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S550 Velocicross Build Thread Profile - S550 Mustangs

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She’s a beauty. Congrats. Wish I had a budget like that to work with!

You’ve got some nice 19x11 and 18x11 wheels. Use ‘em! You’ll want as much sticky rubber up front as you can effectively fit. Use up those 275s and 285s while you learn then try 305s or 315s square for your next set.
 
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Exp. Type
HPDE
Exp. Level
3-5 Years
New England
She’s a beauty. Congrats. Wish I had a budget like that to work with!

You’ve got some nice 19x11 and 18x11 wheels. Use ‘em! You’ll want as much sticky rubber up front as you can effectively fit. Use up those 275s and 285s while you learn then try 305s or 315s square for your next set.
That is the plan! Thx
 
89
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Exp. Type
HPDE
Exp. Level
3-5 Years
New England
Did some brake work tonight

Mods and events update, changes in bold:

Installed/Ready:
Cobb AccessPort with PD Tuning protune
Antigravity ATX30 battery (saves 20+lbs)
CVF Race intercooler
RTR Chin spoiler
Lethal Performance upper/lower grille delete
Downforce 20x10" +40, 285/35R20 Bridgestone RE71-R, 59lbs/corner
APEX 18x11 EC-7s +52 in silver. 295/40 RT660, 60lbs/corner
SVE 19x11 SP2 +50 in bronze, no tires yet (appx 24.5lbs each, with 305 BFG Rivals would be 54.5lbs/corner...)
Steeda camber plates
Steeda rear adjustable camber arms
Steeda rear subframe alignment inserts and bushing supports
Steeda Ultralite linear rate lowering springs
Eibach adjustable front sway bar end links
Steeda bumpsteer kit
Steeda front control arms lateral to fix roll center
Steeda front control arms tension with spherical bearings
Steeda IRS bushings and hardware (red poly)
Steeda MT-82 bushing insert
Steeda shifter support bracket/bushing
Steeda extreme g-trac brace (had it on my other S550, sold that car, figured why not...)
Baer Eradispeed front rotors (saves 9lbs)
Baer Eradispeed rear rotors (saves 9lbs)
Hawk HP+ pads

Tomei Titanium Extreme Exhaust (saves 45.2lbs!!!)
Ford Performance short throw shifter for the MT-82
ARP 1" longer front wheel studs
ARP .5" longer rear wheel studs
OP Mustang 28mm spacers, Steeda 25 and 20mm spacers
Rear seat delete (saves ~30 lbs)
Precision Turbo NX2 with Turbosmart Wastegate
Airaid intake tube for use with NX2 turbo
UPR dual valve catch can
CVF Aluminum charge pipes
CVF catted 3" high flow downpipe
Stock GT PP front underbody panel
Removed engine cover
Removed underhood liner

Owned, to be installed or used:
Stock GT350 rear underbody panel (needs modding to fit my muffler)
Snow Performance Stage 2.5 Methanol Injection Kit
G-LOC 16/12 pad combo for "big track"


2021 Track Time Schedule:

3/27 SCDA Autocross/skid pad event at Lime Rock Park
4/16 BMW CCA Lime Rock Skid Pad and Autocross at Lime Rock Park
5/1 MassTuning TrackFest at NY Safety Track
6/3 Carlisle Ford Nationals AutoX Shootout
6/12 Lime Rock Autocross Lapping Day
7/3 Lime Rock Autocross Lapping Day
Things in between with the 718...
9/23 Lime Rock Autocross Lapping Day
10/21 Lime Rock Autocross Lapping Day
 
89
79
Exp. Type
HPDE
Exp. Level
3-5 Years
New England
First "event" in the bag - SCDA Car Control clinic at Lime Rock Park. Did on my "training tires" the 285 RE71-Rs and found a little time for off-roading too. In all seriousness I was trying to work on inducing and controlling oversteer; using the throttle to rotate the car. Lime Rock is so gorgeous. SCDA had a lot of instructors there, felt like really good value for the $$ spent.

FordMustang-Blue(20).jpg

FordMustang-Blue(21).jpg
 
89
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HPDE
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3-5 Years
New England
Hahaha looks like fun!

You got the oil return on the NX2 sealed up I take it? Done tuning or still in revisions?
Weirdly, the leak has slowed to barely a drip. I have the replacement drain tube and o-ring ready to go but now there's almost no leak at all... gonna watch and wait.

I'm on my final revision of the 93 octane tune now, and will be starting the meth injection tuning process soon. Pulling hard all the way up into the 6xxx rpm range is such a nice change vs the stock turbo!
 
89
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Exp. Type
HPDE
Exp. Level
3-5 Years
New England
93 tuning is done!
Have MassTuning TrackFest at NY Safety Track on 5/1, going to run my 19x11 SVEs with some new Goodyear Supercar 3Rs in 305/30r19 there (53.5lbs per corner)
First ever "big track" so very excited to learn and do lots of point bys...

2021 Track Time Schedule:
3/27 SCDA Autocross/skid pad event at Lime Rock Park
4/16 BMW CCA Lime Rock Skid Pad and Autocross at Lime Rock Park

5/1 MassTuning TrackFest at NY Safety Track
5/16 MoHud SCCA Solo in Kingston, NY or FCSCC Solo in Stratford, CT - TBD...
6/3 Carlisle Ford Nationals AutoX Shootout
6/12 Lime Rock Autocross Lapping Day
7/3 Lime Rock Autocross Lapping Day
Things in between with the 718...
9/23 Lime Rock Autocross Lapping Day
10/21 Lime Rock Autocross Lapping Day
 
89
79
Exp. Type
HPDE
Exp. Level
3-5 Years
New England
NY Safety Track with MassTuning Trackfest 5/1 complete. The scene when I woke up in the morning in Windham, NY was not good. Snow on the ground, light snow falling, wind whipping, 30 some odd degrees and me on 305 Goodyear Supercar 3R tires... Weather had called for 40s and cloudy early and 50's with sun in by lunch, whoops. I made my way slowly the remaining ~40 mins to the track.

Despite not having signed up for an instructor, I was able to snag one, Wes, who had been doing track days for ~15 years in a couple of Porsches and a gutted out and caged BMW E36 that he had with him Saturday. Very cool guy and chill instructor, shout out to Wes - thanks. Spent the first two morning sessions learning the proper line while giving point-bys to cars on all-seasons waiting for the track to dry and warm up. The third morning session saw the track dry up a bit on the racing line and the 3Rs picked up some grip so we started carrying more speed (and I promptly forgot the racing line a few times) and we notice a vibration in turns, the more we are turning the heavier the vibration, so we pit and I start on the hunt for the problem, lugs are tight, no play in the bearings, calipers tight, control arms tight, what could it be? There was a faint brake smell in the air, but it was a track day so that's to be expected, right? Tighten things back up, we're gonna try it again after lunch. Vibrations don't magically go away - or do they? Next session out after an hour and 40 min break (the first two laps are caution laps each session) on the third lap as we start to push it, the vibration comes back. We make our way around the track and pit again, now it's quite a heavy brake smell, Wes observes and sniffs the passenger rear, its HOT, STEAMY and STINKY. I had been setting the parking brake between sessions, a big no no (rookie mistakes are a theme today), so we assume the caliper is sticking or not retracting properly, needs a service and lube etc. Still not thinking, I decide to retire the car for the day, got to make it 170mi home ya know...

Later that evening the lightbulb goes off. I didn't turn off AdvanceTrac. TC was off (Track Mode) but I didnt do the extra hold-the-switch and turn off AT. In the cold wet morning when we weren't pushing the car and the tires weren't grippy it wasn't an issue. As soon as that changed, the car's AT put enough heat into the pass-rear brake assembly/rotor (we were going counter-clockwise so that was most often the outside wheel) to change the shape of metal thingys and give us the vibration.

I let it cool and there was no vibration on the drive home, or since then. When I get around to taking those wheels/tires off I will inspect the brake assembly to see what the real damage toll is...

Anyway, my first ever big track day was a blast despite the snafu. 10/10 would do it again.NYST050121-1492.jpgNYST050121-1544.jpgNYST050121-1599.jpgNYST050121-1649.jpgSnow NYST.jpg
 
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Exp. Type
HPDE
Exp. Level
3-5 Years
New England
Finally got round to replacing the oil drain line from the NX2 turbo. Posting here for the PSA value of anyone searching - both Scoots and I had the same problem on install of our NX2, the o-ring on the turbo end of the drain line was sliced when inserting it into the new turbo causing the drain line to leak. If you are doing the NX2 turbo swap, remove the drain line from the old turbo and pan completely, then when it is time to reinstall it insert the turbo end gently into the NX2 first and secure it with the one bolt before connecting the oil pan end to the pan and securing it there with the two others.
 
89
79
Exp. Type
HPDE
Exp. Level
3-5 Years
New England
2021 Track Time Schedule:
3/27 SCDA Autocross/skid pad event at Lime Rock Park
4/16 BMW CCA Lime Rock Skid Pad and Autocross at Lime Rock Park
5/1 MassTuning TrackFest at NY Safety Track
6/3 Carlisle Ford Nationals AutoX Shootout
6/12 Lime Rock Autocross Lapping Day

6/20 FCSCC Points Event #4
7/3 Lime Rock Autocross Lapping Day
TBD
9/23 Lime Rock Autocross Lapping Day
10/21 Lime Rock Autocross Lapping Day

Events update:
- I didn't enter the AutoX shootout in Carlisle after seeing some ProSolo cars roll in lol... but I did put about 8-9 runs on the course Friday mid-afternoon and put down some 44 and 43s runs on my 285 RE71s. The fastest runs on the board at that time of the day were in the 43s, and according to Martin Pond who I had the pleasure to share my shade canopy with on Saturday, they made the course a little faster for the shootout and the winning times were in the 41s/42s range.
- The Autocross Lapping Day at Lime Rock was cancelled with no notice on 6/12 so I drove all the way up there and found nothing going on...
- I just registered for the 6/20 FCSCC Autox event since I didn't get to run last Sat. Will report on how that goes thereafter. I believe that is Dave_W's territory so maybe I will run into him down there.

The car is really quick with this 93 octane tune. I'm still planning to add the meth injection but it's quite possible that I will end up only occasionally running it for fun. It will be really interesting to see just what it can do fully tuned and on 305 or 315 autox 200tw tires when I finally burn through my learner sets.
 
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89
79
Exp. Type
HPDE
Exp. Level
3-5 Years
New England
Ran in FCSCC's Points Event #4 yesterday at Big South Lot in Stratford, CT. Had the pleasure of being instructed by multiple SCCA champ Mark Daddio though for a rookie like me the advice was pretty simple and just needed to be repeated over and over... Watching him and the other "pro" drivers go through the cones was impressive.

Picked up some tire info FWIW. Mark was running the Supercar 3s rear and BFG Rivals on the front and is transitioning to Supercar 3s all around when the Rivals wear out. His opinion was I should be on my 18x11s and 315/30r18 Yoks without question.

FCSCC definitely has their act together. Event ran smoothly, everyone got 7 runs in and we could've done 8 in the time allotted. The pavement is very cracked at this location "Big South Lot" but they did a great job of keeping the surface free of gravel/marbles between heats with one of those giant wheeled leafblowers. Anyway, best I could observe was that times were running between 49-61s and with Mark's advice I was able to get into the 55s for my best two runs. Brainfart sent me off course once right after lunch then a skid just before the finish turned what I think was going to be my best run into a 56.1. Never heard/noticed any cone impacts but will have to wait for the score sheet to see how things really look. Where can I improve? roughly everywhere.

EDIT: a little more data now that I have had a chance to review it

There were 48 unique driver/car combos with times, best-best raw scoring time was 51.49, worst-best (so the slowest best time of the 48) was 63.74. Median best time 55.8s, average best time 55.655, my best time 55.9

If I look at only the rookie data, best-best 55.45, worst-best 63.74, 58.14 median and 58.46 avg.
 
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Exp. Type
HPDE
Exp. Level
3-5 Years
New England
FCSCC Points Event #5 complete, same bat time, same bat channel as #4. Another well run event.

Times today were 48s - 62s, median and average both right around my best times, high 53s. Best time 53.362 ... I have a feeling if I hadn't spun just before the finish my worst run was going to be my best / fastest. 9 runs today. Here is my 2nd fastest run at 53.709, not sure what cone I hit on this one but I got a +1 somewhere.

EDIT: Hmm, the video posting window disappeared and now I can't seem to post it. Oh well.
 
89
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HPDE
Exp. Level
3-5 Years
New England
Did Lime Rock Park's 7/3 Autocross Lapping Day and had the fastest time of the day at 18.23s. I am sure that isn't terribly meaningful as there were only 6-7 people out of the ~25 who were visibly pushing things, had proper tires, etc. Regardless, it felt good to have the fastest time. Mike DeStefano who organizes the program for Lime Rock indicated that times on the repaved course seem to be running about a second faster than last year, give or take a bit. They eventually publish the times from these events (not in a timely fashion...) on the Lime Rock website under Special Events autocross shootout.

The Autocross Lapping Day run by LRP is a lot of fun, recommended. They do their scheduling/payments via Trackrabbit.

On the parts front, my Driveshaft Shop 3.5" aluminum one-piece driveshaft arrived a couple weeks ago. Going to put that on this weekend with a Stifflers safety loop.

On the tuning front, my 93 tuning is finally complete, will get it on the dyno someday... still have to install the meth injection kit and then tune that.
 
89
79
Exp. Type
HPDE
Exp. Level
3-5 Years
New England
Installed the Trufiber DCA 57 spoiler and a DSS 3.5" one-piece aluminum driveshaft over the past month and have another Lime Rock Park Autocross Lapping Day this Wednesday. The new owners of Lime Rock are doing amazing things there and quickly, highly recommend nearby people take in a major event next year after the new concessions and FCP Euro building are built.

The DSS unit brings on a tiny bit of vibration starting at 60mph or so. At some point I will clock it but its so little that this is a "when I get around to it" thing.

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79
Exp. Type
HPDE
Exp. Level
3-5 Years
New England
Ran the Lime Rock Park Autocross Lapping Day yesterday, as one person pointed out, while it is relatively low speed and twisty-n-turny, it should really be called mini-road racing because the asphalt edges are much easier to spot in peripheral vision vs a sea of cones in a giant parking lot. 14-15 participants and I turned in the best time of the day at 39.02s. Next best were two in the 40s (Lotus Exige, Jaguar F-Type) and then everyone else 41+. Based on tires run, I suspect the next 2-3 cars would've been right with me in the 39-40s neighborhood had they been on proper 200tw autox tires, as all of them were veterans of this course at LRP. I didn't note exact models but they were all on various extreme performance summer tires - conti extremecontact sport/etc. The LRP autocross shootout has no classing of course, its a casual contest for free food, beer, and LRP events... If it wasn't so expensive relative to typical Autox there would be more/better competition.
 
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89
79
Exp. Type
HPDE
Exp. Level
3-5 Years
New England
Two "big track" days upcoming:
- 10/3 at Palmer Motorsports Park (first time there)
- 10/9 at New York Safety Track (second time there)
both with MassTuning TrackFest
Will be on the 19x11 square 305 supercar 3Rs and actually running cameras and data overlay for the first time. I'll share whatever I can thereafter.
 

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