The Mustang Forum for Track & Racing Enthusiasts

Taking your Mustang to an open track/HPDE event for the first time? Do you race competitively? This forum is for you! Log in to remove most ads.

  • Welcome to the Ford Mustang forum built for owners of the Mustang GT350, BOSS 302, GT500, and all other S550, S197, SN95, Fox Body and older Mustangs set up for open track days, road racing, and/or autocross. Join our forum, interact with others, share your build, and help us strengthen this community!

S197 3V Fabman's build; How did we get here? Build Thread

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

Fabman

Dances with Racecars
6,518
8,154
Exp. Type
W2W Racing
Exp. Level
20+ Years
Pleasanton: 1/2 way between Sonoma and Laguna Seca
Carbon Fiber! It matches the canards, maybe paint the spliter black too?
This one is temporary. Once I see how it works out and if I can get it in the trailer etc I will have @AJ Hartman make me a carbon Fiber one. I can already see that I could have used bigger tunnels. There will be updates. ;)
 

302 Hi Pro

Boss 302 - Racing Legend to Modern Muscle Car
2,009
441
Southeast
The really good news (aside from all the premium race part upgrades) is that you secured your SCCA Race License thru the end of the 2021 race season!

Congrats as I suspect you were somewhat concerned about that from some of your prior post.

I’m very happy for you.
 

Fabman

Dances with Racecars
6,518
8,154
Exp. Type
W2W Racing
Exp. Level
20+ Years
Pleasanton: 1/2 way between Sonoma and Laguna Seca
The really good news (aside from all the premium race part upgrades) is that you secured your SCCA Race License thru the end of the 2021 race season!

Congrats as I suspect you were somewhat concerned about that from some of your prior post.

I’m very happy for you.
Thanks, fortunately they are waving the medical since this is such a goofy year. Now I’ll have a year to get back into shape. Hopefully I am still healthy enough to pass when I’m 63!
 

Fabman

Dances with Racecars
6,518
8,154
Exp. Type
W2W Racing
Exp. Level
20+ Years
Pleasanton: 1/2 way between Sonoma and Laguna Seca
Well, my new Oil Pickup finally came to replace the terrible one they sent last time and its so bad I had to look at it very closely to determine whether or not they had sent me the same crappy one back....but no. Its just another similarly crappy one.
Guess that's as good as it gets. :mad:


Which is which?

1.jpgIMG_9271.jpg
 
I may be only speaking for myself, but I am very relieved to see you pushed past the road block of the engine. I just read the entire build thread and greatly appreciate your work and effort. I look forward to you putting some awesome track times in and giving the s197s an even better name on the track. I am a fan. 63 is just a number, get some exercise in and add some years on to that great life. We need more fellers like you to stay around longer.
 
Last edited:

Fabman

Dances with Racecars
6,518
8,154
Exp. Type
W2W Racing
Exp. Level
20+ Years
Pleasanton: 1/2 way between Sonoma and Laguna Seca
You have at least another good year left!!!!!......Once iI turned 64, things starting going downhill.....................
So far I'm still good. I ran two Road Races last year in 2 different cars and sat on the podium both times.
The instructor that signed off on my comp licence said my car control and track awareness was exceptional and waved the mandatory licencing school. I can still drive, that hasn't changed. Becoming a great road racer is another matter. Lots of really good drivers out there. I just want to get back on track and mix it up with them. When I feel that its time for me to climb out of the car I have a 41 year old son who will be ready and willing to climb in the window.
 
Last edited:

Fabman

Dances with Racecars
6,518
8,154
Exp. Type
W2W Racing
Exp. Level
20+ Years
Pleasanton: 1/2 way between Sonoma and Laguna Seca
I may be only speaking for myself, but I am very relieved to see you pushed pass the road block of the engine. I just read the entire build thread and greatly appreciate your work and effort. I look forward to you putting some awesome track times in and giving the s197s an even better name on the track. I am a fan. 63 is just a number, get some exercise in and add some years on to that great life. We need more fellers like you to stay around longer.
Thank you for the kind words. I'll be 62 in October so I still may have a couple years left.
 

Fabman

Dances with Racecars
6,518
8,154
Exp. Type
W2W Racing
Exp. Level
20+ Years
Pleasanton: 1/2 way between Sonoma and Laguna Seca
May you be blessed with all the years you can get!!!!!!...and enjoy EVERY mile................and don't forget that smile.....:p
Thanks, I appreciate your kindness.
 

Fabman

Dances with Racecars
6,518
8,154
Exp. Type
W2W Racing
Exp. Level
20+ Years
Pleasanton: 1/2 way between Sonoma and Laguna Seca
Progress....

Lots of AJ Hartman stuff on here.

110717670_10158657647298535_2273904944538464757_n.jpg
 

Boone

Professional Thread Killer
Progress....

Lots of AJ Hartman stuff on here.

View attachment 56663
That stuff sure is beautiful. I may actually have to AVOID cones if I put those on my car.

I've always wondered just how effective the lower canard is since the exiting air is blocked by the wheel well air dam. I get that the air is moving sideways off the front bumper. I'm guessing there is a huge stall at the end of the canard near the bumper, but it likely beats nothing. I need to look at AJ's videos to see if he has a smoke test of this area.
 

Fabman

Dances with Racecars
6,518
8,154
Exp. Type
W2W Racing
Exp. Level
20+ Years
Pleasanton: 1/2 way between Sonoma and Laguna Seca
That stuff sure is beautiful. I may actually have to AVOID cones if I put those on my car.

I've always wondered just how effective the lower canard is since the exiting air is blocked by the wheel well air dam. I get that the air is moving sideways off the front bumper. I'm guessing there is a huge stall at the end of the canard near the bumper, but it likely beats nothing. I need to look at AJ's videos to see if he has a smoke test of this area.
The aluminum splitter would bump the cones out of the way. 😝

The Canards are a stock AJ Hartman item but the Spat (or tire blocker) is something I had him make me from a drawing I sent him, so they aren't a normal combination. I wondered also about the effectiveness but if you consider that the idea of a splitter is to park air on top of it and create a high pressure zone (end fences also do this) then that lower canard is packing air right where we want it. At least that's my half baked theory. With 12" wide wheels the tires stick way out, if it weren't for the spat the canard would be dumping right onto the tire instead. Seems to me that's no better.
The last setup had a deflector that shot air away from the spat to keep air off the bottom of the canard but I don't think that's worth a damn either since we aren't parking air on the splitter anymore.
Aero is not my forte'....I'd be happy to hear from anyone with solid knowledge on the subject.

105036462_10158551896603535_8132534399918575560_o.jpg

110717670_10158657647298535_2273904944538464757_n.jpg


They are originally designed to be in free air....but the 12" wide wheels make that impossible.

aj.PNG
 
Last edited:

Fabman

Dances with Racecars
6,518
8,154
Exp. Type
W2W Racing
Exp. Level
20+ Years
Pleasanton: 1/2 way between Sonoma and Laguna Seca
end.PNG
 

Fabman

Dances with Racecars
6,518
8,154
Exp. Type
W2W Racing
Exp. Level
20+ Years
Pleasanton: 1/2 way between Sonoma and Laguna Seca
Here are a couple examples of where the end fence leads directly into a tire blocker where the air is trapped.

Pics below are from the professional awesome aero website so I imagine they approve of this method.

IMG_2497.jpgDSC5931.jpg
 

Fabman

Dances with Racecars
6,518
8,154
Exp. Type
W2W Racing
Exp. Level
20+ Years
Pleasanton: 1/2 way between Sonoma and Laguna Seca
Now I'm not saying that this is a perfect setup, I am only saying that I have found myself in this situation and in my quest for answers I have found others in a similar situation who have used a similar solution....so if nothing else, that makes me feel just a little bit better. :rolleyes:
 

302 Hi Pro

Boss 302 - Racing Legend to Modern Muscle Car
2,009
441
Southeast
Hi FabMan:

I suspect this stuff only works above 80ish to a Hunsky-Ish MPH. And. . . I’ve seen enough of your ‘in-car vids’ to know, you need this stuff!

You Sir, are a fast driver.

Oh & OBTW did I mention? One hell of a good aluminum tig-welder!

Age is just a number so. . . Just relax & have fun out there.

As always,
 

Fabman

Dances with Racecars
6,518
8,154
Exp. Type
W2W Racing
Exp. Level
20+ Years
Pleasanton: 1/2 way between Sonoma and Laguna Seca
Hi FabMan:

I suspect this stuff only works above 80ish to a Hunsky-Ish MPH. And. . . I’ve seen enough of your ‘in-car vids’ to know, you need this stuff!

You Sir, are a fast driver.

Oh & OBTW did I mention? One hell of a good aluminum tig-welder!

Age is just a number so. . . Just relax & have fun out there.

As always,
Thank you!
You sir are too kind. :)
 

Fabman

Dances with Racecars
6,518
8,154
Exp. Type
W2W Racing
Exp. Level
20+ Years
Pleasanton: 1/2 way between Sonoma and Laguna Seca
More Progress.


110831764_10158659892003535_2176570849520782586_n.jpg117035040_10158659891683535_3472840342803056256_n.jpg113211862_10158659892243535_3775170165437789811_n.jpg
 

TMO Supporting Vendors

Top