Scott Hart shows how it should be done...
(Back to AU Visitors Cars / Forward to The Rally Man - Part 3.)
Now all we need is a little bit more speed and...instant air!
It doesn't take that much to realize you aren't going to find an XR8 quite like this one at your local Ford dealer - with Scott performing most of the changes necessary to bring it up to spec and make it competitive for the category. Suspension wise, the obvious bit is in the significantly raised ride height (averages 14 1/2" ground clearance from the sills!) lifting Scott's Falcon clear of all but the worst Australia can offer - what isn't so clear is how this has been accomplished. Starting with the front suspension, Scott fitted the tried and true combination from his EB rally car with it's lengthened and strengthened spindle uprights keeping the suspension geometry correct for altitudes of this magnitude!
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Next Scott added modified and re-valved factory front shocks in
combination with custom front springs of which Scott understandably holds
the specs tight. Four F100 rear shock absorbers help keep the rear end in
check along with up-rated leaf springs to cope with the constant hammering
given a vehicle in these circumstances...
15" wheels found their way under the XR8 replacing the original 17" monsters allowing a far wider range of tyres to chose from when it comes to serious off-road duty. The body was then seam welded to take into consideration the extreme duty any serious rally car is expected to take in it's stride - taking in lessons learnt while pedaling the EB XR6 and giving the suspension something to attach to at the end of the day... The differential housing came in for a rework next receiving large amounts of bracing for extra strength. New brackets were welded on for the leaf springs and the shock absorbers moved inboard to avoid costly stone damage. Phew - and that was only the suspension! |
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Making sure Scott doesn't run out of go-juice half way round is
a 170 litre alloy fuel tank fitted inside the rear tub with twin filters to keep
things ultra clean and allow an quick and easy change over should the need
arrive.
Twin high pressure fuel pumps were fitted for the same reason. Safety wise the fuel tank is filled with an alloy mesh (custom 'Explosafe' filled tank built by Outlaw Offroad Products in Fyansford, Geelong) effectively baffling any handling upsetting fuel movement while also helping prevent the potentially explosive results in case of a fire. |
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 Big V8's and big distances mean big fuel requirements... Scotts tank features an alloy mesh stopping handling upsetting fuel slop and giving fire protection all at the same time... |
Of course, making all this much easier is Scott's profession as a
qualified mechanic having worked for 12 years at Ford having done his apprenticeship with
a Ford dealer prior to going to Product Engineering. 8 years were spent in
Product Development / Product Testing which included the Prototype Garage and
Engine Lab and a short time in NVH at the Proving Ground.
Next came a transfer to Broadmeadows where he spent time doing the electrical diagnostics on the AU before doing 2 years on the Dealer Hotline. - Finallay leading to his current position as Functional Team Supervisor for Launch Engineering heavily involved in the release of the new Falcon (Barra) due out later this year. |
| But getting back to the story at hand...
A custom 2 ¼ inch twin exhaust system was added helping get rid of the spent gases while gaining the most from the Ute's AU1 sourced 185kW 5.0 litre Windsor V8 and pumping out one of the most delicious sounding notes you'll ever hear thundering through the bush doing speeds many of us could only dream of... Freeing up the intake system is a custom 90mm bell-mouthed air cleaner induction tube with a trick vaccuum guage mounted in the cabin to let Scott know when the air cleaner is getting dirty. Brand new Sparco racing seats along with the mandatory 5-point Harnesses were purchased for the job helping Scott from being thrown all over the cabin when the going gets really rough... |
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Completing the safety theme a comprehensive Scott Hart fabricated roll cage was fitted that extends backwards into the tray and forwards into the engine bay giving vital bracing for the huge forces experience while landing from the many air-borne sections.
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Keeping things reliable Scott relocated the transmission oil cooler from the bottom of the radiator tank into the back of the ute with it's own electric fan to keep the air moving and away from potential damage. - Keeping another heat source away from the radiator allowing increased engine cooling in the hot dusty conditions. A huge bash-plate and protection bar system has since been fitted to the front-underside further keeping Scott out of trouble.
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Finally a two-piece
tail shaft was fitted (thanks to Tickford and an adapted version of the unit
fitted to the new 250kW Pursuit ute) allowing speeds on the rough road sections far in excess of
anything the factory could have envisaged.
Scott is currently looking for more sponsorship in his endeavor to take on this exciting category so if you could see your name plastered all over the side of his ute, please don't hesitate to contact him! |
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Info By Doug Bevan & Scott Hart, site by Anthony
Robinson.
Copyright © 2000 by Doug & Any . All rights reserved.
All non-technical photos this page taken by and Copyright © 2002 Douglas Bevan.
Revised: 19 Nov 2002
.