Maybe I'm in the minority opinion; I don't think the Base GT500 is a "great" track car

[Tomster]

Your driving a base GT500 and you are not thrilled about its track performance, you bought the wrong GT500. The lighter, lower, track tire, cftp is what you should have purchased.

Or do some lightening yourself. An antigravity battery saves about 30#, CF wheels can be had on ebay for a fraction of the original price but may need to be repaired, tires, a wing can be had aftermarket, CF body panels, etc.

You are right, if you want it out of the box, then the CFTP was the obvious choice, but ADMs and personal finances can get in the way of that. But as I mentioned above, there are options.

Sponsored

 

[dpAtlanta]

OP... sell the GT500 and get a Porsche GT4. It only has a curb weight of 3200 lbs. and even rumored that Porsche claimed the Cayman was their best handling car. I have both a Cayman (non GT4) and a GT350... I prefer the fat, sloppy, ill-handling, body rolling pig of a Shelby over the Cayman. The Gt350 is more fun to drive and handles almost as well as the Cayman.
I would hazard to guess that the GT4 is to the Cayman, as the GT500 CFTP is to my GT350.

 

[VictorH]

No street car is "great" on the track. They are all a big compromise. If you're wondering what I'm talking about drive a real, track-only race car on the track. Braking at 2-3g and cornering at 1.5-2g, It's night and day, which is why there are cars for every purpose and use, but you can't be great at everything (or even 2 things, street and track).
My choice was the GT500 without the motor, i.e. Mach 1. It's a huge compromise car too, but for me it's a pretty good happy medium. After all we are arguing what's best for you and we all have our own preferences. Peace and Happy 4th.

 

[WD Pro]

My choice was the GT500 without the motor, i.e. Mach 1.

GT500 without the motor :

Not a GT500 without the motor :

WD

 

[VictorH]

Funny! But you need the Handling Pack though.

 

[308 Cal. Bullitt]

Corvette good.

GT500 Bad.

Got it

Sell it, & allow someone else who isn't frustrated that they failed to buy CFTP car, to own a nice street car. Yes, the Base Shelby is just a street car. In reality, its just a muscle car.

The Corvette, on the other hand, is a proper sport car. Just ask any pipe smoker.
2 seats & all! Has been an American style sports car forever. Yes, Europeans would balk at that statement during most of the Vettes muti decade history. Why even compare a Shelby to a Vette.
its like comparing - Kia vs Bentley. Makes little sense. As does this OP post.

Base GT500's are not racecars. Certainly not in MSRP form. Contrary to what someone may thk, including via delusional comparisons.

No such thing as a "racecar" that is sold w/a 3yr/36k B2B warranty. In addition to being able to extend said warranty, thru Ford themselves, & closer to a decade.

If you wanna say that the Corvette (as a 'sports car') out does the GT500 Base as a 'muscle car'? Than yes, your probably correct. Yet, on all tracks? @ all times?? Nada.

Anything that weighs 'tons' - plus built by FOMOCO, is likely NOT a sports car. Who in their right mind would believe a car that when full of fuel, w/track related equipment, (roll bar, fire extinguisher, to many Go-Pros, air bags in Recaros, & a driver wt# added in - which then becomes closer to ~4500lbs, fully fueled. This is the definition of a Sports car..?? By whom?

This opinion pcs appears false in it's foundation, thinking its somehow comparing '2 sports cars' - 1 against the other. The original post is built on a foundation of sand.
Its always been everyone's right to not live in reality here in the USA. Thats more prevalent in todays world, than EVER before, & largely just ~5+yrs ago. Don't have to look very far on social media to find someone who can justify how 2+2=5, nowdays.
Want to compare these 2 cars? Do it apples to apples, or else, expect very few real enthusiasts to take your dissertations & opinions seriously.

We'd like to tell you our own opinions of the Corvette, but our last 2 attempts to speak about this GM vehicle, were scrubbed from this forum. Qwiker than highly classified info, on a gamer site.

Like any opinion pcs, when your attempting to project some form of a twist truth upon others, the 'said truth' part, should be handled objectively
(in ours case the Vette opinions are erases from historical record of M6g, permanently). Btw. Does GM secretly sponsor this site?
Censorship is now rampant all over, especially in todays internet landscape of nonsense being twisted into something (thats clearly not true), but being portrayed as truth. So speaking truth about the Vette is just not possible nowdays.
This is most recently thanks to, by & large.. The Light swillers of the internet.

The Base GT500 is a worthy muscle car. Not even a question. Carroll & Phil Remington could not be very critical of the best recent street legal version of the Shelby, built to this date. Clearly, its Fords most recent (& best) attempt at a dominant force on wheels, possibly since the Boss 429 program, some 50+ yrs ago... thats a long time. The Bosses impact wasn't even seen fir over a decade after manufacturing. So its lost upon Almost everyone who thinks they know motorsports history.

Most believe the Boss was a Nascar program. Perhaps at birth. It was 'Far Far' more successful in many other motorsport endeavors, including boat racing, truck pulling, & clearly NH & IHRA drag racing.

Ford wanted the Drag racers to run the Cammer in that conception era. Many things in life do not finish out, as they were originally intention'd to have, once ruminate upon, & thrust into action on the track or the road.

As both a fan of, & ametuer historian of the 5 decade old Shotgun mill, excluding the Base Mustang body platform itself. Nobody can dispute the Boss 9's legacy of 5 NHRA World Championships (in a row, mind you), & more than just as many in IHRA, if including the 'LOS' (line of site) port configuration, updated by pattern maker Tom Roberts in the mid 1990s. Which GM enthusiastscopied, & called it the Sonny Leonard eng design. IHRA demanded, at the 1st event debut, that More Money Sonny must at least change the sculpted features of the Boss copied valve covers, so the Chevrolet named eng, didn't look exactly like the Ford it so flatter'ly mirrored itself after.

The racing accolades of the Boss 429 deeply in bedded in historical record, leaving it more significant than perhaps almost any other 2yr program in Fords history.... at least until ~50 yrs later, when the Base GT500,
(& big bro CFTP sibling were built)
[both cars rather impressive for the cost]
is even offered in an age of outright 'tamping down', upon the use of gasoline powered vehicles. Both on public roadways, & very very soon, on our racetracks, if 'they' get their way...

Ok then. What can 'it' (GT500 Base) do, & what are 'its' skill levels as a 2020+ era MuscleCar?

Well boys & girls.
Lets ask a few of the importance questions.
Can it;

Steer? ✅️
Corner? ✅️✅️
Stop? ✅️ ✅️ ✅️
Accelerate? ✅️ ✅️ ✅️ ✅️
Shift like? ✅️ ✅️ ✅️✅️ ✅️
Be 2.25 tons afun? ✅️ ✅️ ✅️✅️ ✅️ ✅️✅️

Is the Base GT500 in same category as a Vette? Full on ... nope ...
(thankfully - it is not. They are not in the ssme class at all)

Stop comparin Shelby's to a Vette.
Its competitors are the Mopa Challenger
& the GM Camaro. ZL1 Camaro - not Vette.
The all mighty Alpha chassis is the Shelby's competitor. Or harkin bk to the '14/'15 Z28, if that helps you feel more grounded in low production vehicle comparisons.

If you ask several here on this forum,
[a Mustang forum, jit a vette forum]
they will likely want to convince you that the M1 is a real competitor to the Base 500, in their minds. (It is not so btw, for those of you who are passin thru time, on a comet)
Thus, the M1 mindset vs the Shelby, shows us all, just how everyone is entitled to dream.

Go buy a Camaro & compare it to the Base.
Buy a loaded ZL1 & compare it to the CFTP.

Or not. Just don't expect to much from a front eng, RWD, 4 seat Muscle Car.
Anyone would take ownership of a late 1960s Shelby GT500 today, could not possibly argue how much better the latest muscle car version from Ford is, & how the engineers literally nailed it for most buyers in this market niche.

Please continue with your regularly scheduled Corvette lover - programing.

 

[Jstang23]

Corvette good.

GT500 Bad.

Got it

Sell it, & allow someone else who isn't frustrated that they failed to buy CFTP car, to own a nice street car. Yes, the Base Shelby is just a street car. In reality, its just a muscle car.

The Corvette, on the other hand, is a proper sport car. Just ask any pipe smoker.
2 seats & all! Has been an American style sports car forever. Yes, Europeans would balk at that statement during most of the Vettes muti decade history. Why even compare a Shelby to a Vette.
its like comparing - Kia vs Bentley. Makes little sense. As does this OP post.

Base GT500's are not racecars. Certainly not in MSRP form. Contrary to what someone may thk, including via delusional comparisons.

No such thing as a "racecar" that is sold w/a 3yr/36k B2B warranty. In addition to being able to extend said warranty, thru Ford themselves, & closer to a decade.

If you wanna say that the Corvette (as a 'sports car') out does the GT500 Base as a 'muscle car'? Than yes, your probably correct. Yet, on all tracks? @ all times?? Nada.

Anything that weighs 'tons' - plus built by FOMOCO, is likely NOT a sports car. Who in their right mind would believe a car that when full of fuel, w/track related equipment, (roll bar, fire extinguisher, to many Go-Pros, air bags in Recaros, & a driver wt# added in - which then becomes closer to ~4500lbs, fully fueled. This is the definition of a Sports car..?? By whom?

This opinion pcs appears false in it's foundation, thinking its somehow comparing '2 sports cars' - 1 against the other. The original post is built on a foundation of sand.
Its always been everyone's right to not live in reality here in the USA. Thats more prevalent in todays world, than EVER before, & largely just ~5+yrs ago. Don't have to look very far on social media to find someone who can justify how 2+2=5, nowdays.
Want to compare these 2 cars? Do it apples to apples, or else, expect very few real enthusiasts to take your dissertations & opinions seriously.

We'd like to tell you our own opinions of the Corvette, but our last 2 attempts to speak about this GM vehicle, were scrubbed from this forum. Qwiker than highly classified info, on a gamer site.

Like any opinion pcs, when your attempting to project some form of a twist truth upon others, the 'said truth' part, should be handled objectively
(in ours case the Vette opinions are erases from historical record of M6g, permanently). Btw. Does GM secretly sponsor this site?
Censorship is now rampant all over, especially in todays internet landscape of nonsense being twisted into something (thats clearly not true), but being portrayed as truth. So speaking truth about the Vette is just not possible nowdays.
This is most recently thanks to, by & large.. The Light swillers of the internet.

The Base GT500 is a worthy muscle car. Not even a question. Carroll & Phil Remington could not be very critical of the best recent street legal version of the Shelby, built to this date. Clearly, its Fords most recent (& best) attempt at a dominant force on wheels, possibly since the Boss 429 program, some 50+ yrs ago... thats a long time. The Bosses impact wasn't even seen fir over a decade after manufacturing. So its lost upon Almost everyone who thinks they know motorsports history.

Most believe the Boss was a Nascar program. Perhaps at birth. It was 'Far Far' more successful in many other motorsport endeavors, including boat racing, truck pulling, & clearly NH & IHRA drag racing.

Ford wanted the Drag racers to run the Cammer in that conception era. Many things in life do not finish out, as they were originally intention'd to have, once ruminate upon, & thrust into action on the track or the road.

As both a fan of, & ametuer historian of the 5 decade old Shotgun mill, excluding the Base Mustang body platform itself. Nobody can dispute the Boss 9's legacy of 5 NHRA World Championships (in a row, mind you), & more than just as many in IHRA, if including the 'LOS' (line of site) port configuration, updated by pattern maker Tom Roberts in the mid 1990s. Which GM enthusiastscopied, & called it the Sonny Leonard eng design. IHRA demanded, at the 1st event debut, that More Money Sonny must at least change the sculpted features of the Boss copied valve covers, so the Chevrolet named eng, didn't look exactly like the Ford it so flatter'ly mirrored itself after.

The racing accolades of the Boss 429 deeply in bedded in historical record, leaving it more significant than perhaps almost any other 2yr program in Fords history.... at least until ~50 yrs later, when the Base GT500,
(& big bro CFTP sibling were built)
[both cars rather impressive for the cost]
is even offered in an age of outright 'tamping down', upon the use of gasoline powered vehicles. Both on public roadways, & very very soon, on our racetracks, if 'they' get their way...

Ok then. What can 'it' (GT500 Base) do, & what are 'its' skill levels as a 2020+ era MuscleCar?

Well boys & girls.
Lets ask a few of the importance questions.
Can it;

Steer? ✅️
Corner? ✅️✅️
Stop? ✅️ ✅️ ✅️
Accelerate? ✅️ ✅️ ✅️ ✅️
Shift like? ✅️ ✅️ ✅️✅️ ✅️
Be 2.25 tons afun? ✅️ ✅️ ✅️✅️ ✅️ ✅️✅️

Is the Base GT500 in same category as a Vette? Full on ... nope ...
(thankfully - it is not. They are not in the ssme class at all)

Stop comparin Shelby's to a Vette.
Its competitors are the Mopa Challenger
& the GM Camaro. ZL1 Camaro - not Vette.
The all mighty Alpha chassis is the Shelby's competitor. Or harkin bk to the '14/'15 Z28, if that helps you feel more grounded in low production vehicle comparisons.

If you ask several here on this forum,
[a Mustang forum, jit a vette forum]
they will likely want to convince you that the M1 is a real competitor to the Base 500, in their minds. (It is not so btw, for those of you who are passin thru time, on a comet)
Thus, the M1 mindset vs the Shelby, shows us all, just how everyone is entitled to dream.

Go buy a Camaro & compare it to the Base.
Buy a loaded ZL1 & compare it to the CFTP.

Or not. Just don't expect to much from a front eng, RWD, 4 seat Muscle Car.
Anyone would take ownership of a late 1960s Shelby GT500 today, could not possibly argue how much better the latest muscle car version from Ford is, & how the engineers literally nailed it for most buyers in this market niche.

Please continue with your regularly scheduled Corvette lover - programing.

Wow, what a write up. I agree with most of that. However a base C8 corvette and the GT500 are actually quite close, in both price and performance on track. I agree with you though the Z06 is in a whole other level.

 

[308 Cal. Bullitt]

IMO I don't feel the GT500 is as much of a "track" car as the GT350 is. I see it more of a touring/road car. Not to say it doesn't do well on a track, but I think its not its specialty.

Cut the nonsense. The 350 is either qwicker or slower, around most race track. If a Base 500 stomps the 350 at the track, & is also looked at as a "great touring/road car", as you say, than it is even more amazing.
Being the victor in both venues begs the question. What are you really comparing in these 2 cars?
&, apre we even living in reality any longer in 2023?

Lets cut to the chase. If it (500) will outrun a GT350 on a track, (aka most tracks) than the 500 is (in reality) the better track car than the 350, yes? Not a difficult question. Yes or no? Even w/its 2.25 tons of mass, & all.

Problem today seems to be, that many people choose not to live in reality any longer.

Up is Down.
Black is white.
2+2=5
(If I say anything thats closer to reality than written above, your deleted immediately here on 6g, so you all must use your own mind to look at this new 'reality' of
*slower is faster* now.

If a 1970 B/Blk Cuda could out run a 1970 Corvette B/Blk, on either one , or a serious of varied tracks, & tests.
(this is rather doubtful btw, but leading to a clear point)
Then IS, or IS NOT.... the Cuda a better track car? If it wins typical competitive tests? Forget which car has 'blah blah blah' nonsense, somehow qualifying it to be extra special in 2023... thus the 'real racecar' is slower, but faster in our minds. So its the winner now.

Which ever is qwiker/faster when comparing them against ea other.... is no longer the best performance between the 2 vehicles?

Playing games with words & saying how slower cars are better track cars, is only relevant when your a loser on track. One who choses to lose in competitive racing or equivalent events, & then cry foul to the victor, because its (too 'something'- in our own mind?)

The entire point of competition, is to end the argument of that moment, as to who is the best on that day, on that track, in the conditions completed in. Sun, rain, snow, wind, are all just variables that are not controlled easily by man. So yes, perhaps on snow, the GT350 is a better track car than the 500. Ok. Now what?

Do you not all see these same delusional arguments being played out on TikTok, Instagram, Fakebook, & every other social media platform out there today? & now we must include this nonsense in car culture?. Where its actually quite easy to call out the reality of real results. Track competition results are not typically opinion based. Thats the entire point of on track competition.

We now live in an era where the losers (of racing) are convinced they are the real winners...?? & that the stop watch, or the 1st one to the checkered flag, is somehow no longer relevant? Or the best that day? Because our opinions of 1 of the 2 competing vehicles, is now inserted into, & represented as fact based talking points...??

Seriously, I must ask. Is the majority of you out here, actually living in this fantasy of delusion on everything in your life?? Or just as it relates to vehicles?

Having built a lot of racecars -for alot of people, & alot of them having been world champions, in there own sphere of racing. So many so, that I literally could not possibly recount all of them. Even with days of thinking & going bk into historical record.

- & with that said....

No world champion I ever knew vaguely or well, - or participated in the construction of their race vehicle. Non of them ever wanted us, or anyone of there preferred vendors, to supply them with anything, on purpose, thats an overall slower racecar
(for there style racing),
to then be able to say that when they lose, they can still proudly be happy to report that they had the
'Most realistic VERSION of a competitive car', which lost today.
A car that only which makes them a champion inside their mind, regardless of the points standings at the end of the race season. No real racer can stand to lose. None of them Ive ever built for. They must go to great lengths to conceal the emotions and frustration of not Winning, when they truly are, a winner. The best can hide these emotions very well. A fewer % cannot.

Nobody ever claimed to be the champion, who wasn't the pilot of qwikest/fastest Vehicle they could amass, & crawl inside of, on the race track that day. They want the very qwikest/fastest car ea outing, when possible, allowing only driving skills to be the final detetmining factor in helping them to win a competitive championship. Hoping for the best performing car they could put together, within the limits of there own program, often influenced by finances.

Perhaps there is a track short enough- twisty enough- slow enough, to say the 350 is a better race car than the 500.
Certainly no drag strip on earth. Perhaps a lower gravity planet is what we need now, to prove this ridiculous logic, when on a straight line track?
Im sure the imaginative enthusiasts can find this imaginary track of the 350 conquering the 500.
Probably resides in some bizzaro comic strip world near the imaginary 'Fortress of Solitude Motor-Speedway'.
The facility thats been constructed in the minds of GT350 & M1 owners, after crowd funding this fantastic imaginary race complex into a reality only they can visualize.
Go to this track, every M1 & 350 owner, with your cars. Feel as though ea participant is a real champion, via mental gymnastics - melding the slowness, w/auto racing competition.

Just don't try to conjuup this notion that the car that is the hands down qwiker machine, is also, just a touring car, & not a track car. If the loser of the 2 is the real race car between them, than what is the winner car exactly?

This nonsense is what got us in this mess we are in as a nation today. Please. Please, leave our cars out of the last stronghold we have in modern culture. Lets not indoctrinated are hobby/sport/living, into this nonsense of what we see everywhere else, today. We already see it everything else we read or participate in. Its everywhere. Just leave cars out of the cultural nonsense we are forced to accept, (or be CANCELED immediately), because of our un-agreeing opinions.

This site has canceled a few of us, via censorship, more than a few times already, over this nonsense. You cannot even use humor any longer to discuss these point here. We used to just inject a little humor in topics. Nope. Deleted!!@!!
I cannot even imagine what people will be ruminating upon by the yr 2030 in car culture world.
Whos tire grooves are the most poetic?

Sometimes we just have to accept that the King is the King. & the Queen is the Queen.

 

[Jstang23]

Cut the nonsense. The 350 is either qwicker or slower, around most race track. If a Base 500 stomps the 350 at the track, & is also looked at as a "great touring/road car", as you say, than it is even more amazing.
Being the victor in both venues begs the question. What are you really comparing in these 2 cars?
&, apre we even living in reality any longer in 2023?

Lets cut to the chase. If it (500) will outrun a GT350 on a track, (aka most tracks) than the 500 is (in reality) the better track car than the 350, yes? Not a difficult question. Yes or no? Even w/its 2.25 tons of mass, & all.

Problem today seems to be, that many people choose not to live in reality any longer.

Up is Down.
Black is white.
2+2=5
(If I say anything thats closer to reality than written above, your deleted immediately here on 6g, so you all must use your own mind to look at this new 'reality' of
*slower is faster* now.

If a 1970 B/Blk Cuda could out run a 1970 Corvette B/Blk, on either one , or a serious of varied tracks, & tests.
(this is rather doubtful btw, but leading to a clear point)
Then IS, or IS NOT.... the Cuda a better track car? If it wins typical competitive tests? Forget which car has 'blah blah blah' nonsense, somehow qualifying it to be extra special in 2023... thus the 'real racecar' is slower, but faster in our minds. So its the winner now.

Which ever is qwiker/faster when comparing them against ea other.... is no longer the best performance between the 2 vehicles?

Playing games with words & saying how slower cars are better track cars, is only relevant when your a loser on track. One who choses to lose in competitive racing or equivalent events, & then cry foul to the victor, because its (too 'something'- in our own mind?)

The entire point of competition, is to end the argument of that moment, as to who is the best on that day, on that track, in the conditions completed in. Sun, rain, snow, wind, are all just variables that are not controlled easily by man. So yes, perhaps on snow, the GT350 is a better track car than the 500. Ok. Now what?

Do you not all see these same delusional arguments being played out on TikTok, Instagram, Fakebook, & every other social media platform out there today? & now we must include this nonsense in car culture?. Where its actually quite easy to call out the reality of real results. Track competition results are not typically opinion based. Thats the entire point of on track competition.

We now live in an era where the losers (of racing) are convinced they are the real winners...?? & that the stop watch, or the 1st one to the checkered flag, is somehow no longer relevant? Or the best that day? Because our opinions of 1 of the 2 competing vehicles, is now inserted into, & represented as fact based talking points...??

Seriously, I must ask. Is the majority of you out here, actually living in this fantasy of delusion on everything in your life?? Or just as it relates to vehicles?

Having built a lot of racecars -for alot of people, & alot of them having been world champions, in there own sphere of racing. So many so, that I literally could not possibly recount all of them. Even with days of thinking & going bk into historical record.

- & with that said....

No world champion I ever knew vaguely or well, - or participated in the construction of their race vehicle. Non of them ever wanted us, or anyone of there preferred vendors, to supply them with anything, on purpose, thats an overall slower racecar
(for there style racing),
to then be able to say that when they lose, they can still proudly be happy to report that they had the
'Most realistic VERSION of a competitive car', which lost today.
A car that only which makes them a champion inside their mind, regardless of the points standings at the end of the race season. No real racer can stand to lose. None of them Ive ever built for. They must go to great lengths to conceal the emotions and frustration of not Winning, when they truly are, a winner. The best can hide these emotions very well. A fewer % cannot.

Nobody ever claimed to be the champion, who wasn't the pilot of qwikest/fastest Vehicle they could amass, & crawl inside of, on the race track that day. They want the very qwikest/fastest car ea outing, when possible, allowing only driving skills to be the final detetmining factor in helping them to win a competitive championship. Hoping for the best performing car they could put together, within the limits of there own program, often influenced by finances.

Perhaps there is a track short enough- twisty enough- slow enough, to say the 350 is a better race car than the 500.
Certainly no drag strip on earth. Perhaps a lower gravity planet is what we need now, to prove this ridiculous logic, when on a straight line track?
Im sure the imaginative enthusiasts can find this imaginary track of the 350 conquering the 500.
Probably resides in some bizzaro comic strip world near the imaginary 'Fortress of Solitude Motor-Speedway'.
The facility thats been constructed in the minds of GT350 & M1 owners, after crowd funding this fantastic imaginary race complex into a reality only they can visualize.
Go to this track, every M1 & 350 owner, with your cars. Feel as though ea participant is a real champion, via mental gymnastics - melding the slowness, w/auto racing competition.

Just don't try to conjuup this notion that the car that is the hands down qwiker machine, is also, just a touring car, & not a track car. If the loser of the 2 is the real race car between them, than what is the winner car exactly?

This nonsense is what got us in this mess we are in as a nation today. Please. Please, leave our cars out of the last stronghold we have in modern culture. Lets not indoctrinated are hobby/sport/living, into this nonsense of what we see everywhere else, today. We already see it everything else we read or participate in. Its everywhere. Just leave cars out of the cultural nonsense we are forced to accept, (or be CANCELED immediately), because of our un-agreeing opinions.

This site has canceled a few of us, via censorship, more than a few times already, over this nonsense. You cannot even use humor any longer to discuss these point here. We used to just inject a little humor in topics. Nope. Deleted!!@!!
I cannot even imagine what people will be ruminating upon by the yr 2030 in car culture world.
Whos tire grooves are the most poetic?

Sometimes we just have to accept that the King is the King. & the Queen is the Queen.

Honestly you argument sounds a little biased, but some of your information is true. You also have to keep in mind that tracking a car is more than just the cars ability, it's also the drivers ease to drive the car fast. If you take a fast driver in a 350 and a beginner driver in a 500 the 350 will win every time no matter the track. A 350 is also easier to learn how to drive fast as its NA and less power. The 500 is an extremely powerful car and honestly with the tires it comes with is very hard to drive on track fast. Sure you'll be going fast, but most people won't approach the cars full potential on a track. This is why some members of this forum consider the 350 a better track car. You can get in a 350 and after 1-2 HPDEs be pretty comfortable and begin to push the limits of the 350, this won't happen in a 500.

 

[Cobra99]

Honestly you argument sounds a little biased, but some of your information is true. You also have to keep in mind that tracking a car is more than just the cars ability, it's also the drivers ease to drive the car fast. If you take a fast driver in a 350 and a beginner driver in a 500 the 350 will win every time no matter the track. A 350 is also easier to learn how to drive fast as its NA and less power. The 500 is an extremely powerful car and honestly with the tires it comes with is very hard to drive on track fast. Sure you'll be going fast, but most people won't approach the cars full potential on a track. This is why some members of this forum consider the 350 a better track car. You can get in a 350 and after 1-2 HPDEs be pretty comfortable and begin to push the limits of the 350, this won't happen in a 500.

Nope you're logic is flawed. So your saying an experienced driver is faster in a 350 than an inexperienced driver in a 500...Well Duh. Then you double down and say you can reach the limits easier in the 350 and the limits are higher in the 500 so it's a better track car. What? You just made the point that the 500 is a better track car if the driver has the skills. If you don't then the 350 is better suited for a lesser driver by your own admission.

So the 350 is a better car if your skills aren't, but don't say it's the better track car because of your lacking skills.

 

[webspoke]

I tracked my gt350(non R) for 2yrs - it needed springs and swaybars (I used bmr) to get rid of the float and flop, and good 200tw track tires.

I found the base gt500 very similar, with more oversteer on corner entry - the front end is very eager to dive into corners, and the rear gets loose. A few small mods will help a lot.

I've tested many combinations to fix it over the last year - steeda springs and dsc controller will solve most of it. BMR and even CFTP feel soft. Keep the stock swaybars.

I tried different bars, but with the base spoiler+gurney, anything bigger than the base 24mm rear swaybar is too much. The steeda 19mm competition rear bar is too soft, the car will feel safe but is slow. 25mm rear bars are a handful.

When you add a wing, you can increase rear bar size and get a bit more speed out of the car mid corner, with the wing planting you on entry.

My goal was to make the car handle as well as my 350, it is now faster in all the corners than my 350 was. Still heavy and thirsty, but a great drivers car.

 

[JT1]

I was just at Watkins Glen with my base this week for two days. I previously owned a GT350 and had it at Watkins Glen too. I am not a great driver on road courses, but I am getting better, and I feel like the 350 was nimbler around the track but the 500 is a better car at this track. Its power makes it a much faster car on a big track like Watkins Glen. I have had both cars at Gingerman raceway in Michigan which is a smaller track and has a good combination of technical areas and straights, I will take the 500 there as well. I am running the PS4's with the front end set at the track alignment.

I'd love to take a GT500 up through "esses", how fast were going you before braking for the bus stop?

 

[Evolvd]

Man this post got boring real quick.

 

[navbtcret]

I'd love to take a GT500 up through "esses", how fast were going you before braking for the bus stop?

I was in the 145-150 mph range if I had a clear track. I was braking at the 500 foot marker. You can carry some decent speed through the bus stop too. I am still fairly new to tracking cars, been a drag racer all my life, but someone with more experience could probably be close to 160 or a touch more. Maybe next year when I hit the Glen again.

 

[Jstang23]

Nope you're logic is flawed. So your saying an experienced driver is faster in a 350 than an inexperienced driver in a 500...Well Duh. Then you double down and say you can reach the limits easier in the 350 and the limits are higher in the 500 so it's a better track car. What? You just made the point that the 500 is a better track car if the driver has the skills. If you don't then the 350 is better suited for a lesser driver by your own admission.

So the 350 is a better car if your skills aren't, but don't say it's the better track car because of your lacking skills.

Nope you don't understand what I'm saying.

If it takes nearly a professional driver to reach the limits of a car then it is not the better track car. It may be the faster track car, but not better. My definition of a better track car is one that is easy to control, can perform well time and time again, does not need to refuel every 15 minutes, can take a lot of abuse, and just about anyone who can drive a manual can get in a perform well by the end of the day.

Take the Miata for example, 99% of everyone who tracks cars will agree with me here, the miata is one of the best track cars ever made. Its stupid cheap, easy to learn on, handles beautifully, lightweight, and most importantly with a few mods and some basic driver training you can go out and beat a lot of the cars on track. But by no means is it the fastest track car ever made... you see my point.

The GT500 is faster on track if you have someone who knows how to put 760 hp down to the ground on a track. But I will stand by my word that the GT350 is the better track car as for most people, who don't have 760 hp experience, and will be able to use all of its 500+ hp and seriously put down some fast times, while not spinning, crashing, or filling up with gas every session.

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