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PaddyPrix

If breakin' parts is cool, consider me Miles Davis
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Awesome progress. But whats this you say about Willow Springs session next weekend? They are open for operation?
As far as I know, they should be. Josh and Speed District run a pretty good show, and last time somebody tried to crack down on them, and with their paperwork and even the track management coming down, they were able to run. They're now totally booked solid, and I'm pretty bummed because so many of my friends are going to be there, and they've got a no spectators policy preventing me from making the trip to go cheerlead them on.
Is anybody else running? I know Speed Ventures is not, I saw something by OnGrid the other day, but their dates I believe were further out, like Mid-May.

I'm getting pretty close now, still have got a bunch of maintenance tasks to do like flushing the brake, diff, engine, and trans fluids, get an alignment, CAI and tune on it.
 
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As far as I know, they should be. Josh and Speed District run a pretty good show, and last time somebody tried to crack down on them, and with their paperwork and even the track management coming down, they were able to run. They're now totally booked solid, and I'm pretty bummed because so many of my friends are going to be there, and they've got a no spectators policy preventing me from making the trip to go cheerlead them on.
Is anybody else running? I know Speed Ventures is not, I saw something by OnGrid the other day, but their dates I believe were further out, like Mid-May.

I'm getting pretty close now, still have got a bunch of maintenance tasks to do like flushing the brake, diff, engine, and trans fluids, get an alignment, CAI and tune on it.

I plan on doing TH on May 25th
 

PaddyPrix

If breakin' parts is cool, consider me Miles Davis
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I plan on doing TH on May 25th
Nice. A little too far for me, but similar, I think my shakedown target is going to be Buttonwillow end of May (22-23) with Speed District. Need to get the cage built/in, and talking with the tuner now. It's never really over, but being able to do something more than just rev it while it is on jack stands is going to be nice. No idea what the weight is going to be, lighter is always better, but thinking 3750-3800 race weight, and the 8:1 ST2 with slicks modifier put me at an average rwhp of like 475, which through the MT82-D4 and 1 7/8 longtubes and 3" O/R catback should be able to do on e85.

I think the most disappointing part about it is that I'm going to find out that I have some yet undiscovered weak link, whether it be the clutch, transmission, or something with the rear end. That, or even worse, we find out that I am a shitty driver who like a fool, just spent a bunch of money and should have seen those signs much, much earlier. Like Dunning-Kruger, I'll be unable to really verify that, so I guess t-minus 4 weeks. I will soften my expectations though, as Buttonwillow is a decently small and tight track, and considering that Speed District has been selling out their sessions to waitlist (whereas they were previously like 30, and you'd have the track completely to yourself in the later sessions for 1 hour endurance runs), perhaps my expectations of running 3-6/10ths without breaking anything would be a considerable success by itself.
 
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PaddyPrix

If breakin' parts is cool, consider me Miles Davis
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Continental Slicks showed up the other day (thanks @Don in Virginia), yesterday exchanged like 25 e-mails with the tuner, broke my 21mm impact socket, today received my beautiful oxford white stock hood (now without cracks and dents!), SCT BDX coming in on Monday, MAF should be in on Tuesday, CAI coming, and tomorrow taking it to somebody and see about an 8 point cage, window netting, safety belts, etc... shiznit's 'bout to get real, real soon.

Sad news that 60 people at my company were laid off today, which came completely out of nowhere. Selfishly, I am thankful to not have been one of them, but that said, also happy that I'm coming rather close to the end of this build.
 

PaddyPrix

If breakin' parts is cool, consider me Miles Davis
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Ugh, the waiting game sucks. Before, I had the car, but didn't have enough time to work on it. Now I've got the time, but no car to work on.

So yeah, loaded it up and used my personal towing service to take it down to the shop for me. Not that it was necessary, but for laughs, put on my grandpa's Massachusetts plate on it, which are set to expire at the end of April '89.
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You can see I also didn't spend much attention to dialing in the alignment or suspension just yet, because with that MCS kit and the partial strut tower modification, I believe I'm sitting at negative 14 degrees of camber. I figure I'll get a stanceworks sponsorship while at it, brah. I think that the s550 also looks pretty goofy without a wing at all, so thanks to @ronaldwalterfilho, that issue has also been addressed.

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It should look even better when properly mounted on the Mustang, but hey, race what you brought, right?
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Got busy with some meetings, and didn't get a chance to swing by, but thinking I might sneak on by tomorrow to get a couple of pics if they're in the middle of actively working on it. Initial calculations might have had it done by the end of this week, or beginning of next, so, here's hoping it's this.

Got chatting with Shaun at AED, and after playing e-mail tag, I've got a base e85 safety tune in place, so now I just need some e85 which is rather plentiful in San Diego, and according to most people checking, is generally 88-91%. They've got a pump right by my office, and another pump right by Auto Club Speedway, my home track, so, pumped for that. I'm also one of those computer nerds, and realize that my choice of running alternative operating systems means that the tuner preferred datalogging software don't generally have Linux ports, and ugh, probably have to install Windows.

I'm growing rather irritated that I am still waiting on a stock intake to arrive, having called, emailed, and now kinda harassing a certain famed shop several times for their takeoffs. Moving on from them and hoping I can find somebody on the internet competent enough to put something into a box that has my name on it. Found somebody in a FB group today, here's hoping they pull through. Fighting the urge to order it from Ford because it's just short of $300, and I seriously just need the f'n tube. Corey of Agent47/AIX fame is just a few miles away, might as well bother him for a quick prototype since that's kinda his dayjob. I had spent a part of the weekend reading up about the GoPro Hero 4 Black and scripting shell commands to automate things, and could even get a little ESP8266 board to start and stop recording as well, and then change that button out to a switch, and have two of those boards driven by the same switch, to talk to two (or more?) GoPros. That, or I could just suck it up and for $79, get the GoPro Smart Remote which can control up to 50 cameras. I also forgot that their HQ is the next town over, and a friend of mine worked there and knows the founder, so while I said that I wrote them off, ha, I got a GoPro Hero 8 Black for ... well, buddy pricing. I know it'll eventually fail, that's how these things go, right?
 

PaddyPrix

If breakin' parts is cool, consider me Miles Davis
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Im using oneethonal for blew juan and maybe switch the gt350 to it also. This is making me want to find a trashed gt350 and do what black boss did
Nice, I'll take a look at them. It's https://pearsonfuels.com/ for us here, and there's a nice thread on Mustang 6g for the SoCal people to use/rank -- https://www.mustang6g.com/forums/threads/the-so-cal-e85-report.123685/

I do like their 112 and 117 blend, but I wonder if that'll be legal in certain places.
NASA CCR 18.3 said:
Permitted fuel is any grade of commercially available unmodified gasoline, E85 Ethanol, biodiesel,or diesel.The driver must notify the Race Director if using methanol or other exotic fuel, when class rules permit.
although, people use VP left and right, and they don't usually have that at the pump either, so maybe I'm being overly cautious.
 
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PaddyPrix

If breakin' parts is cool, consider me Miles Davis
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Stopped by and took a few measurements and it's beginning to take some shape. Not trying to jinx it, but it should be just a few days away now.

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To those of you who've created race cars, at what point do you then say that you've crossed that proverbial line?
 

PaddyPrix

If breakin' parts is cool, consider me Miles Davis
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Trying to resist putting the cart before the horse, but hey, these babysteps are the best I can do for now. It's hard keeping up with the Jones Paul's, so much damn car porn eye candy... but I digress.

Aaanyhow, Got it back yesterday, pretty happy with how it turned out. I gutted the doors, removed the motors, removed the glass, and got some Nascar-esque door bars.
IMG_20200518_164749.jpg

IMG_20200518_165108.jpg

oh, and a quick release window net, gotta have that, right?
IMG_20200518_165020.jpg

Things are still unpainted because I was unsure of what I was going to do for a fuel system, leaning towards a fuel safe cell just for that added piece of mind, and if so, I'll have to get that added in, and I'd assume have to then cap off the trunk, and then go back for the rear cross/X once that's situated. That @flyhalf is doing some great work on their front aero, and while I don't think I'll be able to fab up something in two week's time, that's my next up, and you can tell because I'm using my hand for unofficial measurements, see?
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I think I'll be removing the crash support bar and putting some bar that goes across and extends out to protect my wheels and expensive suspension parts, in addition to dropping a bar so that I can quickly connect/disconnect the front aero, and also provide a few anchor points for front end stabilization... oh, and a tow hook. Also took out the silly MPG grill insert, turn signal/fog lights, and windshield wiper reservoir, because ... racecar?

Also on a personal note, yesterday marked a one year anniversary to the day where I decided that things needed to change. I was working a remarkably stressful job, and not really enjoying things, and fed up, decided it was time to move myself up a rank or two in my priority list. In that time, I've lost 65#, cut 12-15 hours a week spent sitting in traffic, work 33% less and get 20% more, bought a 2019 GT to drive to/from/on the track, and best of all decided that I'd much rather take a salvage and transform it to a race car, which was mostly finished when it was delivered to my driveway yesterday. Sure, as with any project, sure, it'll never truly be done, but what a year it's been, and what a year it will be. Stay thirsty, my friends.
 
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Counting the days till AutoClub Speedway and the official maiden voyage!! Congrats on the milestone anniversary - I’m hopeful the silver lining from this crazy new world is a realignment of personal and family priorities for even more. Life’s too damn short to just succumb to the grind.
 

PaddyPrix

If breakin' parts is cool, consider me Miles Davis
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Tossed the APR GT-250 wing on tonight. I was planning on wiring up the CAI/MAF today and then loading in the tune because USPS said the package would get in Tuesday by 8pm. Wednesday night, 11pm, they suddenly forgot where it is. Yes, that's a U-Haul car carrier out front, yes, I missed my dyno appointment today, and I'm likely to miss it again tomorrow. If this doesn't arrive, looks like I'm going to have to postpone my shakedown run because I'm not going to run too well with everything open after the throttle body and the MAF just flapping all about.

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IMG_20200520_211703_490.jpgIMG_20200520_210947.jpgIMG_20200520_210855.jpg
 

PaddyPrix

If breakin' parts is cool, consider me Miles Davis
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At least is cool lol.
Hopefully it won't break after turn 1 in Thill on monday.
Rods coming friday
Installing also some titanium sliders
So worry about the alumalite to be strong enough.

View attachment 15909

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Dunno if anybody has said it, but that's some super solid work. I'm hoping I can get my tune in, the fluids this weekend, and then my knockoff string suspension contraption next week, and then it's front aero. When you're on the track, do you see all the Miata with the custom home aero? The way that the car below the bumper angles inward, and that step/shelf you have on yours, makes me wonder what it'd change to almost put a curved aluminum straight sheet from that to the lip.

I'd have to defer to the aero geniuses, but thinking of something kinda like this:
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I only think that because the previous owner put a Roush kit on it, and after I removed it and some of the damaged metal supports specific to it, I've got tons of holes in the lower half of the bumper, and I'm thinking of just covering it up just like that, telling people that it's some super efficient CFD design, when really, I'm just trying to hide my piece of garbage :D
 

PaddyPrix

If breakin' parts is cool, consider me Miles Davis
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Finally in, jeez.

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Time to cap the sound resonator, get the tune in and read up on PCV breathers since I don't have any of those hoses either. I was losing my mind over that part and it's silly delays. 106 miles shouldn't take 4 days, c'mon.

Also just had an HVAC guy over to reclaim the R1234-yf, which he said was like $700 to refill. Didn't even bother looking at the hood and assumed it was like 134a, nooope. With the AC drained, time to remove and save some weight there too.
 

PaddyPrix

If breakin' parts is cool, consider me Miles Davis
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Yesterday was doing all the little things, like getting the Differential flushed with RP, Trans and Engine flushed with Motul, and a huge sigh of relief as looking at the coffee filters shows that there were no metal shavings or other signs of abuse from the previous owner. Waiting on a new set of front hubs and spacers to come in from OP before I put on the 6 piston PP Brembo and AP Racing 2 piecers. Might start off with the G-Loc R12 that I'm used to before going up to the be R16's I've got waiting.
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Also, when was the last time that you've broken a socket? It's easily been a decade for me.
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In other news, went on an early morning 5 hour cruise with some former coworkers through the desert and mountains in the 2019 GT. Thinking that's a good note for it to end on, probably taking it to Carmax tomorrow on its 1 year anniversary, but what a fun and action-packed year it was.
 

PaddyPrix

If breakin' parts is cool, consider me Miles Davis
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Getting closer. USPS decided they wanted to make up for their last shipping debacle and went turbo on the package from OP Mustang, which arrived at lunchtime.

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So grabbed a 36mm loaner socket, popped that cap off, and switched these big boys in, and not kidding about that either.

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Yuuuge! Just look at the gap when compared to stock. Switched in the FRPP Swaybar, tossed in the 6 piston PP Brembos, and the AP Racing fellers which complete the look.

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With the EC-7 18x11, 27mm spacers, and the Nitto 315, I'm touching the body of the MCS strut. However I haven't done anything more than install the parts, the alignment is most certainly off, and with all these boxes and parts in the way, I can't perform a string alignment. I'll check that some point tomorrow afternoon.

It's been a busy day, but I think I made some good progress. Only fluids left are there brakes, which I can now do after switching the 6's and rotors in, and have a Mishimoto on the way, which then has me draining and freshly filling that system up. Supposing the alignment stuff works itself out, I'll really just need to finish the bumpers and double check that everything is torqued.
 

PaddyPrix

If breakin' parts is cool, consider me Miles Davis
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Spent yesterday taking the tires on and off a good 6 or so times. Trying to run 27mm spacers and the 315 Nitto NT01 were hard up against the MCS strut.

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Then took a 3hr round trip to grab some 25 and 5mm spacers, thinking I could clear with 30 and 32 potentially at my disposal. Long story short, the upper strut has an horizontal eyelet that allows for a little movement, and so I was taking the tire, caliper, and rotor off every time to get to that, loosen that high torque nut, and then loosen the Swaybar end link to give me a little freedom and wiggle room. I think I've got it cleared with the 27mm, but might as well run it at 30 for piece of mind. That, and got tired of the torque up and down, the hub which I thought I went over on is 251# and a special 36mm socket, those struts are a 24 to 185#, and the caliper bolt is 85#, so doing that like 6 times and twice for each side was tiring, and it was f'n hot out here yesterday.
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My next concern is the G6000 slicks, which say 305, but stacked up, they were even bigger than these NT01.

First time I've really had these mounted and sitting on these springs, not as much poke with the tires as I would have expected, and since I'm just about the furthest from a stance works kinda guy, I really don't give a poop either.

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If this ugly car wins, that's all that matters. Although, this fender gap reminds me of my SN95, good times. (My fists are man sized, unlike the President)
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Still on track for the weekend, I hope. 9 days to go.
 

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