Many years ago at the University of Detroit, a professor of fluid dynamics made an offhand comment to a student and inadvertently changed the future of the performance automotive industry.
Bill Barr, now 86 years old, remembers that day vividly. “He said, ‘Every time you turn a 90-degree corner, you lose 1 pressure head [the height of a liquid column that corresponds to a particular pressure exerted by the liquid column on the base of its container] for the amount of water that you’re sending,’ and that struck me,” recalled Barr, who went on to establish what would become a very successful career working in Ford Motor Company’s Engine Engineering department.
During his tenure at Ford, which began in the early 1960s, Barr contributed to countless projects; he made many valuable contributions to the progression of the Mustang Cobra Jet platform, the Boss 302 engine, and multiple other platforms – but it was his professor’s insight that enabled him to do so in the first place.
“I had a lot of good opportunities at Ford, mostly because everyone else couldn’t figure out what was going on,” laughed the genial octogenarian. Capitalizing on what he learned from his professor, Barr took a closer look at conventional intake manifold design and applied his knowledge to not only improve overall flow, but to reduce the potential loss of air and fuel for the next cycle of the engine’s cylinders. “I started making changes for several engines so they wouldn’t lose pressure every time the air or fuel had to turn a corner.”
A repeated theme throughout his career, Barr’s keen awareness of how fluid flowed was utilized in moving air, fuel, exhaust, and even oil – all by making small changes to the radius of corners to adjust trajectories and maintain pressure levels.
Over the years, Barr worked on IndyCar engines, the famed Cobra Jet, the iconic Boss 302, and even a late 1980s-model pickup truck that Ford wanted more power from. Ultimately, the result was the same: the engines that Barr focused on always benefitted.
“On another, the top of the engine where the carb and air cleaner goes, we deliberately raised the height of the carburetor so it always had fuel running downhill, and each turn had a relief so the fuel would go around the corners more predictably,” added Barr.
Barr’s list of accomplishments is lengthy and undeniably impressive, and his work with Ford’s Cobra Jet engine has allowed countless racers and enthusiasts to benefit thanks to his performance genius. Now, Barr and his family are planning to attend the 23rd Annual Mickey Thompson NMCA All-American Nationals on August 23-25, 2024, at Norwalk, Ohio’s beautiful Summit Motorsports Park.
“I would love to see the Cobra Jets run and am excited to see how they’ve evolved,” proclaimed Barr. The annual Cobra Jet Showdown Presented by Watson Racing is slated to take place over the event weekend, and each and every car entered into the category will carry Barr’s legacy under its hood as it blasts down the drag strip.
For lucky Ford fans who spot Barr on the property, he’s always happy to chat and reminisce about his days spent on FoMoCo’s engineering team, so be sure to say hello and express your thanks for his contributions to the Blue Oval community!
Traveling with his son, Scott, from their home in Georgia, Barr will stay with his daughter, Denise Barr-O'Connell, in Michigan, for the NMCA event weekend. Afterward, the Barrs plan to continue on to the Pittsburgh International Race Complex in Pennsylvania to celebrate 55 years of BOSS with the BOSS Mustang Reunion on August 30-September 1, capping off a truly epic all-Ford road trip.
For more about Barr’s career, please click here: https://www.428cobrajet.org/428cj-history-bill-barr.
Bill Barr, now 86 years old, remembers that day vividly. “He said, ‘Every time you turn a 90-degree corner, you lose 1 pressure head [the height of a liquid column that corresponds to a particular pressure exerted by the liquid column on the base of its container] for the amount of water that you’re sending,’ and that struck me,” recalled Barr, who went on to establish what would become a very successful career working in Ford Motor Company’s Engine Engineering department.
During his tenure at Ford, which began in the early 1960s, Barr contributed to countless projects; he made many valuable contributions to the progression of the Mustang Cobra Jet platform, the Boss 302 engine, and multiple other platforms – but it was his professor’s insight that enabled him to do so in the first place.
“I had a lot of good opportunities at Ford, mostly because everyone else couldn’t figure out what was going on,” laughed the genial octogenarian. Capitalizing on what he learned from his professor, Barr took a closer look at conventional intake manifold design and applied his knowledge to not only improve overall flow, but to reduce the potential loss of air and fuel for the next cycle of the engine’s cylinders. “I started making changes for several engines so they wouldn’t lose pressure every time the air or fuel had to turn a corner.”
A repeated theme throughout his career, Barr’s keen awareness of how fluid flowed was utilized in moving air, fuel, exhaust, and even oil – all by making small changes to the radius of corners to adjust trajectories and maintain pressure levels.
Over the years, Barr worked on IndyCar engines, the famed Cobra Jet, the iconic Boss 302, and even a late 1980s-model pickup truck that Ford wanted more power from. Ultimately, the result was the same: the engines that Barr focused on always benefitted.
“On another, the top of the engine where the carb and air cleaner goes, we deliberately raised the height of the carburetor so it always had fuel running downhill, and each turn had a relief so the fuel would go around the corners more predictably,” added Barr.
Barr’s list of accomplishments is lengthy and undeniably impressive, and his work with Ford’s Cobra Jet engine has allowed countless racers and enthusiasts to benefit thanks to his performance genius. Now, Barr and his family are planning to attend the 23rd Annual Mickey Thompson NMCA All-American Nationals on August 23-25, 2024, at Norwalk, Ohio’s beautiful Summit Motorsports Park.
“I would love to see the Cobra Jets run and am excited to see how they’ve evolved,” proclaimed Barr. The annual Cobra Jet Showdown Presented by Watson Racing is slated to take place over the event weekend, and each and every car entered into the category will carry Barr’s legacy under its hood as it blasts down the drag strip.
For lucky Ford fans who spot Barr on the property, he’s always happy to chat and reminisce about his days spent on FoMoCo’s engineering team, so be sure to say hello and express your thanks for his contributions to the Blue Oval community!
Traveling with his son, Scott, from their home in Georgia, Barr will stay with his daughter, Denise Barr-O'Connell, in Michigan, for the NMCA event weekend. Afterward, the Barrs plan to continue on to the Pittsburgh International Race Complex in Pennsylvania to celebrate 55 years of BOSS with the BOSS Mustang Reunion on August 30-September 1, capping off a truly epic all-Ford road trip.
For more about Barr’s career, please click here: https://www.428cobrajet.org/428cj-history-bill-barr.