Mustang SN 95/99 Owners Unite

[CMC#11]

I always weigh around 3280-3300 after the race. Using 1 3/4" roll bar tubing made it heavy but even if it were thinner it would still be 70-80 pds overweight. Not sure what else I could pull out that would make it any lighter.

Headlights, headlight bracketry, etc. On my fox it was about 15 lbs.

[suck fumes1548534743]

All my brackets and stuff are plastic. Remember my car is 24 yrs newer haha.

[t500hps]

SN95 and SN99 racers,

 

We all want close and competitive racing here. Race to race and region to region. I'd rather not dwell on how the rules have changed or how the class has evolved. My focus is forward. We should share what we know that makes us fast and how we can collectively tackle the F-body cars.

 

Let's use this area to share setups, feedback, and updates.

 

April 2013 Mid Ohio Great Lakes

MW #302 and I had two very closely matched SN95s. 0.3s off each other in qualifying. Down 2.5-3s off the F-body cars. Video to follow of how close the cars are.

 

Achilles Heal #1 - 4.6l power. I am down 20hp/30tq off the 260/310 max. Power curve is less than optimal. Weight is ~3225 full tank. The power I have is the power this motor will make. Every class rule consideration has been used. Nothing to hide here, happy to produce the dyno chart. I do not believe just adding power will make 3s difference.

 

Achilles Heal #2 - T-45 and 0.67 5th gear. #302 was able to pull me slightly 4th gear v. 4th gear (power shortage on my part). At 5th gear he pulled a car length before the braking zone. He has the RR 5th gear. Currently, car has a 3.73 rear gear. 4th gear terminal speed at 6000 RPM is 120 mph.

 

Group Thought 1: lower rear get to effectively create a 4sp trans. I am leaning towards a 3.31 rear gear. New 4th gear terminal speed would be 135 (139 at limiter). Only the longest of tracks would the speeds reach north of 135 (Road America, etc). 3-4 shift would put the car back at 4600-4700 well within the meat of powerband.

 

Forward actions:

Log lateral g-forces for in corner information. Track width is not fully maximized to the rules.

 

Others thoughts and findings?

 

MG #108 GL

 

Total newbie here so bear with what limited info I can give......

 

I ran HPDE 1-2-3 in my SRT8 Charger before recently buying an already built 96 mustang for CMC. Several of my buddies run CMC and this car had previously ran against them until 2 years ago (so they knew a bit about it). The car shows 259hp/298tq and has 3.27 gears with a stock T45 tranny. Apparently the car was competitive but now most of these guys have moved to 3:73 (or higher) gears and are killing the times they ran against this car.

From my reseach and discussions with the guys that know this car I will be going to a 4:10 rear and continue to use a stock T45. At VIR I'm maxing out 100-150 yards before turn 14 in 4th. 5th isn't even working (tranny needs a rebuild). I'm feathering the throttle at about 130 in 4th. The theory is the lower gear will pull harder for 2-4 and allow/force me to run 5th on that stretch.

BTW: The previous owner welded the rear. You can really throw the car around but I feel it's going to break soon. Any thoughts?

 

I'm interested in opinions as I claim to know NOTHING at this point.......on the plus side, I'm lined up for comp school at my next event in June!!!!!

[Smike]

Total newbie here so bear with what limited info I can give......

 

I ran HPDE 1-2-3 in my SRT8 Charger before recently buying an already built 96 mustang for CMC. Several of my buddies run CMC and this car had previously ran against them until 2 years ago (so they knew a bit about it). The car shows 259hp/298tq and has 3.27 gears with a stock T45 tranny. Apparently the car was competitive but now most of these guys have moved to 3:73 (or higher) gears and are killing the times they ran against this car.

From my reseach and discussions with the guys that know this car I will be going to a 4:10 rear and continue to use a stock T45. At VIR I'm maxing out 100-150 yards before turn 14 in 4th. 5th isn't even working (tranny needs a rebuild). I'm feathering the throttle at about 130 in 4th. The theory is the lower gear will pull harder for 2-4 and allow/force me to run 5th on that stretch.

BTW: The previous owner welded the rear. You can really throw the car around but I feel it's going to break soon. Any thoughts?

 

I'm interested in opinions as I claim to know NOTHING at this point.......on the plus side, I'm lined up for comp school at my next event in June!!!!!

 

I ran the numbers on a 4.10 and 5th and it will add a lot of shifting for the MW/GL tracks. And T45s 0.67 5th is very hard to turn with a 3.73. I do not see the 4.10 making it a go gear.

 

My game plan is the opposite direction - avoid 5th altogether.

 

PS - congrats on getting ready for comp school!

[Smike]

3.73 with T45

RPM 1st Gear 2nd Gear 3rd Gear 4th Gear 5th Gear 6th Gear

500 8 10 15

600 9 12 18

700 11 14 21

800 12 16 24

900 14 18 27

1000 15 20 30

1100 17 22 33

1200 18 24 36

1300 20 26 39

1400 21 28 42

1500 23 30 45

1600 24 32 48

1700 26 34 51

1800 27 36 54

1900 29 38 57

2000 30 40 60

2100 32 42 63

2200 33 44 66

2300 35 46 69

2400 36 48 72

2500 38 50 74

2600 39 52 77

2700 41 54 80

2800 42 56 83

2900 44 58 86

3000 45 60 89

3100 47 62 92

3200 48 64 95

3300 50 66 98

3400 51 68 101

3500 53 70 104

3600 54 72 107

3700 56 74 110

3800 57 76 113

3900 59 78 116

4000 60 80 119

4100 62 82 122

4200 63 84 125

4300 65 86 128

4400 66 88 131

4500 68 90 134

4600 69 92 137

4700 71 94 140

4800 72 96 143

4900 74 98 146

5000 75 100 149

5100 77 102 152

5200 78 104 155

5300 80 106 158

5400 81 108 161

5500 83 110 164

5600 84 112 167

5700 86 114 170

5800 87 116 173

5900 89 118 176

6000 90 120 179

 

3.31 w/T45

RPM 1st Gear 2nd Gear 3rd Gear 4th Gear 5th Gear 6th Gear

500 8 11 17

600 10 13 20

700 12 16 24

800 14 18 27

900 15 20 30

1000 17 22 34

1100 19 25 37

1200 20 27 40

1300 22 29 44

1400 24 31 47

1500 25 34 50

1600 27 36 54

1700 29 38 57

1800 30 40 60

1900 32 43 64

2000 34 45 67

2100 36 47 71

2200 37 49 74

2300 39 52 77

2400 41 54 81

2500 42 56 84

2600 44 58 87

2700 46 61 91

2800 47 63 94

2900 49 65 97

3000 51 67 101

3100 52 70 104

3200 54 72 107

3300 56 74 111

3400 58 76 114

3500 59 79 118

3600 61 81 121

3700 63 83 124

3800 64 85 128

3900 66 88 131

4000 68 90 134

4100 69 92 138

4200 71 94 141

4300 73 97 144

4400 74 99 148

4500 76 101 151

4600 78 103 154

4700 80 106 158

4800 81 108 161

4900 83 110 165

5000 85 112 168

5100 86 115 171

5200 88 117 175

5300 90 119 178

5400 91 121 181

5500 93 124 185

5600 95 126 188

5700 96 128 191

5800 98 130 195

5900 100 133 198

6000 101 135 201

 

4.10 w/T45

RPM 1st Gear 2nd Gear 3rd Gear 4th Gear 5th Gear 6th Gear

500 7 9 14

600 8 11 16

700 10 13 19

800 11 15 22

900 12 16 24

1000 14 18 27

1100 15 20 30

1200 16 22 33

1300 18 24 35

1400 19 25 38

1500 20 27 41

1600 22 29 43

1700 23 31 46

1800 25 33 49

1900 26 35 52

2000 27 36 54

2100 29 38 57

2200 30 40 60

2300 31 42 62

2400 33 44 65

2500 34 45 68

2600 36 47 70

2700 37 49 73

2800 38 51 76

2900 40 53 79

3000 41 54 81

3100 42 56 84

3200 44 58 87

3300 45 60 89

3400 46 62 92

3500 48 64 95

3600 49 65 98

3700 51 67 100

3800 52 69 103

3900 53 71 106

4000 55 73 108

4100 56 74 111

4200 57 76 114

4300 59 78 117

4400 60 80 119

4500 61 82 122

4600 63 84 125

4700 64 85 127

4800 66 87 130

4900 67 89 133

5000 68 91 136

5100 70 93 138

5200 71 94 141

5300 72 96 144

5400 74 98 146

5500 75 100 149

5600 76 102 152

5700 78 104 155

5800 79 105 157

5900 81 107 160

6000 82 109 163

[t500hps]

Forgive me....but what am I looking at here???

 

 

3.73 with T45

RPM 1st Gear 2nd Gear 3rd Gear 4th Gear 5th Gear 6th Gear

500 8 10 15

600 9 12 18

700 11 14 21

800 12 16 24

900 14 18 27

1000 15 20 30

1100 17 22 33

1200 18 24 36

1300 20 26 39

1400 21 28 42

1500 23 30 45

1600 24 32 48

1700 26 34 51

1800 27 36 54

1900 29 38 57

2000 30 40 60

2100 32 42 63

2200 33 44 66

2300 35 46 69

2400 36 48 72

2500 38 50 74

2600 39 52 77

2700 41 54 80

2800 42 56 83

2900 44 58 86

3000 45 60 89

3100 47 62 92

3200 48 64 95

3300 50 66 98

3400 51 68 101

3500 53 70 104

3600 54 72 107

3700 56 74 110

3800 57 76 113

3900 59 78 116

4000 60 80 119

4100 62 82 122

4200 63 84 125

4300 65 86 128

4400 66 88 131

4500 68 90 134

4600 69 92 137

4700 71 94 140

4800 72 96 143

4900 74 98 146

5000 75 100 149

5100 77 102 152

5200 78 104 155

5300 80 106 158

5400 81 108 161

5500 83 110 164

5600 84 112 167

5700 86 114 170

5800 87 116 173

5900 89 118 176

6000 90 120 179

 

3.31 w/T45

RPM 1st Gear 2nd Gear 3rd Gear 4th Gear 5th Gear 6th Gear

500 8 11 17

600 10 13 20

700 12 16 24

800 14 18 27

900 15 20 30

1000 17 22 34

1100 19 25 37

1200 20 27 40

1300 22 29 44

1400 24 31 47

1500 25 34 50

1600 27 36 54

1700 29 38 57

1800 30 40 60

1900 32 43 64

2000 34 45 67

2100 36 47 71

2200 37 49 74

2300 39 52 77

2400 41 54 81

2500 42 56 84

2600 44 58 87

2700 46 61 91

2800 47 63 94

2900 49 65 97

3000 51 67 101

3100 52 70 104

3200 54 72 107

3300 56 74 111

3400 58 76 114

3500 59 79 118

3600 61 81 121

3700 63 83 124

3800 64 85 128

3900 66 88 131

4000 68 90 134

4100 69 92 138

4200 71 94 141

4300 73 97 144

4400 74 99 148

4500 76 101 151

4600 78 103 154

4700 80 106 158

4800 81 108 161

4900 83 110 165

5000 85 112 168

5100 86 115 171

5200 88 117 175

5300 90 119 178

5400 91 121 181

5500 93 124 185

5600 95 126 188

5700 96 128 191

5800 98 130 195

5900 100 133 198

6000 101 135 201

 

4.10 w/T45

RPM 1st Gear 2nd Gear 3rd Gear 4th Gear 5th Gear 6th Gear

500 7 9 14

600 8 11 16

700 10 13 19

800 11 15 22

900 12 16 24

1000 14 18 27

1100 15 20 30

1200 16 22 33

1300 18 24 35

1400 19 25 38

1500 20 27 41

1600 22 29 43

1700 23 31 46

1800 25 33 49

1900 26 35 52

2000 27 36 54

2100 29 38 57

2200 30 40 60

2300 31 42 62

2400 33 44 65

2500 34 45 68

2600 36 47 70

2700 37 49 73

2800 38 51 76

2900 40 53 79

3000 41 54 81

3100 42 56 84

3200 44 58 87

3300 45 60 89

3400 46 62 92

3500 48 64 95

3600 49 65 98

3700 51 67 100

3800 52 69 103

3900 53 71 106

4000 55 73 108

4100 56 74 111

4200 57 76 114

4300 59 78 117

4400 60 80 119

4500 61 82 122

4600 63 84 125

4700 64 85 127

4800 66 87 130

4900 67 89 133

5000 68 91 136

5100 70 93 138

5200 71 94 141

5300 72 96 144

5400 74 98 146

5500 75 100 149

5600 76 102 152

5700 78 104 155

5800 79 105 157

5900 81 107 160

6000 82 109 163

[Smike]

3rd, 4th, and 5th gears with each rear end ratio. I left out 1st and 2nd...format was good on my end. Looks like it got murdered a bit after it posted.

[aschroeder]

Not a SN95/99 owner, but I've spent a good deal of time pondering ratios so I thought I'd chime in

 

Here is a T-45 w3.73s vs. a T-45 w3.27s (essentially moving 4th to a usable fifth, but I would imagine 2nd and 3rd would still be too wide for mid speed corners/straights)

 

Here is a T-45 w3.73s vs. my setup: a TKO600 with the .82 5th and 3.73s (here you can see what I mean, the TKO600 sits entirely within the T-45 ratios and only drops about 1,100 rpm upshifting to 5th)

 

Here is a T-45 w3.27s up against the same TKO600 (it is a good compromise, but you are still left with 3 usable gears to the TKOs 4 and 140mph terminal velocity if you are wrapping to 6)

[Smike]

Interesting.

 

Downside, its a full transmission swap. The RR 5th gear is $$$ over a gear change.

 

For those mid/fast sweepers we have, 3rd would be most used gear.

[Dillon]

Was searching for info on gearing for my '00 (4.6, T45, stock 3.27) and found this thread. I know we don't have too many SN95/99 racers in the RM region, but there are (or have been) a few...anyone know if any of them run a 4.10? I was thinking about a 3.73, but that seems like it would just force a shift to a still-not-usable 5th gear on longer straights (High Plains) or banks (PPIR). Yet I worry that a 4.10 could actually be SLOWER overall, since it would force me to shift more in the mid-speed corners. I'm not too familiar with tracks in other regions, so it's hard to compare, but anyone running a 4.10 feel free to chime in.

[Dustin M.]

I'm not a Ford guy, but my car is undergeared. My 1-3 act like I have a 4.10 out back compared to the others with normal T56s. I WOULD NOT put a 4:10 in that car. Way too much gear. Having a ~70mph capable 2nd gear is a good place to be IMO. Mine does about 55 so it's pretty much worthless and I end up lugging 3rd, an 85mph gear, through 40mph corners most of the time. Think of how fast most corners are taken when trying to decide on a good gear set. Also consider that on DOT R compounds that will be faster than what you currently have under the car.

[t500hps]

Was searching for info on gearing for my '00 (4.6, T45, stock 3.27) and found this thread. I know we don't have too many SN95/99 racers in the RM region, but there are (or have been) a few...anyone know if any of them run a 4.10? I was thinking about a 3.73, but that seems like it would just force a shift to a still-not-usable 5th gear on longer straights (High Plains) or banks (PPIR). Yet I worry that a 4.10 could actually be SLOWER overall, since it would force me to shift more in the mid-speed corners. I'm not too familiar with tracks in other regions, so it's hard to compare, but anyone running a 4.10 feel free to chime in.

 

I have the same.....(1996, 4.6L, T45, 3.27). I too thought about a switch and even mapped out each track I run marking where I currently shift and where I WOULD shift using 3.73 or 4.10 gears from the charts in this thread. Makes no sense for me to switch gears IMO.

 

(On our tracks I run 4th out to 130-135 mph near redline and I'm not caught "between" gears anywhere)

[Dillon]

Huh. I guess I will stick with the 3.27 for the foreseeable future. I haven't even had the car on track yet, but that should be changing soon! Anyway, I was just really hoping for some extra pickup without having to drop weight, since (at least for now) my car is remaining a street car. It doesn't feel slow by any means, but, it sure would be a more fun street car with a taller gear, and I was trying to figure out if that would translate well to the track or not.

[blk96gt]

I have the same as t500hps ('96, 4.6, T45, 3.27). I originally had 3.73's, and not having a RR 5th was killing me at TWS. At this point I don't plan on ever going back to 3.27's even if I had a RR 5th.

[Smike]

Was searching for info on gearing for my '00 (4.6, T45, stock 3.27) and found this thread. I know we don't have too many SN95/99 racers in the RM region, but there are (or have been) a few...anyone know if any of them run a 4.10? I was thinking about a 3.73, but that seems like it would just force a shift to a still-not-usable 5th gear on longer straights (High Plains) or banks (PPIR). Yet I worry that a 4.10 could actually be SLOWER overall, since it would force me to shift more in the mid-speed corners. I'm not too familiar with tracks in other regions, so it's hard to compare, but anyone running a 4.10 feel free to chime in.

 

I have the same.....(1996, 4.6L, T45, 3.27). I too thought about a switch and even mapped out each track I run marking where I currently shift and where I WOULD shift using 3.73 or 4.10 gears from the charts in this thread. Makes no sense for me to switch gears IMO.

 

(On our tracks I run 4th out to 130-135 mph near redline and I'm not caught "between" gears anywhere)

 

I went with 3.31s and have rocked it ever sense. Saved time in useless shifts at all the GL/MW tracks.