FF1600 INFORMATION, PUBLICATIONS and ARTICLES

 

The following magazine articles and publications are available to those who are interested in the history and various technical aspects of Formula Ford cars and the Kent engine. In deference to copyright laws, even though I don�t think any of the authors would object, the copies are free but there will be a charge for postage and handling. Please send an email to info@thekentlives.com indicating which of the following are of interest.

Magazine Articles on Formula Ford Cars, The Kent Engine and Racing

 

A. FORMULA FORD AND CLUB FORD

1 Club Ford � The People�s Revolution, Scott - SportsCar July 86, 5p
2 Formula Ford -C&D Nov 76, Bedard, 2p
3 Formula Ford Racing in America by Nickless � SportsCar Feb 89, 8p
4 Buyers Guide to Formula Ford � SportsCar 84, 9p
5 Getting Out There - FF Costs, R&T 1985, 3p

B. KENT ENGINE

1 Living With Your Engine � Racecar, 5p
2 The Ford Crossflow � Sportscar Mechanics Magazine, June 84, 3p
3 Kent Engine Tech Articles, Racecar Engineering, 12p total
5 �Patch� � famous multi-time winner of British FF Festival, 2 articles, 3p

C. FORMULA FORD CARS

1 Design of Eagle FF � Formula Jan 78, 4p
2 FF1600 Car Tests � 35F, Tiga, VD79, Racecar May 74, 2p
3 The Van Diemen Story 73-93 Official Publication, 7p
4 Van Diemen RF84 Test � SportsCar 84, 2p
5 Crossle 32 Test,  Formula June 77, 2p
6 Tiga Test, Formula, Oct 76, 2p
7 FF1600 Manufacturers Listing � Racecar May 79, 43 Cars, 2p
8 Swift Design, Parts 2 and 5 out of 5, SportsCar 83, 5p
9 FF Comparison (chart) Formula Jul 77, lists all chassis to date, 10p
10 Charting the Fords � Racecar May 79, 4p
11 Dulon MP-19 Track Test � Formula Dec 76
12 Market Guide � Vintage Racecar � 98? � 2p

 

D. OTHER ENGINE ARTICLES

1 Race Engine Machining Demystified � Stock Car, 4p
2 Engine Balancing articles � Stock Car (V8), 9p
3 Bearing Class � Stock Car, Aug 94, 10p
4 Bearing Life is Engine Life Circle Track, Jan 87, 4p
5 Formula 3 Engine Development, R&T Apr 63, 5p
6 Fire It Up � Stock Car Nov 94, 8p 

E. DRIVING

1 Speed Graphic � G-force analysis w/ early Data Acquisition on Lotus GP car
driven by Stewart, Andretti and Petersen, R&T Jul 84, 5p
2 The Friction Circle - R&T Oct 83, 3p
3 Cornering Power/Skid Pad � R&T 69, 5p
4 Stewart�s Secrets  - C&D Oct 91, 9p
5 How to become World Champion ( Early Barber School ) Formula Oct 75, 2p
6 The Centered Driver � Denise McCluggage � Autoweek, Jan 95, 2p

 

 

       GREAT BOOK ON RACE DRIVING

This list includes a wide range of books on racing driving. All of them are valuable and while some are more practical in nature, others explore more subtle aspects of high performance driving, the experience and the spirit of the sport. Any of these titles would be of interest to those new to the sport and some would prove useful to drivers with considerable experience who wish to hone their skills and drop their lap times a few more tenths!!     

The first book that comes to mind is the great classic, THE RACING DRIVER (1958) by Denis Jenkinson, the famous English journalist who was Stirling Moss's co-driver when they scored that incredible victory in the Mille Miglia of 1955. This is a terrific study of the art of high speed driving and full of keen insight into the minds of the greatest drivers. BOB BONDURANT ON HIGH PERFORMANCE DRIVING is a reliable guide to the basics and a concise review of the instructing principles used at Bondurant's world famous school. WINNING, A RACE DRIVER'S HANDBOOK by George Anderson is probably the best overall book on race driving for the new driver. If you were to get only one book, this should be it. Covers all aspects of driving and uses great graphics. Highly recommended. THINK TO WIN is an amazing book by Alexander which concentrates on the mental approach and on methods for improving your lap times and chances of winning. Carroll Smith's new book DRIVE TO WIN is without doubt, in my view, the finest book on driving ever written. How marvelously he can put into words what we are trying to do on the track. He has set new standards for enlightened exploration and expression of thought about the art of driving. Of course, his magnificent series of race prep books have transformed the world of race car preparation and are a must for any serious racer. Ross Bentley's new books, SPEED SECRETS and INNER SPEED SECRETS are small, concise and very perceptive books on driving techniques. Another great book with associated video is GOING FASTER written by Carl Lopez and the Skip Barber Racing School. They're packed twenty years teaching experience into this lengthy and detailed book. Peter Scott's RACING - A DRIVER'S HANDBOOK is a practical guide to club racing and includes an overview of the school weekend and lists of tools, spares etc., - basic and solid information for the beginner. Four great books by significant drivers include Senna's PRINCIPLES OF RACE DRIVING, Paul Frere's SPORTSCAR AND COMPETITION DRIVING, by a superb driver and journalist and Piero Taruffi's THE TECHNIQUE OF MOTOR RACING, the first race driving book ever published and an indispensable masterpiece for the advanced student.   

BOOKS ABOUT FORMULA FORD AND RACING IN GENERAL

RACING MAGAZINES

GREAT BOOKS ON RACE DRIVING

ARTICLES ON FORMULA FORD

 

 

Denis Jenkinson's THE RACING DRIVER is the great classic written in 1969 by the eminent English journalist who accompanied Stirling Moss when the two triumphed in the 1955 Mille Miglia. As an exploration of the art of race driving, this book remains unequalled. 

George Anderson's excellent book WINNING, vintage 1993, provides a comprehensive overview of all aspects of road racing - with contributors Carroll Smith, Bertil Roos, Danny Collins, Tony Kester. It includes in-depth chapters on every important part of race driving and utilizes exceptionally good graphics to demonstrate the key points.

Steve Nickless is the foremost authority on Formula Ford and his superb book THE ANATOMY AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE FORMULA FORD RACE CAR, published in 1993, remains the bible of the class and includes a comprehensive encyclopedia of practically every single FF1600 chassis built up through 1993.

DRIVE IT, The Complete Book of Formula Ford, written by Englishman Philip Bingham in 1984, was the best book available on the hugely popular Club racing class - a class in which, at that time, provided the springboard for several up and coming drivers who were to go on to become F1 race winners. 

VanValkenburgh's fascinating book, RACE CAR ENGINEERING & MECHANICS was a landmark book written by a vastly experienced engineer and even though it is 15 years old now, it is still a valuable resource for anyone looking for ways to improve and tune their car's chassis and suspension.

Mark Donohue's book "The Unfair Advantage" chronicles this great American driver's years in racing with special emphasis on the lengthy period he spent at Penske Racing where a string of world class, race winning cars were developed and perfected. Donohue and several other highly talented drivers Penske hired, drove these exceptional cars to numerous race wins and championships. Donohue had an engineering degree from Brown University and he was also a gifted driver. The combination of his engineering knowledge, Roger Penske's penchant for perfect car preparation and the many "unfair advantages" they drempt up meant they were a very difficult team to beat. This book tells the complete story of Indianapolis victory, Trans-Am victories and. of course, the triumph of Penske's astounding Porsche 917-10's and 917-30's in the Can-Am series. This is a tremendously interesting, entertaining and insightful book.   

Carroll Smith, arguably the "original race engineer", was a major player in Ford's great victory at Le Mans with the GT40 in 1966 when Smith was Team Manager for the Carroll Shelby effort. In the early 1970's he wrote incredible articles about race car preparation which ran over a period of many months in the superb racing magazine, 'SPORTSCAR GRAPHIC". He followed up by writing a series of books which quickly became an invaluable resource for Club racers and pros alike. See the "CHASSIS" page for further information on Smith and his books. 

The premier magazine for all open wheel racing classses is Rob Howden's Formula Car publihsed in Canada and it covers Club Racing as well as all the North American semi-pro and pro racing series that are a ladder to ChampCar, IRL and Formula One. the photographs alone are worth the price of admission - for subsciption information go to formulacarmag.com. Howden Communications also has a very informative website at eformulacar news.com

 

 

In the late 70's and early 80's, John Benton published the best racing magazine - FORMULA and then RACECAR which incorporated FORMULA. These exceptional publications covered everything from Formula Ford to Formula One and boasted contributors such as Pete Lyons, Mario Andretti, Technical Editor Pete Halsmer, Al Holbert, Carroll Smith and Nigel Roebuck.

Current sources of racing news and technical information include the SCCA's SportsCar (free with your Membership or available on some newstands) and the two great English publications, RACE CAR ENGINEERING and RACETECH which can be subscribed to at EWA or found on better newstands everywhere.

GREAT BOOKS ON RACE DRIVING

Carroll Smith's DRIVE TO WIN is a concise guide to the art of race car driving and includes a chapter for those - aren't we all - who see themselves as being the next F1 World Champion. Of all the books on race driving, this one provides the most insight into the mind of the driver and into the skills and knowledge necessary to race and win.

Index