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New guy looking for a buyer's guide

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Kyle,

Here's something I sent out a while back to a friend who was thinking about getting a Boss.

I’ve got a ’12 if I was looking for one today this is what I’d do.

Low mileage, that goes without saying, and no mods.

Find a 2013 either a Laguna Seca if you want two seats or a base Boss if you don’t. If you choose a base Boss find one with Recaro/Torsen Diff, the torsen diff is one of the reasons this car can power out of turns, not all diffs are created equal.

1. The front end isn’t just cosmetic it has more frontal area open for cooling.

2. The lovers in the hood will decrease front end lift, this equals more front end down force.

3. Updated wiring harness with better connectors

Go to the Ford dealer and get the extended warranty. If you hurt the drivetrain down the road this will pay for itself.

Read the Boss owners supplement it will give you info on suspension setting, tire pressures, and other things like maintenance schedules when tracking the Boss in its stock form.

Basic Upgrades (these are in my opinion the basic things for tracking a Boss):

1. Remove the quad exhaust baffles

2. Remove the rear splats they will just melt, it’s behind the quad exhaust on the ‘12s not sure if the ‘13s have them

3. Get the Trackey if your car doesn’t have it. This will NOT affect the base warranty 3/36 – 5/50 unless Ford can prove the Trackey was responsible.

4. Brakes:

a. Brembo LCF600/660 or any other high quality race fluid

b. Titanium brake heat shields/shims, these will slow down the transfer of heat from the pads to the caliper keeping the brake fluid cooler (http://hardbrakes.com/)

c. Race pads (Carbotech / Pagid), stager the compounds more aggressive up front less in rear, i.e. Carbotexh XP12 front XP10 rear.

d. Ford Racing brake cooling ducts (standard with Laguna Seca)

e. Use the Ford rotor blanks when replacing, these are Brembo and if you have a good relationship with your Ford Parts Guy……..cheap

f. Get an athletic sock, cut off the elastic cuff leaving enough material so it can be doubled up, slide it over the brake reservoir cap, and now this will absorb any brake fluid that leaks from the reservoir saving your under hood paint

5. Ford Racing transmission cooling scoop (standard with Laguna Seca)

6. Any car tracked will end up needing a rear axle oil catch can/reservoir. Use either Bob’s Auto Sports “KR” style can (http://shop.bobsautosports.com/Mustang-axle-reservoir-KR-style-axle-reservoir.htm) or the Ford “Turkey baster”

7. The Boss has a high RPM engine, during the process of venting crankcase pressure back through the intake track, large amounts of oil, in the form of vapor can coat the inside of the intake track. This can dilute your gas, lowering its octane level. So get a JTL Oil Separator you’ll only need the passenger side, the JTL is good because it allows you to quickly remove it if needed for emissions testing.

8. Install a piece of screen in the lower fascia, this will keep out track debris saving the A/C condenser

Please remember these are the basics, for a DD that’s tracked a couple of times a year
.
 
Nice list Doug. While the 2013 vents are supposed to be functional I'm not convinced they do much and they still have over heating issues. No doubt it's an improvement but I wouldn't base my buying decision on that. What is nice about the 2013's is SYNC and HID's.

Kyle, good luck in your search.
 
NFSBOSS said:
Nice list Doug. While the 2013 vents are supposed to be functional I'm not convinced they do much and they still have over heating issues. No doubt it's an improvement but I wouldn't base my buying decision on that. What is nice about the 2013's is SYNC and HID's.

Kyle, good luck in your search.

i remember reading that 2012 hoods shake and raise a bit on highspeed straights... i'm guessing that's another thing that the vents may remedy.
 
As my decision is evolving, I'm thinking about a 2011 GT which would give me some cash left over for some light suspension mods. I'm not trying to recreate a Boss, just looking to get what I need for about 10k less.

Any problems with the 2011 I should be concerned about? I see one locally with a Brembo kit (don't know what drive ratio yet).
 
Does the car have a.track pack, or only the brembo package?
I believe there is a difference. The track pack receives some boss parts (e.g boss diff cover). Personally, I'd look for a track pack GT.
 
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I went with the 12' because I like the look and only year in KONA blue. 13' are nice, but wanted what I like, color
 
That site forgot to mention the forged internals the BOSS has that the GT doesn't and the c&c work done to the heads, plus he extra 500rpm's. If you did descide to say throw a blower or turbo on either one like the article said, wouldn't you feel a bit more comfortable with the BOSS' extra strength?
 
cosm3os said:
Sheeet, base GT is more power than I have talent!

A base GT with some KW V3 coilovers and a good LSD and brakes and you will happily forever
The Boss is the Boss though, but GT with some goodies means a great track car with less money ;)
 

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