MRGTX
Well-Known Member
- Thread starter
- #1
I have been dying to autocross the Mustang since I picked it up last year. Even with the base GT model/rental spec suspension, the car felt much more responsive and well balanced than it has any right to be. Prior to my Mustangs, I had a pair of dearly missed Miatas in various states of tune that I had autocrossed about 6-7 times total. I LOVED it but I didn't have enough opportunities to get good enough to be competitive.
So my 20GT is modded....I am running the The FP Track suspension kit and 4.09s, both of which should have been a major help...and maybe they were but they put me in a class that I had no hope of being competitive in. I also have the Peformance pack reccomended alignment specs (maxed out camber up front, etc) and 285/325 Firestone Indy 500s as well as the Ford Performance pack cold air intake and tune, PP stock bracing, and the BMR cradle lock-out.
In any case, I was running in a tough class...For example, I was up against a modded Cayman with a roll cage, an SN95 with a wicked motor, roll cage too, Hoosiers on all four corners, etc. So I was out of my league in both class and in driver experience but it was insanely fun regardless.
The course was very easy to navigate but also very short. The best lap times were in the 26-27 second range, most cars falling in the high 28s...yep, splitting hairs between cars. There was one short straight section that allowed the Coyote to do its thing but otherwise, he little cars were definitely favored. I finished in the middle third of the pack for overall times...not a great showing but not embarrassing. I was bested by much lesser cars, (like a Focus ST) emphasizing the importance of driver skill and experience in this sport. I did beat all of the novices at least.
Having made all of the changes at once, it's hard to say how each mod contributed to the performance and handling characteristics but all in all, he car felt competent but with lower than expected limits. Indy 500s are likely to blame...which are proving to be a spectacularly mediocre tire. Much better than stock, good value for the price but nowhere near as good as the 200 treadwear class. You get what you pay for.
The car would tend to understeer unless I was on the gas...the slip sometimes coming with a stuttering sensation (front wheel hop?). With power on, oversteer was plentiful...the car felt almost "greasy" since it would transition so readily between the two states. It was tempting to put the car into a full on drift. It sure wouldn't have been any quicker but it would have been a blast. I also noticed for the first time that the base cloth seats (which I like) are not suited for this sport. I was working to brace myself for much of my runs which took some concentration away...also the tilted head rest pushes on the back of my helmet in a very annoying way and cant be adjusted as far as I know.
I'm pretty sure that better seats, better tires and camber plates with some more serious alignment specs would make a world of difference.
What has your experience been like? Any tricks to making these cars better for this application?
So my 20GT is modded....I am running the The FP Track suspension kit and 4.09s, both of which should have been a major help...and maybe they were but they put me in a class that I had no hope of being competitive in. I also have the Peformance pack reccomended alignment specs (maxed out camber up front, etc) and 285/325 Firestone Indy 500s as well as the Ford Performance pack cold air intake and tune, PP stock bracing, and the BMR cradle lock-out.
In any case, I was running in a tough class...For example, I was up against a modded Cayman with a roll cage, an SN95 with a wicked motor, roll cage too, Hoosiers on all four corners, etc. So I was out of my league in both class and in driver experience but it was insanely fun regardless.
The course was very easy to navigate but also very short. The best lap times were in the 26-27 second range, most cars falling in the high 28s...yep, splitting hairs between cars. There was one short straight section that allowed the Coyote to do its thing but otherwise, he little cars were definitely favored. I finished in the middle third of the pack for overall times...not a great showing but not embarrassing. I was bested by much lesser cars, (like a Focus ST) emphasizing the importance of driver skill and experience in this sport. I did beat all of the novices at least.
Having made all of the changes at once, it's hard to say how each mod contributed to the performance and handling characteristics but all in all, he car felt competent but with lower than expected limits. Indy 500s are likely to blame...which are proving to be a spectacularly mediocre tire. Much better than stock, good value for the price but nowhere near as good as the 200 treadwear class. You get what you pay for.
The car would tend to understeer unless I was on the gas...the slip sometimes coming with a stuttering sensation (front wheel hop?). With power on, oversteer was plentiful...the car felt almost "greasy" since it would transition so readily between the two states. It was tempting to put the car into a full on drift. It sure wouldn't have been any quicker but it would have been a blast. I also noticed for the first time that the base cloth seats (which I like) are not suited for this sport. I was working to brace myself for much of my runs which took some concentration away...also the tilted head rest pushes on the back of my helmet in a very annoying way and cant be adjusted as far as I know.
I'm pretty sure that better seats, better tires and camber plates with some more serious alignment specs would make a world of difference.
What has your experience been like? Any tricks to making these cars better for this application?
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