Confessions of an Automationeer, Part 39: Project Saker

Confessions of an Automationeer, Part 39: Project Saker

Having downloaded the files for the Falcon Dynamo S, which had just been declared the winner of CSR71, I began thinking about what to do with it. The raw ingredients for the car were tempting: a normally aspirated V8 driving the rear wheels via a manual gearbox, and fully independent suspension at each corner. It looked fast as well, even when standing still. But I had to examine the car in more detail just to find out what I was working with. In keeping with the donor car's avian name, I dubbed the build Project Saker.

The Falcon Dynamo S+ before it underwent a total transformation as part of Project Saker.

When I finally got around to revising the car, I ended up feeling somewhat deflated. I was expecting the Falcon's V8 to produce 300 horsepower or more, but in fact it only made around 270. Moreover, the suspension, drivetrain, and brakes were all set up mainly for comfort, which made the Falcon more of a grand tourer than an actual sports car. It was obvious, then, that the Falcon had to undergo an extensive makeover if it was to become a supercar-baiter.

Omitting the rear seats and installing lightweight forged wheels was one of the first steps I took, since the car's weight would be significantly reduced in the process. In addition, to give the car a sportier feel, I installed a six-speed manual gearbox and mechanical limited-slip differential, as well as larger brakes and fixed-rate suspension with passive dampers and sway bars. Finally, the stock tires were replaced with high-performance rubber, ensuring that the car would have more grip in enthusiastic driving.

However, the engine received the biggest changes of all. By fitting a set of individual throttle bodies, aggressive cams, forged internals, high-flow intake and exhaust systems, and increasing the compression ratio, the Falcon's V8 now developed just over 380 horsepower - enough to keep up with all but the very fastest cars of its era. Of course, fuel economy suffered, but that wasn't the point of the makeover. And besides, it's going to be the last thing on your mind when the redline has been raised to 7500 rpm or more.

On the outside, the Falcon gained a larger front splitter and rear wing, as well as a bright blue paint job. So equipped, it was nearly unmissable even from afar. Apart from this, however, the bodywork remained almost unchanged compared to the stock version.

The same car after tuning. Note the larger front and rear spoilers and wider wheels.

After the makeover, the Falcon felt like a completely different car. In terms of straight-line performance, handling, and braking, it was in a completely different league to a standard Falcon. In particular, it recorded a 0-60 time of just 4.9 seconds during testing - enough to leave most rivals in its dust. And with a top speed of 170 miles per hour, hardly anything would be able to keep up with it on long straightaways.

Overall, I found the build to be extremely satisfying. Given that the donor car had been built to conform to a somewhat restrictive set of regulations, asking the question "What if the car didn't have to follow the rules of the competition in which it entered?" was a no-brainer for me. Fortunately, the answer to that question turned out to be an absolute scorcher of a car, capable of going toe-to-toe with contemporary exotics.

A more detailed description of the build (complete with a backstory) can be found here:

http://discourse.automationgame.com/t/automation-speedhunters-share-your-modified-and-classic-cars/21023/31