful to run the engine 1/2 quart low on oil. If you do this, monitor the oil pressure during right turns. If the needle drops the oil level is too low. Continued operation at this point may result in engine damage. Under no circumstances attempt to run the engine
without a PCV valve or with any obstruction in the PCV tube. Large amounts of oil
will remain in the valve cover and leak out the breather tube. A loss of oil
pressure or even a fire could result.
Eric Zinkosky, program manager for Roush, said the session provided several positive results. “It improved the drivers’ confidence and provided them with more time to become familiar with their new equipment.” Car owner Michael Stephens (#71, Security Protection of Tulsa/Stephens Racing) agreed the session was very beneficial. “Since the cars are on the track such a limited amount of time (at Road Atlanta), this session was worth an entire week over there. The best result of the test, I think, is it built our driver’s (Neil Brown) confidence in addition to fine-tuning the car.” After having been sixth in Thursday’s practice and the fastest in the test session, Robert Mumm (#9, Donnybrooke Equipment/Barry Mumm) said he is pleased with the SRF’s performance, especially after the adjustments made during the shakedown. Mumm ended the session with the fastest lap of the day. Richard Doty (#48, Sensonics/LaRue Motor Sports) said the only problem he had was “that they told me to slow down.” Although he had never driven on an oval before, he adapted well by turning laps within 0.8 seconds of the track record for four-cylinder engines. “It was a real kick in the pants,” said driver/owner Dr. Eugene Sherman (#99). “It was a very good session. I suggest everyone in the series take the time to test when sessions like these are held.” “I think all of the drivers that
participated in the test will benefit from the extra track time,” said Martyn Thake,
president of SCCA Enterprises Inc., builder and national distributor of the Spec Racer.
Keith Scharf, Kirkwood, MO (#11, Midwest Sports Racing/Valvoline), placed first, leading seven of the 10 laps. “While racing the SCA (Shelby Can-Am) race, I gave the crew a hand signal to set the SRF (Spec Racer Ford) car up for the dry. I knew it would be a dog fight, but the car worked great on the slightly slimy track.” Gaining aggressively yet coming in 0.845 seconds behind Scharf, Neil Tilbor, Medford, NJ (#18, American Sports Racing), was pleased with the performance of the car. “I can’t believe how competitive the car was straight out of the box. I love the new Ford. Interest has shifted over (from the Renault).” Jim Dunlap, Portsmouth, VA (#7, MMCO Transmissions), was leading on lap 9 but finished third after a late-race drafting pass by Scharf and Tilbor. “It was fun. The potential for quality is there in this class.” “Our group from SVO (Special Vehicle Operations) couldn’t be happier about all the cars running at the end,” according to Lee Hamkins, manager of performance equipment for Ford SVO. “We had all the confidence in the world in this engine, and now we have proven it. The workers at the Dearborn plant are behind the SRF.” “This inaugural race will stand up in the
books as a great debut and the next step in the evolution of the Spec Racer,” said
Martyn Thake, president of SCCA Enterprises, builder and national distributor of the Spec
Racer.
As you will see in the enclosed press release, 26 cars finished the race, with #93 (Leo Capaldi) being eliminated in a start line accident. Incidentally, #93 is Enterprises’ car, the same one we have used for all of the testing, it has completed over of 1500 miles without a scratch. Thankfully, Leo walked away, which is more than can be said for the car. During the course of the 12 days Roush and Enterprises spent at Road Atlanta several things emerged that had not happened during testing. The most significant of which was the reluctance of the shift linkage to operate smoothly. Eric Zinkosky (Roush program manager) personally modified all of the cars on site. Roush has designed a new linkage system that will be tested not only on our car, but by several of the owners who were present at the Runoffs. All of the updates and modifications will be tested in the same way prior to any more kits being shipped. Roush is confident that we will still be able to ship our next batch of kits by the beginning of December as planned. To say that we are pleased with the results of the Runoffs would be an understatement. The sight of the SRF cars entering Turn One with flames coming out of their exhausts, the obvious equality of the cars’, the increase in speed and reduction of lap times (10 mph faster and almost 2 seconds per lap quicker), drivers climbing out of the car describing wheel spin and power slides. All of this says to us, that although there are still a few bugs to work out, the conversion worked, and we achieved our goals. Everybody at Enterprises, Roush and Ford would like to thank all of the owners who raced the SRF at Road Atlanta, for their assistance and their patience. And a special congratulations to Keith Scharf the first SRF National Champion. The SR race was just as exciting, with 55 cars taking the green flag, followed by 18 laps of close racing, which included four abreast up the hill out of Turn one at one time, many lead changes and the first ever national win for the National Champion Jim Marinangel. I spent a lot of time with the folks from Yokohama, and we should be able to give you all of the details of their program soon. They have some exciting ideas for the future of the Spec Racer. You can expect to see in your mail in the near future, our new sales brochure, the first edition of our newsletter ExSpectations and details of the SRF Pro series. As usual, if you have any questions or comments,
please call.
Also enclosed is a survey card. Please take the time to fill out and return the card, postage is prepaid. Due to the much higher than expected demand for Ford conversions and new cars, and the fixed supply available, there will be times during the conversion period that we are going to experience shortages and back orders. By placing your order now you can guarantee delivery in the month of your choice and budget accordingly. By completing the survey you will enable us to better serve you by developing a more efficient inventory system for the Ford/Renault transition period. Unfortunately this letter will also serve as notice of price increases for both new cars and conversion kits. Effective December 1st, 1993 the retail price for a conversion kit will be $5,995, FOB Enterprises. A new car will be $18,995, FOB Enterprises. Replacement engines will be priced at $2,800 and replacement transmissions $1,200. These prices will apply to orders placed with Enterprises on or after December 1st, 1993. Those of you who already have orders in place are not affected by the price increase. We have been working closely with Roush for several months to keep costs as low as possible on all of the components required for the Ford installation. But, the facts are that more development than expected was required to make the conversion as easy as possible, and more important, it was obvious after the Runoffs that higher quality materials were required in certain components. The combination of these and other factors, has forced Roush to request a price increase to help offset their higher costs. The increase only reflects a portion of their overages, Roush has committed to reducing costs in other areas and to deferring some of their profits to later in the program. Deposits will still be required with an order. Effective December 1st, 1993 a $1,750 deposit will be required for a conversion kit, and $5,000 for a new car. Also effective December 1st, 1993, shipping and handling charges for retail parts orders placed directly with Enterprises will be charged at 10% of the order total. As before, anything that exceeds the UPS 70 lb. weight capacity will be shipped Yellow Freight collect with a pro-rated handling charge added. Several of the owners who converted to Ford power for the Runoffs reported that when they removed the filler assembly from their fuel cell the flapper valve had deteriorated. Following discussions with the cell manufacturer we are recommending that this valve be replaced annually. They are available through your CSR (part number # R0590630 $5.25). We have had several people comment on how loose the upper ball joints supplied by Enterprises are. We managed to track down some engineers that were with Renault Jeep Sport (RJS) on the original Sports Renault design team, who told us that they were designed this way. According to the engineers, upper ball joints should always be checked with the weight of the car on them (all 4 wheels on the ground). The joints will have lateral movement if checked un-weighted. The correct procedure is, with the car on the ground, check the top of the tire for movement, if there is none the joint is OK. At this time we do not have final information on the Pro series schedule. Negotiations are currently underway between Pro Racing and Road Atlanta, Des Moines, Dallas, Lime Rock, Watkins Glen, Mosport and a few others. As soon as the schedule is finalized we will let you know. All of the staff at Enterprises would like to take this opportunity to wish you and your families a happy and safe holiday season. Sincerely; Miscellany from 1993 |
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| Rev. 4/24/98 | ||
| Feedback | ||
| I welcome your comments or ideas on this
information. Feel free to drop me a line via “Comments for the
Bro’s”. Barry |
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“Ford SVO and
Jack Roush Racing are proven commodities in the motorsports industry,” stated SCCA
President Nick Craw, “and will lend substantial prestige to what is already the
largest National class in SCCA club racing.”
