Formula Ford 1600 – A Brief History
Formula Ford originated in the UK in 1967 when the first Cortina powered Lotus 51s were built to replace F3 cars being used at the MRS driving school at Brands Hatch. Their cost, complete and ready to run, was one thousand pounds sterling. Engines were provided by Ford at the princely sum of fifty pounds each! Transmissions were Renault as used in the Lotus Europa and Colin Chapman, consequently, had access to a whole bunch of them! The class was adopted by the SCCA in 1969 and FF1600 soon became the most significant single-seat racing class in the world FF. It was not uncommon to see grids of up to fifty fairly equal cars take the green flag. The thousands of FF chassis produced over the following four decades far outnumber those of any other racing class. The original Ford Cortina engine that powered these rear-engined, tube-chassis cars was replaced when Ford introduced the sturdier, venerable Uprated or “Kent” version in 1971.
In the early years of its 37 year history, the class was a major step in the ladder to the top and several future World Champions honed their skills and became recognized while racing in Formula Ford. The hallmarks of FF1600 were its low cost and the restrictive rules which assured that it was a class where the driver's skill made the difference. Even today, that characteristic remains a major aspect of the class’s considerable appeal.
Formula Ford continues to be a strong National class because it still provides what is arguably the greatest value in Club Racing. Cars are available at all price levels as are engines. Rules stability is also a major factor and the amateur racer who wants to can still build up, modify and tune his own engine.
Since 2002 when the SCCA approved an open approach to aftermarket engine parts production, FF1600 has had a rebirth and Regional fields have increased significantly. The Kent engine can now be made extremely reliable and its life between rebuilds has been extended significantly.
The Regional “Club Ford” class for pre-1982 cars has become highly popular throughout the country. With a huge support network of part sources, prep shops and engine builders, a devoted following of thousands of racers continues to assure Formula Ford’s vitality. Although its former role has been, in some ways, eclipsed by spec and wing cars, it remains a racing class which, true to its history, continues to provide an exciting racing experience at relatively low cost.
The two main precursors to Formula Ford were the 500 / F3 Class, a class which was very popular right after WW2. When racing resumed in England, inexpensive and plentiful 500 CC motorcycle engines were put in small, nimble chassis and huge grids appeared out of nowhere! This example is a Cooper, Stirling Moss's first pure racing car. In such cars, with varying engine sizes, Moss ran 113 races and hill climbs.
Formula Junior was successful class which peaked in the mid-1960's. A wide assortment of cars were produced and the engines - mostly Fiats and BMC variants - came from a number of different street cars. This one is a beautifully restored Lotus, seen here in the paddock at Donnington Park at a huge vintage meet of the type the English do so well!
At the very beginning in the US, the only cars being brought in from the UK were the Lotus 51 then the 61 and also the Crossle 16. But many more makes were soon seen on tracks across the country. One of these was the MACON MR6, essentially a copy of the early Crossle design. These cars clearly resembled the designs of the late 1950's and early 1960's F1 cars, especially the Coopers that were winning World Championships then in the hands of Jack Brabham.
In the early 60's, the FF contingent found that they could be driving cars that looked almost exactly like the current crop of F1 and Indy cars. Since wings were not yet in vogue, all the rear engined open wheel cars at that time appeared to be part of a single family. This Mickey Thompson built Harvey Aluminum car, for example, was driven by Dan Gurney at Indianapolis in 1962, sporting a much modified stock block Buick V8 ran very well in the 500 until a simple oil seal let go and Gurney's day was over, but not before he had moved up through the field impressively. Thompson's later Indy cars utilized revolutionary small diameter tires which made them very difficult to control. They were deemed to be too dangerous by several top line drivers who tried them. Road racer Dave McDonald would lose his life in one during the '64 race.
Another great marque found in Formula Junior grids was Lotus - shown here in its distinctive green livery with characteristic flashy, yellow "wobbly" wheels.
One of the more successful FF1600 designs was the Lola 342 with its elegant, shapely fibergalss body.
Jeff Andretti in a SWIFT DB-1 - Sebring National in January 1984
One of the most successful chassis run in the US, the Crossle 32/35 series - built in Northern Ireland by John Crossle - won races across the country and dominated National grids. In the early 1980's when the "pre-78" or "CLUB FORD" class was created, the Crossles yet again ran up front. The cars were of simple, straightforward design and were one of the safest cars as well. Racing schools like Skip Barber Racing owned scores of these cars and many up and coming drivers got their first taste of Formula Ford in 32/35's.