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Noob questions for the Autocrossers - 2nd gear torque and tires in the backseat?

suzukablue

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Hi all,

I just sold my 2006 Honda S2000 and am ready to purchase a 2017 Shelby GT350. The car will primarily be for autocross, with maybe a half dozen track days each year. I've been autocrossing for the last 10 years (not at the pointy end but I have fun).

I've been reading that compared to the Camaro 1SS1LE (the other option I was considering buying) the torque in second gear makes the Shelby not the best autocross car... but I am so in love with this car that I'm wondering just how bad it is - I was hoping I could get some wizened autocrossers here to throw their opinions my way. I'm primary concerned with any frustrations you have on a typical Nationals or Tour type course, not the local parking lot stuff.

Also, has anyone of reasonable height been able to fit 4 19" wheels and tires in the backseat/trunk to get to an event?

Many thanks! :D
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JuRuKi

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Can't help with the autocross question but i sold a set of 19" wheels with tires mounted and guy picked them up in his Mustang.
 

DocWalt

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305/30-19 RE-71R's are your only option currently (maybe BFG will have the Rival-S in that size next year). I haven't tried fitting them in the car, but I really should. I'm pretty sure they'll fit, but not 100% sure. I'm 6'4" and have the driver's seat pretty far back which may limit my ability to stuff them behind the seat.

I rarely notice the lack of torque @ the low end because I'm rarely going slow enough for it to matter. That's only below mid 30s in mph where it's really an issue. You do have to be careful if you're below 3500 RPM and on the throttle hard, it's like hitting VTEC in the S2k :p

Here's a couple of videos of how it does on a typical Tour style course:
[ame]

You can hear a slight bog exiting the right hander into the finish line here, that course was the only time I've ever actually noticed it being lazy at the bottom end.
[ame]

and for some extremely silly top speeds:
[ame]
 

Steeda Tech JohnC

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Between the trunk and back seats, we fit the 4 18in wheels with hoosiers on them in our EB car for trackdays and autocross. But if you are running 305/315's then you may not be able to fit them in easily.

You can do what i did for this in my daily/autocrosser. I bought a northern tool 40x48 trailer to build a tire trailer. i can keep all of my gear, tools, and tires out of my car and just unhook when i get to an event.

check out some ideas here

https://www.miataturbo.net/race-prep-75/tire-trailers-54769/

https://my350z.com/forum/autocross-...utox-trailer-tire-trailer-picture-thread.html

If you go this route, make sure to put better grease in the bearings, and make sure you dont run an 8in rim/wheel, run the 12in setups to slow wheel speed down. the trailers are good to 1200lbs, from what i saw, curt has a hitch for the 350, and they have plug and play harnesses on amazon to plug into your tail lights. i had that setup on my 11 gt.
 
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suzukablue

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Thanks for the advice DocWalt! Excellent videos. It sounds amazing.

And John thanks for the info on the 18 inch wheels/tires.

I have a homebuilt aluminum tire trailer that I used for my S2K - I just wasn't sure if it was possible to build/buy a hitch to install where the rear backup light goes on the Shelby. It looks like there are some options out there, and this is what I'd likely do.
 

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Grintch

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Just run the numbers. It's not that hard to find a stock or near stock Dyno plot online. Then multiply by the gear ratios.

Tire diameter should be about the same either way. Both are longer legged than a '15-17 regular GT and especially a GT PP.

I suspect the Voodoo makes more torque at idle than the S2000 makes anywhere. So I doubt you would feel it didn't have enough torque coming from a S2000.
 

DocWalt

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I can post a thrust chart of a GT350 versus an S2k, it's pretty funny :p

FWIW I don't expect the GT350 to be nationally competitive in A Street, it's more of a B Street car due to size and weight. I'm adding a BMR front bar this winter (if BMR ever ships the damn thing...) and then I'm at full prep. I already have the front bar drilled for adjustability so I'm at ~75% of what the BMR bar gives me anyway. I got to drive a B Street C5 FRC recently and it did pretty much everything better than the GT350 except for braking & straight line power.
 

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i suspect i know who this, but i'll let you reveal yourself only if you wish ;)

fwiw, i fit 3x335 on 18x12s in the rear, and the other in the spare tire well in the trunk - still enough room to fit wider wheels, too (stay tuned, 13s will be here next month for me to confirm that statement!). if you go with 305s, the tires will only be marginally taller than mine; shouldn't be a problem stuffing them in. still enough room to fit whatever else you need - i packed a spare diff carriage, driveshaft, axles, a couple tool bags, smartstrings, toe plates, 5gal fuel can, lawn chair, duffel bag and bunch of other stuff for lincoln last year, in addition to wheels/tires wrapped in tire bags - and *still* had enough room to fit a passenger if i needed to. one big advantage the s550 has over the gen6 camaro: big enough trunk opening to fit most anything you'll ever want to pack! :D



 

sigintel

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i suspect i know who this, but i'll let you reveal yourself only if you wish ;)

fwiw, i fit 3x335 on 18x12s in the rear, and the other in the spare tire well in the trunk - still enough room to fit wider wheels, too (stay tuned, 13s will be here next month for me to confirm that statement!). if you go with 305s, the tires will only be marginally taller than mine; shouldn't be a problem stuffing them in. still enough room to fit whatever else you need - i packed a spare diff carriage, driveshaft, axles, a couple tool bags, smartstrings, toe plates, 5gal fuel can, lawn chair, duffel bag and bunch of other stuff for lincoln last year, in addition to wheels/tires wrapped in tire bags - and *still* had enough room to fit a passenger if i needed to. one big advantage the s550 has over the gen6 camaro: big enough trunk opening to fit most anything you'll ever want to pack! :D



Luv that loaded trunk pic. We should have a thread dedicated to AutoX/HPDE/GrandTouring tool,tire, part selection and loading of backseat and trunk. Lol.
 

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Also, has anyone of reasonable height been able to fit 4 19" wheels and tires in the backseat/trunk to get to an event?

Many thanks! :D
Easily. I have four wheels, jack, tools, all the usual shit (numbers, harness, clothes), cooler with food _and_ and a passenger on the right seat (and her stuff - which isn't necessarily a little. Without a passenger you will have plenty of space. I tried both configs - with rear seat folded (does GT350 rear seat folds ?) and with it up. No problems.
 

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BoardKat has is right. With a F Street GT's 285 tires I can stuff two in the trunk, but its tight back there with 285s. Going to 305+ and you can only get one in the trunk so you have to store the other three upright in a row in the back seat.

I actually just mount up my autox tires in the garage and drive to most events on the race rubber. I figure it saves on wear and tear on the interior, and I don't have to start and end each race day with a tire change. I can swap them at my leisure at home.
 

Competition Orange

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It looks like I need to step up my car packing game. I'd rather not spend $4-600 building a trailer and then a hitch, wiring, etc.

However, once I go 4pt, the trailer setup becomes a requirement.
 

kz

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I get two in the trunk - drop one into the space where spare is normally sitting in...
 

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I definitely need to mess around with the 305s in the trunk. One in spare tire well but I think it's too tight to squeeze one in above it or next to it.

Anyone have bags big enough to fit 305s in? My tirerack tire carriers don't fit and I'm not sure that 55 gallon trash bags will swallow them either.
 
 




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