S197 BOSS 302 Race Car Build Thread Build Thread

[ArizonaBOSS]

Drew, will you at some point upgrade to the new S550 platform Mustangs? Perhaps a GT350 TP or the R version?

Good luck this year in your points race to first place.
Dave
2HP

Hi Dave:

I was aiming to get a 2017 GT350 TP but those dreams went up in smoke when my tow vehicle blew up. Had to spend the GT350 money on my 2015 6.7L F250 to replace it, very happy with that so far.

An S550 is definitely under consideration for 4-5 years down the road once the race teams get the cars more developed and we know more of the tricks they respond to. On the other hand, that would be right around the time the 2020 refresh is supposed to debut, and supposedly on a smaller, lighter chassis--so it could be worth waiting for. On yet another hand, C6 Corvette Grand Sports will be very cheap around then too and could be converted to a very capable race spec for another $15K over purchase price...I'm keeping my options open.

 

[smittytx]

Corvette...Pfft

 

[ArizonaBOSS]

Pulled out the original MT82 this weekend with some help from @captdistraction and another racer. I am surprised it lasted as long as it did.

Original trans:


"Newish" MT82 going in:


Racecars...:


Pre-protest inspection of @captdistraction 's car:



The bad news in all of this is that I missed transferring over a critical spacer from the original transmission. On the 2011-12 MT82s, a billet spacer sits behind the slave cylinder. I missed this since it blended in with the rest of the trans since there was some clutch dust present. I can't get the car smoothly into gear without it since the slave won't release the clutch completely. I thought I just needed to bleed it more then I found this on the original trans.



So, we get to do this trans in-out all over again sometime before the TMO track weekend in August Oh well.

 

[ArizonaBOSS]

Also after installing the trans, we went inside to watch the PWC race from Road America. I noticed that KohR MS is now putting wheel-spats on their cars like I planned on doing a while back. These pictures are sort of rekindling my desire for such things.

 

[ford20]

I wonder if there is any real significance to how high up the wheel spats go up on the wheel well. I see that Kenny Brown on his cars brings his all the way up to the top, but I never remembered seeing them on any of Paul Browns cars which made me wonder about how useful they are. Good observation though, I doubt I ever would have really noticed that.

 

[ArizonaBOSS]

Your guess is as good as mine. The reason I haven't put any effort into the spats so far is I wondered if I'd even be able to tell a difference.

 

[captdistraction]

I have a set that I can just duplicate. Let me know, they'd work for your lowered splitter height and just pick up the factory fasteners (have to add one more up top)

 

[TymeSlayer]

I wonder if there is any real significance to how high up the wheel spats go up on the wheel well. I see that Kenny Brown on his cars brings his all the way up to the top, but I never remembered seeing them on any of Paul Browns cars which made me wonder about how useful they are. Good observation though, I doubt I ever would have really noticed that.

I have a set as well that I got from Aggressor Airflow but never bothered to put them on. Am also curious if I should bother.

 

[VoodooBoss]

In the photo below I'm using the WC splitter with my home made spats. One day I was looking at my car in my garage when I had my wider track tires and wheels on my car and I noticed how much of the front of my wheels were open to the air. That's when I decided to try the spats. I have no idea if they helped or it made any difference on track but if you look at where the air flow might go I'm sure it cleaned it up and kept more air out of the wheel well. They also gave my car a more finished look. Mine were relatively small and I'm sure going up higher will keep even more air of of the wheel well which should decrease lift and effectively increase downforce.

 

[ArizonaBOSS]

OK so quick update on the last few weeks. We pulled the transmission again and installed the spacer, but the car still wouldn't shift correctly. I hoped that a vacuum bleed would cure it but that was not the case.

This weekend we pulled the trans for a third time and found a cracked pressure plate on my McLeod RXT clutch, and some cracking beginning on the flywheel adapter plate (likely due to the pressure plate failure). I should have inspected the clutch the first time we had the transmission out but I was so adamant that the transmission itself was the problem due to age and track miles; important lesson learned there.





We installed this clutch in 2013 and put 2.5 track seasons on it, pushing it hard, so I think I got my money's worth out of it. The friction discs themselves still had quite a bit of material left, and the wear patterns on the flywheel and floater plates were clean and consistent, with normal wear from use (no weird hot spots or scoring).

We installed a new RXT and flywheel (now with serviceable friction face area) and the car shifts absolutely perfectly.

Just a few more odds and ends to handle (neutral profile relearn, change trans fluid, replace rear bumpstops, install rear LS swaybar, WASH CAR ) before the TMO weekend later this month but basically the car is ready to go!

Also a friend and I installed a new 50-gallon fuel tank on my F250 so that is one other big project out of the way and will improve towing range significantly.

Now I will have some spare time to help @captdistraction get his car figured out and on-track

 

[Grant 302]

Damn! Glad you found that *before* it grenaded!

 

[BigTaco]

I will now remove my finger from the trigger with regards to the McLeod clutch.....

 

[TMSBOSS]

Don't sell the McLeod clutch short.

The failure was after 2.5 years racing and I believe one title.

 

[ArizonaBOSS]

Yes, like everything this is a "wear item" and can/will fail over time. The only clutches I would consider putting into an S197 race car are McLeod and Exedy.

Still working on that championship but it's looking good for this season *knock on wood*

 

[Swiss Boss]

Have you considered a 7.25 racing clutch? That should really help having the engine rev faster

MM makes a complete kit using a Tilton clutch. I'm really considering it.
http://www.maximummotorsports.com/M...Coyote-engine-in-1979-2014-Mustang-P1469.aspx

Cortex has a QuarterMaster but you'll need to find a flex plate for it
http://cortexracing.com/product/opt...-flywheel-release-bearing-ford-coyote-8-bolt/

 

[ArizonaBOSS]

Have you considered a 7.25 racing clutch? That should really help having the engine rev faster

MM makes a complete kit using a Tilton clutch. I'm really considering it.
http://www.maximummotorsports.com/MM-Tilton-Mustang-Clutch-Kit-Coyote-engine-in-1979-2014-Mustang-P1469.aspx

Cortex has a QuarterMaster but you'll need to find a flex plate for it
http://cortexracing.com/product/optimum-rr-2-disc-clutch-7-25-w-button-flywheel-release-bearing-ford-coyote-8-bolt/

I had not considered that but the MM Tilton option looks pretty attractive at $1300 including the flywheel, which is comparable to RXT pricing for a similar package. Might consider that in the future but hopefully the next clutch is a couple years away. Thanks for the suggestions!

 

[steveespo]

The small multi plate clutches do make sense for a dedicated track car like Drew's or my White 21, really not much clutch use outside of loading onto trailer and starting off of pit road each session etc. I also had a similar failure last year with a McLeod RST. Had only 1.5 seasons on it. McLeod wouldn't fully warranty it but did discount a new one 20% for me.
Steve

 

[Fabman]

Fun thread, lots of great reading and videos! Too bad so many pic links were dead. Lots to learn from looking at pictures


So now that you've had this setup for awhile, tell me: How are you liking the 800/275 setup?
Man that's stiff up front. How high of a rear roll center do you have to run to make that work?

 

[ArizonaBOSS]

Fun thread, lots of great reading and videos! Too bad so many pic links were dead. Lots to learn from looking at pictures


So now that you've had this setup for awhile, tell me: How are you liking the 800/275 setup?
Man that's stiff up front. How high of a rear roll center do you have to run to make that work?

@Fabman

I will continue updating the picture links so they work...might do some more tonight.

With respect to the 800/275, the car works really well and it's certainly not too stiff, but I am playing with ways to make the car rotate a bit more, as it was a little bit pushy at the limit.
My most recent "experiment" was swapping from a 22mm Strano rear bar to a 26mm OEM Boss LS rear bar. This seemed to work pretty well as far as rotation is concerned, but I need to get out on fresh tires to see how it really reacts. I may try a set of 650# springs in the front next season just to evaluate the difference.

I have my rear pivot point on the FAYS2 set 1 hole (roughly 1/2" ?) above stock location. I previously had it set about an inch lower than stock. This is all combined with any lowering from the suspension, as well. I didn't notice a big difference in changing the rear roll center height with either sway bar.

 

[ArizonaBOSS]