GT500 airbox and lid on GT350

[Racerxray1]

I recently installed Trac Spec GT4 vents on the hood of my GT350. I wanted to cover the airbox and looked at several options. I settled on retrofitting the GT500 airbox, lid and fender seal on my car. I ordered the parts and waited for them to arrive. Once they showed up, I removed to the stock GT350 airbox and transferred a couple of grommets, a plug at the bottom, the horseshoe nuts and the intake nozzle (500 uses the same intake nozzle as the 350) from the stock air box to the 500 air box and it bolted right up. I used the hardware from the GT350 box because I wanted to use the studs from the 350 airbox so I could use the wire harness retainers. The 500 air box lid came with the necessary hardware and it all bolted right up. I did have to use weatherstripping on the air box and the lid to properly seal the intake tube. The intake tube is slightly larger on the 500 so the gap needs to be closed. The install looks like it came from the factory that way and now I have peace of mind that the filter will stay dry and is safe from moisture.

Sponsored

 

[stanglife]

Little OT - but.. Have you noticed less hood lift with those vents? I can say it's my #1 complaint on the car, that at 60+ the hood is visibly lifting up. Cheapens the experience a little, as odd as that seems.

 

[460Fred]

Little OT - but.. Have you noticed less hood lift with those vents? I can say it's my #1 complaint on the car, that at 60+ the hood is visibly lifting up. Cheapens the experience a little, as odd as that seems.

Just curious what year your GT350 is. My ‘19 has zero hood lift up to 140mph.

 

[galaxy]

You beat me to it…my ‘17 has zero.

 

[TommyBoyDIY]

I'm interested in retrofitting the 2024 dual plenum 5.0 to the GT350. The GT350 needs a dual throttle body setup like the new Z06

 

[Champale]

The hood lifts at big speeds on my 2020 350R.

 

[ZX3ST]

Just curious what year your GT350 is. My ‘19 has zero hood lift up to 140mph.

My 18 got me black-flagged once because they thought the hood was popped.
Not really a 60mph problem but certainly above, maybe 90 or so?

YMMV since corner workers aren't always super attentive.

 

[Epiphany]

Have you noticed less hood lift with those vents? I can say it's my #1 complaint on the car, that at 60+ the hood is visibly lifting up. Cheapens the experience a little, as odd as that seems.

There is no doubt that engineers witnessed hood lift with S550 chassis cars as well as S197 models (and prior) and did little to mitigate it. What rubs me the wrong way isn't just the visual aspect but rather the underhood pressure is causing lift and thus a dynamic that isn't beneficial and creates a condition that in effect limits performance potential at speed. I'm not negating any benefit that the existing GT350 vent provides but rather implying that it isn't close to being enough (hence the resultant monstrous vent on the GT500). You may or may not see the issue until you have reached some seriously illegal street speeds but the potential is certainly there for it to be problematic at the track.

I spoke to Sean Mason, Multimatic's race team manager (what a great guy!), at Mosport about this a few years ago. We were one on one and able to spend time talking freely about certain S550 race car challenges, related changes, and applicable rules regarding aero/handling. Multimatic addressed the underhood air issue on the GT350R-C by cutting out the panels just forward of the strut towers. Not the most ideal solution but one that was given the nod of approval to somewhat address the problem. The open areas were laden with screening to prevent debris from passing through.

Hood pins were also utilized at the front corners of the hood which aided in keeping the hood hunkered down at the front corners.

Prior to the SRO approving the final specs for the GT4 car, you'll see there were some GT4 cars running the three hood vents and the panels removed but with screening. Mason told me the SRO would not allow the screening solution anymore and mandated the factory steel panels be in place on spec approved GT4's. Thankfully, the vents that were approved were still a major improvement over what little (as in next to nothing) the OEM street car vent could muster. Regardless, the GT4 cars again used hood pins/latch at the front corners too.

All of this directly translated into Ford getting serious on the GT500 with both a downright humungous vent and pins. Took a while but they finally took action. Too bad the GT500 fender vents were killed off to satisfy those that held the aesthetic gavel...

Anyway, venting and pinning (for retention) the GT350/GT350R factory hood can absolutely reduce underhood pressure, aid in the car being more consistent at speed, as well as reducing hood lift. Had I a GT350 (anymore) to drive at triple double-nickel speeds, those mods would be a no brainer.

 

[Racerxray1]

Little OT - but.. Have you noticed less hood lift with those vents? I can say it's my #1 complaint on the car, that at 60+ the hood is visibly lifting up. Cheapens the experience a little, as odd as that seems.

Yes, it does. Anything over 100 mph, my stock hood would start to flutter. With the vents, no more movement.

 

[Racerxray1]

Just curious what year your GT350 is. My ‘19 has zero hood lift up to 140mph.

My car is a 19 as well and with the stock hood, lots of movement over 100 mph.

 

[Racerxray1]

I'm interested in retrofitting the 2024 dual plenum 5.0 to the GT350. The GT350 needs a dual throttle body setup like the new Z06

Keep us posted on what you come up with. Interested in hearing your experience.

 

[stanglife]

Just curious what year your GT350 is. My ‘19 has zero hood lift up to 140mph.

Did it on my 16R and 20R. Interstate speeds, you can see it moving. Any quick pull to 100+, it really starts lifting. Maybe you're not looking a tthe same area I am..or... How tall are you?

 

[K4fxd]

I removed the rubber molding on the fenders and that stopped my hood lift up to 140. I left the molding at the rear of the hood.

 

[JR369]

Did it on my 16R and 20R. Interstate speeds, you can see it moving. Any quick pull to 100+, it really starts lifting. Maybe you're not looking a tthe same area I am..or... How tall are you?

My experience as well with the 18 350R. Kind of nerve racking to be honest...wondering if the hood latch will let go.

 

[galaxy]

Any ideas why mine (‘17) doesn’t?

Sponsored