Member Introductions - Introduce Yourself

[Smokinstang65]

Joined up back in July when i found this fine website. Id been lurking the GT500 forums to scavenge used parts for a few years. Looking to start tracking the car and realized a lot of the folks on the GT500 websites seem to be more talk about track but not really modifying for track. I dunno how to really explain it, this place seems much more devoted to tracking mustangs. Doesnt seem like a whole lot of GT500’s making the rounds but hey, mines an S197 so the S197 Brake, suspension, battery relocatio info is still good stuff for me!. You can see my mods in the signature. Im out of the Navy now so im looking to get my old 65 back out of storage again and have her out on the track too. Look forward to gaining a wealth of knowledge here.

 

[Thor 302]

Welcome. A lot of knowledge guys here and track junkies.

 

[VoodooBoss]

@Smokinstang65 welcome to TMO and yes most of the suspension mods from the S197 will work fine on your GT500. There are many GT500 owners here including @blacksheep-1

 

[blacksheep-1]

I have experience with both of your cars..lol
When you say the 65 has lowered control arms, I'm assuming the 1 inch down with the Shelby brace on the shock tower above the frame rail?

 

[Smokinstang65]

I have experience with both of your cars..lol
When you say the 65 has lowered control arms, I'm assuming the 1 inch down with the Shelby brace on the shock tower above the frame rail?

This was done way back in high school. Me and my dad used a paper template to make a stiff one out of plexiglass and used that to redrilled the upper A-arm holes in the shock tower.

 

[AuteauX]

I have been “Playing With Cars” since 1963. Yes, I am that old! Anyway, I was raised on small block type Chevy engines. I began by playing in local drag racing in the late 60’s with a dual quad 56 Belair. I later bought a new 1970 ½ Camaro Z28 and immediately got seriously involved in autocross; local car club autocross events and later the SCCA Solo events. My last Chevy was a 1994 Camaro Z28 also an autocross car. Work and raising a family made track racing too pricy. But I did do a couple of track day events with the 70 ½ Camaro. One memorable event was in Topeka, KS at Heartland Park which was organized in 1991 by the infamous Bob Woodhouse. I also did a couple of Heartland Park events with the Porsche Club in the late 90’s with my 1994 Camaro.

During 2011 my present wife and I bought a used 2008 Audi TT Quattro. This was a very successful car for autocrossing, but I did run several Time Trial events with it at Raceway Park of the Midlands and also Motorsports Park Hastings and received several class win trophies for those events.

So, what about a Mustang in the story? SCCA made autocross classification rule changes to our Audi, making it virtually uncompetitive, so we searched for another car. My wife felt sorry for me because I was used to ground pounder cars and so she agreed for us to get a new pony car which we would both have fun with. Well by late 2015 the new Mustang was the car to have to autocross and to do some track day fun. During October 2015 we ordered a 2016 Mustang GT PP; my first FORD! This is a fun track day car and I have participated at local tracks in several HPDE NASA events, SCCA time trial events, and two Mustang Roundup events.

 

[VoodooBoss]

@AuteauX it was nice to meet you at the Mustang Roundup and nice driving at the AX. I can't believe you're older than @Bill Pemberton but I guess someone has to be older. Enjoy your Mustang.

 

[Bill Pemberton]

He only eats greens like Kale and gets a colonic every week, so he may look younger, but I am having more fun.

 

[TymeSlayer]

I have Pete at Track Day Solutions making me some larger TMO stickers for my trailer and although it won't help me catch Pemberton, it will make my trailer look as classy as Bill's 302S!

 

[302BOB]

Bill P gained 25 extra HP putting those TMO stickers on his ride...those TMO stickers may help you more than you realize..........

 

[VelBlu32]

Please introduce yourself and tell us about your other cars and interest.

Hi folks,

I learned about TMO through "Kona Bob" Tremain from Hawaii as he was leaving my home track, Calabogie Motorsports Park (CMP), earlier in September to continue on his North American track tour... great guy to meet, interesting stories and am very thankful he led me here, this is an awesome site!! My name is Ralph Thorhauge and I live in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada where CMP is about an hour drive away. I recently retired from a long Public Service career that included a role as a full time professional instructor for the last dozen years and part-time instructor for many years prior to that. As a life time motorsports enthusiast, I've been member, Treasurer (2006) and Instructor with the Motorsport Club of Ottawa (MCO) and am a current member of the Ottawa SportsCar Club (OSCC). When CMP decided to become the first Motorsports Safety Foundation (MSF) certified organization in Canada to deliver the L2 Instructor program, I attended it's first class in Sept, 2018. As a L2 MSF Instructor, I am part of the Calabogie Coaches team for HPDE. I'm also a Race Official for the local CMP based Challenge Series club racing in roles ranging from Pit-lane to Operating Steward in race control.

I've owned several Mustangs through the years, highlighted by a new 1989 Fox-body LX Sport 5.0L then later by a highly modified track car acquired in 2003. That car, a 1988 Fox-body LX Sport with all the Ford Motorsport goodies of the day installed on a built / blueprinted stock block, including a TKO 5 spd / Motorsport driveline, a great combination of MM and Grigg's chassis / suspension parts, including a torque arm, delrin bushings all around, corner balanced with adjustable spring perches, Koni yellows, roll cage / subframe / rocker bracing, 5 point harnesses, Cobra five lug conversion and brakes, custom splitter with brake ducting, etc... it was a fabulous track car to drive (Tremblant, Shannonville, Mosport, CMP) and is still competitive (with some upgrades) while being run in a club racing format at CMP by it's new owner. My rides today include a black 2018 Ford Fusion Sport (AWD and a twin turbo 2.7L V6) with a complete Steeda suspension installed, Tracy Lewis Catch-can, SS Flex-lines, hi-temp Motul fluid, (track wheels/tires in photo) etc plus a new velocity blue 2019 Mustang GT PP L2,(6 spd, Magna-ride, Active exhaust, cloth Recaro's,... otherwise stock, for now. The wheels / tires on the car in the photo are PP1 19X9 (Nickel lustre) with a square 265 Michelin AS 3+ tire for the street to save the PP2 wheels / MPSC2'3 for the track. I'm looking to install some Camber plates, trans / diff coolers, catch-can, and any other necessary part to make the car a bullet proof, street-able track toy! I think TMO is going to be a fun place to interact and learn from some great folks!

 

[Bill Pemberton]

Welcome and you will find alot of great assistance here, along with some fun track rats who enjoy the camaraderie this Forum cultivates. I had mentioned to KonaBob he needed to check out Calabogie because it is on my bucket list and he called and told me he had one of the best times there as at any track he had run. Said Canadians are just a friendly bunch of beer drin..........er.........folks! The camber plates will help a bunch and there are a variety of good options - M&M, Vorshlag, our maybe a set from the GT 350 when they become available ( those will be pricey ). One of our members found the new Stangs can take monster rubber , so if you end up getting some larger rims ( say 19x11 Apexes for example) you will find the air filled automotive donut choices has increased alot in the last year.

Love that color and we just got in a PP2 in the Velocity Blue the other day, though it is even more basic than yours .

 

[VoodooBoss]

@VelBlu32 welcome to TMO. Nice to see a Fusion Sport with some mods. Have you driven it on track?

 

[VelBlu32]

Said Canadians are just a friendly bunch of beer drin..........er.........folks!

LOL, thanks Bill!,... we do love our beers, especially our local craft producers.

The camber plates will help a bunch and there are a variety of good options - M&M, Vorshlag, our maybe a set from the GT 350 when they become available ( those will be pricey ).

Been thinking about Steeda's CC plate, been a fan / customer of their products for years.

Love that color and we just got in a PP2 in the Velocity Blue the other day, though it is even more basic than yours .

Will you be tracking your PP2 soon?

 

[VelBlu32]

@VelBlu32 welcome to TMO. Nice to see a Fusion Sport with some mods. Have you driven it on track?

Hey there Voodoo,

Yes , it has seen some track time around 'Bogie, starting with a 2 day advanced school in April with Ross Bentley. The car is a sleeper and a lot of fun when surprising many of my friends, especially on a wet track..., Ross compared it to an SVT Contour he had in the late Nineties. I prepped the car with fresh fluids including the trans / PTU / Diff. I was able to pace another Instructor in his M4 for a few laps (about 18 min or so) before I had to back off due to brake fade ('Bogie has 20 corners) and the all season RE71's grip was falling off... lucky for me it was quite cool out and the track was cool and damp. The stock understeer which is noticeable on the street in spirited driving, is just about gone with the Steeda parts, though with nearly 4300 lbs to rotate, it does eventually unfold with enough corner entry speed,... trail-braking is effective though for most slow - mid speed corners where needed. The speeds that car is capable off got me thinking about a dedicated track car that would / could handle it better and with greater safety in the long run.... my helmet brushes the headliner in that car (stock six way powered seats) ... ergo the Mustang purchased in August is a better choice.... me thinks a used Fusion Sport, stripped, caged, etc, would be a unique and fun track car!

 

[Bill Pemberton]

Sorry, I work for a large Automotive Dealership Group, and we have 3 Ford Stores and I have been helping all of them ge more involved with Performance machines ( one store was the World's Largest Ford Truck Store for over 14 years ) since they are mainly truck based. I was referring to the fact that we ( Woodhouse Auto Family) had just gotten in a PP2 in Velocity Blue like yours --- we got in 4 other colors also. My ride is the white BossS in the picture and I will be running it quite soon, with at least 3 other TMO Members , at Autobahn Country Club Raceway in Joliet, Illinois this weekend. Hopefully we will find out more of the Mustang drivers running at Autobahn are also on this Forum? Of course , if not, we will invite them over, just as KonaBob did for you! We are a friendly bunch , if nothing else, ha.

 

[302BOB]

Bill is a team player and a Ford player by all means!!!! If you need help for Anything...He's your go to Guy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[VelBlu32]

Sorry, I work for a large Automotive Dealership Group, and we have 3 Ford Stores...

Ah, Ok misread your post.

We are a friendly bunch , if nothing else, ha.

Indeed, I'm noticing that in the posts I'm reading!

Btw, nice BossS ! When you decide to come on up to drive 'Bogie (Calabogie Motorsports Park (CMP)), let me know and I can help you make arrangements, get accommodations at the track or nearby if you wish. See www.calabogiemotorsports.com for more info too.

 

[Bill Pemberton]

I will take you up on that VelBlu! We just need to get a group of Canadians to wander down to the 10th Anniversary Mustang Roundup in Hastings,Nebraska next year to show the other North Americans how to drink beer.............darn, I meant drive Mustangs!!! KonaBob said the folks at Calabogie were some of the nicest carbon based life forms he had ever met! I think you will find those who run the Mustang Roundup are of similar ilk!

Keep us posted on your track adventures in the Velocity and I am sure you will run into some TMO Members on tracks in your Country.

 

[JDee]

I was thinking the same thing about the roundup Bill. Kind of difficult though since it's hit and miss running into other track rats with 'stangs (are you still lurking out there Brad? Get an account dude!!! LOL!!!) and then the question of the long haul arises. But it would be a lot of fun for sure.