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HPD days with a GT500. Need help.

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So I've been put into a position to pick up a fully loaded 14' GT500 for a very very great price and they're giving me a great amount for my 13' Boss. I love my boss 302 I drive it all the time, I'll be doing about 6 HPD events with it this year but it is getting weathered with a lot of Knicks and marks all over it and mileage is getting up there (44,000). I've seen a few new GT500's on track and they seem to do well. I have the skills to make my own larger heat exchanger, front mount intercooler or whatever needed to keep temps down. I'll probably do 8-10 HPD days next summer max so I'm thinking of picking this car up to pass by until I get a 350R but I don't want to regret selling my boss 302 for it. I drive around and play around town with my friends a lot on the streets also so that's another thing. Need some honest non bias boss 302 love here.
 

Wingrider

'11 GT500, 99% Track Car. Lots of mods & I coach
Yes you will need the larger intercooler, along with dual fans. If you're in there a larger radiator is also a good idea.

Why sweat trying to out engineer a Revan/C&R/Shelby or the Afco units? All tested and ready to drop in while you spend mo
mre on things things or tracking the car?
 
@Black Boss for input since he owns a Boss 302 and GT500 and has tracked both...
 
Awesome! Thanks guys. Like I said I love my Boss but thinking along the lines of value and ware and tare etc, it's getting up there.
 
NFSBOSS said:
@Black Boss for input since he owns a Boss 302 and GT500 and has tracked both...

So my comparison is very limited. I love the Boss and it is now 90% dedicated to the track with stiff springs, 302S suspension bushings, but with a stock powertrain (aside from Headers). I've also only tracked the GT500 once, a week ago at Road America. The Shelby is totally stock -- I just used my Boss Track wheels with Contis (square 305) and "borrowed" (thanks Steve ;)) some front race pads (XP24) and switched the brake fluid to DOT4.

The Shelby was a pleasant surprise. I expected it to push hard in the corners, but it was fairly neutral (helped I'm sure by the square set-up, given it has stock camber). It was the opposite experience of the Boss: In the Boss I'm catching higher powered cars in the slow twisties (Z06, some GT3's) and losing out on the straights. The Shelby was definitely slower in corner entry and exit but pulled like a Train on the straights. To illustrate this: really well driven Bosses were hitting about 148-149 on the straight, even with slower corner exit speeds the Shelby was good for 154+. I'm sure with some suspension work the Shelby cornering could be improved, but I don't think it will ever be as nimble as the Boss. Equally, on high HP tracks the Boss will not be as quick in a straight line, and there is something fun about (relatively) low cost American Muscle pulling in GT3's on the straights.... 8)

Tough call given the mileage on your Boss. GT350R is probably the answer ;)
 
If I might Suggest contacting Jason over at DOB and get his thoughts on the matter. He road races his GT500 and has some VERY impressive cooling going on in his car.
 
Black Boss said:
Here's the data from my experience of driving both cars at Road America:

https://trackmustangsonline.com/index.php?topic=6197.msg143699#msg143699

I'm sure Gary could add some input as he tracked a GT500 prior to the Boss

@cloud9
Your assessment of the GT500 on track closely matches mine Nick You have the advantage of the aluminum block which is probably a little better balanced than the iron block I had on my '07. I had a full coilover suspension and the C&R radiator and twin fan heat exchanger. TBH the C&R radiator failed twice and by the time I sold it I had the stock one back in there. I also didn't see a significant reduction in IAT2 or ECT with the twin fan heat exchanger. The main thing is stick to a stock pulley size so you don't overtax the system with higher boost levels than stock. From a suspension standpoint, even with a high end Griggs setup, the Boss handles better on FRPP springs and Koni Yellow dampers because of its lower weight and better balance F/R.

The big difference to me is the weight. The Boss is already on the heavy side, especially for the stock brake system. You gain a little braking power with the 15" Brembos on the 2014 GT500, but I'm not sure if it's enough to offset the extra weight. I would be a little concerned about that for road course use. Personally I'm done with an FI engine on a road course car, that is unless CAFE forces us into turbos on future Mustangs. At least I know my next one won't have to be FI.
 
Some poor guy next to my garage at VIR recently blew his '14 gt500 motor. Blew the oil filter and cooler clean off the motor. Complete sudden separation of oil and motor. Beautiful black with black HRE wheels. He said it happened right when he bounced the Rev limiter going 160 and shifted. It was a 100 degree air temp that day.
we couldn't even get the dipstick out.

Anyway. Car should be under warranty but he vowed to go straight motor next time. Lol

And oddly enough the other car two spots down in our garage blew their turbo and spent the whole time bolting a new one on.
 
TMSBOSS said:
Darren

How is the new Big Bore motor working out for you??

It's good man. More blow by than the catch can can handle at times, but I'll explore a vac pump this winter. It's strong.
Posted a short video on FB passing a race-prep'd viper and then catching a ferrari at VIR. I'll have some more vids to share next week.
 

Wingrider

'11 GT500, 99% Track Car. Lots of mods & I coach
To add more perspective, yes the Aluminum block GT500's can be formidable track cars but it take$ a bit work and certainly not as "turnkey" as a BOSS. Had the BOSS existed in 2011 I probably would have one of those instead of a GT500, but I stick with things and have made the car work. The extra HP doesn't hurt ;-)

I'd like to think the car gets around the track fairly well now but I'll leave that to others to judge.
 

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