LS3 V8 SUPERUTE BREAKS OUT

The Chevrolet LS3 fitted to the Ford Range engine bay like it was made for it, according to Chris Formosa

The first of the V8 powered SuperUtes broke cover with a shakedown run at Sydney Motorsport Park.

By GARRY O’BRIEN

Chris Formosa put his Ford Ranger through its paces in the leadup to September’s Australian Motor Racing Series meeting, and reported a thumbs up to its performance over three sessions.

The unpopular turbo diesel powered utes were wound up last year and the owners within the category opted to take over the reigns and install a control petrol V8 engine, with plans to relaunch the class in 2021.

Formosa would have liked to race the ute over the SMP weekend but the only category it could have raced with the TA2s/Stock Cars, where he competed in his TA2 Dodge Challenger.

“The Chev LS3 powerplant fitted in like it was made for the ute,” Formosa said.

There was also a weight saving of around 40kg over the diesel, some of that due to replacing the wiring loom.

It has been matched up to a Tremec six-speed gearbox that the diesel- powered utes and the V8 Utes before them used, along with a Haltech management system that basically runs the motor, wipers, lights and produces data.

The SMP laps were the first outing for the new combination after three days on the dyno, where it delivered 300kW at the rear wheels.

“The first thing that I encountered was the lack of diesel smoke and fumes,” he reported.

“It also has a different sound as Hume Mufflers has come up with a unique set of mufflers.”

Formosa was also pleased with how smoothly the LS3 delivered its power, particularly in getting the ute out of the corners. He completed around 18 laps on old tyres from Bathurst last year, and recorded the best laps in the 1min 54s range, quicker than the SuperUte tested there previously and better than the Holden Commodore V8 Ute he raced.

With the engine sitting lower in the chassis than the original powerplant, there is a change to the centre of gravity.

Formosa suggests that there is also the possibility that the ute can be lowered further at the front.

“The SuperUte has always been a great race car to drive, and they still are. With a new Yokohama tyre and more development, it should be sunstantially faster,” he concluded.

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