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!

The Dead Cow's GT350 Experience

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

It's been a while but I almost finished another track day on 10-6-18 at Bondurant West track with ProAuto Sports. This was my first time at this 1.2 mi track.
Bondurant-West-Track.jpg
I only was able to complete three of the four 20 minute sessions due to cording a front tire. I knew tire wear may be an issue, so I was checking my tires closely after each session. FYI, I'm running the stock Michelin PSS tires (34-36# hot).
DSC-0102.jpg
At around the beginning summer I changed my alignment from the Ford Performance alignment (camber: -1.5F, -1R) to max camber front and rear (camber: -3F, -2R). I did this mainly because at the time the outside edge of my tires were wearing a lot while the insides were barely touched (front and rear). I also was curious to see what the handling was like as well.
DSC-0140.jpg
The change in alignment didn't help tire wear or my lap times. For a given speed; with added camber the front end would push at less steering angle compared to the FP alignment I previously had. Also, the rear end was loose on power during exit. Tire wear on the front was unacceptable while the rear was ok.
DSC-0179.jpg
Since my front tires are gone I'll need to replace them and get a new alignment. Definitely going to back off the camber to something like -2F & -1.2R, zero toe front & going to add toe in the rear.
DSC-0124.jpg
I've also been playing around with overlaying my Aim data on Gopro videos using RaceRender's demo software. So far it seems easy to use, I like it. Unfortunately there's no data for the brake pedal to display.

http://racerender.com/Products/index.html

In addition to front tires, all the brake pads are needing to be replaced as well. I've been fading my pads for a while now so motorsport specific pad like Gloc or Raybesots sound like good options.
I've also purchased gloves & shoes/socks and am planning hybrid Hans & full face helmet by the end of the year.

New personal best lap time: Bondurant West CW 1:10.8
 
Last edited:
Great thread. I'm up here in New River and looking to get started with this. I was going to go NASA but maybe not anymore. You like Pro better? I've been to AMP to watch and get the bug real bad, but now I need to feed the sickness. I'd love to meet up at an event and talk with you as I too have a 17 GT350, but have 19K on mine. LOL
 
Thanks. Honestly I've have great experiences with both groups and would recommend either. When you run with both groups you get twice the opportunities to run the tracks you like the most. Just sign up with the group that's running the track you want to run.
Meeting up sounds great! I've spent my budget for the year so hopefully AMP in January with NASA will be in the cards.
 
Update:

I replaced the front tires with another set of Michelin Pilot Super Sports (295/35/19) and got an alignment. I backed off the front camber to ~-2deg w/no toe and kept the rear at ~-2deg while adding a little bit of toe (~1/16").

The original tires worked well IMO and were pretty good to me for learning. Hopefully I'll be able to get 2 sets of fronts per 1 set of rears.
B52399-F9-A397-4433-B16-C-33629-FB0767-C.jpg


I've signed up for HPDE4 group and UMS Time Attack (TA-C) for next weekends NASA event held at Arizona motorsports park (AMP). Adding time attack should add a little fun the to day as well as getting an official timed lap. Going forward, I plan to add time attack to all my HPDE days.
 
While the Super Sports are great tires for street, they will chunk on a heavy car like the GT350 at the track as you get faster and approach the limit. That's a good signal that it may be time to consider an R-compound or slick.
More agressive camber settings should increase your contact patch under track cornering loads and reduce wear on the outside of the tire (at least that's been my experience in other cars with more aggressive camber-I have yet to increase the camber on my T350, that's next on the list with some Vorshlag camber plates.) If I understand you correctly, you changed the camber settings without a professional alignment to go with it. Hopefully a good alignment will help with better tire wear given your camber settings.
 
Thanks for the tip. Once my MPSS are toast I plan on moving to a 200TW tire like a Hankook RS-4 or a Bridgestone RE-71 etc. At this point, that's as "sticky" as my budget will allow.

While the Super Sports are great tires for street, they will chunk on a heavy car like the GT350 at the track as you get faster and approach the limit. That's a good signal that it may be time to consider an R-compound or slick.
More agressive camber settings should increase your contact patch under track cornering loads and reduce wear on the outside of the tire (at least that's been my experience in other cars with more aggressive camber-I have yet to increase the camber on my T350, that's next on the list with some Vorshlag camber plates.) If I understand you correctly, you changed the camber settings without a professional alignment to go with it. Hopefully a good alignment will help with better tire wear given your camber settings.

No, I took it to a shop and had a complete alignment performed. Running -1.9deg front & rear camber, no toe front, 1/16" toe rear, OEM caster. Hopefully I can get another ~8-10 days out of them.

*Edited 2/4/19*
*I no longer recommend this shop for alignment due to incomplete work*

Oh, I had my alignment performed at Network Automotive in Gilbert, https://www.networkautomotive.com/ If you're in the Phoenix area and looking for a shop that will do 'track' alignments, these guys may be able to help.
*Suspension components were left loose and returned to customer (me)*
*Edited 2/4/19*

 
Last edited:
It was good to meet you Saturday.Thanks for answering my Q's. Can you get me the McMaster's number for the plug please.

It was great talking with you Rob, glad you came out and hope to see you soon.

I purchased the plugs from McMaster mainly because they're the distributor. Here's a link to the product page (make sure to select the HIGH TEMP variety).
https://www.mcmaster.com/expansion-plugs

Please check my work because I can't remember the exact size I ordered. If you measure the ID of your exhaust pipe, you can select an appropriate taper size. I believe this is the one I used
https://www.mcmaster.com/5117t31

Hope this helps!
 
Quick Update:

I had an informative yet fun track day 1/12/19 out at AMP. This was the first time I ran in the DE4 group & Time Attack group with NASA. Well, I learned the hard way not to replace just two tires at a time, boy was the car loose. The whole day consisted of me drifting my car around track for the most part. So now I need rear tires...

I've came to the realization that the consumable costs to track this car are too high for my budget right now. Currently thinking about moving to a dedicated track car with significantly lower consumable costs and the ability to get into W2W, like a spec Miata. Since I need a new daily anyway, I'm considering trading in the daily & 350 for a new truck which would allow me to tow the track car.

What do you guys think?
 
1,289
1,113
Exp. Type
HPDE
Exp. Level
5-10 Years
Philly Metro Area
Wow. That's pretty much personal preference. As long as the w2w experience in a Spec Miata gives you the same pleasure as the HPDE/TA is the 350.

And while the 350 wasn't your daily, what will replace that type of accelaration on the street? Are you getting a Raptor or hemi Truck? Motorcycle?
 
I currently daily an 06' Tacoma w/access cab, my wife drives an 07' 4runner and we have a 3yo. I had planned on getting a full size truck (f150/silverado/ram) once the mustang was paid off. After that, a dd for the wife.

I just feel a little "car poor". Seems like having a dedicated track car would save me $ in insurance & registration to start. Tires for sm are ~half the cost of the OEM 350 tires.

I love motorcycles but I'd never ride on the street. Probably just take it to the track lol
 

ArizonaBOSS

Because racecar.
Moderator
8,730
2,734
Arizona, USA
I had a lot of fun driving Dave M’s Miata on Sunday. Slow as heck on the straights but mentally challenging to carry more corner speed than I thought. Supposedly “cheap”...
 
I've came to the realization that the consumable costs to track this car are too high for my budget right now. Currently thinking about moving to a dedicated track car with significantly lower consumable costs and the ability to get into W2W, like a spec Miata. Since I need a new daily anyway, I'm considering trading in the daily & 350 for a new truck which would allow me to tow the track car.

After some thought I've decided to keep the 350 because this approach doesn't seem like it would solve my problem. I suppose patience is the best solution.
 

Bill Pemberton

0ld Ford Automotive Racing Terror
8,420
8,346
Exp. Type
Time Attack
Exp. Level
20+ Years
Blair, Nebraska
Cow, frankly it is one or the udder, but since I don't want to make this an udderly ridiculous post, why not just get a set of Apex Rims, with a set of Hoosiers , Toyo RRs, or BFG R1s, and use those for the track --- they will fit in the back seat and one in the trunk. Or if you want to go a bit more conservative , get a 200 treadwear tire instead. You want more track time , but you are concerned about messing up the rubber on your daily driver. Don't buy a bigger truck , and a race car, when you can likely get by with just a dedicated set of track rims/tires. Just my humble opinion, but you obviously are really enjoying your GT 350.
 
Last edited:

TMO Supporting Vendors

Top