WARWICK Meldrum arrived at Drag Challenge in this VP
Holden Commodore Executive, complete with Ford 4.0-litre
Barra XR6 Turbo power!
“It was bought in June with the intention of doing the
Barra swap for Drag Challenge,” Warwick explained at the
beginning of the event. “We got it running a couple of weeks
ago but really only finished it Friday night.”
Prepared by Dandy Engines with forged pistons and rods,
a balanced stock crank and a fistful of ARP bolts and studs,
the FG-spec straight-six was dropped into the second-gen
Commodore engine bay with a slightly modified BA Falcon
sump. The turbo is a modified Cummins Holset HX40- according to Warwick, it’s used on garbage trucks –
pumping 20psi, and the management is Haltech Elite 2500.
There’s a return to GM in the driveline, with a tricked
TH400 (manualised, reverse-pattern, transbrake) and an
SDE 3500rpm converter. The Executive retains its two-
piece prop shaft and BorgWarner live rear axle, but it’s been
cogged down to 3.46 and spooled.
“We fared pretty well,” says Warwick of the road-trip with
his mate John Urquieta. “We broke an O2 sensor and had
a wire fall off the back on the alternator.” The car suffered
a little in the heat, too. “We popped the grille out to help
keep it cool.”
Although set up for flex-fuelling, the 350rwkW Barra drank
98 juice, and with the car uncaged, Wazza stayed above
11 seconds (quicker cars need a rollcage to meet ANDRA
rules), except for one 10.6@129mph last blast on Friday.
AN 11 is the quickest I can go with no ’cage,” Melbourne’s
Andrew Grimes said at the start of Drag Challenge. Many
of us have heard those words around drag racing before,
but adding a twist of humour here is the fact Andrew was
leaning against a two-tonne, family-grade Ford Territory!
“I’m just running it in,” he said of the engine that was put
back in the car just days before Drag Challenge. “So it’s
only running 23psi of boost.”
Based on Ford Australia’s stout standard Barra block,
the donk in Andrew’s fast family funster includes forged
JE pistons and tougher rods on the standard crank, with
ACL bearings. The head and cams are standard but
there’s a ProCharge GTX35 turbo strapped on. The Ford
engine management is tuned with HP Tuners software
and it runs E85 on track. Not yet dynoed, Andrew
reckoned he has around 470kW available at the wheels.
Ford’s ZF-type six-speed auto ’box isn’t real common in
competition, but RVO Autos in Dandenong knows how
to keep them alive behind big-boost Barras. The Territory
is all-wheel drive, but usually wastes valuable tenths by
spinning the front wheels for the first few car lengths after
launch, effectively ‘leaking’ power.
“I reckon with a better suspension set-up and good
tyres I’d solve that and run it to 10.5s,” Andrew says.
“There’s no room inside the front diff housing for an LSD.”
Despite the traction issues, Andrew’s Territory ran an
11.0@131mph best at Drag Challenge.
WARWICK Meldrum arrived at Drag Challenge in this VP
Holden Commodore Executive, complete with Ford 4.0-litre
Barra XR6 Turbo power!
“It was bought in June with the intention of doing the
Barra swap for Drag Challenge,” Warwick explained at the
beginning of the event. “We got it running a couple of weeks
ago but really only finished it Friday night.”
Prepared by Dandy Engines with forged pistons and rods,
a balanced stock crank and a fistful of ARP bolts and studs,
the FG-spec straight-six was dropped into the second-gen
Commodore engine bay with a slightly modified BA Falcon
ump. The turbo is a modified Cummins Holset HX40
according to Warwick, it’s used on garbage trucks –
pumping 20psi, and the management is Haltech Elite 2500.
There’s a return to GM in the driveline, with a tricked
TH400 (manualised, reverse-pattern, transbrake) and an
SDE 3500rpm converter. The Executive retains its two-
piece prop shaft and BorgWarner live rear axle, but it’s been
cogged down to 3.46 and spooled.
“We fared pretty well,” says Warwick of the road-trip with
his mate John Urquieta. “We broke an O2 sensor and had
a wire fall off the back on the alternator.” The car suffered
a little in the heat, too. “We popped the grille out to help
keep it cool.”
Although set up for flex-fuelling, the 350rwkW Barra drank
98 juice, and with the car uncaged, Wazza stayed above
11 seconds (quicker cars need a rollcage to meet ANDRA
rules), except for one 10.6@129mph last blast on Friday.AN 11 is the quickest I can go with no ’cage,” Melbourne’s
Andrew Grimes said at the start of Drag Challenge. Many
of us have heard those words around drag racing before,
but adding a twist of humour here is the fact Andrew was
leaning against a two-tonne, family-grade Ford Territory!
“I’m just running it in,” he said of the engine that was put
back in the car just days before Drag Challenge. “So it’s
only running 23psi of boost.”
Based on Ford Australia’s stout standard Barra block,
the donk in Andrew’s fast family funster includes forged
JE pistons and tougher rods on the standard crank, with
ACL bearings. The head and cams are standard but
there’s a ProCharge GTX35 turbo strapped on. The Ford
engine management is tuned with HP Tuners software
and it runs E85 on track. Not yet dynoed, Andrew
reckoned he has around 470kW available at the wheels
Ford’s ZF-type six-speed auto ’box isn’t real common in
competition, but RVO Autos in Dandenong knows how
to keep them alive behind big-boost Barras. The Territory
is all-wheel drive, but usually wastes valuable tenths by
spinning the front wheels for the first few car lengths after
launch, effectively ‘leaking’ power.
“I reckon with a better suspension set-up and good
tyres I’d solve that and run it to 10.5s,” Andrew says.
“There’s no room inside the front diff housing for an LSD.”
Despite the traction issues, Andrew’s Territory ran an
11.0@131mph best at Drag Challenge.
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