Cars / Group 3A / AU II Falcon

Ford · Group 3A

AU II Falcon

2000-2002 · 33/41 specifications catalogued

The Ford AU Falcon in AU II form was the post-mid-2000 parity front that ran to the end of the AU's life. It is the definitive AU package, distinct from the original shark-fin AU I, and the immediate predecessor of the Project Blueprint BA Falcon.

The 2000 parity front

After AU I proved aerodynamically uncompetitive, TEGA and the teams developed a parity front during 2000. The fix grafted the top half of the AU front bar onto the bottom half of the VT Commodore bar — joined from below the headlights — to cut the AU's front-end lift. It ran from Calder 2000 onward and is the only significant difference from AU I; the two share the same chassis and mechanicals.

Engine & driveline

The AU carried the Group 3A Ford 5.0-litre Windsor-based V8, naturally aspirated to the regulated 7500 rpm at a 10:1 compression limit and quoted around 480 kW / 620+ bhp (about 616 hp / 616 Nm by 2002). Engine management was a free MoTeC system in this pre-control-ECU era. Drive ran through the Holinger six-speed to a Ford nine-inch live axle with a fabricated, fixed-ratio crown wheel and pinion on the control 3.25 / 3.5 / 3.7 set. The AU used a double-wishbone front and a live rear axle located by four links and a Watts linkage.

Brakes, wheels & tyres

The works/2004-spec car ran AP six-piston monoblock front calipers on ~375 mm discs and AP four-piston rears on ~340 mm discs, brake make varying by team. Wheels were Speedline 17 × 11 in on the works car, supplier again varying by team (Speedline, O.Z. and others). The control tyre was Bridgestone to 2001 and Dunlop from 2002. Category minimum weight was 1350 kg.

Evolution and a note on track figures

For 2003 the AU was given a longer front splitter to add more front downforce, trying to stay competitive with the new Project Blueprint BA Falcon and VY Commodore — a parity package under which teams still built their own chassis — before the AU was phased out as teams moved to the Blueprint cars. Note that published 1632 mm front / 1610 mm rear figures are not accepted as wheel-centre track: they are quarantined in the conflict register (CON-001) and should not be read from the build sheet as centreline track.

For its championship record see the 2000, 2001 and 2002 seasons. Sources: verified spec catalog (2002 official / 2004 AVESCO AU specs) + AU model-state records / V8 Supercars Physics Handbook (N. Higginson) — Grade B/D.

Technical specification

Grouped by system. Every value carries its confidence grade and source.

confirmedperiod-verifiedbridge refunknownquarantined

Category 2/2

Formula designation

Group 3A - 5.0L V8 Touring Car (V8 Supercar) period-verified

Category formula designation (era-based) · 'V8 Supercar' was the main-category technical designation in 2000 (AVESCO).

Series & administration

2000 Shell Championship Series confirmed

AVESCO period releases / official category history · Separate from the V8 Lites / Konica development category.

Engine 8/8

Displacement

5.0 L confirmed

Div C Technical Rules (2003, harvested): max engine capacity 5000cc; formula continuous from the period | Div C Technical Rules 2002 (AVESCO Operations Manual, OCR of Scopsmanuals scan) C6 (max 5000 cc) ; CAMS Manual of Motor Sport, Group 3A / 5.0L Touring Car technical regs (period 1993-2001; physical Manuals, confirmed by N. Higginson 2026-08) · 5000 cc max period-confirmed across 1993-2001 by the CAMS Manuals (Group 3A regs), continuous into 2002 - no longer only the 2003 bridge.

Configuration

90-degree V8 period-verified

Group 3A formula

Induction

Naturally aspirated; fuel injection standard from 1993 period-verified

Group 3A formula; V8 Sleuth; V8 Supercars Physics Handbook (N. Higginson) ; Contemporary 2002 V8 Supercar technical-rules mirror (period Racefan summary of the AVESCO Ops Manual; Grade B/C, pending Div C/D) ; CAMS Manual (NA only; no water injection; no moveable induction device; carb/EFI unrestricted) · Exception: the 1993 Moffat Cenovis EB ran a Holman & Moody carburettor before switching to EFI in 1994 2002 Div C (AVESCO Operations Manual, our OCR - Grade A): max fuel pressure 5.5 bar (C6.4.9); max 8 fuel injectors (C6.4.7); ONLY these injectors permitted (C6.4.10) - Bosch 351 (0280150351), Bosch 363 (0280150363, supersedes 351), Bosch 036 (0280150036), Rochester 2014 (D04917104 988), Rochester 2015 (D04917104 989). Per-car fitment unknown. CAMS Manual (Grade A, BLANKET rule 1993-2002): engine must be NATURALLY ASPIRATED (forced induction prohibited); water injection prohibited; NO device may alter the manifold/induction/exhaust configuration while the engine runs (moveable inlet rams / variable-length trumpets banned - FIXED trumpets are legal). Induction TYPE was NOT restricted in 1993 - the Manual does not mandate EFI or ban carburettors, so both were legal (the 1993 Moffat Cenovis carburettor was legal); EFI became the universal team choice, reflected in the 2002 Div C approved-injector list.

Power (est.)⚑ variants

480 kW / 620+ bhp @ 7500 rpm bridge ref

2004 AVESCO AU spec (RA-011) · 2004 value Period single-car figure: 2002 MOTOR '00' AU = 460 kW @ 7450 rpm, 610 Nm @ 6200 rpm (SBR).

Max engine speed

7500 (regulated limit) rpm confirmed

Div C Technical Rules C 6.6.1 (2003, harvested): controlled 7500 rpm limit | Div C Technical Rules 2002 (AVESCO Operations Manual, OCR of Scopsmanuals scan) C6 (7500 rpm power limit) ; CAMS Manual of Motor Sport, Group 3A / 5.0L Touring Car technical regs (period; physical Manuals held by N. Higginson, read 2026-08) · 7500 rpm rev limit period-confirmed across 1993-2002 (CAMS Manuals, Grade A) - no longer only the 2003 bridge.

Compression ratio

10:1 confirmed

Div C Technical Rules C 6.2.1 (2003, harvested): compression ratio must not exceed 10.0:1; V8 Supercars Physics Handbook (N. Higginson) | Div C Technical Rules 2002 (AVESCO Operations Manual, OCR of Scopsmanuals scan) C6.2.1 (compression <=10.0:1) ; CAMS Manual of Motor Sport, Group 3A / 5.0L Touring Car technical regs (period 1993-2001; physical Manuals, confirmed by N. Higginson 2026-08) · 10:1 max compression period-confirmed across the CAMS Manual era (1993-2001).

Engine management

MoTeC (M4 / M48 family) period-verified

MoTeC hardware; electronics finding ; CAMS Manual (engine management free, no control ECU pre-2003) · 2003+ used a control ECU (RA-015) MoTeC obsolete-product part numbers: M4 = 11001, M48 = 11002, M8 = 11003. 2002 Div C (Grade A): data logging is restricted to the PERMITTED SENSOR LIST (C11.10.5+), not free logging - engine sensors = crankshaft position, oil temp, camshaft position, fuel pressure, throttle position (x2), plus the defined chassis-sensor set. MoTeC is period-correct; 'compulsory M48' is not stated in our Div C. Engine management was FREE - NO control ECU (CAMS Manual, Grade A; free from 1993). Team choice (MoTeC, Autronic, etc.) - which is why teams ran different ECUs; the TEGA control ECU only came in 2003. So an ECU value here is the team's chosen unit, not a mandated one. Driver AIDS BANNED (CAMS Manual, Grade A, blanket 1993-2002): traction control, ABS, launch control and active suspension are all PROHIBITED - model these cars with NO electronic driver aids.

Engine block⚑ variants

Ford 5.0-litre V8 period-verified

1993 ATCC research (Wikipedia; Supercars.com; Shannons Club) | Autosport The Nostalgia Forum / Technical Forum 'V8 Supercar Engines' (topic 95363), incl. motorsport historian Ray Bell (Grade C, named-source forum history) · Ford raced a purpose-built race block, not the road crate motor: for the 1993 launch Ford successfully applied to run the Ford Motorsport (SVO) block - thicker main webbing and 4-bolt caps - because the standard Falcon crate V8 was not suited to durable race tuning; Windsor-family architecture (302/351W). This SVO race block is the direct ancestor of the later BA-onward 'Yates'/D3 head development (the D3 NASCAR-derived head was developed by Ford engineer Mose Nowland). Windsor-derived 5.0 block with SVO heads (DJR, per 2000 Shell Series spec).

Drivetrain 4/4

Gearbox

Holinger H6S 6-speed period-verified

V8 Supercars Physics Handbook (N. Higginson); Holinger official history; V8 Sleuth | Div C Technical Rules 2002 (AVESCO Operations Manual, OCR of Scopsmanuals scan) C7.2.1 (six forward gears; control gearbox, casing <=745 mm) | Div C Technical Rules 2002 (AVESCO Operations Manual, OCR of Scopsmanuals scan) C 7.2.5 (H-pattern, non-sequential change mandated) ; CAMS Manual of Motor Sport, Group 3A / 5.0L Touring Car technical regs (period; physical Manuals held by N. Higginson, read 2026-08) ; 1997 CAMS Manual (6-gear cap + H-pattern) · All cars ran the Holinger H6S from 1995 (the privateer Getrag 5-speed was an early-days 1993-94 gearbox only). In period the gearbox was H-pattern (non-sequential): 2002 Div C C 7.2.5 mandated an 'H'-pattern change with a non-sequential mechanical linkage; sequential/electronic-assisted selection was prohibited (sequential shift came to the category later). 2002 Div C (Grade A): the clutch must have exactly 3 driven plates (C7.1.1 - triple-plate mandatory), each driven plate >=180 mm diameter (C7.1.5), titanium + carbon-fibre components permitted (C7.1.6). Make/inertia unknown; no clutch param in the model. CAMS Manual (Grade A, period): H-PATTERN gearchange REQUIRED across 1993-2002 (sequential prohibited the whole era). [Max gear-count not yet extracted - N. gave the H-pattern rule but not a gears cap; TBC.] Gearbox rules (CAMS Manual, Grade A, 1993-2002): MAX 6 forward gears + H-PATTERN gearchange required (sequential banned). No MINIMUM gear count -> a 5-speed (e.g. Getrag) was LEGAL, which is why budget privateers ran them; the works 6-speed Holinger H6S was the maximum-gear choice. RESOLVES the five-speed question. 1993-94: the ENTIRE transmission was FREE - gearbox type, ratios AND final drives - the only cap being 6 forward gears + an optional reverse (1993 CAMS Manual, Grade A). The fixed homologated control GEARSET applied from 1995; the 3.25/3.5/3.7 final-drive control set is confirmed for 2002 (Div C C7.4.5).

Gear ratios

Holinger H6S 6-speed (homologated set, identical 1995-2002): 2.571 / 1.989 / 1.665 / 1.351 / 1.138 / 1.000 (6th direct) confirmed

1995 & 1997 CAMS Manuals of Motor Sport (Group 3A gearbox ratios, held by N. Higginson) + 2002 AVESCO Div C C7.2.3 (identical) · Grade A - EXACT tooth counts from the 1997 CAMS Manual, confirmed IDENTICAL in the 1995 CAMS Manual AND the 2002 Div C (C7.2.3), incl. the 22:24 constant mesh. Tooth counts (drive:driven): 1st 14:33, 2nd 17:31, 3rd 19:29, 4th 21:26, 5th 23:24, 6th 1:1 direct; constant mesh 22:24. Overall ratio = (driven/drive gear pair) x constant (24/22 = 1.0909). Homologated CONTROL set (works ran the 6-speed H6S from ~1995). SUPERSEDES the earlier mod-derived approximation (which had 2.000/1.667/1.143 for gears 2/3/5 - the real values are 1.989/1.665/1.138). The 1997 CAMS Manual PRINTS the ratios as 2.57 / 1.99 / 1.66 / 1.35 / 1.14 / 1.00 (2 dp) - directly confirming the tooth-count computation above.

Final-drive options

3.25 / 3.5 / 3.7 confirmed

2002 V8Supercars.com VX & AU specs; 2004 AU/VX specs (FND-011/037) | Div C Technical Rules 2002 (AVESCO Operations Manual, OCR of Scopsmanuals scan) C7.4.5 (per-circuit mandated: 3.7 37/10, 3.5 35/10, 3.25 39/12) · Period-confirmed for 2002 by the official VX and AU spec pages; the same set is used in the mod gearbox files (Simulator notes)

Differential

9-inch crown wheel & pinion (fabricated assembly, fixed ratios); ferrous spool centre (no differential action) period-verified

2002 V8Supercars.com VX & AU specs (FND-037); 2004 AVESCO specs · Period-confirmed 2002; early Commodores used a Ford F100 truck 9-inch diff housing Ferrous spool / no differential action is mandated by Div C (2002/2003 C7.3) - the final drive has no diff action.

Suspension 6/8

Front type

Double wishbone (adjustable damper, cockpit-adjustable front anti-roll bar) period-verified

2002 V8Supercars.com AU spec (SBR; FND-037); 2004 AU spec · Period-confirmed 2002 - the AU ran a double-wishbone front (vs the Commodore's strut)

Rear type

Live axle, 4-link with Watts linkage period-verified

model_states; 2004 AU spec

Front spring rate

78.8-175.1 (400/500-900/1000 lb; circuit-dependent) N/mm period-verified

Jack Perkins, Perkins Engineering · Real figures are in pounds (Perkins); N/mm shown for engineering use

Rear spring rate

40.3-87.6 (230-500 lb; circuit-dependent) N/mm period-verified

Jack Perkins, Perkins Engineering

Anti-roll bars

Cockpit-adjustable from 1994; 2nd blade ~1999-2000; both blades 2008 period-verified

Jack Perkins, Perkins Engineering · 2008 is post-period

Dampers⚑ variants

Coil-over Ohlins dampers with Eibach springs (front and rear) period-verified

Gibson Motorsport The Cars: Ford Falcon AU XR8 spec page (gibsonmotorsport.com.au, 2001; harvested Wayback) | Div C Technical Rules 2002 (AVESCO Operations Manual, OCR of Scopsmanuals scan) C 8.6 (shock absorbers) · Works/team fitment; damper make varied by team. Corroborated by three independent period sources: Gibson Motorsport AU XR8 (2001), the Konica-series AU XR8 sheet (~2002), and 00 Motorsport AU XR8 (2002) — all state Ohlins coil-overs with Eibach springs. 2002 Div C C8.6: shock absorbers externally adjustable only (max 4 adjustable characteristics, one per wheel); cockpit and electronic adjustment prohibited. Legal damper type (2002 Div C C 8.6, Grade A): one damper per wheel; up to FOUR externally-adjustable characteristics per damper (high/low-speed bump and rebound) plus a separate gas-pressure adjustment; cockpit and electronic adjustment prohibited - i.e. externally-adjustable gas-charged monotube coil-overs.

Front geometry

— unknown

Rear geometry

— unknown

Brakes 5/5

Front disc⚑ variants

370 mm period-verified

Shell Championship Series official site (shellseries.com.au, 2000), via Wayback · DJR Brembo (14 in). Ford/Holden teams on AP calipers ran 375 mm.

Rear disc⚑ variants

330 mm period-verified

Shell Championship Series official site (shellseries.com.au, 2000), via Wayback · DJR Brembo (13 in). AP-equipped cars ran 340 mm.

Front caliper⚑ variants

Brembo 6-piston (DJR 2000); AP 6-piston monoblock used by other teams period-verified

Shell Championship Series official site (shellseries.com.au, 2000), via Wayback · Per the 2000 Shell Series DJR AU spec sheet. Brake make varied by team. Corroborated: the 2002 SBR '00' AU (MOTOR magazine) ran AP 6-piston 377 mm front / Brembo 4-piston 330 mm rear - i.e. AP-front on some cars, confirming brake make varied by team. CONFLICT (held): a 2000 retrospective test of DJR AU11 (Radisich/Bright) describes AP Racing 6-piston front brakes; this contradicts the period Shell Series 2000 DJR spec (Brembo) retained here - the period spec is stronger, so AP is NOT applied to DJR.

Rear caliper⚑ variants

Brembo 4-piston (DJR 2000); AP 4-piston monoblock on other cars period-verified

Shell Championship Series official site (shellseries.com.au, 2000), via Wayback · Per the 2000 Shell Series DJR AU spec sheet.

Brake pads

Ferodo DS3000 (Perkins Engineering) period-verified

V8 Supercars Physics Handbook (N. Higginson) / Perkins

Wheels & tyres 4/4

Wheel size⚑ variants

Speedline 17 x 11 inch in period-verified

2002 V8Supercars.com AU spec (FND-037); 2004 AVESCO AU spec | Div C Technical Rules 2002 (AVESCO Operations Manual, OCR of Scopsmanuals scan) C9.2 (max rim dia 17", complete-wheel width 305 mm, dia 680 mm); C9.3 min 9 kg · Period-confirmed 2002; wheel supplier varied by team (Speedline / O.Z. / others) Div C wheel envelope: max 17-inch rim, 305 mm complete-wheel width, 680 mm complete-wheel diameter (2002/2003 Div C C9). CAMS Manual (Grade A): 17-inch rim DIAMETER is category-mandated across 1993-2001; wheel width + material pending confirmation. 1994-2002 CAMS Manuals (Grade A, confirmed 1994/1997 + 2002 Div C) wheel envelope: max COMPLETE-wheel (rim+tyre) WIDTH = 12 in (~305 mm, = the 2002 Div C 305 mm limit); max rim diameter 17 in; max complete-wheel diameter 680 mm. Wheel MATERIAL is NOT restricted in the 1997 Manual (magnesium permitted - matches the Speedline/O.Z. magnesium wheels used). Rim width itself is a team choice within the envelope (commonly 11 in).

Tyre supplier

Dunlop control tyre (2002) period-verified

2002 Ops Manual Div D - Sporting Rules (D1.10.1), AVESCO · Sole control tyre from 2002 (Div D D1.10.1, 'must exclusively use the Dunlop control tyres'). Bridgestone was the single-make control tyre 1999-2001 (per the 2000 Shell Series spec). Dry + wet-weather control tyres.

Tyre dimensions⚑ variants

12-inch-wide tyres on 17 x 11 rims period-verified

Standard rolling stock from 1993 (Wikipedia) · CAMS Manual (Grade A): category max tyre overall diameter = 680 mm across 1993-2001. 1994-2002 CAMS Manuals (Grade A) envelope: max complete-wheel width 12 in (~305 mm) and max complete-wheel overall diameter 680 mm (all years).

Tyre construction

Revised 2000 Bridgestone control-tyre specification (carcass / belt / compound construction unresolved) bridge ref

Mobil HRT Team Torque, May/June & October 2000 · Temporal continuity is strong (same control tyre carried into the post-Calder AU II state); no physical construction data recovered.

Weight 1/2

Minimum weight

1350 kg confirmed

Gibson Motorsport The Cars: Ford Falcon AU XR8 spec page (gibsonmotorsport.com.au, 2001; harvested Wayback) | Div C Technical Rules 2002 (AVESCO Operations Manual, OCR of Scopsmanuals scan) C3.1 (minimum 1350 kg, without driver/apparel) ; CAMS Manual of Motor Sport, Group 3A / 5.0L Touring Car technical regs (period; physical Manuals held by N. Higginson, read 2026-08) · Pre-Blueprint category minimum (1350 kg); rose to 1355 kg under Project Blueprint from 2004. CAMS Manual (Grade A, period; N. Higginson's held books, read 2026-08): minimum weight is BARE - WITHOUT fuel, driver or protective apparel. Category timeline: 1300 kg 1993-95, 1325 kg 1996 (PROVISIONAL - 1996 Manual not held), 1350 kg 1997-2002. CORRECTION: the 1995 Manual reads 1300 kg (start of year); 1325 first appears for 1996 - so the earlier '1325 at the 1995 Bathurst 500' framing needs the 1996 book (or a mid-1995 bulletin) to confirm exactly when it changed.

Weight distribution

— unknown

Fuel 1/2

Fuel capacity

120 L confirmed

Div C Technical Rules (2003, harvested): fuel tank max 115 L, TEGA checking vessel 120 L; 2000 cost page; V8 Supercars Physics Handbook (N. Higginson) | Div C Technical Rules 2002 (AVESCO Operations Manual, OCR of Scopsmanuals scan) C13 (fuel cell <=115 L; total system <=120 L per TEGA vessel) ; CAMS Manual of Motor Sport, Group 3A / 5.0L Touring Car technical regs (period; physical Manuals held by N. Higginson, read 2026-08) · 120 L MAXIMUM tank capacity, period-confirmed across 1993-2002 (CAMS Manuals, Grade A).

Fuel specification

— unknown

Contemporary 2002 V8 Supercar technical-rules mirror (period Racefan summary of the AVESCO Ops Manual; Grade B/C, pending Div C/D) · 2002 fuel: official fuel = Shell Optimax (period Shell release; RON not promoted). Max fuel pressure 5.5 bar (Div C C6.4.9, Grade A). Refuelling (2002 Div D, our OCR): Siamese FIA fittings on 100 mm centres, return-vent tower, restrictor targeting ~30 s fills.

Dimensions 0/3

Wheelbase

— unknown

Front track

— quarantined

Quarantined 1632 mm figure · conflict CON-001

Rear track

— quarantined

Quarantined 1610 mm figure · conflict CON-001

Aerodynamics 2/3

Front aero

AU II parity front: the top half of the AU front bar mated to the bottom half of the VT Commodore bar (mid-2000 CAMS parity change) period-verified

V8 Supercars Physics Handbook (N. Higginson); Shannons Club; Supercars.com | Shannons Club Racing Garage (EB SS / EF-EL / AU Falcon features) ; V8 Sleuth AU retrospective · The definitive AU package from Calder 2000 The AU-II parity front is the "TEGA Bumper" (round 10, 2000): the Commodore spoiler lower section grafted onto the AU upper, with a larger/softer leading-edge radius for pitch stability (the original sharp AU edge was pitch-sensitive). The AU road body silhouette is wing-shaped and generated lift, not downforce, up to ~280 km/h - a known aero handicap. Shannons Club - "Ford AU Falcon: the wing-shaped supercar that struggled to fly" AU II / "TEGA bumper" front (from Round 10, 2000): a parity graft of the VT Commodore's front-spoiler LOWER section onto the AU's upper section, with the join just below the headlights; the Commodore section's larger, softer leading-edge radius cut the AU's pitch-sensitivity and gave more consistent, tuneable front downforce (Larkham's testing found the front was the decisive change). Final post-mid-2000 AU II parity front (AU upper bumper + VT-derived lower + common splitter). Do NOT retain the AU I central shark-fin front. Splitter/undertray/intake dims and coefficients unresolved.

Rear wing

Rear wing, reported 10 mm trim datum period-verified

AG-004 | Shannons Club Racing Garage (EB SS / EF-EL / AU Falcon features) · drawing unrecovered AU ran a more aggressive steeply-angled central diffuser than the VT. Shannons Club - "Ford AU Falcon: the wing-shaped supercar that struggled to fly" In the same parity testing the VT Commodore rear wing made no tangible difference on the AU, so the rear was left essentially as-is - the front spoiler was the decisive element.

Downforce / drag map

— unknown

Variants & divergences

The specification above is the selected reference package. In the Group 3A era the body model did not determine the mechanical spec — individual chassis and entrants diverged. Graded leads, to be firmed up against homologation papers and the annual CAMS Manuals.

Stone Brothers Racing AU 2002 works spec Stone Brothers Racing 2002 Grade C

Official AVESCO per-model Ford (SBR) 2002 spec (v8supercar.com.au /technical/cars/v8ss/ford.htm; the source of GPT's 'Racefan' mirror). Ford Motorsport 5.0 L V8 with SBR-developed heads/intake/exhaust, MoTeC, ~480 kW/620 bhp @ 7500, Holinger 6-speed, SBR 9-inch CWP (3.25/3.5/3.7), SBR DOUBLE-WISHBONE front + live-axle Watts rear, Speedline 17x11, Dunlop control, 120 L, 1350 kg. TEAM VARIATION (the key point - no universal 2002 AU package): SBR = AP 6-pot 375 front / AP 4-pot 340 rear on Speedline 17x11; the 00 Motorsport AU (MOTOR test) = AP 6-pot 377 front / BREMBO 4-pot 330 rear on O.Z. 17x12 (see the 00 Motorsport variant).

e.g. SBR AU4 (Ambrose's 2002 car - Sandown pole + double win to close the AU era)

Front caliper: AP six-piston monoblocC
Front disc: 375C
Rear caliper: AP four-piston monoblocC
Rear disc: 340C
Wheel size: Speedline 17 x 11C
Power (est.): ~480 kW / 620 bhp @ 7500 rpmC

Larkham Calder-winning AU: new shell + carried-over running gear Larkham Motor Sport 2000 (Calder onward) Grade B

Shell-vs-mechanicals split: after the Oran Park crash Larkham built a NEW post-Oran-Park shell in 17 days and transferred ALL salvageable running gear from the crashed original 1999-2000 AU - so the Calder winner is NOT an all-new 2000 mechanical spec. The surviving shell later lost its original pedal box + wiring loom (removed for the BA Falcons) and its 1999-Bathurst-pole engine; measurements can still give shell construction, suspension mounts, cage layout and aero mounting, but NOT the original pedals/loom/electronics/installed engine.

e.g. Larkham AU - 2000 Calder winner (painted-shell-to-race-car in 17 days after Oran Park)

Gibson Motorsport in-house Ford V8 (GMS014, 2001) Gibson Motorsport 2001 Grade B/C

One of the clearest 2001 engine-program changes: Gibson introduced its FIRST in-house Ford V8 in the new GMS014, distinct from the ex-Stone Brothers AU (SBR AU2) Lowndes started 2001 in. Block, heads, induction, ECU calibration, firing order, power curve and inertia all unresolved.

e.g. GMS014 - Lowndes' new AU (Bathurst 2001 debut; Sandown finale winner)

Engine block: Gibson in-house Ford V8 (GMS014, from Bathurst 2001)B/C

00 Motorsport GMS014 - 2002 MOTOR-test package 00 Motorsport (Gibson) 2002 Grade C

Best public period AU technical source (MOTOR Nov 2002), but CAR-SPECIFIC, not the universal AU. Architecture (norm): 5.0 L 16v pushrod V8, 10:1, 6-speed Holinger H-pattern, double-wishbone front, live-axle Watts rear, adjustable ARBs. Feel: safety understeer, NEAR-LOCKED diff (needs drive torque to rotate), very light-then-heavy steering, extremely HARD brake pedal (large master cylinder). CAVEATS: the test car ran a RIDE-DAY engine (softer cams/map) so 460 kW/610 Nm is NOT the race dyno figure; 17x12 wheels + the AP/Brembo brake pack are 00-Motorsport-specific (do NOT spread to SBR/DJR/FTR); published wheelbase 2788 / L4907 / W1870 / H1350 mm come from the SAME spec box that mislabels TRACK as 1632/1610 (quarantined - basis unresolved). Full MOTOR article (sim-FEEL validation, not hard params): the Holinger is an H-pattern DOG/crash box - clutchless straight-gate 1->2 / 3->4 upshifts, clutch only for diagonal shifts, ~1 inch 1->2 throw; the diff behaves as ALMOST A LOCKER (needs driveline torque to rotate - pushes if left in too high a gear); brake pedal very STIFF / low-travel / high-effort / no fade (large master cylinder); steering effort NONLINEAR - light below the limit, heavier as the front saturates.

e.g. GMS014 (Lowndes' 00 Motorsport AU; the MOTOR Nov-2002 test car was the team SPARE)

Front disc: 377 mm AP slotted/ventilatedC
Front caliper: AP six-pistonC
Rear disc: 330 mm AP slotted/ventilatedC
Rear caliper: Brembo four-pistonC
Wheel size: 17 x 12 O.Z. (car-specific; category rim envelope is 17 in)C
Dampers: Ohlins dampers, Eibach springs (front & rear)C
Power (est.): 460 kW @ 7450 / 610 Nm @ 6200 (RIDE-DAY engine, not the race engine)C
Tyre dimensions: Dunlop SP Sport 280/680 R17C