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Double0fox's Mild Build Thread 2012 Mustang GT Build Thread Profile - S197 Mustangs

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ArizonaBOSS

Because racecar.
Moderator
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Arizona, USA
Very happy to see the brake caliper upgrade, brake cooling, and clutch replacement as I read through. On a good path!!
 

TymeSlayer

Tramps like us, Baby we were born to run...
3,787
2,740
Exp. Type
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3-5 Years
Brighton, Colorado
No shame in doing a car show or two. I do the Rocky Mountain Mustang Round-Up up in Steamboat Springs every year on Father's day weekend and because there's an autocross with it as well, I see many track/AutoX cars at the show. I'm not the world's best auto Xer but my KB Boss wins a show award just about every year.
 
No shame in doing a car show or two. I do the Rocky Mountain Mustang Round-Up up in Steamboat Springs every year on Father's day weekend and because there's an autocross with it as well, I see many track/AutoX cars at the show. I'm not the world's best auto Xer but my KB Boss wins a show award just about every year.

Don't get me wrong, I am not trying to come across at a D-bag. I love checking out other cars too, I just like the function over form types, so it's tough to strike up a conversation with some at these type of events. I still enjoy them for the most part though. And on the other hand though I met some cool people. 2 of which want a ride when I get to the track, so hopefully I can turn some to the dark side...........of spending more money on their cars. :D
 
Very happy to see the brake caliper upgrade, brake cooling, and clutch replacement as I read through. On a good path!!

Funny you should mention those. Went ahead and bought a pair of these for the off season. I really want to be able to not ever have to worry about brakes for a fun track day car.

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And these just showed up yesterday: 19x11 all around to fit said calipers.

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Although I was pretty worried when I get boxes that show up like this:

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But luckily there was not a scratch on them.
 
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So I really am almost caught up now. Little by little over the last week I made up a bracket for the catch can. I wanted to make it a "no drill" design, which I have no clue why. I drilled a dozen holes for the Watson Roll Bar, but ya.

Using advanced engineering techniques:
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"Rough draft"
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Used more advanced fabricating.....hitting it with a hammer.
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Getting there.
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Used some sharp objects:
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Can't really see the bracket, but it does what I wanted it to do. Decently sturdy.

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ArizonaBOSS

Because racecar.
Moderator
8,730
2,734
Arizona, USA
Nice. Looks on-par with my fabricobbling methods...

Switch to poster board for easier templating...or empty beer cases
 
Nice. Looks on-par with my fabricobbling methods...

Switch to poster board for easier templating...or empty beer cases

I will try the poster board next time....or maybe the beer cases. :D I wanted to 3D print a bracket, but I only have PLA to print with right now, and I know that wouldn't hold up to the heat. I will probably remake it down the road. I frequent OMAX machine. They make water jets. I might try to talk one of the programmers into having some pieces cut for me, and TIG them up. Although my TIG skills need(alot)of work.
 
So over the past week, or so I got some goodies in the mail.
S550 Performance Pack Calipers
13/14 GT500 Front Rotors
3" ARP Wheel Studs
Stud Installer
OP 25mm Spacers

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Got the old studs knocked out, and the new ones in:

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Mocked up the GT7's with the spacer for fun. These probably won't go on for a while now that I know I can run the S550 6 pistons with the 19" SVE's. I will run those till the tires are gone, and then make the switch over.

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So it has been a busy last couple months. Still haven't got her on track yet. One of my problems in life is having too many hobbies, and sporadically jumped between them all the time. And none of them seem to be inexpensive. Also still just trying to find the time to get some clutch break in done (never tried just breaking it a clutch/flywheel in on track, but doubt it would be that bad). Plus not alot of track days going on right now. But I did get all the brake changing done. Got the brake lines, caliper hardware, rear discs and GT500 caliper adapters in.

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Adding the mounting brackets to the front lines:
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Factory Rears:
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Disc Difference:

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Bleeding the system:

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And my dog Scooby thinking that he is helping:

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So far (50 or so miles) I haven't had any squeaking upon reversing I have read some have had with the GT500 rears. Will report if any starts.
 
I have updated this in a while, but I finally put the CobraJet Intake on. I actually put it on at the end of last year, just never got around to updating the thread. I actually bought all the Cobrajet stuff way before I decided to make this a 95% track day car. And I didn't want to add power this early, but I am the worst at having any patience. So I made a call to Lund Racing for some tuning support, and on she went.

Stocky stock:
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Obviously one of the things you have to do is re-pin the connector for the TPS. Not hard at all.
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The only thing I don't like so far is how close the degas bottle is in relation to the JLT intake (like 1/8" close). I think I am going to make a bracket to space the bottle to the left about a 1/2". Then all should be good. Haven't had it on a dyno yet. I actually need to have some revisions to the tune done still. It's just been hard to get out with it lately. Honestly I don't see myself hunting for more power when this is all said, and tuned.

I will have more updates soon since Covid-19 has canceled everything. I was signed up for 4 track days over the next 3 months. All but one of them are canceled, and I really suspect the 4th to be canceled too. I wasn't planning on doing anything else to the car, except things to help engine/drive train longevity, and tires down the road. So with the downtime I went ahead, and ordered some of that now. I will update when all that starts to go on.
 

Bill Pemberton

0ld Ford Automotive Racing Terror
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Blair, Nebraska
Super impressive build and can't wait to hear what she is like on track, as I am sure this delayed house arrest we all are enduring with the Corona Virus is causing severe track fever with most of us. I have virtually no pictures of my build on my car since I have had Dean Palmer Racing Development do the majority of the work, but even with a Boss S race car , I have not touched the wealth of mods/parts you have garnished your Stand with. Great read, super quality parts ( often from TMO Sponsors ) and I am sure you will shower us with more quality pics of your baby on the track -- looking forward to that.

PS - I love blue too, and I have a Launch Edition Snake sitting next to my TrackStang also. What rims are on your Gen II Viper, as even though it is a small picture, those are not what came on it stock!
 
Super impressive build and can't wait to hear what she is like on track, as I am sure this delayed house arrest we all are enduring with the Corona Virus is causing severe track fever with most of us. I have virtually no pictures of my build on my car since I have had Dean Palmer Racing Development do the majority of the work, but even with a Boss S race car , I have not touched the wealth of mods/parts you have garnished your Stand with. Great read, super quality parts ( often from TMO Sponsors ) and I am sure you will shower us with more quality pics of your baby on the track -- looking forward to that.

PS - I love blue too, and I have a Launch Edition Snake sitting next to my TrackStang also. What rims are on your Gen II Viper, as even though it is a small picture, those are not what came on it stock!


Thanks Bill. Would love to have a launch edition one day. I just need a (LOT) bigger garage....like more than a 2 car 😂😂. They are Forgestar F14's.
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Bill Pemberton

0ld Ford Automotive Racing Terror
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Blair, Nebraska
Those rims look great on your B/W GTS !! Is it a 96 or 97? I have had a few over the years ( comes with the territory when you sell a bunch of Vipers ) and it is tough on those of us that love Blue not to have the classic color combination Viper. I have a second set of black TA style rims that I plan on having stripped and polished as I personally think the B/W Snakes need polished rims. Hoping to get my Boss back next week as just had an MCS 2 way remote shock/suspension installed. We were their biggest distributor for Vipers while they were still being made and it is a great system. Vorshlag ( site sponsor ) swears by them also, and I did contact them and decided to go with their camber adjustment plates with the new shocks.

By the by, no joke, you definitely have one of the best build threads done on the TMO Forum --- congrats!!
 
Those rims look great on your B/W GTS !! Is it a 96 or 97? I have had a few over the years ( comes with the territory when you sell a bunch of Vipers ) and it is tough on those of us that love Blue not to have the classic color combination Viper. I have a second set of black TA style rims that I plan on having stripped and polished as I personally think the B/W Snakes need polished rims. Hoping to get my Boss back next week as just had an MCS 2 way remote shock/suspension installed. We were their biggest distributor for Vipers while they were still being made and it is a great system. Vorshlag ( site sponsor ) swears by them also, and I did contact them and decided to go with their camber adjustment plates with the new shocks.

By the by, no joke, you definitely have one of the best build threads done on the TMO Forum --- congrats!!

It is a 97. And thanks for the compliments, but I honestly feel like mine would not even be in the top 25 on this site(not that I am looking to have a better build than anyone). There are just
too many guys on here that have gone farther, done more with their's. And please do post pics of the S when you get it back. Last summer I thought for a while of going all in, caging it, and running with ICSCC (PNW SCCA pretty much), but decided against it. For one the Mustang would be penalized pretty heavily. Even returning alot of it to stock. For two I race karts full time over the summer, and sometimes with life making the race dates can be really hard. I also like that with karting the classes are pretty much on the same engine, or very close(I run the LO206, and the TAG 125 classes) so it comes down to driving, and not who spends more. So with this, I just wanted to have a very capable trackcar to use when I want. But I am like a 10 year old, I may change my mind at some point, and W2W race it. We are only alive for a while, and I just want to have fun.....see I am a child. 😂
 
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Bill Pemberton

0ld Ford Automotive Racing Terror
8,420
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Blair, Nebraska
Nothing changes, I am in my late 60s and my wife says I still act like a child --------always looking for fun things to do !! The Mustang is not penalized much in NASA if you run in Time Trials, as it is all a weight to horsepower ratio. You would have some more mods to go to go full bore door to door, but the class designations in SCCA and NASA for American Sedan , or American Iron, Spec Mustang, etc. open up plenty of possibilities.
 
So like I said, since almost all but one of the trackdays I have signed up for have been canceled, I though I would get a little more done over the next month, or two....or forever, which ever come first.
One thing I did was grab some oil when it went on sale (thanks to who posted this on here).
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Also a few months back I ordered some GT500 mufflers. Now I can switch out the RTR Axlebacks so I could put the long tubes, and x-pipe back on. The RTR's with stock exhaust sound awesome, but with no cats, and long tubes was so amazingly loud I took the long tubes/x-pipe back off. I mean like Really loud!

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And before I put the long tubes back on I wrapped them with DEI wrap. 2 things on this. 1 I wish I had gone with the titanium wrap that they have. I had 3 x 50' rolls of this I had bought for something else at the end of last year, and didn't end up using. 2 I wasn't able to wrap the BBK's like I would have liked. Most of the primary tubes were too close in several places to wrap each individually. So I may end up hating myself for doing this down the road. Only time will tell. Some of the things I did do was in addition to the stainless steel ties i used saftey wire to secure the wrap, and then sprayed multiple coats of DEI's high temp silicon sealant on them. I wanted to test fit everything but will also wrap the x-pipe as well down the road.

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I also gave the starter a little (not sure if it will make a difference) heat shield. I may buy a actual heat shield cover in the future.

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Stock stuff out......again.

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Back on the car. This pic looks like the header has no clearance, but there is actually probably around .750"-1.0" there.

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So next on the list of never ending things to do was to address the strut tower openings. I know at some point I would need more negitive Camber than I was able to get with the factory hole sizes. The strut nut was already making a witness mark on the inner diameter of the strut opening. I went ahead, and grabbed the fixture tool for Vorshlag, and a 2,3/4" hole saw, and went to work.

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I tried to contain the most amount of chips as I could because I am lazy and don't want to clean up. I tapped a bag under the opening to catch anything. With the fixture plate in place, the plate almost catches all the chips from falling (until you unbolt it). I used a shop vac before I unbolted it, and nothing really fell below. When I went at breaking the sharp edges with the Dremel, that's when the bag became useful.

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Before breaking the sharp edges:
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Before, and after:

Before maxed out to the strut opening:
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Maxed out of the MM caster camber plate.
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I am doing a load of other things right now, and have not put the K-member back on yet. So no alignment, or max camber number yet, but will update when I get all that done.
 
It's been a busy last few days for me. One of the few last things I wanted to do before the track season started was add some actual useful gauges. Oil pressure, oil temp, and water temp were the main ones I wanted to have considering the factory gauges. I wanted to have some data to compare to later in the year when I add a larger radiator, and a oil cooler setup. I was also looking for gauges with warning lights as well. I ended up going with Innovative gauges. One is a oil pressure, and temp gauge (Innovate Motorsports part # 3913), and the other is a Water temp / voltmeter gauge (Innovate Motorsports 3853). My plan was to buy a sandwich plate with ports for the oil temp, and pressure gauges, and use the engine block heater port on the drivers side of the engine for the engine temp. i also bought a single A pillar gauge pod, and a Roush vent pod to keep them mostly in drivers view.

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Gauges come with white, or black faces. I ended up choosing the white faces. Easier to see/read for me.

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Water temp sending unit with brass reducer 3/4 male npt to 1/4 female npt:

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Installed in the block:

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