S550 Honey Badger GT350 Build Build Thread Profile - S550 Mustangs

[Voodoo Blues]

Nice! How’d you think they felt compared to the Ford 6 pot?

I've been running AP Racing front brakes (didn't pop for the rears), saving 15lbs per side over OEM, for about 18 months now. Like changing from work boots to running shoes.

Switching back to your dry sump install, please remind me what oil tank you opted for, the 2.5 or the 3 gallon? I'm not going full cage/chassis mods before installing so wondering which size to get. I will be installing the tank where the battery is now (like you and the GT4), but thinking I should go with the 2.5 gallon for easiest fit. Opinion?

Thanks as always Kevin for forging ahead and documenting for us to see.

 

[honeybadger]

I've been running AP Racing front brakes (didn't pop for the rears), saving 15lbs per side over OEM, for about 18 months now. Like changing from work boots to running shoes.

Switching back to your dry sump install, please remind me what oil tank you opted for, the 2.5 or the 3 gallon? I'm not going full cage/chassis mods before installing so wondering which size to get. I will be installing the tank where the battery is now (like you and the GT4), but thinking I should go with the 2.5 gallon for easiest fit. Opinion?

Thanks as always Kevin for forging ahead and documenting for us to see.

Mine is the 3 gallon https://www.drysumpsolutions.com/product-page/ara1-2-3-gallon-tank

The 2.5 gallon won't be much easier to fit - it's about 1.5in taller, but a little over an inch smaller in diameter. Height is more of an issue than diameter, IME. The 2.3g is the same diameter as my tank, just 16in tall instead of 22. Not sure 2.3 gallon is enough, though.

 

[Voodoo Blues]

Mine is the 3 gallon https://www.drysumpsolutions.com/product-page/ara1-2-3-gallon-tank

The 2.5 gallon won't be much easier to fit - it's about 1.5in taller, but a little over an inch smaller in diameter. Height is more of an issue than diameter, IME. The 2.3g is the same diameter as my tank, just 16in tall instead of 22. Not sure 2.3 gallon is enough, though.

Ok, thanks. About what I thought you might say. More oil is better, especially if the tank fit difference is negligible. So much is negligible until actual fitment happens.

 

[honeybadger]

Go fast parts for the engine are here. New cross plane crank (standard GT500 crank).

L&M Engine intake/exhaust cams for 5.2 CPC conversion. https://lmengines.com/collections/gt350-camshafts/products/gt350-voodoo-w-90-deg-cross-plane-crank



Hoping this combo (along with dry sump) can push 550 or so to the wheels fairly easily. We'll see. At least these cams will ensure good power up to 8k.

 

[Voodoo Blues]

Go fast parts for the engine are here. New cross plane crank (standard GT500 crank).

L&M Engine intake/exhaust cams for 5.2 CPC conversion. https://lmengines.com/collections/gt350-camshafts/products/gt350-voodoo-w-90-deg-cross-plane-crank

View attachment 86356

Hoping this combo (along with dry sump) can push 550 or so to the wheels fairly easily. We'll see. At least these cams will ensure good power up to 8k.

Big day. How do you make sure to keep the exhaust and intake cams separate? Are they marked or do you mark them?

 

[honeybadger]

Big day. How do you make sure to keep the exhaust and intake cams separate? Are they marked or do you mark them?

They’re marked. Slightly different part numbers and they’re scratched into the cams themselves

 

[Fabman]

They’re marked. Slightly different part numbers and they’re scratched into the cams themselves

what cams are they?

 

[honeybadger]

what cams are they?

L&M Engine’s cams for a CPC 5.2 liter with VCT. They add a bit of power and extend redline up past 8k. We’ll see when they start to fall off

LM-GT3C-1 Camshaft Set GT350 5.2L W/90 deg Cross Plane Crank Any N/A or Forced InductionFull TiVCT

Tuner's Suggested Timing Table GT350 5.2L Voodoo W/90 deg Cross Plane Crank 551 Series Lobes - Uses full TiVCT - Has revised updated lobe timing for the Voodoo valve geometry - Intake .551” Lift, Duration [email protected] - Exhaust .551” Lift, Duration...

lmengines.com

 

[Fabman]

L&M Engine’s cams for a CPC 5.2 liter with VCT. They add a bit of power and extend redline up past 8k. We’ll see when they start to fall off

LM-GT3C-1 Camshaft Set GT350 5.2L W/90 deg Cross Plane Crank Any N/A or Forced InductionFull TiVCT

Tuner's Suggested Timing Table GT350 5.2L Voodoo W/90 deg Cross Plane Crank 551 Series Lobes - Uses full TiVCT - Has revised updated lobe timing for the Voodoo valve geometry - Intake .551” Lift, Duration [email protected] - Exhaust .551” Lift, Duration...

lmengines.com

My bad, I thought I was replying to a different thread.
Somebody was talking about using some cams because thats all they could get in a short lead time and I was wondering what they ended up with.
Anybody remember what thread that was? My God I can't remember anything anymore...

 

[honeybadger]

Cage is mostly welded - just need to add the gussets that strengthen the a-pillar supports and attached pillar bars to the car body.








Overall, I am pretty happy with how this came out. While I'm no expert welder, I am happy enough with the quality of my work for this round.



It was a metric - ton of welding. Probably about 8.5 hours into the cage itself so far (not including the game of legos putting it together). So much welding.

 

[PatientZero]

Looks great!

 

[Fabman]

Cage is mostly welded - just need to add the gussets that strengthen the a-pillar supports and attached pillar bars to the car body.

View attachment 86422

View attachment 86423

View attachment 86424


Overall, I am pretty happy with how this came out. While I'm no expert welder, I am happy enough with the quality of my work for this round.

View attachment 86425View attachment 86426View attachment 86427

It was a metric - ton of welding. Probably about 8.5 hours into the cage itself so far (not including the game of legos putting it together). So much welding.

*Fabman approved.

 

[honeybadger]

Last night I mostly finished up the last bits of the cage - all the various gussets.

Door bar gussets



Main hoop


a-pillar support bars




B-pillars


A-pillars


These all came with the kit, so super easy install. Really impressed with this kit. Also VERY happy to be done with it. ha

Getting much closer to painting time

 

[Hobdul]

Kevin, how much longer do you think before your car is back on the track?

 

[honeybadger]

Kevin, how much longer do you think before your car is back on the track?

Realistically, probably this winter (really would love to hit the December event at COTA). But it'll really all be based on how the wiring goes and how in over my head I get with programing the PDM/dash and integrating with ABS/ECU.

 

[AJ Hartman]

Not sure if I missed this in an earlier post but why such an extensive cage?

 

[honeybadger]

Not sure if I missed this in an earlier post but why such an extensive cage?

Making it legal for W2W racing

 

[Voodoo Blues]

Making it legal for W2W racing

Huge work. I love that you're all in. I know this is for strength, rigidity, safety and reliability. Now that you've demonstrated so much to this, what do you think about the weight (literally, how much mass you are throwing around) of this platform? I mean, it's a bit heavy, but if you have the power, torque and chassis to work it, do you think the only better engineered way for this much track fun is to have an unlimited budget? I'm thinking so. If you have ten million to spend, there's a different category. For a total budget of $100-500K spent over decade for fun, there may be parallels but I doubt better. Thoughts?

 

[Vettel-ish]

Kevin, if the car is ready I would love to chat with you about running Cota in DEC. Would be good the see the badger and run that track.

 

[honeybadger]

Huge work. I love that you're all in. I know this is for strength, rigidity, safety and reliability. Now that you've demonstrated so much to this, what do you think about the weight (literally, how much mass you are throwing around) of this platform? I mean, it's a bit heavy, but if you have the power, torque and chassis to work it, do you think the only better engineered way for this much track fun is to have an unlimited budget? I'm thinking so. If you have ten million to spend, there's a different category. For a total budget of $100-500K spent over decade for fun, there may be parallels but I doubt better. Thoughts?

Interesting question and one I think about often given where I'm at with cost. I don't feel qualified to have an educated opinion quite yet as I need to finish the build and see what reliability and performance look like. I can tell you there are some things I've learned -

1. If I was going to build the ultimate mustang, I'd buy a cheap base GT - I'm not really keeping anything from the Shelby. All cooling/braking/suspension improvements from the Shelby/PP1 have been replaced. Only thing I've kept is the rear diff - and I plan to move to a Winters quick change in the future - so really would have saved a lot starting with the cheapest chassis I could find.
2. I'd look real hard at a C6 if I was doing it again. Vette has a better starting point IMHO (weight + engine behind the front wheels, etc.) and shops like GSpeed have Vettes really dialed. Tons and tons of parts. And you can make huge NA power with a stroked LS7 with some higher compression pistons. Would be a ton of fun
3. For over $200k, if I was starting again, I would look real real real real hard at a Porsche Cup Car. A few run at COTA and I'm super envious. They're bullet proof, sound amazing, wicked fast, and really rewarding to drive when you get right.

I'm not at all disappointed with the direction i've gone and it'll be really special to have this fully converted knowing I bought it new, drove it down the coast for my honey moon and then converted it to a Porsche/Vette killer. But it's a lot more expensive than it needed to be ha

Kevin, if the car is ready I would love to chat with you about running Cota in DEC. Would be good the see the badger and run that track.

I really hope I can get it done. I also need to go hit up Road America. I plan to be there next spring - this thing has to be done by then!