Technical Research Archive V8 Supercars
Cars / Group 3A / EB I Falcon
Ford · Group 3A

EB I Falcon

1993 · 20/41 specifications catalogued

The Ford EB Falcon in its original 1993 form (EB I) was the shape the Falcon raced in the first season of the Group 3A 5.0-litre V8 formula, before the 1994 canard upgrade that became the EB II. It is a deliberately separate aero state and is never merged with EB II.

The 1993 aero state

EB I ran a very simple front end: a front spoiler with a full-width undertray spanning the whole front underside and, crucially, no canards. The front bar was likely a composite fibreglass moulding — light but stiff — that ended up as a mix of the EB GTO road bar with a few added lips, and several front-bar versions were reportedly trialled before this one was settled on. The absence of front canards is the defining difference from EB II, which added canards/winglets from 1994; every privateer main-series EB from 1994 onward is treated as EB II.

Group 3A engine & driveline

Under the skin the EB set the template for the whole "E-series": a naturally aspirated Ford 5.0-litre Windsor-based V8, revving to the regulated 7500 rpm with a 10:1 compression ceiling for roughly 580 hp in 1993. Fuel injection was standard from 1993 — the one notable exception being the Moffat Cenovis EB, which ran a Holman & Moody carburettor in 1993 before switching to EFI in 1994. Drive went through a Holinger H6S six-speed in the works cars (some privateers used a five-speed Getrag) to a Ford nine-inch live rear axle with a fabricated, fixed-ratio crown wheel and pinion. Suspension was a double-wishbone front and a live rear axle on locating links. Category minimum weight was 1300 kg.

Brakes, wheels & tyres

1993 was open-tyre competition — Dunlop, Yokohama, Bridgestone and Hoosier all ran, years before the 1999 control tyre. Brakes were ventilated discs with multi-piston calipers, the make varying by team, and wheels were team-specific custom items rather than a single control fitment.

*For its championship record see the 1993 season. Sources: EB model-state records

  • the Group 3A frozen 5.0L formula and the verified spec catalog / V8 Supercars Physics Handbook (N. Higginson) — Grade C/D.*

Technical specification

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

confirmedperiod-verifiedbridge refunknownquarantined

Category 0/2

Formula designation
unknown
Series & administration
unknown

Engine 6/8

Displacement
5.0 L confirmed
Div C Technical Rules (2003, harvested): max engine capacity 5000cc; formula continuous from the period
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) · Exception: the 1993 Moffat Cenovis EB ran a Holman & Moody carburettor before switching to EFI in 1994
Power (est.)
unknown
Max engine speed
7500 (regulated limit) rpm confirmed
Div C Technical Rules C 6.6.1 (2003, harvested): controlled 7500 rpm limit
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)
Engine management
unknown
Engine block
Ford 5.0-litre V8 period-verified
1993 ATCC research (Wikipedia; Supercars.com; Shannons Club)

Drivetrain 4/4

Gearbox
Holinger H6S 6-speed (standard); 5-speed Getrag in some privateer cars period-verified
V8 Supercars Physics Handbook (N. Higginson); Holinger official history; V8 Sleuth
Gear ratios
Holinger 6-sp: 2.571 / 2.000 / 1.667 / 1.350 / 1.143 / 1.000; Getrag 5-sp: 3.51 / 2.08 / 1.35 / 1.00 / 0.81 (rev 3.71) confirmed
Getrag/Holinger ratio set (project mod gearbox files; see Simulator notes)
Final-drive options
3.25 / 3.5 / 3.7 confirmed
2002 V8Supercars.com VX & AU specs; 2004 AU/VX specs (FND-011/037) · 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) 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

Suspension 3/8

Front type
unknown
Rear type
unknown
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
unknown
Front geometry
unknown
Rear geometry
unknown

Brakes 1/5

Front disc
unknown
Rear disc
unknown
Front caliper
unknown
Rear caliper
unknown
Brake pads
Ferodo DS3000 (Perkins Engineering) period-verified
V8 Supercars Physics Handbook (N. Higginson) / Perkins

Wheels & tyres 3/4

Wheel size
17 x 11 in period-verified
Standard rolling stock from 1993 (Wikipedia; JAX Tyres) · Diameter/width is category-standard; wheel supplier/brand varied by team, and earlier Group 3A cars ran various custom wheels
Tyre supplier
Open competition: Dunlop, Yokohama, Bridgestone, Hoosier period-verified
Control-tyre chronology; V8 Supercars Physics Handbook (N. Higginson)
Tyre dimensions
12-inch-wide tyres on 17 x 11 rims period-verified
Standard rolling stock from 1993 (Wikipedia)
Tyre construction
unknown

Weight 0/2

Minimum weight
unknown
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)
Fuel specification
unknown

Dimensions 0/3

Wheelbase
unknown
Front track
unknown
Rear track
unknown

Aerodynamics 2/3

Front aero
EB I front: full-width undertray, no canards (original 1993 package) period-verified
1994 research (V8 Sleuth; Supercars.com; Wikipedia) · The 1993 original; superseded by EB II from 1994
Rear wing
Mandated: large boot-mounted rear wing period-verified
Group 3A rules (Wikipedia)
Downforce / drag map
unknown