S550 Honey Badger GT350 Build Build Thread Profile - S550 Mustangs

[honeybadger]

some flyby action

 

[ArizonaBOSS]

Awesome awesome awesome...

 

[honeybadger]

Took the first steps this weekend for some weight loss and other improvements. No going back now.

Tilting the radiator further forward to make the ducting out the back even easier. And a close eye will see the cooler looks smaller - i removed the oil cooler from it. With my water temps being 186 coming out of the heads at RA I feel I have enough overhead in the system to try a water to oil system. So planning on trying that out.




Second, I've moved the oil tank into front of the motor. This should save me about 20lbs of weight from the enclosure box inside the cabin and make maintenance a little easier. If you're wondering why I didn't do it to begin with - well it requires some aggressive mods. The sway bar needs to be moved and the cross-member support needs to be done. I plan to switch the one into 2. One will go behind the original support the front lower control arms. The second is actually already there - currently supporting my rad.


As for the sway bar - that will get relocated to underneath the bellhousing/oil pan with blade ends. I ordered the first of my parts on Friday - will update more once I have them and can show what I am planning.



Finally, took a super quick and dirty scan of the engine bay to start blocking out the radiator ducting. my plan to print the V1 for a weekend test and then use the prints to create a foam version for the CF mould. but that's getting a bit far ahead.

 

[Dave_W]

with blade ends

Are you going to make it cockpit-adjustable?

 

[honeybadger]

Are you going to make it cockpit-adjustable?

yeah - I am still deciding on whether to do the classic controller

Or something like these Vernier cables



No experience with either - so still in the research phase

 

[honeybadger]

Made a decent amounts of progress. Got the k-member modified. Ended up cutting out the main support between the front set of cradle mounts and put a replacement in a couple inches behind. Between the replacement and the welded on rad support bar at the front, I feel pretty good about its strength. OEM only had the one support. I was able to drop the EPAS a full 1.5in at the front and about 1.25 where it bolts to the k-member.



Here's the motor with the mounts I've been running for the last year



And lowered into place. Over 1.5inches lower (making it more than 2.5in lower than stock). K-member is now equal to lowest part of the underbody, so I can't go any lower without going backwards with the motor - and that would require going back about `10 to clear the harmonic balancer and a different bell housing setup. My current bell housing will be equal to the bottom of the k-member now



This change is going to require some fairly big header mods. They're now well below the k-member. Plan is to tuck them higher up and lengthen them to proper equal length headers (currently, there's a 4-5in length difference between the primaries for cylinder #1 and #4)


As part of the this change, I am moving the oil tank to in front of the motor for easier maintainence and so I can eliminate the box in the passenger footwell and reconfigure some stuff. I'm currently down a total of 50lbs with the changes to the k-member, removing the oil tank enclosure, and removing the large oil cooler.


Oil cooling will now be done with a Mocal water to oil heat exchanger. These laminova coolers are supposed to be pretty darn efficient and theoretically will meet my requirements. We'll see. I have plenty of water cooling headroom (water was running 180 coming out of the head), so the question is if it'll keep the oil cool enough with the lower capacity. Will be a fun experiment


Next up is modifying the engine mounts and exhaust. I'm also going to be tackling some aggressive weight reduction inside the car. My plan is to cut some of the floor out and replace with carbon panels. I'll keep ya'll posted

 

[honeybadger]

If you prefer video

View this content on Instagram

View this content on Instagram

 

[ArizonaBOSS]

Awesome stuff. Interested to see your "reverse mount" bar application.

 

[honeybadger]

I've been slowly making more progress. Just realized its been a while since I've updated - and I think I forgot to even mention that I was planning on cutting the floor. To recap, I cut a bit section of the floor out on each side of the trans tunnel to create space for the exhaust.

Bit of an unorthodox way to approach it, but with lowering the engine another 2in and the flat floor, clearance was tight and I wanted some more margin to work with. I am also planning an exhaust layout that will benefit from no bend for 36in after the collectors, so this accomplishes both tasks.


While I had the floor all chopped up and the entire interior disassembled, I ended up going down a huge rabbit hole with the cage. I had a couple joints I wanted to clean up with the tig torch and I ended up touching up every joint on the cage The Mig I originally welded with put a lot of wire into each joint, so theyre nowhere near as clean as they could be if I had started from scratch with the tig torch, but it looks much better, and more important, every joint is stronger since I widen out the weld and ensured proper penetration.



Still lots to improve on, but def looking better than V1. Next cage, I'll definitely tig the while thing.
I had a chance to test fit the oil tank with the engine back in the car. Nice and low, and easy to access. I pulled 50lbs off the front of the engine, so not worried bout adding the 20lbs for this in front of the motor. it is nice and low, and skinny, so it still should be a net positive move.



With the trans out, I checked the clutch and it looks pretty good. Plenty of life left. I have 56 hours on it. I guess it helps its only used for starting/stopping




Finally, I am starting on my headers next. Given the engine sitting lower, I need custom headers so they dont hang too low. I have been working with ChatGPT to optimize header design for my target RPM 6-8.5k. I landed on a complex equal length, stepped, 4-2-1 long tube setup.

Essentially, 28in long primaries into the first set of collectors, then 14in long into the second collectors - then true duals out the back. This tri-y setup will fatten up the mid range a bit and since I'm replacing non-stepped/unequal length headers, I should even gain 1-2% up top.

GOt most of my materials ready to go.


I've 3D printed like 200 of these to help me mock it up.Packaging is going to be funnnnn

 

[yotah1]

I haven't been on this topic for a while, and it's nice to see the progress to an already very well developed car! The engine move is a massive tear-up but will give you some major benefits on track.

You're giving me some very bad ideas for my 350

Good luck on the headers, I've been down that road on my Cuda build and they were by far the most involved part of the build, however when done, it is so cool to look at those babies!

 

[Ewheels]

Perhaps I'm grossly misjudging available space, but with the added trans tunnels for the exhaust, how is the seat going to fit/mount?

 

[honeybadger]

Perhaps I'm grossly misjudging available space, but with the added trans tunnels for the exhaust, how is the seat going to fit/mount?

I's definitely not as bad as it looks. My seat brackets only have 1/4in clearance from the bottom of the seat to the channel, so you're actually about the same height as a stock floor with a planted seat bracket like most folks use. the seats will literally bolt to the floor. its hard to see, but there are holes with nuts welded to 1/8 thick plates all ready to go

I haven't been on this topic for a while, and it's nice to see the progress to an already very well developed car! The engine move is a massive tear-up but will give you some major benefits on track.

You're giving me some very bad ideas for my 350

Good luck on the headers, I've been down that road on my Cuda build and they were by far the most involved part of the build, however when done, it is so cool to look at those babies!

View attachment 105926

I spent about an hour and a half outside last night trying to mockup the passenger side and didn't get far. big sigh. ha

Got any tips? did you stick with the same center line radius for all your bends? or did you use a mixture of 3, 4 and 6in?

 

[yotah1]

I had 2.5 clr close to the heads, due to the packaging space in the engine bay (had to special order some bends from Goodfabs in UK for that), then everything is 3" and then 4" as I stepped up the diameter. I had a colleague at work calculate around 2000 different primary / secondary / tertiary lengths to give me the best output based on my rpm range and track use. They are all equal length, and roughly 56" of tubing per cylinder, which was a lot to package in a Barracuda engine bay!!

After that, well, go step by step, find a way to attach your collectors to the car so they are in a fixed location while you start replacing 3d printed sections with actual tubing, so you can be sure that while you tack weld, everything stays where it should. If possible, i'd even go as far as making a jig for each header so when you do your final welds, nothing moves around if you can't weld it while in the car (which i had to do for some of the main joints, then I finish welded some of the smaller sections that generated less warp).

 

[honeybadger]

Been working on a few related projects. Using these to prep for some more ambitious efforts like fenders, hoods, bumpers and inner door cards.

First up, is a carbon panel to cover my cutout in the floor




next is a center console panel that angles the controls towards the driver like the gt4 car

 

[Fabman]

Been working on a few related projects. Using these to prep for some more ambitious efforts like fenders, hoods, bumpers and inner door cards.

First up, is a carbon panel to cover my cutout in the floor


View attachment 105962

next is a center console panel that angles the controls towards the driver like the gt4 car

View attachment 105963

I envy you guys with computer design skills. I really wish I had picked that up years ago but....I didn't.
I still have to do everything the old skool way. It's effective, but not efficient.
Love watching you go.

 

[steveespo]

Been working on a few related projects. Using these to prep for some more ambitious efforts like fenders, hoods, bumpers and inner door cards.

First up, is a carbon panel to cover my cutout in the floor


View attachment 105962

next is a center console panel that angles the controls towards the driver like the gt4 car

View attachment 105963

Kevin, If you get it done I will buy a 3d print of one or the file to have it done locally.

 

[honeybadger]

I envy you guys with computer design skills. I really wish I had picked that up years ago but....I didn't.
I still have to do everything the old skool way. It's effective, but not efficient.
Love watching you go.

I still prefer to work with my hands - its a lot more natural for me. But the value of prototyping and accuracy of the CAD stuff is hard to ignore. I'm hoping all the AI innovation makes the CAD stuff easier. it's a HUGE learning curve

Kevin, If you get it done I will buy a 3d print of one or the file to have it done locally.

Happy to share the file if you want. It's too big to print in one piece for my printer, so I was planning on making a mould and doing a lightweight carbon one. Happy to sell you one of the those for cost

 

[steveespo]

Thanks Kev. Send the file if you'd want. I may be able to have them done and would get a couple made for you if you'd like.

 

[CobaltFilly]

I still prefer to work with my hands - its a lot more natural for me. But the value of prototyping and accuracy of the CAD stuff is hard to ignore. I'm hoping all the AI innovation makes the CAD stuff easier. it's a HUGE learning curve

Happy to share the file if you want. It's too big to print in one piece for my printer, so I was planning on making a mould and doing a lightweight carbon one. Happy to sell you one of the those for cost

I would also like to buy one off of you (the radio delete panel). Let me know cost first, then let's talk. Or a plastic version, if you do a "tester".

I don't live close to you, but I will be passing by in October, 16-19 I believe. Let me know if any parts come off of honeybadger mark 1 through mark .... 15? Haha, I could find a new home for those parts on Cobalt Filly.

 

[honeybadger]

okay - I might have figured out the driver side. need to do some final checks tomorrow before ordering pipe. 10in of 1.875", 18in of 2.0" into collectors. Cylinders 5/8 and 6/7 are paired together to maximize scavenging.



Took a couple of hours collectively of playing around. used a combo of 2.5 and 3in CLR and straight blocks for the 1.875 section and then a collection 3, 4, 6 CLR and straight for the 2in section.