S550 2016 PP1 track day car Build Thread Profile - S550 Mustangs

[JDee]

This is the Build Thread for 2016 PP1 track day car. Reply below.

 

[JDee]

Never planned a build thread since it's just bolt on parts I'm using, but seems to be a good way to record changes and progress and maybe share what works and what didn't (for me) with other members.

Current state is car still has too much terminal understeer, which is safe but not helping lap times. Plan is to continue trying to get that more neutral while avoiding getting into snap oversteer. Right now on the rare occasion the rear steps out it is very easily handled and I don't want to change that which may mean living with some understeer. Have added more hood vents so hopefully will get more front downforce, Race Louvers center vent alone was worth over a second a lap at Mosport and dropped engine temps dramatically.

Plans under consideration right now are to remove and sell the Recaros for fixed back race seats and add Watson 4 point bar with full harnesses both sides. Hopefully will come out a net zero on weight due to much lighter seats offsetting weight of 4 point bar. Sell Recaros for hopefully 2K or so. Also try to find more stuff to take out to save weight, likely going to pull out carpets and some interior panels.

Also might add long tubes with aftermarket (lighter) exhaust. Get rid of Ford PP2 tune for an aftermarket one probably from AED who seem to be the go to guys for Mustang tunes? Or might wait until drivetrain warranty is expired and then make changes.

Also cut open the strut tower tops and slot the bolt holes to get up to -3 camber, currently just barely have -2 and it is not enough, having issues with chunking tires and too much understeer.

 

[carver]

Hey JDee, are you going to move the battery to the back? I am thinking about that for my Boss. Thinking a light weight battery on the floor behind the passenger seat to keep the weight as low as possible. Do you have camber plates or are you going to just mod your factory holes? Is that an option?

 

[JDee]

Hi carver,
I'm not a fan of moving the battery back due to added cable length which may negate a lot of the weight savings. It will place the weight better, but not likely remove any. Not sure you'd get away with a battery in the passenger compartment if any tech guy bothered to look. Pretty sure it would not pass race tech. Or maybe these days with AGM technology it might, I dunno. And of course you want to have it really well mounted, if you ever dumped the car you wouldn't want that weapon flying around loose in the driver compartment!!

I already have MM camber plates but they max out at -2.1 and that's not enough. I don't feel like investing more money in camber plates. Back in the day when I was racing we slotted the upper strut mount holes to get camber. It was illegal, but we just covered it up with a big washer under the nuts and no tech guy ever said boo about it. Worked well and was able to get -2.5 degrees with just doing that. Some guys were concerned about the top of the strut moving in the elongated hole but I never had that happen. It was pretty common to do this back then. I have the Vorshlag drill guide tool incoming for cutting out the tops of the strut towers.

How's your winter holidays or are you back home now?

 

[carver]

Still on the road till April. Heading for Death Valley tomorrow!! then the California coast. Arizona has been amazing.

 

[JDee]

Spent the weekend gutting the interior and trunk of everything that doesn't do anything functional. Bare bones looks good to me! Carpet removal was a PITA but worth it, you're cutting it out in 2 places as it was apparently installed before anything went in the interior. Watson 4 point Bar, Corbeau race seats and 6 point harnesses on order.

Getting rid of the PP2 throttle body, keeping the airbox and reverting to stock tune to get rid of the stuttering from NLS which Ford Racing tells me again they will not tune out. Then a new tune from DaSilva Racing, local Mustang shop with many years of pony experience who advise me that the PP2 throttle body produces maybe 1-2 hp gain but is much more difficult to tune with than stock TB. Hoping to get this car below 1:30 at Mosport, a stretch but you have to have goals!

 

[carver]

Spent the weekend gutting the interior and trunk of everything that doesn't do anything functional. Bare bones looks good to me! Carpet removal was a PITA but worth it, you're cutting it out in 2 places as it was apparently installed before anything went in the interior. Watson 4 point Bar, Corbeau race seats and 6 point harnesses on order.

Getting rid of the PP2 throttle body, keeping the airbox and reverting to stock tune to get rid of the stuttering from NLS which Ford Racing tells me again they will not tune out. Then a new tune from DaSilva Racing, local Mustang shop with many years of pony experience who advise me that the PP2 throttle body produces maybe 1-2 hp gain but is much more difficult to tune with than stock TB. Hoping to get this car below 1:30 at Mosport, a stretch but you have to have goals!

Any idea of how much weight you have saved? So tempted to strip mine out.

 

[JDee]

I haven't weighed anything so it's just a guess. The carpet was heavier than I expected, prolly 25-30 lbs there and that would be the heaviest I think. My guess is in total so far I must be 125 - 150 lbs or so, that includes aftermarket running gear that was lighter, such as the aluminum driveshaft, motor mounts, suspension pieces, resonator delete. Wheels are huge saving as the Ford OEM ones are so damn heavy. Might do an AC delete, it has its own drive belt so that part of it is simple and it's all good weight to get rid of being on the nose.

The doors are super heavy, but not sure I'm ready to go to composite doors yet. Maybe next year. The OEM Recaros weigh a ton, gotta be in the 50 lbs range each. Had to take them out to do carpets, did a number on a rib cage muscle trying to get them back in. Will be glad to see them gone and replaced with 19 lb Corbeau race seats. Watson bar will add a lot of that back in though.

The only way I'll find out for sure is to weigh the car sometime, that might get done when it's down at DaSilva's, I imagine they have scales. It was probably one of the lightest Mustang GTs already as it was a base with only options being PP1 and Recaros, I had to search a lot to find that. I sure do have a lot of car crap laying around now! I have the Schroth QuickFit Pro out now as well if you're still interested.

 

[carver]

That's impressive and an A\C delete....your gettin serious!! Storing all that junk is a pita. I had a big pile of parts and interior bits etc. that I stripped out of my 85 RX-7 including all the A\C. I got that car down to 2200 lbs. but it was only 160hp. It handled great..... Imagine Mustang power and that weight combined!!
How much for the Schroth QuickFit Pro ?

 

[JDee]

Well, I bought it last March, with tax and everything in it was $579.69. They are $499 on Perry's website, that's who I got it from. Been used for a dozen track days, still look pretty much new. How about $325?

 

[carver]

Done deal, I will PM you later today.