Hi folks:
Here are some photographs of my 2008 GT500. I'm building this thing to basically be a track car that I can still sorta-kinda drive on the road. We put a TVS supercharger in it, a boost a pump, fancy expensive injectors, a big JLT CAI- a giant heat exchanger, ST coilovers, new UCAs and LCAs and a Fays2 watts link. These are its new "street" wheel and tire combo. I did some 18x10 GT500 American Muscle knock-offs and Nitto NT01 275/40/18 at all four corners. Everything fits without rubbing and the difference between what was on the car before is pretty amazing. Previously the car had a street/strip set-up with NT05 drag tires on the back and Michelin Pilot Sport AVS on the front on the stock staggered wheel set up. I'm building this car to be the best handling GT500 I can- and these tires might be a bit much as daily drivers- but I am in San Diego and they really do feel amazing.
it's getting its interior gutted and a cage and some corbeau FX1 seats installed very soon. I put a Momo Drift steering wheel in it which I thought would be a bit small- but actually feels great. (I haven't had the patience to wire the horn up though- which is probably a good thing for me!). I've got a Barton shifter ready to be installed too.
I know that GT500s are not ideal road race cars- but we've got the thing dyno tuned to put out about 575 horsepower to the wheels, and while the thing is a pig- it is a lot of fun to drive and really handles great despite it's size. Hats off to Sam Strano for turning me on to the ST Coil-Overs. These things are awesome, came with camber plates, and are basically KWs with bit less resistance to corrosion. As I am in San Diego- that isn't a big deal at all. The car actually is far more solid and taut and comfortable than it was stock. I've always driven cars that I have been happy to compromise comfort for a visceral feel. I do need the thing to be super reliable for daily driving though in terms of not breaking down. The folks at JBA here in San Diego did all the installation and tuning- and with the heat exchanger and the cooler running TVS supercharger- this car actually runs much much cooler than it did stock.
I'm bolting on a FiveStar NASCAR late model 70' 8 inch clear spoiler to the trunk lid today. I'm hoping it will give me a bit more grip on the rear and it'll look pretty stock car/trans-am tough too. In reality it'll probably just kill the gas mileage and slow the car down on the straights but meh- that's ok if it improves the grip in corners and looks cool!
I have a set of silver 18x11 CF5 wheels coming for the car too that will serve as its serious track set up. I was able to score some Hoosier made Conti 305/685R18 G5000 slicks for those wheels. I think they'll be a great tire for my purposes. They're Hoosier's Daytona specific tire- so they have super stiff sidewalls and supposedly wear like iron. Given how much of a pig this car is- I think they're going to work out great. I'm not interested in the last 100th of a second in lap times- this car will never be competitive in any class of racing- but as a track toy that I can also drive to work everyday- I could not be happier.
I'd love you guys' advice on what I should do going forward to make the ultimate race car for the road. I'm for sure inspired by a lot of what I have seen here. My dream is to do everything with this car. I think it would be great to drive to Pike's Peak and race it for example- as well as doing some of those fastest street car races where you drive to different tracks and then compete in drag races, autocross, time trials, and road races.
I bought this car for under $20,000 and have already put that much into it- because I've bought some dumb stuff, I don't have a garage to do my own work, etc- but it is slowly becoming the vision of what I wanted in a car. I would rather be driving my mustang than any other car in the world. I test drove a new GT350 the other day- and honestly i like my car better. I even think it handles better!
Anyway thanks guys for the warm welcome and let me know what to do! If there are any cool events I could take part in here in San Diego county let me know.
Given what I have going on so far is there anything I am missing? Does the car need something that I've forgotten about?
Here are some photographs of my 2008 GT500. I'm building this thing to basically be a track car that I can still sorta-kinda drive on the road. We put a TVS supercharger in it, a boost a pump, fancy expensive injectors, a big JLT CAI- a giant heat exchanger, ST coilovers, new UCAs and LCAs and a Fays2 watts link. These are its new "street" wheel and tire combo. I did some 18x10 GT500 American Muscle knock-offs and Nitto NT01 275/40/18 at all four corners. Everything fits without rubbing and the difference between what was on the car before is pretty amazing. Previously the car had a street/strip set-up with NT05 drag tires on the back and Michelin Pilot Sport AVS on the front on the stock staggered wheel set up. I'm building this car to be the best handling GT500 I can- and these tires might be a bit much as daily drivers- but I am in San Diego and they really do feel amazing.
it's getting its interior gutted and a cage and some corbeau FX1 seats installed very soon. I put a Momo Drift steering wheel in it which I thought would be a bit small- but actually feels great. (I haven't had the patience to wire the horn up though- which is probably a good thing for me!). I've got a Barton shifter ready to be installed too.
I know that GT500s are not ideal road race cars- but we've got the thing dyno tuned to put out about 575 horsepower to the wheels, and while the thing is a pig- it is a lot of fun to drive and really handles great despite it's size. Hats off to Sam Strano for turning me on to the ST Coil-Overs. These things are awesome, came with camber plates, and are basically KWs with bit less resistance to corrosion. As I am in San Diego- that isn't a big deal at all. The car actually is far more solid and taut and comfortable than it was stock. I've always driven cars that I have been happy to compromise comfort for a visceral feel. I do need the thing to be super reliable for daily driving though in terms of not breaking down. The folks at JBA here in San Diego did all the installation and tuning- and with the heat exchanger and the cooler running TVS supercharger- this car actually runs much much cooler than it did stock.
I'm bolting on a FiveStar NASCAR late model 70' 8 inch clear spoiler to the trunk lid today. I'm hoping it will give me a bit more grip on the rear and it'll look pretty stock car/trans-am tough too. In reality it'll probably just kill the gas mileage and slow the car down on the straights but meh- that's ok if it improves the grip in corners and looks cool!
I have a set of silver 18x11 CF5 wheels coming for the car too that will serve as its serious track set up. I was able to score some Hoosier made Conti 305/685R18 G5000 slicks for those wheels. I think they'll be a great tire for my purposes. They're Hoosier's Daytona specific tire- so they have super stiff sidewalls and supposedly wear like iron. Given how much of a pig this car is- I think they're going to work out great. I'm not interested in the last 100th of a second in lap times- this car will never be competitive in any class of racing- but as a track toy that I can also drive to work everyday- I could not be happier.
I'd love you guys' advice on what I should do going forward to make the ultimate race car for the road. I'm for sure inspired by a lot of what I have seen here. My dream is to do everything with this car. I think it would be great to drive to Pike's Peak and race it for example- as well as doing some of those fastest street car races where you drive to different tracks and then compete in drag races, autocross, time trials, and road races.
I bought this car for under $20,000 and have already put that much into it- because I've bought some dumb stuff, I don't have a garage to do my own work, etc- but it is slowly becoming the vision of what I wanted in a car. I would rather be driving my mustang than any other car in the world. I test drove a new GT350 the other day- and honestly i like my car better. I even think it handles better!
Anyway thanks guys for the warm welcome and let me know what to do! If there are any cool events I could take part in here in San Diego county let me know.
Given what I have going on so far is there anything I am missing? Does the car need something that I've forgotten about?