WItoTX
Well-Known Member
- Thread starter
- #1
All,
This is my first OP on this forum, and the first time 've ever posted anything like this, so go easy on me. I wanted to document the performance modifications and progress improvements in times as I upgrade my GT350. So first, what's my big plan with this thread? Well, I enjoy the hell out of autocross. I started with a Focus ST, moved up to a Hellcat, and then finally to my GT350. It finally felt right in my GT350, so I decided I am going to build this car more than I had my other cars. The purpose of this thread is to document my road from effectively a bone stock GT350, to SCCA Nationals run in the SST class. I plan to post all upgrades I do, what does and doesn't work, my skills as a driver, as well as what I learn while driving it.
This first post will be me trying to catch up on progress since I purchased in April 2021 until January 2022. Sorry as it is sort of long.
First, the car. I picked up a 2017 GT350 in June of 2021, after owning a 2020 Hellcat Charger Widebody. The reason I ditched the Hellcat and moved to the GT350 was simple, I loved the HC, and it carried my family well, but I realized quickly that it would never be the track car I wanted it to be without serious modifications. Pic of the Hellcat because let's face it, its a super cool car (The photos don't do that blue justice):
So I sold it (For more than the car cost me, plus insurance, plus fuel, plus registration!), and picked up my GT350 (For much less than my HC sold for!). I dreamed of a GT350 white with blue stripes, (which I personally believe is the only acceptable paint scheme ) and found two reasonably close to Houston. Went to check this one out in Dallas, and was immediately sold on it.
I bought it used, with ~3,000 miles on it, and had it delivered. It is white with the blue stripes, and the previous owner added the red pinstripe on the outside of the blue stripes, and colored the Shelby badges red. I fixed the badges almost immediately. The previous owner also installed one hell of a stereo, and it sounded awesome. Beyond that, he also replaced a handful of interior panels with the carbon fiber version, and had to put a different frame around the center stack. Otherwise the car was completely stock. No scraping underneath, signs of a well maintained car everywhere, panels all spotless. The car was babied.
Bits of Stereo:
That's right, you can see 4 different channels in that second photo. There is a 5th channel installed up on the dash, in front of the A pillar, blocked in this view. The speakers are supposedly something really special, and was told the lower door speaker is something like $2k. I don't know, never confirmed it, but when I took the car to the audio shop and told them I wanted all of it removed, they looked at me like I just ordered them to shoot their dog. Long story short, they talked me into leaving it for the time being, and as we had #2 on the way in June 2021, I figured I could at least cruise around in the car with a thumpin' stereo until I got the go ahead to start going hard after our daughter turned 6 months old. And if those speakers really are that valuable, well I just got that much more money for modifications.
Anyways, when I got the car in April, I got a catch can installed, that I will be swapping for something more substantial, and before our daughter was born in June, I got it on the autocross track twice, and even took it to the strip once. Mind you, this car was still on the factory PSS from 2017, and they were absolute garbage. I finished mid field in autox, and didn't launch hard on the strip to put down a good 1/4 mile time, but I left both places with a much better feel for what the car could do with some quality rubber and suspension upgrades.
I should have upgraded tires first. But I went about upgrades ass backwards. First upgrade was a DSC tuner, which some other folks on another forum, said was really good out of the box. Well I didn't do my due diligence (I'd like to say it was my kids fault, but I really just dropped the ball). I should have known better, but live and learn. I spent more than a month trying to tune it myself, to no avail. I actually had the controller sent back to DSC, where they supplied me with a new controller. They are a great group to work with, and more than understanding. With the tuner as it sat, the car was wallow-y, like the shocks were basically doing nothing. It was tough to get loose, and tough to get to turn in.
I wasn't making headway with getting the suspension dialed in, and was getting close to throwing the factory controller back on when I discovered M6G and another Mustang forum. After discovering M6G and sleuthing threads for two weeks, I was pointed to @TeeLew to help with the suspension tuning. On top of that, in January 2022 I added some hella sticky Falken 660's (Compared to the rock hard PSS) in 305/30 and 315/30 and got back to the track, with a better car # (trying to channel Ken Miles and his flying GT350R!). The benefit, I moved to upper 1/3 of the autocross event in January 2022. The car could still do way more than I was capable of. The car became very balanced. Sorry I don't have a good photo of the new tires, but they are massive, and an impressive upgrade.
One thing to note. While I mention in my opening I am planning to run SST, I have CAMC on my car. At the time I ordered the letters, I didn't understand the SST rules. I believe my car will fit better in SST. I am talking with some track friends that have done nationals before to get their opinion. The foregoing upgrades are progress through January '22. As you can see, "relatively" minor modifications so far have brought me from mid field to upper third by January '22.
Before I wrap this up, I did want to say thank God for my wife. She is an angel. She is the most understanding and easy-going wife in I could have ever asked for. Whether I spend the whole night in the garage, buy something stupid for the car, scouting for elk, or take my bow for a walk on the side of a mountain in Colorado, she has always supported whatever hair-brain idea I have running through my head. I am so thankful for that. Without her, none of this is possible.
Anyways, there is more to come later today or tomorrow, but likely this weekend. Going forward, I have video's of my runs that will be included, and more of a discussion of upgrades done at how the car handles, as well as changes in driving style. Thank you all for following along. If there is more info you want, just reply and I will get it to you.
And a shout out to @DSC Controllers.
This is my first OP on this forum, and the first time 've ever posted anything like this, so go easy on me. I wanted to document the performance modifications and progress improvements in times as I upgrade my GT350. So first, what's my big plan with this thread? Well, I enjoy the hell out of autocross. I started with a Focus ST, moved up to a Hellcat, and then finally to my GT350. It finally felt right in my GT350, so I decided I am going to build this car more than I had my other cars. The purpose of this thread is to document my road from effectively a bone stock GT350, to SCCA Nationals run in the SST class. I plan to post all upgrades I do, what does and doesn't work, my skills as a driver, as well as what I learn while driving it.
This first post will be me trying to catch up on progress since I purchased in April 2021 until January 2022. Sorry as it is sort of long.
First, the car. I picked up a 2017 GT350 in June of 2021, after owning a 2020 Hellcat Charger Widebody. The reason I ditched the Hellcat and moved to the GT350 was simple, I loved the HC, and it carried my family well, but I realized quickly that it would never be the track car I wanted it to be without serious modifications. Pic of the Hellcat because let's face it, its a super cool car (The photos don't do that blue justice):
So I sold it (For more than the car cost me, plus insurance, plus fuel, plus registration!), and picked up my GT350 (For much less than my HC sold for!). I dreamed of a GT350 white with blue stripes, (which I personally believe is the only acceptable paint scheme ) and found two reasonably close to Houston. Went to check this one out in Dallas, and was immediately sold on it.
I bought it used, with ~3,000 miles on it, and had it delivered. It is white with the blue stripes, and the previous owner added the red pinstripe on the outside of the blue stripes, and colored the Shelby badges red. I fixed the badges almost immediately. The previous owner also installed one hell of a stereo, and it sounded awesome. Beyond that, he also replaced a handful of interior panels with the carbon fiber version, and had to put a different frame around the center stack. Otherwise the car was completely stock. No scraping underneath, signs of a well maintained car everywhere, panels all spotless. The car was babied.
Bits of Stereo:
That's right, you can see 4 different channels in that second photo. There is a 5th channel installed up on the dash, in front of the A pillar, blocked in this view. The speakers are supposedly something really special, and was told the lower door speaker is something like $2k. I don't know, never confirmed it, but when I took the car to the audio shop and told them I wanted all of it removed, they looked at me like I just ordered them to shoot their dog. Long story short, they talked me into leaving it for the time being, and as we had #2 on the way in June 2021, I figured I could at least cruise around in the car with a thumpin' stereo until I got the go ahead to start going hard after our daughter turned 6 months old. And if those speakers really are that valuable, well I just got that much more money for modifications.
Anyways, when I got the car in April, I got a catch can installed, that I will be swapping for something more substantial, and before our daughter was born in June, I got it on the autocross track twice, and even took it to the strip once. Mind you, this car was still on the factory PSS from 2017, and they were absolute garbage. I finished mid field in autox, and didn't launch hard on the strip to put down a good 1/4 mile time, but I left both places with a much better feel for what the car could do with some quality rubber and suspension upgrades.
I should have upgraded tires first. But I went about upgrades ass backwards. First upgrade was a DSC tuner, which some other folks on another forum, said was really good out of the box. Well I didn't do my due diligence (I'd like to say it was my kids fault, but I really just dropped the ball). I should have known better, but live and learn. I spent more than a month trying to tune it myself, to no avail. I actually had the controller sent back to DSC, where they supplied me with a new controller. They are a great group to work with, and more than understanding. With the tuner as it sat, the car was wallow-y, like the shocks were basically doing nothing. It was tough to get loose, and tough to get to turn in.
I wasn't making headway with getting the suspension dialed in, and was getting close to throwing the factory controller back on when I discovered M6G and another Mustang forum. After discovering M6G and sleuthing threads for two weeks, I was pointed to @TeeLew to help with the suspension tuning. On top of that, in January 2022 I added some hella sticky Falken 660's (Compared to the rock hard PSS) in 305/30 and 315/30 and got back to the track, with a better car # (trying to channel Ken Miles and his flying GT350R!). The benefit, I moved to upper 1/3 of the autocross event in January 2022. The car could still do way more than I was capable of. The car became very balanced. Sorry I don't have a good photo of the new tires, but they are massive, and an impressive upgrade.
One thing to note. While I mention in my opening I am planning to run SST, I have CAMC on my car. At the time I ordered the letters, I didn't understand the SST rules. I believe my car will fit better in SST. I am talking with some track friends that have done nationals before to get their opinion. The foregoing upgrades are progress through January '22. As you can see, "relatively" minor modifications so far have brought me from mid field to upper third by January '22.
Before I wrap this up, I did want to say thank God for my wife. She is an angel. She is the most understanding and easy-going wife in I could have ever asked for. Whether I spend the whole night in the garage, buy something stupid for the car, scouting for elk, or take my bow for a walk on the side of a mountain in Colorado, she has always supported whatever hair-brain idea I have running through my head. I am so thankful for that. Without her, none of this is possible.
Anyways, there is more to come later today or tomorrow, but likely this weekend. Going forward, I have video's of my runs that will be included, and more of a discussion of upgrades done at how the car handles, as well as changes in driving style. Thank you all for following along. If there is more info you want, just reply and I will get it to you.
And a shout out to @DSC Controllers.
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