S197 2005 GT Build Thread Profile - S197 Mustangs

[665.0coupe]

How do you find the CSM spec tire compared to other options?

I haven't run the spec tire yet. Since I'm just starting out, I decided to go with Falken RT-615's since they are cheaper and I figured I would be burning though them while learning.

 

[Bill Pemberton]

If you haven't purchased yet you might go with the 660+ instead.......easier tire to drive on for someone new as they telegraph much better and will be faster. Sure, they will wear faster but some drivers find the 615s to be rather uncommunicative.

 

[665.0coupe]

If you haven't purchased yet you might go with the 660+ instead.......easier tire to drive on for someone new as they telegraph much better and will be faster. Sure, they will wear faster but some drivers find the 615s to be rather uncommunicative.

I already have the 615+. I considered the 660+, but they were more expensive. Another benefit to the 660+ that was pointed out to me by a friend, is that they can be flipped on the wheel to get a little more life out of them.

Once I wear out the 615+, I'll switch to the spec Goodyears.

 

[665.0coupe]

This weekend I attended the driving school and guard rail club event at Motorsports Park Hastings. This was my first time on any track. The driving school was good as I would have been very far off line without the instruction. Saturday morning, my instructor from the previous day, let me ride along during one of the sessions. The ride along was very eye opening!! I wasn't pushing near hard enough!

The car did great all weekend. The only issue I had was getting hot a couple of times, but I was running the AC while I was waiting on grid and forgot to turn it off when I went out on track. I do think I will upgrade to a thicker core radiator at some point.

I am currently running Hawk HPS5.0 pads, and I don't have any complaints for autocross and street use, but I can tell they are not a track pad.

I also need to upgrade my seat. I bought a set of Schroth quick fit belts a while back and they are much better than the stock belts, but I'm still sliding all over on track.

By the end of the day on Friday I was doing 1:53 lap times. By noon on Saturday, I was down to 1:50, and by the end of the day, 1:47. It seems like 1:40-1:41 is a good time for S197's at MPH.

 

[Tim.ocon]

This weekend I attended the driving school and guard rail club event at Motorsports Park Hastings. This was my first time on any track. The driving school was good as I would have been very far off line without the instruction. Saturday morning, my instructor from the previous day, let me ride along during one of the sessions. The ride along was very eye opening!! I wasn't pushing near hard enough!

The car did great all weekend. The only issue I had was getting hot a couple of times, but I was running the AC while I was waiting on grid and forgot to turn it off when I went out on track. I do think I will upgrade to a thicker core radiator at some point.

I am currently running Hawk HPS5.0 pads, and I don't have any complaints for autocross and street use, but I can tell they are not a track pad.

I also need to upgrade my seat. I bought a set of Schroth quick fit belts a while back and they are much better than the stock belts, but I'm still sliding all over on track.

By the end of the day on Friday I was doing 1:53 lap times. By noon on Saturday, I was down to 1:50, and by the end of the day, 1:47. It seems like 1:40-1:41 is a good time for S197's at MPH.

For brake pads I have bought DTC60s for track duty and HP+ for the street and slalom. I have 1 piece front callipers so swapping pads back and worth is fairly simple and easy to do on the front and I just leave the HP+ on the back full time

That being said the DTC60s have been on the car for 1.5 months now cause I’m to lazy to swap them back even if it does only take 20 minutes

 

[Bill Pemberton]

Make it to the Mustang Roundup in August and you will be able to pick a bunch of Mustang Maniacs brains. I hope to make it though I have a minor health issue that may cause me to miss, yet this is a " bucket list " event and it will help you figure out plenty with your car. I would look at a set of G-Locs for your car as they are easier on the rotors. Call Tim at OP Racing ( site sponsor ) and only buy these pads pre-bedded.

 

[665.0coupe]

For brake pads I have bought DTC60s for track duty and HP+ for the street and slalom. I have 1 piece front callipers so swapping pads back and worth is fairly simple and easy to do on the front and I just leave the HP+ on the back full time

That being said the DTC60s have been on the car for 1.5 months now cause I’m to lazy to swap them back even if it does only take 20 minutes

My HPS5.0 are about half worn off, so I think I'm going to get some G-Loc R12/R10's and swap back and forth for track days and street/autoX. I already have spare rotors, so I just need the pads.

Make it to the Mustang Roundup in August and you will be able to pick a bunch of Mustang Maniacs brains. I hope to make it though I have a minor health issue that may cause me to miss, yet this is a " bucket list " event and it will help you figure out plenty with your car. I would look at a set of G-Locs for your car as they are easier on the rotors. Call Tim at OP Racing ( site sponsor ) and only buy these pads pre-bedded.

I would like to make it to Mustang Roundup, but I have a multi-year tradition fly fishing trip to CO that weekend. I bought the seals to rebuild my GT500 Brembo's from Tim, so I will likely use him again.

This weekend I'm going to swap the worn out factory clutch limited slip for a tru-trac along with new wheel bearings/seals and ARP wheel studs. I also have a new rear upper control arm and Steeda spherical bearing to put on.

 

[Tim.ocon]

My HPS5.0 are about half worn off, so I think I'm going to get some G-Loc R12/R10's and swap back and forth for track days and street/autoX. I already have spare rotors, so I just need the pads.


I would like to make it to Mustang Roundup, but I have a multi-year tradition fly fishing trip to CO that weekend. I bought the seals to rebuild my GT500 Brembo's from Tim, so I will likely use him again.

This weekend I'm going to swap the worn out factory clutch limited slip for a tru-trac along with new wheel bearings/seals and ARP wheel studs. I also have a new rear upper control arm and Steeda spherical bearing to put on.

Make sure the Glock pads and the Hawk pads won’t interfere with eachother in terms of pad deposit on the rotors. I’m fairly sure that some deposit can gum up other pads

 

[665.0coupe]

Make sure the Glock pads and the Hawk pads won’t interfere with eachother in terms of pad deposit on the rotors. I’m fairly sure that some deposit can gum up other pads

I already have new rotors setting on the shelf, so I would have dedicated rotors for each set of pads.

 

[665.0coupe]

I had been noticing my inside tire spinning on tight turn a round's at autocross events. When I got the car I thought I could get away with running the factory clutch limited slip until this winter, and then swap to the trutrac. The obviously worn out factory limited slip said other wise. This weekend I swap in a trutrac as well as new wheel bearings, seals, a new rear upper control arm, a Steeda third link spherical bearing, new Ford front hubs, and ARP wheel studs.

I went and ran an autocross today to shake down the new rear diff. Very noticeable difference.