S197 2012 Boss 302 #1710 Build Thread Profile - S197 Mustangs

[Adam Ginsberg]

This is the Build Thread for 2012 Boss 302 #1710. Reply below.

 

[Bill Pemberton]

Adam. get ready for an onslaught of props from the large group of Kona Blue Boss owners on this site ----- very popular colors and very vocal owner, ha. Congrats and what have you been racing in SoCal for the last 20+ years --just asking?!

 

[Vettel-ish]

Dont have a boss but love me some Kona!!

Nice car! Welcome to the group.

 

[Adam Ginsberg]

Adam. get ready for an onslaught of props from the large group of Kona Blue Boss owners on this site ----- very popular colors and very vocal owner, ha. Congrats and what have you been racing in SoCal for the last 20+ years --just asking?!

Hahah…thanks for the warning, Bill.

As for my racing - I raced a 1985 Mustang GT in NASA’s Camaro-Mustang Challenge class starting in 2003. I began racing in TX, but moved to CA in 2008.

I retired from active competition in July 2013 (pole and win on Sunday @ LSIR, no less), but have continued to work for NASA as a Race Director, Pace Car Driver, etc, as well as taking my car to the various tracks I work.

The image below (blue Fox) was my racecar. That image (Corkscrew!!) was taken on 7 July 2013 while I was leading my final race.

As you might surmise, I like blue cars, hence the KBM Boss 302 I now own and enjoy.

 

[ChrisM]

Probably my favorite color combo on the Boss!

 

[TMSBOSS]

Kona Blue, nice.
Too Vocal?? You don't have to be loud when you drive the best. Lol

 

[Adam Ginsberg]

Since the day I purchased #1710, I'd been very undecided which direction to go - (#1) beauty queen, (#2) track slut, or.....(#3) pretty girl you can take home to the family, yet is a shiznit-ton of fun on track.

It took awhile for me to figure it out. All 2012 Boss 302s are somewhat rare (only ~4,016 cars built), with just 553 KBM cars produced. I went back and forth, as the car was exceptionally well cared for prior to my purchase - it had 17,000mi when I bought it (now has 33k), included the owners kit, good maintenance history, and a few changes already done:

1. Ford Racing shifter
2. Ford Racing mufflers
3. Boss 302S springs
4. Enabled TracKey
5. Exhaust block off plates GONE!

I've decided on door #3 - pretty girl you can take home to the family, but is still a shiznit-ton of fun. My definition of door #3 means:

1. Modest updates for better track worthiness / reliability / longevity
2. Does not detract from street worthiness - this would not sit well with my wife, who is always up for a nice drive, provided the car remains "streetable". Now, we can all debate what "streetable" actually means, but, in my case, the ability to take it out and enjoy a mildly spirited drive, without rattle ones teeth, or melting into a puddle of goo. No heim joint suspension, no gutted interior, must still have AC.
3. Can still take to various shows.

Here's what's behind door #3:

1. Brembo 2 piece front rotors (installed)
2. 06mach1 lower grille (installed)
3. Blowfish front brake cooling backing plates (installed)
4. Front brake cooling ductwork (installed)
5. Ford Racing M-6304GPOD-A gauge pod (in the garage, still in the box)
6. 06mach1 jacking plates (installed)
7. Trio of gauges - full sweep electric AutoMeter oil temp, oil pressure, water temp (Ford did us no favors in the gauge department, not yet ordered)
8. Proper 25 or 34 row oil cooler, likely a Setrab series 9, since that's what I had on my racecar (again, Ford did us no favors here, not yet ordered)
9. Ford Laguna Seca trans cooler scoop (not yet ordered)
10. MGW shifter (not satisfied with the Ford Racing/Barton unit, not yet ordered)
11. Swap out stock Boss 302 grill for LMR X281 unit for better airflow (installed)
12. Separate clutch reservoir (not yet ordered)
13. Different front brake pads (not yet ordered, very undecided on what pads to purchase)
14. 19x10 square wheel/tire setup (not yet ordered)
15. Front splitter, similar to Laguna Seca model (not yet ordered)
16. Rear wickerbill (not yet ordered)
17. Boss 302S front control arms (this is undecided, not yet ordered)
18. This one is minor, but makes life easier - Redline Tuning hood lift struts (installed)

It's a decent list - allows for better track usage, yet maintains street worthiness. However, it's not a cheap list of items.....

The seats.....coming from a full racecar setup, I'm not fully satisfied with the Recaros. They're grippy and comfortable on the street, but still move a great deal more than I'd prefer when on track. However, a race seat setup would break rule #2, so that isn't going to happen.

Anything removed from the car will be retained and preserved (the sound tube is in a box, the original rotors are in a box, the original hood prop rod is in a box, etc), as someday, when I've returned to the earth, this car will go to one of my sons.

 

[Mad Hatter]

Since the day I purchased #1710, I'd been very undecided which direction to go - (#1) beauty queen, (#2) track slut, or.....(#3) pretty girl you can take home to the family, yet is a shiznit-ton of fun on track.

It took awhile for me to figure it out. All 2012 Boss 302s are somewhat rare (only ~4,016 cars built), with just 553 KBM cars produced. I went back and forth, as the car was exceptionally well cared for prior to my purchase - it had 17,000mi when I bought it (now has 33k), included the owners kit, good maintenance history, and a few changes already done:

1. Ford Racing shifter
2. Ford Racing mufflers
3. Boss 302S springs
4. Enabled TracKey
5. Exhaust block off plates GONE!

I've decided on door #3 - pretty girl you can take home to the family, but is still a shiznit-ton of fun. My definition of door #3 means:

1. Modest updates for better track worthiness / reliability / longevity
2. Does not detract from street worthiness - this would not sit well with my wife, who is always up for a nice drive, provided the car remains "streetable". Now, we can all debate what "streetable" actually means, but, in my case, the ability to take it out and enjoy a mildly spirited drive, without rattle ones teeth, or melting into a puddle of goo. No heim joint suspension, no gutted interior, must still have AC.
3. Can still take to various shows.

Here's what's behind door #3:

1. Brembo 2 piece front rotors (installed)
2. 06mach1 lower grille (installed)
3. Blowfish front brake cooling backing plates (in the garage, still in the box)
4. Front brake cooling ductwork (not yet ordered)
5. Ford Racing M-6304GPOD-A gauge pod (in the garage, still in the box)
6. 06mach1 jacking plates (in the garage, still in box)
7. Trio of gauges - full sweep electric AutoMeter oil temp, oil pressure, water temp (Ford did us no favors in the gauge department, not yet ordered)
8. Proper 25 or 34 row oil cooler, likely a Setrab series 9, since that's what I had on my racecar (again, Ford did us no favors here, not yet ordered)
9. Ford Laguna Seca trans cooler scoop (not yet ordered)
10. MGW shifter (not satisfied with the Ford Racing/Barton unit, not yet ordered)
11. Swap out stock Boss 302 grill for LMR X281 unit for better airflow (not yet ordered)
12. Separate clutch reservoir (not yet ordered)
13. Different front brake pads (not yet ordered, very undecided on what pads to purchase)
14. 19x10 square wheel/tire setup (not yet ordered)
15. Front splitter, similar to Laguna Seca model (not yet ordered)
16. Rear wickerbill (not yet ordered)
17. Boss 302S front control arms (this is undecided, not yet ordered)
18. This one is minor, but makes life easier - Redline Tuning hood lift struts (installed)

It's a decent list - allows for better track usage, yet maintains street worthiness. However, it's not a cheap list of items.....

The seats.....coming from a full racecar setup, I'm not fully satisfied with the Recaros. They're grippy and comfortable on the street, but still move a great deal more than I'd prefer when on track. However, a race seat setup would break rule #2, so that isn't going to happen.

Anything removed from the car will be retained and preserved (the sound tube is in a box, the original rotors are in a box, the original hood prop rod is in a box, etc), as someday, when I've returned to the earth, this car will go to one of my sons.

Nice car! Am maybe a little baised, but the 2012 Boss is my favorite mustang. I would add a better performance clutch and trans cooling. The MT82 can get really hot, as in hotter then the engine (saw over 300 degrees).

Strangely enough, when I installed my cortex coilovers, the ride was significantly better then the stock Boss shocks and Ford P springs.

 

[TMSBOSS]

Like MH said, clutch and trans cooling should be a priority. Stock clutch lacks a bunch.
Consider moving up to 18x11 wheels. 305s square works well on the street and the track. A set of Roush rack limiters will help keep the tires out of the brake ducts. I went to18x10 after a staggered set up….yea, two mistakes. Go big and be done with it.
Kona Blue is a fantastic color.

 

[Adam Ginsberg]

The clutch/trans will get addressed, in due time. For now, they’ll have to survive. To help them do so, I installed an aftermarket set of pedals, as performing proper heel/toe downshifts with the stockers was not possible. At least with my size 9s.

Oh, and I nearly forgot - a damn SHIFT LIGHT! It’s unbelievable to me that Ford built a car for track usage, but never included a shift light.

 

[Adam Ginsberg]

After far too long, some changes are happening. During the holiday break, I got busy with a few items in preparation for the upcoming NASA event @ Auto Club Speedway next weekend - installing brakes ducts, and an X281 grill for improved airflow/cooling.

Just waiting on a few parts to finish it up. The rims I've been coveting are on back order until the end of the month, so I'll burn up what's left of the old front tires, and front brake pads before R&R'ing all of those items.

 

[67GTA]

After far too long, some changes are happening. During the holiday break, I got busy with a few items in preparation for the upcoming NASA event @ Auto Club Speedway next weekend - installing brakes ducts, and an X281 grill for improved airflow/cooling.

Just waiting on a few parts to finish it up. The rims I've been coveting are on back order until the end of the month, so I'll burn up what's left of the old front tires, and front brake pads before R&R'ing all of those items.

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Can’t wait to see the car in person! Are you running HPDE or Time Trial?

 

[Adam Ginsberg]

Can’t wait to see the car in person! Are you running HPDE or Time Trial?

I only run HPDE with this car. And even at that, it’s hardly every session due to my other commitments during a NASA SoCal event weekend.

Provided it doesn’t rain next weekend, I’ll have it @ Cal Speedway to run it in its current and final configuration before it gets torn down. For some reason, even thought ACS has almost no elevation changes (like I prefer), I always enjoyed racing it.

 

[Adam Ginsberg]

A few months ago, I added a set of used Boss 302S rims:



Then quickly put them to good use at the 8-9 Oct NASA BW event giving rides on Saturday, as well as being the pace car for a day:

 

[Adam Ginsberg]

Now with Apex EC-7s, 19x10 square, Falken RT660 295/35/19s, no studs, no spacers.

 

[Vettel-ish]

And now with Apex EC-7 19x10 square, Falken RT660 295/35/19 tires, no studs, no spacers.

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Beautiful