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For a daily driver with plans to track it, GT350 or GT?

luc

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Tracking a daily driver, no matter which brand or model, is an exercise in compromise and can really fast reach the point of an exercise in frustration
A daily driver is only good for a couple of slow/moderate track days per year
Anything more and your daily driver will inexorably transform itself into a track weapon that will only be street driven to and from the track😁
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matthewr87

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I will strongly disagree with the Miata comments
My experience, and i have been in the open track/race business for 30 years, is that it is usually drivers with more money and ego than skills that create problems
Certainly not Miata drivers that by far are the “victims “ of high horsepower cars that refuse to let them pass after being a rolling chicane through the technical stuff
T 8 to 10 at Laguna come to mind
I was being facetious based on my experience with Miata drivers always bragging about how many track seasons they can get out of their tires vs us mere mortals that measure tire longevity in sessions rather than seasons.
 
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Thor 142

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You should look at the Motor Trend Lightning Lap results of said 2 vehicles...I think the spanking is the other way around.

A PP2 car is on par with the 1LE, but just lacked the dedicated coolers that come standard on the 1LE package to compete with the Camaro in an extended race. But now the Mach brings in all that, makes it as good of a track car out of the box as the 1LE. There's no spanking to be had here.
(Car and Driver) Lightning lap is a super fun reference for sure. I always enjoy it. However, you know that's not same driver same day right? For instance to come to that conclusion you are comparing a 1LE driven in 2017 by ? with a Mach 1 driven in 2022 by ? Like I said its fun to see those lap times but those are not really a true gage.
This is from motor trend. Not a track time but...
I wonder when MT is going to Head to Head the Mach 1 and the 1LE. That's going to be a good one!!! They're close for sure.
I still remember when Randy Pobst Lapped the GT 350 faster than the Z 28....I was like NO WAY!! LOL. Great stuff.

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Johnnydarkgt350

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My daily driver is a short box 1965 F100, lowered with QA1 link suspension, wilwoods all around, on 18x9 American racing/Nitto tires. Built 500hp 428 real C scratch Cobra 🐍 Jet backed by a TKO600 5speed and finished with a N case 9 inch 31 spline 4pinion track-lol . Driving it is like flying a helicopter 😂. I drove my GT350R yesterday and it’s so smooth, responsive, fast. I just kept practicing my heel and toe. No need to buy a car for track and spend any money after that purchase to know it can run a 136.11 time at Laguna Seca in the right hands . Not depreciating like more standard cars will. So costs weighing in of what I paid and what I get out of it , both in fun and return dollars made my decision. Doing good diligence on its cost of development and carbon fiber parts ( thanks Billy Johnson) Is why I think car and driver said it’s one of ten greatest of all time with the 65 mustang. I’m so happy with it . Get your GT350 feed your enthusiasm
 

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Johnnydarkgt350

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that F100 🔥
Most guys know up here in Idaho that your daily driver is a pickup, mine just blew the doors off my brothers concours 66 Shelby GT350 . Everyone needs a Shelby and a truck

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Bullitt Tooth Tony

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Tracking a daily driver, no matter which brand or model, is an exercise in compromise and can really fast reach the point of an exercise in frustration
A daily driver is only good for a couple of slow/moderate track days per year
Anything more and your daily driver will inexorably transform itself into a track weapon that will only be street driven to and from the track😁
And when its not frustration, its anxiety. I've adopted a laissez faire attitude towards it out of necessity, which might not be the smartest but it's how I deal with it being my only car.

I'm still able to rationalize it the same way I did when I first bought it. I'm 28, single, debt free (aside from the car), and probably wouldn't be able to own and enjoy it the way I do now until much later in life, if I waited. I have no regrets; it's my dream car.

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95CobraR

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I say start with what you can easily afford.

I started track sessions in a 1994 Cobra.
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I moved down to vintage with a 1965 Mustang.

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The 2019 Mustang GT350 is not a good car to start with unless you have already won some SCCA Championships. It's too fast to learn the basic skills of car control.
 
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Tx88

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I had the opportunity to see a GT350 up close the other day and that about sealed the deal for me. I've seen Mach 1s at car shows before and they just don't fascinate/excite me the same way that GT350 did.

My 'new' plan is to do some simple mods to my current daily driver (tune, suspension (it needs to be replaced anyways so might as well) + better tires) & do some low level SCCA Autocross, and potentially RoadRally with it so I can get some form of track experience under my belt. In the meantime, I'll continue saving and keeping an eye out for a nice, 2018 Tech pack with <10k miles on it. It'll delay my getting a GT350 (hoping for late 2023/early 2024), but will allow me to keep my GT350 nice when I do get one, and I won't have to worry about it's long term reliability as it'll be a track car/weekend cruiser only.

Thank you again everyone for the input, answering my questions & providing advice, it's very much appreciate.
 
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95CobraR

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I had the opportunity to see a GT350 up close the other day and that about sealed the deal for me. I've seen Mach 1s at car shows before and they just don't fascinate/excite me the same way that GT350 did.

My 'new' plan is to do some simple mods to my current daily driver (tune, suspension (it needs to be replaced anyways so might as well) + better tires) & do some low level SCCA Autocross, and potentially RallyCross with it so I can get some form of track experience under my belt. In the meantime, I'll continue saving and keeping an eye out for a nice, 2018 Tech pack with <10k miles on it. It'll delay my getting a GT350 (hoping for late 2023/early 2024), but will allow me to keep my GT350 nice when I do get one, and I won't have to worry about it's long term reliability as it'll be a track car/weekend cruiser only.

Thank you again everyone for the input, answering my questions & providing advice, it's very much appreciate.
You must have a bunch of extra cash to fund your plans. Do you understand the price of race gas, tire expenses, racing supplies, truck/trailer costs, and entry fees?

I'll tell you will spend $6000 per weekend.
 
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Tx88

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You must have a bunch of extra cash to fund your plans. Do you understand the price of race gas, tire expenses, racing supplies, truck/trailer costs, and entry fees?

I'll tell you will spend $6000 per weekend.
I'm definitely not on a tight budget, but also not planning to go hardcore just yet. My current car is a daily, it can't run race gas (I do know the cost though) and I'm not tempting fate by entering it in HPDE or W2W - just looking to have some fun and compete in low level AutoCross. I'm not trying to win, just working to better myself as a driver and work towards getting the best time possible for me in the car I own right now. We own a truck + can easily borrow a trailer, and I've looked into the local SCCA fees & equipment requirements. Currently all I need is a helmet but will upgrade gear as I go. As for tires, the cost can vary, but I know how much the track ones I want cost compared to my normal ones. As for how many sets I'll go through, I'll just have to see how mine wear with the occasional track use and adjust accordingly.

Everyone starts somewhere and this is where I'm starting at to best set myself up for success for when I get my GT350 and can then enter it in HPDE events. I don't have that GT350 yet though, so I'm focusing my energy on bettering myself as a driver and having fun - doesn't matter to me if I place 1st or last - if I'm becoming a better driver and beating my best times in the process, that's all that matters. I know buying a track car & tracking isn't cheap, but I'm doing the best I can to prepared & aware of what I'm getting myself into.
 

AvalancheSVT

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I know this is like heresy or something but the GT350 is perfect except for the engine... and that's a pretty important part of a track car. if you got 60-70K for a track car you need to just go get a 911 turbo and be done with it.
 

95CobraR

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...I'm definitely not on a tight budget, but also not planning to go hardcore just yet. My current car is a daily, it can't run race gas (I do know the cost though) and I'm not tempting fate by entering it in HPDE or W2W - just looking to have some fun and compete in low level AutoCross...
WTF? You will never learn driving around little cones in a parking lot.

You need to try HPDE first to see if you need to go to a driving school. I went to one at Road Atlanta and 50% of my class never finished.

You must learn to go balls on fire at Road Atlanta T-1 at 100 Mph+. You count on the tires to stick or your ass is done.

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Another thing, you may find yourself good until the shit hits the fan:
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No party or fooling around.
 

K4fxd

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Another thing is if you are pushing it you will go off track. The only way to learn the limits are to exceed them. Anyone who disputes this is not getting the most out of the car or has years of experience.

So budget repairs and down time.
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