GT350 Build for SCCA Nationals

[WItoTX]

It has been a while since I posted. Since then I have gotten the AAD arms installed, AAD camber links installed, and vertical links installed. The alignment process turned out to be an absolute monster, mostly due to my inability to understand geometry, which often led me to installing the wrong tab into either the toe link or camber arm. Which then led to wonky alignment specs. Here are the three new components installed.

The install was relatively easy. However, these AAD arms should be aligned in a specific order. First get camber dialed in, then mess with toe. It took me nearly two weeks to learn this one, despite speaking with the AAD guys several times, and them specifically telling me to do this.

AAD were fantastic. They sent basically another complete set of toe tabs to get the car dialed in when mine was outside of the typical tabs they send. The final result was slightly over -2 degrees camber both sides, and – 2mm driver side, -1mm toe in passenger side. I can go down one to link and I think I will be matching, but after two weeks of all my tiny amount of free time going towards the alignment, I am done. I will probably take it in or buy an alignment rack before I do it from home again!

I also had some free time to swap out the old catch can. The can I had in there was from a company who made quality cans for Hellcats. I assumed that same level would apply to the GT350, but it actually rested on the studs coming out of the valve cover and intake and felt cheap. This new one, also from AAD, replaces the radiator mount, and then sets between the radiator and the windshield wash filler.

The finish is nice, and feels much sturdier than the old can. The only downfall, it isn’t exactly easy to get to.

I also got the rear seat cleaned up. I kept all the wires in place as I am going to wire an amp back in at some point so I can listen to music again. Until then, its just the sound of the FPC.

I am not particularly happy with the fit and finish, but it’s better than looking at wires and the trunk. I will eventually swap it out with the Ford Performance delete once I can get my hands on one.

With the suspension swapped out, and all the other weight reduction I have done, I am down 173 lbs. I am ready for the next autocross to see how the camber does in the rear, or if I need to find more rear grip somewhere else.

I am caught up for now. I have hubs on the list to do, but they are not pressing as I am going to hold off on rims until later this year. Apex has something in the 20 lb range, but I would guess they, or someone else, has something a little lighter later this year.

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[WItoTX]

It’s been a minute since I last posted anything. Since then, I’ve gotten another event under my belt, and on the car, I have gone to Ford Performance springs and front bar, OP Mustang front hubs and 8 mm spacers, went to J&M rear toe links, and tweaked the toe/camber on the rear. The car is finally in a position where I will run it until at least after hunting season. It feels completely different on the autocross course, and the rest of this year will be learning the car.

I am going to go through these updates chronologically. I ended up putting in J&M toe links just because the ease of adjustment, and the infinite variability in toe adjustments that could be made. These end links were much heavier than the previous set, and weighed the same as the factory pressed links (~6 lbs). I didn’t take any photos, but the install was straight forward, and the lockouts were very heavy duty.

After that, I got a track alignment done. I ended up at a shop that had several SCCA Time Trial cars on the lift. We spent more time talking racing than we did actually doing the alignment.

First, the latest event. I was still on stock springs but had the track alignment done. The car felt 100% better with more camber in the rear. That said, in the slow stuff, I was still struggling to find rear grip. My best lap is posted below and shows the extent of the issue in the first slalom, where I was behind the cones. They were tight enough that I had my hands completely twisted around. I tried moving my hands on a couple runs, but it only made my time slower. On the sweeper, I was closing in on 70 mph, and the car was going into a 4-wheel drift, so at higher speed, the -2.3 camber was awesome. Below about 40, there was just not enough grip.



The night before the track day, I decided to order Ford Performance springs and sway bars. So after the event, I started swapping springs. I was a little gun shy taking the car apart because I head from several others that the rear springs were a huge pain, and the front sway bar was a monster to get out. But I had a friend help me with the rear springs, and the front sway bar was much easier to remove and install than expected. I actually think it was easier from jack stands then it would have been from a lift. For the front sway bar, I pulled the coolant reservoir, which gave great access to the passenger side bolts. The driver’s side was the biggest issue with the rear bolt. But with ratcheting wrenches, it came out pretty easily. With the hardware out, removing the bar was just a lot of up and down, pull from the driver’s side, then back up above to see what the bar was catching on, then guide the bar from above until it stopped moving, then go to the driver’s side to see what it caught on below. Then repeat in reverse when installing the new bar.

I had installed Steeda end links, however I had to swap them out when the zerk would just barely clear the strut. It probably would have been fine, but the minimal clearance is something I would have worried about constantly. I replaced them with Full Tilt Boogie end links, which actually installed a lot easier than the Steedas. No knock on Steeda, and I would recommend their end links to anyone (Unrelated, all these parts are now for sale in the classifieds).

After the spring swap, I threw on the new hubs I got from OP. The set I picked up had the GT4 studs (Thanks to supply chain issues, I couldn’t get the R studs), which actually are plenty long for going square. I plan to at the end of this year, or early next year, go to a square, forged setup. So I am looking forward to already being ready to go when the time comes, and am going to throw the R studs on the old hubs in the meantime.

All said and done, it took about 3 days, but then I spent another 2 nights (of two or so hours at a time), getting the camber dialed in, front and rear. In the rear, I am now at -2 degrees camber, with 1 mm of toe in. In the front I am at 2 mm toe out and -3 degrees camber both sides. I also bought the Steeda tool to widen the top of the strut towers. I just don’t know if I am ready to make that cut, and be pigeonholed into CAMC, as opposed to SST/CAMC. Anyways, time will tell.

I would also like to say thanks to @OP Mustang, and Tim, who answered my message within minutes about torque specs on the front hubs. The install was simple, but I lost the instructions and didn’t have the torque specs. Time responded almost immediately, and now I can run spacers on the stock rims. I am looking forwards to the results, and have a track day this weekend to test the new set up. I’ve ordered several parts from OP now, and probably bothered them more than necessary.

This is going to be about it for upgrades this year. I may add some aero, but time will tell. I need to spend time and learn the car. I am thinking I may go down in camber a bit, and try some rear aero to keep the rear planted in the sweepers. We shall see. Regardless, this will probably be the last post including upgrades for the time being. If I can stay top 3 in CAMC the rest of this year, I will be happy. Hopefully be pushing the top two guys by elk season.

 

[mavisky]

Interested to hear how you like the Ford Springs. I have the Ford springs and bars on my car along with the Steeda uprights, but I'm feeling like I'm tempted to swap the Ford Racing springs for either the Steeda or BMR handling springs. Still on PS4S though so losing lots of time with those compared to some of the better autocross tires.

Gearing up for my 2nd run in CamC this weekend.

 

[Egparson202]

Tires are King

 

[mavisky]

Tires are King

Agreed. I picked up the PS4S when I was still driving the car into the office on a frequent basis when the weather was nice. Now it's almost exclusively driven for weekend fun and I'm regretting not going to something stickier.

 

[Egparson202]

Agreed. I picked up the PS4S when I was still driving the car into the office on a frequent basis when the weather was nice. Now it's almost exclusively driven for weekend fun and I'm regretting not going to something stickier.

The PS4S is an amazing tire. Really good in lots of high performance use cases. However, when you say weekend fun, if you mean primarily competition…. I agree there are stickier tires you could drive to/from the event and turn better times with.

 

[WItoTX]

Interested to hear how you like the Ford Springs. I have the Ford springs and bars on my car along with the Steeda uprights, but I'm feeling like I'm tempted to swap the Ford Racing springs for either the Steeda or BMR handling springs. Still on PS4S though so losing lots of time with those compared to some of the better autocross tires.

Gearing up for my 2nd run in CamC this weekend.

I will let you know. I am not set on this set up, but wanted to see what happened with the company with the most $ for R&D. The reality is, the knucklehead behind the wheel IS what is holding the car bar at this point. I am going to run a few events (Probably until these tires are shot), and then figure out next steps. part of me really wants to start ditching drive-line weight. But we will see what the car does, and more importantly, what I learn.

Just curious, what are those rims? Fantastic color by the way, I ALMOST picked one up in that color, but the previous owner cut out the mid mufflers, and it scared me away. I love that color.

 

[Egparson202]

The Steeda DR springs are the ones I’m most tempted by.

 

[Egparson202]

@mavisky I see you’re local to Road Atlanta. Have you had the Shelby on track there? It’s one of my favorite places to play.

 

[WItoTX]

One other thing I noticed earlier this week, but confirmed today. I took my car to work today, and the Ford Performance springs really compliment the DSC tune. Thanks @TeeLew .

With the factory springs, there was still some "float" when going over those gradual undulations on the highway, where it didn't feel like the car was really connected to the road. I never worried about it much just because of the low speed nature of autox. These springs have completely taken that float away, and the car really feels connected.

I have a track day this weekend, it will be interesting to see how this equates to the track. There were a couple dips in the last even that the car was losing a ton of grip going through that hopefully will go away now.

 

[mavisky]

@mavisky I see you’re local to Road Atlanta. Have you had the Shelby on track there? It’s one of my favorite places to play.

Not yet. Working to get on track at AMP and Road Atlanta before the end of the year.

 

[Egparson202]

Not yet. Working to get on track at AMP and Road Atlanta before the end of the year.

It’ll change your life.

 

[mavisky]

I will let you know. I am not set on this set up, but wanted to see what happened with the company with the most $ for R&D. The reality is, the knucklehead behind the wheel IS what is holding the car bar at this point. I am going to run a few events (Probably until these tires are shot), and then figure out next steps. part of me really wants to start ditching drive-line weight. But we will see what the car does, and more importantly, what I learn.

Just curious, what are those rims? Fantastic color by the way, I ALMOST picked one up in that color, but the previous owner cut out the mid mufflers, and it scared me away. I love that color.

Same here as far as why I started with these springs and bars. Wheels are Project6GR in GT350R specs. My car has the resonator delete and it sounds amazing, basically just replicates the GT350R sound.

One other thing I noticed earlier this week, but confirmed today. I took my car to work today, and the Ford Performance springs really compliment the DSC tune. Thanks @TeeLew .

With the factory springs, there was still some "float" when going over those gradual undulations on the highway, where it didn't feel like the car was really connected to the road. I never worried about it much just because of the low speed nature of autox. These springs have completely taken that float away, and the car really feels connected.

I have a track day this weekend, it will be interesting to see how this equates to the track. There were a couple dips in the last even that the car was losing a ton of grip going through that hopefully will go away now.

Glad to hear your initial impressions are good. I am still on the stock magneride damping at the moment and in autocross prefer Track mode as our courses aren't billiard table smooth, but not rough enough that the sacrifice of going to "sport" or softer on the shocks is worth it.

 

[WItoTX]

We had a track day with the BMW club on Sunday. First time getting the car out with the new front bar and FP springs all the way around, as well as dialing back the camber from -3 on the front to -2.9, and the rear from -2.3 to -2.0 on the rear. Also, while it might sound like nothing, I wore gloves for the first time ever (Admittedly "Mechanix" gloves, but grippy none the less).

The FP springs and sway bar were a massive upgrade. And my times show it. Last event, I was ~1.7 seconds off the leading CAMC Mustang, which has had a lot of weight saving done. This event, I was .5 seconds off one of the drivers, and .9 off the other driver. After reviewing the video, I can see that .5 seconds in my driving. And then some. Long story short, I think the leading CAMC car is now within reach with this new suspension, and more importantly, better driving. The car felt much more composed, and flatter through all sections. Transitions from right to left were much more controlled and smoother. There was one high speed section with a transition where with the old springs, I would have had to let off, but was able to stay on the throttle this event.

There was one downfall of less body roll and flat cornering. The rear of the car did not get loose. And that resulted in the fact that I couldn't buy a clean lap. There was also some cones being called that should not have been called, and cones put onto the wrong drivers. My wife was there, and said she didn't see me hit any on my fastest lap, but apparently I hit one. Regardless, this event was more of a test and tune session for me, to get read for the SCCA event in two weeks.

Here is my best run, a 34.010 (Supposedly a cone...). Top time was a 32.6, in a C4 Corvette, and a masterful driver.



AND, as you can see in the foregoing video, the organizers did not set up a particularly safe course, setting the finish at a corner after a long straight that has a ramp right prior to dropping into the corner, and the corner leading right into the paddock, or if you don't get a good bite, a treeline and fence. I almost lost it myself. Here is that video.



One other thing that has long plagued my car. For whatever reason, it has a little electrical demon, that randomly shows up with no ability for me to predict when or where. I start the car, and usually within 2 minutes of starting, sometimes the active exhaust status will pop up on the display. Then it keeps flashing on and off. I also notice the Launch Control turn on and off along with the active exhaust. I do not know why it does this, I cannot replicate it, and when it does this, it is apparently turning on and off a different drive mode. It did this on my first run, and the "service Stabilitrac" light came on, which killed my power, and obviously the TC was on, not allowing me to fully push the car. When I got to the paddock, the service light turned off, but the flickering continued. I turn the car off, and turn back on, and it acted up again. So I turned the car off, and back on, and the issue never came back.

If anyone has ANY ideas on what is going on, I am all ears. I first thought it was an active exhaust sensor issue, but the LC turning on and off lead me to check the LC button. When the issue arises, the LC button does not work. But it does work when the issue isn't happening. I keep the battery on a trickle charger, and the battery has tested good multiple times. So not battery. Last night I disconnected the battery, and will hook it back up tonight. I am hoping maybe a hard reset will fix it. One other thing. Granted yesterday was the first time it's been hot here, it seemed to do it a lot more than normal. Usually I get the issue, then have 10 starts where the issue never happens. I have cranked down all the ground wires I can find, but if there is a secret one someone knows about, please let me know. Like I said, I cannot replicate the issue, and it usually resolves itself if I turn on and off.

 

[mavisky]

That finish is a wild ride for sure. Good call on the Mechanix gloves. After using some myself early on I've basically driven the car every second with them on. Keeps the wheel in great condition and provides a ton of grip.

Unfortunately not nothing to offer on the electrical side of things. I don't have the slightest clue what could be causing that. Best of luck getting it fixed.

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