THERAPY: My 2017 GT "project" car.

[fiveoboy01]

Finished up, and after a few back and forth emails and flashes to the NGauge on my end, Lund had the remote tune finished.

At some point I put Ford's gas hood strut kit on, no idea when that happened though. Sometime after I got the blower done.

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[fiveoboy01]

BMR cradle lockout was installed shortly after the blower was put on.

 

[fiveoboy01]

From 2019 through the 2025 season, the car sat in an untouched state as far as modifications. Driven a bit here and there in nice weather, when I felt like taking it out. Rear tires cashed out at some point, so I installed a set of NT555R2s in May of 2023.

A few years later the front tires had had enough, and were aged out, so I installed a set of Continental ECS 02s in July of 2025.

 

[fiveoboy01]

his brings me to "present day" AKA fall and winter of 2025. For some reason I decided that I was going to make it handle better, with possibly an eye towards Autocross, as well as get it a little bit away from the aesthetics of a factory-stock GT.

Ford Track Dampers and BMR springs were installed. I did notice that these items really did a lot to settle the car down, probably because the factory dampers were mostly useless.

After these were installed, I drove the car for another month or so, and then it went into storage for the winter.

 

[fiveoboy01]

Car went up on stands and the PP wheels and tires were sold.

 

[fiveoboy01]

Front sway bar and links were replaced with Steeda units. Leaving the factory bar in back for now, may even swap it to a smaller rear one depending on what the car needs.

The bar was a mild PITA to swap, but I got it with minimal swearing. If the car had been up on a lift it would have been a bit easier.

Dieaneter measurement differences. Also the factory bar bushings are bonded to the bar and the hold downs, so it doesn’t pivot freely. That’s stupid, Ford.

 

[fiveoboy01]

New wheel/tire fitment is going to require more camber, so the tops of the strut towers were drilled out. I turned a slug in the lathe to go inside my hole saw, because free is better than what the Steeda tool costs.

 

[fiveoboy01]

 

[fiveoboy01]

Vorshlag CC plates are fitted to the struts which were re-installed.

Damn if they aren't a lot of money but they're engineered so well, I just don't think anything else comes close.

 

[fiveoboy01]

Front hubs were pulled, studs hammered out, and ARP studs were installed. I didn't have a press, so I ran them in with a nut and some washers which worked fine.

 

[fiveoboy01]

Hubs were re-installed along with Apex 25mm spacers and open ended lug nuts.

 

[fiveoboy01]

What are these?!

 

[fiveoboy01]

Test fit.

TPMS put in, I bought OEM replacements as the old ones stayed with the original wheels.

 

[fiveoboy01]

Hauled the wheels to Discount Tire and they installed tires for me. 315/30/18 Falken Azenis RT660+, there were a couple of choices I preferred but the budget is the budget.

A very small caliper mod. I originally was going to powder coat or paint all 4, then decided there wasn't enough benefit compared to the effort involved. Of course the stickers were not a match size-wise so they're 3D stickers now. Derp. Whatever. Can't tell from 10 feet away.

 

[fiveoboy01]

I sent the wheels off to a colleague to get ceramic coated(he has access to a product I don't), so while I was waiting on that, I did installed J&M brake lines from @Optimum Performance and replaced the brake fluid as well, since this car has the original fluid.

Install was straightforward and the lines fit just like OEM.

I picked up a Motive Power bleeder, and it made the bleeding process stupid easy.

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