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Don't waste your money on chassis stiffening.
 
Been running a full Cortex with JRi for 20+ track days over the last two years. I highly recommend their setup with the watts link.

JRI has made improvements to their dampers recently, so I them rebuilt the shocks to the new JRi specs with the latest internals and seals, and had them dyno matched.

Steve
 

Fabman

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Filip at Cortex said that he recommends installing the watts link first. I also had a recent conversation with him and he told me he changed the damping properties on his JRi dampers and they are better than before.
I know he does.
 
What you guys recommend on a bolt on option on a roll bar? I don't want to strip and do a full cage just yet. My train of thought is, do every single thing I can toward the end result of having a racecar, and leave the final "won't touch the street again" work until I buy a 2018 Mustang.
 

Fabman

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What you guys recommend on a bolt on option on a roll bar? I don't want to strip and do a full cage just yet. My train of thought is, do every single thing I can toward the end result of having a racecar, and leave the final "won't touch the street again" work until I buy a 2018 Mustang.

Maxim Motorsports here....


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Mad Hatter

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I found one of the most important things you can do when you start out is get some seat time with a Pro instructor at the track (this site told me so several times years ago). I really like the easy install of the Maximum Motorsport 6pr roll bar. If your in a race car you really want to have a little extra protection. Motul 600 is fine, but you will be changing it quite often, I love Castrol SRF, more expensive but lasts for ever and there really is no other better brake fluid. I generally just bleed it every ten track days! one liter lasts a year....
 
I am going to just have a cage made and welded in, but not full one yet. 6 point like the MM ones, but welded. Add to it later when time to strip car.

By the way, anyone know of kid's size racing seats for 10 year old. Daughter wants to ride on track with me. Already taught her how to drive a car. She races karts and small motorcycles (125 cc 2 strokes moto gp bike). LOL Other daughter only 8, but will be driving soon too, like my pops taught me when I was that age.
 
I want to go full out on a race build for my 2011 GT. What are you guys think for a full suspension set up? I mean front lower control arms, rear lower control arms, parnhard bar or watts link, UCA, K member, Raditor brace, and everything else.
I'm going to with a race set of coil overs....

Is this really a "race" build, or a fast track build? Because if you are not caging it, it's not a racecar.

That said, we've done so many of these Coyote S197s, with so many variations, we've found good dollar per performance combinations.

First, skip ALL the stiffening. It's not necessary on this car. The Fox and SN95 were a floppy '70s chassis and really needed the help. The modern S197 tub does not require it.

Second, don't skip the safety equipment. The performance benefits are better than you'd think. Having a real seat and harness is worth it just from a performance standpoint. Having the safety is a bonus. And I recommend the Maximum Motorsports roll bar with a harness bar and single diagonal. It's the best mounting bar. Before buying a seat, I highly recommend sitting in it and seeing it in person. The photos don't show the differences in materials, and in person you might change your mind about what is worth paying a little more for.

Third, do the brakes. A minimum is the 4-pot fronts and GT500 rears WITH real pads AND front cooling.

Fourth, decide what tires you want to run. Then buy wheels to support those tires. For casual use, the 305/30-19 on an 11" wheel is a good size. Beyond that, the 315 on an 18x11 is good, but you are locked into just a couple tires and supply on both wheels and tires is spotty. For larger tires, a 335 front and 345 rear work, but require flares at both ends.

Fifth, don't do a front K-member, arms, ball joints or bump steer kits on the S197. There are too many compromises and not enough gains from any of those. The only exception might be the GT500 arms so you can get the good bushings without the hassle of messing with extracting the stock stuff and inserting poly bushings.

Sixth, we have had great results with a combo of mostly Motion Control and Whiteline parts. We add one of many Hyperco spring setups and our Vorshlag camber plates. FWIW, we have had best results with the axle mounted Whiteline Watts paired with their reverse mount rear bar, which is the easiest to adjust. Add real relocation brackets. So far the best upper arm is the spherical Multimatic, but it's no longer produced and expensive. Second would be the RTR arm with the Saleen spherical axle-side bearing.

Seventh, power and heat are real. Set up the car to use as much mid range as possible, shifting before 7k, to keep the heat down. Add a larger radiator and vent the hood. Use longtube headers and get a custom tune, not a canned tune. Make sure the tune has linear throttle response, as most of the tuners like to ramp up the throttle so it feels faster, but that decreases your ability to modulate the throttle on track. Swap to a 3.31 or 3.55 rear ratio and a T2R differential. This should allow the axle to run cooler and with the GT500 rear brakes should almost eliminate any axle heat issues.

There is so much more, but that is a good starting point.
 
Thank you fo that great reply. Roll bar, harness bar, digonal, and rears getting welded in by highly resected guy in SD. Racing seats I really love are Corbeau FX1 and on order along with scroth 6 pt harnesses. Hood louvers on order from Trackspec and since they are in HB, not far from me, they will be using my car to make and test boxed in radiator, front splitter, rear wings, etc. GT500 brakes on order and 4 pot with ducting on front. Seperate 2 piece rotors and race pads sitting waiting for when I can drive on the track again (see wrist pictures on first page). Cortex is the way I decided to go with JRi double adjustables. Camber plates on order too. Already have SA2015 helmet and FIA racing suit. 3.55 already in there and T2R diff on order to install when I do rear brakes..

I will buys some wheels for track use, probably 18x11. My 20 inch Niches look too nice to take off for street use.

Engine getting headers, Boss intake and CAI with cutom tune. Your advise is very helpful on this. I will specifically tune my throttle map like you said. I do this on my race bikes because there, tire spin is a very fine line between fast and laying it down or high-siding. My bike makes 185 hp to rear wheels and weighs 384 lbs wet. Imagine the exponentially low rise in throttle I nee to modulate a couple inches of tire to the ground there.

This is a build a really fast track car build, short of full race that will transform to full race build when I buy my 2018 stang. I am going all the way short of race by not completly gutting it (except from back of front seats on to trunk), not removing stereo and ac. Other than that, evrything else is towards end goal of full race car build.

Thank you for the stiffening and front suspension advice. I will just go with Boss arms to get rid of stock bushing. And my apologies but pictures will come. I am just too handycapped with the pins in my arm to wrench, so I am still planning and buying. Wish i could install right now, but left arm useless until pins come out in 6 weeks.
 

Fabman

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wishing you a speedy recovery...
 
Ok guys, here is what I got and I need some advice now. I was going to go with the Cortex Watts link and JRi coilovers and, for reasons need not be known, I will not be using cortex items. So, i have to go another route.

Here is what I have. Front 302 arms with bushing replacement, lightweight radiator support, spherical adjustable UPR and LCA's in rear with relocation brackets. I need to figure out what sway bars, Watts Link, coilovers, and bump steer kit to go with.

So what would you guys think is a good replacement for Cortex's JRi coilovers and watts link? I need to order ASAP as I already registered for Willow Springs begining of May since my arm will be well enough to allow be to track the car.

BTW, parts are flooding in and will have pictures and install info and tech bits really soon. I solicited the help of a friend and my wrist is improving so I can start building.
 

Fabman

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Vorshlag and Griggs both make what you need.
I'd give a call to both companies and select whom ever you feel most comfortable with.
Both are capable of handling your needs.

*Handling* See what I did there?
 
Vorshlag and Griggs both make what you need.
I'd give a call to both companies and select whom ever you feel most comfortable with.
Both are capable of handling your needs.

*Handling* See what I did there?

That was funny that you kind of had to explain the pun. I think I actually would not have caught that had you not pointed it out which makes it even more funny.

Also, give me a call I would love to talk to you about things. For example, the stuff you've done and what I'm doing now. I'm basically going to get the car to the point of having racing seats a dashboard a stereo and air-conditioning. The rest will be all for the purpose of racing.


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Fabman

Dances with Racecars
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Pleasanton: 1/2 way between Sonoma and Laguna Seca
That was funny that you kind of had to explain the pun. I think I actually would not have caught that had you not pointed it out which makes it even more funny.

Also, give me a call I would love to talk to you about things. For example, the stuff you've done and what I'm doing now. I'm basically going to get the car to the point of having racing seats a dashboard a stereo and air-conditioning. The rest will be all for the purpose of racing.


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This weekend fir sure, I worked all weekend into the wee hours last week


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Boy this is a bad wrist injury! Being in the domain I wish you a good rehab and happy money spending!!
Thanks for the best wishes. I get injured all the time, so this is more of a nucance than anything. But of all my surgeries, this one takes the cake in terms of pain and annoyance of not using an arm.
 
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Wrist is getting better. Manifold and intake went in. Race Seats in. Tomorrow, Summit racing six point getting welded in and I can build off that later for the full csge. Going to build off that. Also, stripped down everything from the front seats back. Here are some, although bad, pictures.

What really hurts is I have boxes and boxes of stuff but can't intall yet. Hopefully soon. I don't want to start wrenching and bend a pin or bolt and need another surgery.

And, I decided to go with Vorsglag stuff. MCS, whiteline, etc. That is, depending upon What Cortex says today.
 

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