Opinions on the Ford Contour

[Zodiac]

I was taking a look at the IT rules the other day looking for a car that could be intresting to build and race, but which is not often seen on the track. I noticed the Ford Contour with the 2.5 liter V6 is classed in ITS. Has anyone ever seen one of these being run? Whats your opinions on its potential or lack thereof for IT?
I'm a big fan of European Fords and with the Contour being an Americanized Mondeo I think it might be a fun car to have a go with.
Also what would it take to get the 2.0 liter 4 cylinder Contour added to the rulebook?
I'm a little hazy on the homlogation procedure, but I'd like to see if I can get it added to ITA or ITB.

Thanks in advance for any help/thoughts you guys can provide!

[Andy Bettencourt]

BOING!!!

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3094/...db12b9.jpg?v=0

[Knestis]

There's a guy named Todd Reid who runs a V6 Probe in NASA, in the mid-Atlantic area. Post your question at http://www.roadraceautox.com/forumdisplay.php?f=2 and he'll find you.

EDIT - on the classification question, you need to submit a request to the SCCA board by email ([email protected]). Include if at all possible copies of technical information on the car - years, engine specifics, stock power/torque for the entire range of model/year you want considered, brake size, gear ratios, etc.

K

[jimbbski]

I can't comment on it's competiveness but since I do own one as a daily driver I will post a few observations.

Suspension wise the car can be made to handle, you will need a limited slip diff of some kind though. Power wise the SVT version is the way to go. Doing the normal IT legal engine mods will not net you much more power, Ford did a good job at the factory, the only area where you will see a major incease will be on the exhaust side. The stock cats/exhaust manifolds are a major restriction.

[Zodiac]

Thanks for the help guys. I'll try contacting Todd Reid as you suggested Knestis.
I'd love to do a ITR Contour SVT but at the momment ITR is a bit out of my budget. I'm looking into ITS or ITA right now. I'm not 100% convinced on the Contour yet but I have started shopping around for a good condition V6 5 speed example, so who knows!

P.S. Andy that exact picture was my original inspiration!!

[JoshS]

Thanks for the help guys. I'll try contacting Todd Reid as you suggested Knestis.
I'd love to do a ITR Contour SVT but at the momment ITR is a bit out of my budget. I'm looking into ITS or ITA right now. I'm not 100% convinced on the Contour yet but I have started shopping around for a good condition V6 5 speed example, so who knows!

P.S. Andy that exact picture was my original inspiration!!

How much more does an SVT cost to build over a slower one? In most cases the additional cost of the used car purchase is very minimal compared to the cost of a build and the ongoing cost of racing ...

[Zodiac]

Initial purchase price seems to be between two and three times as much as a normal V6 equiped model. Cheapest usable condition SVT I saw was $6500 but it goes up quickly from there. While a good normal V6 car is often around $3000 or so.
The other big initial expense would be the custom made wheels needed for ITR.

That being said I'm keeping an open mind, if the right car comes along who knows.

[jimbbski]

If your still thinking about a Contour go to Contour.org There are cars for sale there all of the time. I've seen SVT models go for less then 5K there.

[spdmonkey]

I looked really hard at building my old CSVT for ITR and every engine builder I talked to said there just wasn't much left in the motor itself without going "very grey". For ITS it may be a better fit. The handling of the SVT was a bit quirky. Ultimately I chose to not do it as the money was just too much to justify for the class and to only have occasional competition.

[ITC Racer]

I think the CSVT would be fun to run but perhaps pricey to build. The 5 speed trans has a perception of being on the weak side although BAT was selling new oem trans for like $900 a short time back. Seems the major parts are still available- LSD, konis, etc.

I just sold my 2000 CSVT for $3400 last fall and there were others in the same price range that were servicable. Just need to look a bit.

[Zodiac]

Yeah, I'll be watching for a nice SVT, but if a good early V6 car comes up I think I'll go with that.

[d15b7]

hi guys!

i'm the Probe driver who can be found at many NASA events! it's a bit funny; a few years ago i had a student at Summit Point with an SVT Contour; it had very mild 'street type' mods; suspension, exhaust, etc. really nice car, seemed to handle well. brakes were good, power was nice. it really felt 'european' in nature!

that being said, the Contour V6 is a 2.5 duratec motor; the 2.5 V6 in my Probe is a KL series mazda motor. both are good powerplants; the general consensus is that the KL mazda motor is practically bullet proof; the bottom end is incredible in these motors; i have routinely over-revved mine purposely 1200-1400 over redline; i've never freshened the motor, or even had the oilpan off it. its got more than 45k track miles on it, and other than a timing belt change, and two oil changes per year, and spark plugs once a year, it's been perfect... the one weakness the motor has is the internal coil and ignitor in the distributor (especially if it is a 93 or 94). when racing, it gets really hot and the coil/ignitor pack will fail, leaving you stranded. i fixed this by going to an external coil and HEI module for the ignitor. zero problems after that with the ignition!

the tranny that comes with the Probe/MX6/626 is a little fragile; it uses the same gearset as the escort does. you have to baby it when shifting (i can't shift it quickly like my Honda Civic racecar); the synchros wear (my 2nd and 3rd have been crunching for the last couple of years, unless i'm perfect on the match revving, especially when it gets really hot). the stock diff is weak, and has been known to break (mine never has, though). the axles are really good; i've never broken one (unlike the honda, which i've broken LOTS).

there is a little bit of aftermarket support for the Probe/MX6; i'd expect that there is much less for the Contour. i will tell you that the Probe/MX6 has lousy brakes from the factory -- it's definitely the weakest link in the armor. the brakes are LOUSY!!! i've fixed this, by designing my own brake upgrade (custom brackets and hardware to adapt mazda millenia S calipers and mitsu 3000 GT VR4 twin turbo rotors up front); problem is, that is completely legal for PTx, but not for SCCA ITx.....

very mildly prepped (i have a bolt in cage, no lsd, no final drive, stock ecu, and mostly home grown parts, running toyo ra-1s) i ran a 1:27.04 at summit point yesterday, at 2693 lbs on the scale (2660 is my min weight, but i had too heavy a fuel load!). so, the car can be plenty speedy!

i have very little experience with modding up the duratec V6s; i've been told that the KL V6s 'take better' to tuning and IT-like mods.... i remember my contour student telling me that the tranny is kind of weak in the contours (he'd had his out to fix something with the shifter/forks a month before the track event).

hope that helps; i'm happy to answer any questions i can! i'd love to see some other 'oddball' racecars out there; for the last 5 yrs or so, i don't think i've ever seen another Ford Probe take the green flag at any races (or Contour, or Cougar)! we do have a Focus that shows up occasionally, though..... (thats a 2 liter Zetec motor).

todd
ReidSpeed

[Fred]

I built and raced a SVT Contour in World Challenge in the late 90's. I was supported by Ford and actually had the 1st SVT ever built. Let me make your decision easy - RUN from the car.

Here are some of the shortfalls:

1. The hubs are not up to racing standards. They need to be replaced after every other race or you will shear the wheels off. Believe me I know (Mosport and Limerock).

2. Contrary to what people are saying the car plows worse than a dump truck. There are little or no suspension parts available. Everything needs to be custom made including the shocks. You can not get a car to handle with that big of a motor hanging over the front end.

3. Brakes are so so.

4. Engine - really neat all aluminum quad cam modular motor. With Ford built cams and pistons the car made 232 hp at the front wheels. HOWEVER the engine is really fragile at that HP. It was very very suspectible to overheating. Once it overheated that was it - time for a new motor. Everything warped. I had Ford map me custom ecu's. I do not know of any aftermarket tuners for the ecu. You would have to go to a motec or similar unit.

4. Transmission - really lously ratios. Ford made me a custom gearbox with 2, 3rd and 5th gears changed. The stock box will not hold up.

When I built the car Ford gave me some contact information with the British touring car teams running the Mondeo. They ran a different motor and completely different suspension. Their cars were in the multi $100 thousand range. There is really no comparision to a US car and nothing that crosses over.

In all my years of racing building this car was the worst mistake I ever made.

Hope this helps.

Fred

[Zodiac]

In all my years of racing building this car was the worst mistake I ever made.

Hope this helps.

Fred

Well thats really disapointing. Thanks for your input though, its always good to hear from someone who's built a car already.
Its a shame though, I'm a huge fan of the Duratec engine and I really love European Fords.
Unfortunatly I think I'll have to start looking elseware for an Oddball IT car, maybe a Volvo 850 or Infiniti G20?

I may still pickup a Contour as a daily driver though, my current 944S is great but no normal human could fit in those back seats!

Oh and btw Todd that Mazda/Ford V6 in your Probe was used in the BTCC Mondeo's Fred just mentioned. They shortened the stroke and dropped the displacment to a little under 2.0 liters.

Thanks for the input everyone!

[Xian]

Unfortunatly I think I'll have to start looking elseware for an Oddball IT car

90-91 Civic EX?



I'm just wrapping up my build... it's basically a CRX Si drivetrain in a sedan body. Classed in ITA at 2250 and should be very competitive.

Christian

[iambhooper]

Christian, you raced that thing yet?

hoop

[Xian]

Haven't raced it yet but did get the car logbooked today Hoping to have a shakedown day or two in it and then maybe the August Daytona Double.

Christian

[SATURNRACER]

Christian that car looks way better in person!!!!
Awesome build my hats off to the Conover boys a very nice job.....which sucks cause now I will never catch you!!!

It was great seeing ya today man can't wait to see that beauty on the track...
O.B.

[Knestis]

The '89-93 Ford Probe 2.2 is listed in ITB...

K

[Xian]

Christian that car looks way better in person!!!!
Awesome build my hats off to the Conover boys a very nice job.....which sucks cause now I will never catch you!!!

It was great seeing ya today man can't wait to see that beauty on the track...
O.B.

Thanks! I'm looking forward to getting out there... you going to be at the August Daytona race?

The '89-93 Ford Probe 2.2 is listed in ITB...

K

IIRC, this is the prior gen Probe compared to the Contour/Probe he's looking at. This being said, there are some great, quirky ITB options out there.