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!

Suggested mods for DD and occasional canyon runs or track events, 2012 GT

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

6
1
Exp. Level
Under 3 Years
Louisiana
Hi all looking to get some insight on what mods I should start queueing up for my 2012 GT. Keep in mind I am in south Louisiana so its HOT.

First I will go over what has been done and then I'll go over what I'm thinking of doing.

Currently the car has a Lund 93 tune, PMAS CAI with airaid airbox, stock mani, free flowing 3 inch exhaust from manifolds back, remote clutch resv, stock strut tower brace, S550 front 4 pot calipers and 14 inch rotors, 14 inch 2013 GT500 rotors out back with stock calipers, Moroso wheel studs (never again) 07-09 GT500 wheels with 275/40/18 tires, and lastly Ford Perf Parts one piece DS.

I'm thinking of doing the following.

ported 2018 f150 manifold (I picked one up for nothing so might as well) GT350 87mm TB, modify the cold air to get IATs down, Long tube headers and retune with PBD. and of course a catch can.
Cooling, lots of cooling, GT500 radiator and fans, boss 302 oil to water oil cooler with a oil to air bypass cooler with a thermostat. lower temp Tstat (not sure what temp), possibly the rear head coolant crossover mod too.
Barton short throw, Exedy Mach 500 clutch

Suspension time!
Eventually want to go with a torque arm and watts link out back but thats a ways off yet.
Koni Oranges and H&R springs, I am leaning Super sports.
Bumpsteer kit (steeda or maximum motorsports), tubular control arms out front (BMR poly/derlin), new UCA with upgraded bracket and LCAs with relocation brackets. (probably BMR again) adjustable panhard bar.
Steeda behind the seats rear x brace, BMR subframe connectors and A arm brace.

I think that should make for a well rounded combo of daily driveability and getting out on the tracks and winding out.

Long term I'm planning to go either gen 2 swap or a built 3-2-1 and possibly going procharged or Whipple (I'm leaning whipple), calimer MT-82 yadda yadda yadda.

Thoughts? Anything I miss? Any alternate suggestions?
 

TMSBOSS

Spending my pension on car parts and track fees.
7,529
5,242
Exp. Type
HPDE
Exp. Level
10-20 Years
Illinois
Nice list of mods so far.

Welcome to the site.

Cooling. Avoid adding the factory oil cooler. They remove heat from the oil by adding it to the coolant. Use a air to oil cooler instead, the larger the better. Brake ducts are also a good idea.

Safety. Harnesses and a four point bar are a good idea, assuming the back seat will not be used.

Tires and wheels. Lighter and sticky, 305 width is the min. Apex is the popular brand around here.

Driver mods over engine mods. You will go faster by learning the car before adding power. Get some track time with a good instructor before adding power you cant use yet. NOLA will be open again soon. They were ground zero for the staging of electrical utility trucks the past few weeks. They run through the winter months.
Again, welcome to the site.
 

Norm Peterson

Corner Barstool Sitter
939
712
Exp. Type
HPDE
Exp. Level
5-10 Years
a few miles east of Philly
Other than cooling mods, leave the engine alone for now. Driver mods over just about everything at this point other than ensuring that your car will pass tech and is at least OE-level safe to drive, but especially over chasing more power.

Depending on how serious you intend to get, you will want wider wheels. If you pick 11" wide, that'll give you a wider range of tire options than 10".

Let me suggest BMR's GT500 handling springs as an alternative - at 260/220 they're almost as stiff as the H&R's and don't drop the car nearly as much (suspension geometry concerns, and lowering does not buy you as much extra actual performance as its appearance suggests). You may or may not want to space the BMR rear springs up a bit anyway. Koni yellows over oranges for both adjustability and ability do deal with 200+ lb/in springs.

Bracing can wait until you can identify a reason to add them. Your car should already have a tie bar at the rear of the K-member.


My own build has been very much along the dual-duty DD/occasional track toy path that you're proposing, with the DD part being important. Feel free to borrow any ideas.



Norm
 
Last edited:

xr7

TMO Addict?
706
821
Exp. Type
Autocross
Exp. Level
10-20 Years
Minnesota
I would consider the Ford Racing lower control arms for the front suspension over the aftermarket tubular ones. Howe ball joint that is greaseable, rebuildable and adjustable.
You can also modify your control arms by adding a collar to install the Howe ball joint and use some better bushings.
 
Last edited:

TMO Supporting Vendors

Top