S550 Begining the journey Build Thread Profile - S550 Mustangs

[covill]

This is the Build Thread for Begining the journey. Reply below.

 

[Bill Pemberton]

It looks like you are on your way quite well for CAMC and having met some of the Steeda guys in Moultrie , Ga. a couple of times during the last National Tour of the past few years, I can say they are super helpful to others and their cars are well set up.

It looks like a set of wide Apex or Forgeline wheels with some sticky Yokes, Falkens, or Bridgestones and you likely are ready to go and do keep us posted on your Autocross growth.

 

[covill]

It looks like you are on your way quite well for CAMC and having met some of the Steeda guys in Moultrie , Ga. a couple of times during the last National Tour of the past few years, I can say they are super helpful to others and their cars are well set up.

It looks like a set of wide Apex or Forgeline wheels with some sticky Yokes, Falkens, or Bridgestones and you likely are ready to go and do keep us posted on your Autocross growth.

Morning Bill and thank you.
I have been researching a wheel/tire combination for a week or so. Most of the recommendations through various forums and Facebook have been poor man budget tires and drag packs. I currently have two sets of wheels, the stock PP wheels and Cooper Zeon RS3-G1s for SoCal winters and my flashy SB203s with Nitto 555-G2s for summer driving. Prior to my latest IRS upgrade, forward kunckle spherical bearing and forward lower control arm poly bushings, my car didn't stick to the pavement. With all of the suspension mods, the local Mustang shop gave it a GT350R alignment which handles much much better. I am looking forward to how a dedicated set of sticky tires will do.

On a side note, I do need to upgrade the pads and rotors. The Powerstop Z26 kit has a lot of brake fad if you push them hard. Some have recommended EBC and Hawk pads but I am still looking for real track experience vs keyboard street warriors.

 

[blacksheep-1]

Morning Bill and thank you.
I have been researching a wheel/tire combination for a week or so. Most of the recommendations through various forums and Facebook have been poor man budget tires and drag packs. I currently have two sets of wheels, the stock PP wheels and Cooper Zeon RS3-G1s for SoCal winters and my flashy SB203s with Nitto 555-G2s for summer driving. Prior to my latest IRS upgrade, forward kunckle spherical bearing and forward lower control arm poly bushings, my car didn't stick to the pavement. With all of the suspension mods, the local Mustang shop gave it a GT350R alignment which handles much much better. I am looking forward to how a dedicated set of sticky tires will do.

On a side note, I do need to upgrade the pads and rotors. The Powerstop Z26 kit has a lot of brake fad if you push them hard. Some have recommended EBC and Hawk pads but I am still looking for real track experience vs keyboard street warriors.

Brembo/ Padgid are hardcore but it will take some experimentation, Hawk is also decent.
EBC makes some decent street/ track pads.

 

[Bill Pemberton]

Your solid choices for sticky rubber and serious competition in CAMC are running at least a 11 inch wheel ( some guys are running 12s ) and making sure your Stang is shod with one of the following;

1. Yokohama A052s
2. Bridgestone RE71RSs
3. Falken RT660s
4. BFG Rival S 1.5s

There are a few other tires that might work , yet the top three are the ones showing up in the trophies at National Events, but luckily for us there is a war brewing again and change is in the wind. Not trying to be rude , but what you are running for rubber is not competitive in today's environment. I listed the BFG, which just 3-4 years back yet it is in decline of late. I am not counting them out, as there is a rumor they may be recompounding, but rumors abound every year and plenty end up only being that.

Tires are the Numero Uno mod to go fast and that is often why you see the long term autocrossers switching tire brands, the goal to find a few more tenths sometime is found by whatever brand is compounding the fastest.
You are in one of the best areas of the US for SCCA Clubs, so do ask plenty of questions when at events, your Region has a full Squadron of National Champions as members.

 

[covill]

Your solid choices for sticky rubber and serious competition in CAMC are running at least a 11 inch wheel ( some guys are running 12s ) and making sure your Stang is shod with one of the following;

1. Yokohama A052s
2. Bridgestone RE71RSs
3. Falken RT660s
4. BFG Rival S 1.5s

There are a few other tires that might work , yet the top three are the ones showing up in the trophies at National Events, but luckily for us there is a war brewing again and change is in the wind. Not trying to be rude , but what you are running for rubber is not competitive in today's environment. I listed the BFG, which just 3-4 years back yet it is in decline of late. I am not counting them out, as there is a rumor they may be recompounding, but rumors abound every year and plenty end up only being that.

Tires are the Numero Uno mod to go fast and that is often why you see the long term autocrossers switching tire brands, the goal to find a few more tenths sometime is found by whatever brand is compounding the fastest.
You are in one of the best areas of the US for SCCA Clubs, so do ask plenty of questions when at events, your Region has a full Squadron of National Champions as members.

My choice in rubber was nothing short of can it grip on the street and have some milage before it goes bald. The Nitto's while marginal in grip have lasted almost 40K miles if the alignment shop had done them proper. They didn't adjust camber in the rear claiming they were fixed. I was naive before I discovered the factory slots in the IRS subframe.

My plan is to see how many parts I'll need to take with me vs driving on to the track. I might need a tiny trailer or a chase vehicle depending how serious this becomes. At the moment I just want to learn and absorb track wisdom before being the noob safety flag winner.

 

[Bill Pemberton]

I understand and my intention was just to state that the single best option to go quicker is tires. The difference with the few super aggressive Tire Companies , going after the Autocross Market is extremely substantial. I commend your idea of getting a little trailer, as that was one of the things I did many years ago. There are still plenty of folks who do that, pick up a small trailer at Home Depot, attach a tool kit and make a bracket system to carry an extra set of tires and wheels for competition. My intent was only to suggest that the very next mod you should make is tires, since it has the single most impact on your times. No offense intended, just an old fart who has been around Autocrossing for 42 years and by coincidence very near the Solo Nationals sites for years, and the development of tires, and their compounds ( compounds sometimes changing within the year ) is an ever changing mod. I have often had the wrong tire, even within the same Brand in early years, and later was behind the times when a new Tire ( from a different company ) came out. It is highly studied now and the Internet does keep folks more in touch, but there is nothing like seeing things for yourself at a National Event. There are alot of us older drivers on here and we often want to help others not make the same mistakes we have and it came come off in a manner not intended. I apologize if I offended you, but my intent for you and others is to stay very focused on tires, over all other changes, simply because they will make the most dramatic improvements. Granted that does have to be tempered with cost for many of us, myself included, but the strong choices are quite numerous today and fortunately running in CAMC ( 200 TWR required ) the Rubber Air filled automotive donut makers are laser focused on that category.

 

[covill]

I understand and my intention was just to state that the single best option to go quicker is tires. The difference with the few super aggressive Tire Companies , going after the Autocross Market is extremely substantial. I commend your idea of getting a little trailer, as that was one of the things I did many years ago. There are still plenty of folks who do that, pick up a small trailer at Home Depot, attach a tool kit and make a bracket system to carry an extra set of tires and wheels for competition. My intent was only to suggest that the very next mod you should make is tires, since it has the single most impact on your times. No offense intended, just an old fart who has been around Autocrossing for 42 years and by coincidence very near the Solo Nationals sites for years, and the development of tires, and their compounds ( compounds sometimes changing within the year ) is an ever changing mod. I have often had the wrong tire, even within the same Brand in early years, and later was behind the times when a new Tire ( from a different company ) came out. It is highly studied now and the Internet does keep folks more in touch, but there is nothing like seeing things for yourself at a National Event. There are alot of us older drivers on here and we often want to help others not make the same mistakes we have and it came come off in a manner not intended. I apologize if I offended you, but my intent for you and others is to stay very focused on tires, over all other changes, simply because they will make the most dramatic improvements. Granted that does have to be tempered with cost for many of us, myself included, but the strong choices are quite numerous today and fortunately running in CAMC ( 200 TWR required ) the Rubber Air filled automotive donut makers are laser focused on that category.

Bill, no offense taken what so ever. My skin is too thick from being in the Marines to take offense to suggestions or pearls of wisdom.

Speaking of which, I have scheduled my first track day for Willow Springs taking on the Big Willow. Bought a front/rear tow kit from ZL1 for my car. Now to buy better pads.

Any recommendations for pads between G-loc R12 or Powerstop Stage 1 PST-1792 on stock PP 15" rotors? I have Powerstop Z26 pads and rotors all around but feel these will fail after the first hard braking of the first lap. Drilled slotted rotors look cool but want to have dedicated track brakes.

 

[Bill Pemberton]

I would definitely go with with G-Locs and you can get them from Tim at OP Mustang ( site Sponsor ). I would use an 8 or 10 on the rear with a 12 or more on front. Alot depends on how aggressive you are on your brakes but G-Locs are pretty friendly to rotors.