litsnsirn Posted April 13, 2012 Share Posted April 13, 2012 I have been thinking about getting either Boss or a leftover GT500 for a fun summer car and trying HPDE. I have only been a spectator up to this point. Is there someone who has experience in stock late model Mustangs that I could try to seek some guidance from? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
getfast Posted April 13, 2012 Share Posted April 13, 2012 I have been thinking about getting either Boss or a leftover GT500 for a fun summer car and trying HPDE. I have only been a spectator up to this point. Is there someone who has experience in stock late model Mustangs that I could try to seek some guidance from? http://www.performanceautosport.com would be a good source. They built the 2011 NASA American Iron national championship first-runner-up '11 Saleen S302R ( ) and maintain a bunch of HPDE Mustangs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beerkat Posted April 13, 2012 Share Posted April 13, 2012 Unless you just have to have a Mustang you should look at the C5 Corvettes (1997 - 2004) the ZO6 or the coupe make great track cars and are pretty cheap now days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Pepsi Posted April 13, 2012 Share Posted April 13, 2012 I have an '07 GT and love it for HPDE. I have some changes made, but not much. Its a fantastic everyday car and weekend track car. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Z06 Posted April 13, 2012 Share Posted April 13, 2012 (edited) Stay away from the GT500. Don't get suck into the brief power of a cold supercharger. Having owned an '11 GT and beat on it for 5k track miles, that car handled it just fine. It was quick. I ran 1:42's at MSRH during a RMR event (Australian style shootout held by the track). The car was just coming together and I sold it at the urging of others, plus I got married. Mods: fluidyne radiator, k&n drop filter, tune, xpipe, AST DA shocks/struts, MM CC plates, adjustable panhard bar, DTC-70 front pads, stock rear pads, Motul brake fluid, brake ducts, and harness bar. Now I have a '12 Boss. Car has more power than the GT. All the suspension pieces removed from the GT are now on the Boss plus different trailing arms and drop brackets. I really enjoy this car, but it has had teething issues. The cam sensor harness connector on the driver side broke. The car will not stay cool, even with a PWR radiator, 302S hood, gutted front grill, gutted thermostat, and Setrab oil cooler. I can run about 3-4 laps and the water temp hits 220 and oil hits 281. Granted the temps don't rise past this point, I would like to see them much lower. This car is fully street legal. It's only missing the passenger side seat. Nothing else has been removed to reduce weight. Tips the scales at 3,800 with me in it. The Boss is not fully sorted yet. It's fastest time at MSRH is a 1:42.4 on one corded R6 front tire, three worn out R6's, and 2 blown shocks. Discovered two are leaking oil today. (4-11-12 when the time was set. 85 degrees outside temp). This car, with fresh tires and rebuilt shocks, has a 1:40 in it. To give this time some perspective, a Porsche Platinum Cup car runs a 1:34 at MSRH. A really good miata driver in perfect conditions can turn a 1:48. I'll put this car up next to a C5 Z06 any day. Do not run cheap gas in these cars with a tune, especially a GT. You'll break a piston quick. I run 98. It's cheaper than a motor. Edited April 15, 2012 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
litsnsirn Posted April 14, 2012 Author Share Posted April 14, 2012 I'm beginning to have panic attacks about an uninsured financed 50k car that won't be built for at least another 6-8 weeks sliding into a wall at RA and I'm seriously wondering if I could actually have any fun with that hanging over me. Maybe I need to update my tow vehicle and keep an eye out for something used to use on the track, maybe a C5 Z06 wouldn't be a bad thing to start saving up cash for, while I continue to enjoy my time as a spectator and helping my friend when I can with his car. . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Z06 Posted April 15, 2012 Share Posted April 15, 2012 Edited previous post with more information. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kbrew8991 Posted April 15, 2012 Share Posted April 15, 2012 there are companies that do insurance for HPDEs - but that said I think you'll find many people that only track as expensive a car as they can easily stuff into a wall and walk away from with no worries. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcsperson Posted April 15, 2012 Share Posted April 15, 2012 There is an excellent thread on the Corvette Forum for any neophytes at HPDE (like me). Much of it is applicable to C5s only, but anyone contemplating HPDE in other cars would benefit too. A lot of wisdom and "school of hard knocks" stuff there. C5 Track Car/HPDE Conversion: What I have learned! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Z06 Posted April 16, 2012 Share Posted April 16, 2012 Owning a vette is not cheap. They are fun street cars but expensive track cars. There is not one part on my vette that not been touched in some way. The new Mustang, GT or Boss, is no slouch on the track. The mods I listed above is all I will do to this car besides maintenance. The only other driver change is learning how to drive it faster and tweak the setup. I say all this as vette and Mustang fan. Would I buy another vette? No way! Would I buy another new Mustang? In a heart beat! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Knownukes Posted April 16, 2012 Share Posted April 16, 2012 If you like Mustangs go with the Mustang. It is a fun car. With the right cooling the GT-500 will work. I run an 08 GT-500 that has been Super Snaked and is putting over 650rwhp down and it is a blast. It has the full race GRIGGS rear end and the front has the GRIGGS ST setup. As long as the ambient temp is below 85 degrees I have no problems at all. Above 85, I watch the water temps and sometimes have to run 8 or 9 10ths for a lap and then get back on it. I can keep up with Z06's at VIR and RA. With the full GRIGGS frontend it would be even quicker. The supercharger adds weight to the front end. A moderate horsepower, well suspended GT would be equally as fast due to better weight distribution and overall lower weight. I have a friend that has a full GRIGGS, well sorted GT-500 with a MONSTER aluminum motor that is for sale because he doesn't have time to do track events anymore. It is a seriously fast car. PM me if you are interested. The car is in WPB, FL. With all of that being said, a used Mustang with the right suspension upgrades, a little motor work and cooling mods that are all readily available can be a very fast and servicable track car. Check out http://www.S197forum.com, the corner carvers section. The initial investment on the Mustang will be less than the Vette. But you will have to do more to the Mustang to keep up with the Vettes. But, what is your goal? HPDE? TT? or a racing class? That's important to know. If it is anything but TT, go with the Mustang. In TT the Vette's are pretty unbeatable unless you have a car like my friends, but that car has ALOT of $'s and development in it. But there is alot of satisfaction running with the Vette's in a Mustang. My 2 cents BJ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Z06 Posted April 16, 2012 Share Posted April 16, 2012 BJ, The aftermarket companies have done a really good job convincing mustang owners they need a bunch of stuff to make their cars handle well. When in fact, the new Mustang doesnt need much. Just a really good set of shocks/struts and related items to tie it all together. CC plates, adjustable upper control for pinion and adjustable PH bar to center the axle. The new Mustang isn't like the SN95 or Fox bodied cars. My car is running in TTS. Most of the competition is running aero. I am not. My car is now posting times that will get 2nd place with bad parts. Sorted, this car will beat the current first place car. The most expensive part on this car are the shocks and struts. I have about 6k in this car and the AST shocks are the big ticket part. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
08Bullitt0572 Posted April 17, 2012 Share Posted April 17, 2012 Do you want to time trial or race, or just get a thrill once in a while by driving on track? I have a '12 GT with Brembo package, Ford Racing tune/Power Pack and it feels effortless on the track. I plan to get the Ford Racing adjustable suspension (similar to the street Boss), and maybe do a few other mods. Or I might just lose my mind and sell my soul and trade it in on a '13 Boss. I had a 2008 Bullitt before this and it was great even in stock form. I was at the point where my track driving was taking a toll so I traded it (sorry to whomever bought it ) The point is, if you have gobs of money to squirt away go for the Boss and mod and run the hell out of it. If you are someone like me who has a modest budget for track days, take a GT (which you can get now with a Track Pack, Recaros, and a little tech for 36K) and you can have some fun with it without running it at redline all day long. It all depends on your amount of disposable income and what you want to do. GT500- nah for road course. Get the Boss or a GT equipped as mentioned instead. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kbrew8991 Posted April 17, 2012 Share Posted April 17, 2012 Owning a vette is not cheap. They are fun street cars but expensive track cars. There is not one part on my vette that not been touched in some way. The new Mustang, GT or Boss, is no slouch on the track. The mods I listed above is all I will do to this car besides maintenance. The only other driver change is learning how to drive it faster and tweak the setup. I say all this as vette and Mustang fan. Would I buy another vette? No way! Would I buy another new Mustang? In a heart beat! FWIW David is talking about his C6 Z06 TTU car, which was pretty competitive A TTA C5 is a different animal, much much more stock and seems to be pretty solid (if you take care of it, so like anything else) I'm a fan of doing this stuff with a car that was more-or-less designed to turn. Solid axles? Blech! - KB, reformed Fox Mustang owner, who also acknowledges the 05+ chassis is lightyears better than the older stuff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Z06 Posted April 17, 2012 Share Posted April 17, 2012 Ken, I am running a Mustang with an asterisk. It's no different than the GT I ran in TTA with the exception of different trailing arms and down brackets. Otherwise, I am out there in a street car with basically race cars in TTS. You'll be surprised at my times at TWS later this month. Hopefully all the issues are fixed. Oh, and the Vette is being resurrected! Need to take back some track records. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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