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!

S550 Honey Badger GT350 Build Build Thread Profile - S550 Mustangs

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

741
1,075
TX
Okay - we're nearing when I pick the build stuff back up (just waiting on the trailer delivery).

I'm in the process of evaluating a couple things, ordering a couple more things, and openly exploring others.

First up, roll cage. I haven't completed my order yet, but we're only a couple weeks away. I've decided to go with the TrackSpec cage. It's modeled after the GT4 Mustang cage and fitment is better than the Watson 10pt. I've decided not to cut into the car too much as I am not going to chase every possible pound I can and I want the extra structure in case of a crash.

https://trackspecmotorsports.com/s550-mustang-gt-gt350-roll-cage-kit

1652204950938.png

Next up is dry sump. I've ordered the Dailey Engineering drysump kit from Bill. Looking like about 7K all in with fittings, oil tank, etc. This one is going to hurt, but definitely a buy once, cry once purchase.

https://www.daileyengineering.com/ford/ford-5-0-liter-coyote/

1652204936207.png

Evaluating

As for coil overs, I'm fairly dead set of on Cortex's Penske offering, but I am waiting to pull the trigger until I get closer to the car having the cage work and motor put back together. In the meantime, I am keeping my eye out for a good used set of MCS/JRi/Penskes as a way to save some $$. If you see anything, please holler :)

Fuel cell - as part of the dry sump install, I want to put the oil tank behind the passenger above the OEM gas tank, so that will require moving the fuel tank rearwards. Right now, I'm leaning towards an ATL SA122B - the 22 gallons would be a nice upgrade for E85 since I can hit fuel starve at the end of a 25-30 min session with the OEM tank.


Exploring:

I'm still exploring trans mission options. I can pickup a used 4spd Jericho type trans for 4-5k. I can buy a brand new one for $9K with all the latest goodies. The challenge with both options are the OEM electronics. Neither have a speed sensor, so we'd need to add a driveshaft speed sensor and convert to a signal the OEM ECU understands. This is the problem with all available transmissions outside of a T56 with sequential gears (costing an eye-watering 23k). I've reached out to Max at Xineering to see if he can help. You can follow this sega in more detail with this thread. At the moment, I am leaning towards the HGT 6spd Sequential for about $15K all in (minus the electronics). Another buy once, cry once. Not sure this will be included in this round due to costs. We'll see.

https://www.hgtprecision.com/gearboxes/6-speed/sequential-6-speed/

1652204915598.png

As part of the transmission stuff, I am exploring electronics. If we can't get the OEM speed sensor issue figured out, we'll need to swap out the OEM ECU. Two options there - Ford control pack for the ECU and the driveline electronics (cooling fans, fuel pump, etc.) and then a PDM for things like headlights, diff/trans pump, etc. This has the benefit of Ford's advanced engine management, familiarity for tuners, etc., but it costs almost as much as an aftermarket ECU and isn't as clean as an aftermarket ECU and PDM combo. Alternatively, I could go with something like the Link G4X or Motec M150 with an appropriate paired PDM, but the tuners I've talked to are recommending I stick with the Ford ECU. We'll see what happens.
 
223
420
Exp. Type
Time Attack
Exp. Level
3-5 Years
Southern California
As for coil overs, I'm fairly dead set of on Cortex's Penske offering, but I am waiting to pull the trigger until I get closer to the car having the cage work and motor put back together. In the meantime, I am keeping my eye out for a good used set of MCS/JRi/Penskes as a way to save some $$. If you see anything, please holler :)
I know Christian (Ibcelln_fords) was planning a changing his 2-way MCS to 3-way on his orange car. Not sure if he's done that yet, but I spoke with him at Willow Springs in February and it sounded like it was in the near future.
 
741
1,075
TX
I know Christian (Ibcelln_fords) was planning a changing his 2-way MCS to 3-way on his orange car. Not sure if he's done that yet, but I spoke with him at Willow Springs in February and it sounded like it was in the near future.
Thanks for the lead. I’ll reach out!
 
741
1,075
TX
@honeybadger - where are you putting your oil tank? Same spot as the GT4 cars?

I sold my GT350R and bought a 17 GT with a PPG sequential the PO tried to make work with the stock ECU. They finally gave up and put an M150 in it at a big cost. Even PAE had to fly a MoTeC guy out to a trackday to finish dialing in shifting, budget for it if you go this route.

I am putting it behind the passenger seat. I don't want to run it all the way to the trunk, don't want to put it on the nose, and there are some major compromises putting it in the same place as the GT4 (which was required by IMSA). I plan to build a box around it so it's physically separated from the main cabin. Don't want oil inside the cabin with me.

Did he not work with Xineering? They have a closed loop system that's plug and play for the PPG setup. But good info. If I do end going aftermarket, there's a good chance I'll work with someone like GSpeed to install
 
It’s not clear from my paperwork unfortunately. The guys that did the MoTeC install just listed it as “remove PPG bump box”. The original build receipts for the transmission stuff does not have usable part numbers. They subbed out work too, so hard to say. All I can offer is someone else’s cautionary tale secondhand, but I was pretty shocked at the overall costs that went into that for my car when I got the receipts.

Appreciate the comments on oil. I am on the fence of just going Dailey and be done (as opposed to pan and OPG) but don’t want the tank in the car. I liked the location of the GT4, though wondered about size and oil slosh. My car is kinda silly- PPG/MoTeC, no cage and stock oil pan and cooler 🤣
 
Have you driven with the PPG on track? How do you like it?
I have not, only on the street. It is really cool. It’s set up with 3.31s out back, a tall first and tight ratios. It’s a stick, not flappy paddles, and I was a bit surprised how much pressure it takes.

I was hoping to take it to Sebring last week but with no coolers, stock oiling, fiberglass doors and no cage, I decided there are just too many strikes and took my other car.

The shop I want to do the cage is balking on the Trackspec cage a bit, but like you, I like the look of that one better.
 
741
1,075
TX
Well! the full race car conversion of HB has commenced. I've fully stripped the drive train, fuel system, and interior.

466B6235-5C89-4B85-94B8-97DA63EF3479.jpeg

Once I got the interior stripped, I started on removing the remaining sound deadener with a heat gun and pain scraper.

06A1B40E-C358-4C88-8D58-24F3A88477EA.jpeg

I then started on removing the seam sealer and prepping the seams for welding. At this point, the regret started to fully set in.
IMG_0099.jpeg

IMG_0108.jpeg
5 bloody fingers, a burnt arm, and completely covered in various forms of particles, the regret is significant. But too late to turn back!

IMG_0102.jpeg

Did some testing on my prep level with Dad's new welder (Miller 220). Game on!

2AF1C127-79A8-4994-BB4F-583DB0FB0838.jpeg

If anyone knows how to get this up, I'd love to know. Heat didn't help and apparently it's fireproof because it just sat there unaffected when I introduced it to the blow torch.

IMG_0104.jpeg

For anyone interested - the body harness, various modules, fuse box, and magneride controller weigh about 30 lbs. I don't think I've ever been more angry at some wires - took 2 hours to get that sucker out.

C9A67845-68EB-4CFB-9E95-EB0B93544B1E.jpeg

Waiting on some tools to hopefully expedite the removal of seam sealer. But next up is getting the sealer off the fire wall and back seat/trunk area. Then we'll start welding the interior. After that, I'll strip the engine bay, k-member, and rear IRS to get access to those areas.
 

Fabman

Dances with Racecars
6,519
8,154
Exp. Type
W2W Racing
Exp. Level
20+ Years
Pleasanton: 1/2 way between Sonoma and Laguna Seca
Dry Ice and a hammer ;)
 
741
1,075
TX
Dry Ice and a hammer ;)

For the seam sealer or the sound deadener? I actually used dry ice last year in the driver footwell and I didn't have much success with it. But I could have easily been doing it wrong ha
 
741
1,075
TX
for the sound deadening. Make a slurry with isopropyl alcohol and dry ice chips and it should pup right up after the slurry sits on there for 5mins.
That's what I tried, but that one type of sound deadener doesn't seem to affected by it. I found a good combo today - blow torch and a wood chisel is very affective
 
741
1,075
TX
More progress tonight. I finally got a method down for removing seam sealer, sound deadener, and other treatments. I've discovered that the right tools and method is critical. Previously I had tried a heat gun and paint scraper - that worked okay on the sound deadener "mats" that aren't super well attached. However, with the "wipe-on" deadener, it was fairly ineffective. I also tried dry ice and alcohol in a previous run at this in 2020 and found it to be "okay" with this deadener material.

Okay - let's get on with it. First, here are the tools I used. IMHO, a respirator rated for mold is critical to combat the fumes from burning the sound deadener/seam sealer. And the full face shield is highly suggested if you're using an angle grinder or wire wheel. Not pictured is the fire extinguisher. Reminder that you should always have a fire extinguisher in your shop - especially if you're working with flames/welding, etc.

IMG_0128.jpeg

First, heat the seam sealer with the torch

IMG_0119.jpeg

I only get it to start turning brown - basically enough to soften it. This section only took about 10 seconds.

IMG_0120.jpeg

Get your wood chisel and start whittling it up. IME, if it's hard, you either need more heat or you're getting snagged on one of the layers of metal.

IMG_0121.jpeg
IMG_0122.jpeg



Should look something like this when done

IMG_0123.jpeg

Okay - moving over to the driver side wheel well, you'll see that the same method exposes a gap. There's a decent amount of material still in there, so I started with the wire wheel on the drill pushed into the gap to clear it out.

IMG_0124.jpeg

Looks like this after.

IMG_0125.jpeg

This is easily removed with the pick

IMG_0126.jpeg


Now just run over all the seams with the wire wheel on the drill to clean up the remaining sealer left behind.

IMG_0127.jpeg

Full "rear seat" area done tonight. I used the same method on the sound deadener that was on the wheel well that you can see below. I'll share some additional details on that and when I used the wire wheel/angle grinder tomorrow when I shift to the trunk and firewall.

IMG_0129.jpeg
 

TMO Supporting Vendors

Top