Need to buy some upgrades, but what to get?

[ARDrummond25]

Okay so here’s my situation. I get to the track about every 6 weeks and in between drive on my sim several times a week (ie. more seat time is not an option)

my car is a 2017 GT350 w Vorschlag camber/caster plates tuned to about 2.7 degrees of negative camber. 8.6 degrees of caster. I have 350R spec wheels and run Cup 2s on them. Pagid endurance brake pads just went on to replace the OEM pads
Other than that, car is stock.

I’m patiently waiting until my wife / chip shortage allow me to get another track worthy car. Currently thinking about something that will provide a totally different experience v the GT350 given I’ll be keeping the Shelby and would love the option. Leaning toward a C8 (middle engine, flappy paddles) but waiting lists are long and I may hold out for a Z06 which means several years of patience. 718 with a PDK is also interesting.

in the meantime, I need to do some more stuff to my Shelby to make it a little faster. The car is still a road car and my wife drives it several times a week, so I can’t totally ruin the street drivability. The question is, what’s worth doing?

ive considered coil overs but have street drivability concerns, bushing, bearing and IRS bracing kits but worry it just won’t accomplish much in terms of perceptible lap time improvement. Carbon ceramic brakes to reduce rotating and unsprung mass but it’s expensive AF. Better tires if they are street legal but I’m not convinced there’s a better option than Cup 2s.

only other context would be that this year I exclusively ran at Laguna Seca and in the last 18 months my times improved from 1:47.5 to 1:42.5. Randy Pobst puts down 1:37 in a bone stock GT350 so my times are decent but certainly nothing world beating.

any advice that would make me faster is appreciated.

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[shogun32]

• IRS bracing and bushing replacement.
• DSC controller for Magneride.
• more front camber
• Pirelli DH slicks - I mean you do have 2+ set of wheels right?
• more front camber
• Goodyear Supercar 3/3R tires
• more front camber
• Dual-rate springs for MR

If you really want to go coilover then don't spend any less than $5000. But I would get with @TeeLew and wade into damping maps via the DSC first.

Brake cooling may apply. I've sketched out bigger deflectors and can get some made for $50/pair.

 

[pilotgore]

Okay so here’s my situation. I get to the track about every 6 weeks and in between drive on my sim several times a week (ie. more seat time is not an option)

my car is a 2017 GT350 w Vorschlag camber/caster plates tuned to about 2.7 degrees of negative camber. 8.6 degrees of caster. I have 350R spec wheels and run Cup 2s on them. Pagid endurance brake pads just went on to replace the OEM pads
Other than that, car is stock.

I’m patiently waiting until my wife / chip shortage allow me to get another track worthy car. Currently thinking about something that will provide a totally different experience v the GT350 given I’ll be keeping the Shelby and would love the option. Leaning toward a C8 (middle engine, flappy paddles) but waiting lists are long and I may hold out for a Z06 which means several years of patience. 718 with a PDK is also interesting.

in the meantime, I need to do some more stuff to my Shelby to make it a little faster. The car is still a road car and my wife drives it several times a week, so I can’t totally ruin the street drivability. The question is, what’s worth doing?

ive considered coil overs but have street drivability concerns, bushing, bearing and IRS bracing kits but worry it just won’t accomplish much in terms of perceptible lap time improvement. Carbon ceramic brakes to reduce rotating and unsprung mass but it’s expensive AF. Better tires if they are street legal but I’m not convinced there’s a better option than Cup 2s.

only other context would be that this year I exclusively ran at Laguna Seca and in the last 18 months my times improved from 1:47.5 to 1:42.5. Randy Pobst puts down 1:37 in a bone stock GT350 so my times are decent but certainly nothing world beating.

any advice that would make me faster is appreciated.

I recommend the ford performance springs and sway bars which will greatly reduce body roll, but won’t greatly effect streetability.

An autoblip (or similar product) can save you some 10’ths if you’re not amazing at heel toe.

Get a camber bolt so you can bump the negative camber up to -3 or more (depending on what your pyrometer says, but usually -3 or a hair over is the sweet spot.)

The z51 Z8 is shit compared to the 350 on track. Ive spent a significant amount of time driving/instructing in that car and believe me, it’s not comparable to the 350…. The c8 z06 on the other hand is going to be BANANAS.

I’ve spent time in the 718, and although it’s a great car, I don’t think it’s worth the price (personal opinion.). The 718 club sport…. That’s another story, but still overpriced in my opinion.

The zl1 1LE is a track monster for the price. Also, I’m partial to the c7 z06 or zr1.

Best of luck!

 

[ARDrummond25]

• IRS bracing and bushing replacement.
• DSC controller for Magneride.
• more front camber
• Pirelli DH slicks - I mean you do have 2+ set of wheels right?
• more front camber
• Goodyear Supercar 3R tires
• more front camber
• Dual-rate springs for MR

If you really want to go coilover then don't spend any less than $5000. But I would get with @TeeLew and wade into damping maps via the DSC first.

For the IRS, I’d scoped out the BMR kits. You like those? If not, what do you like better?

what is the DSC controller? Forgive me for having no idea what that is.

are the Goodyear 3R street legal? I’ll look into them. Who sells them?

Any dual rate spring recommendations?

in regard to coil overs, Cortex’s JRI setups seem well reviewed but I’m concerned that I’ll spend a lot of money and make my car less drivable around town for my wife and slower on the track due to poor amateur tuning ideas from myself.

on the camber, not sure how much farther I can go and also judging from tire wear, I’m using all the rubber. How far were you thinking I should take it?

 

[ARDrummond25]

I recommend the ford performance springs and sway bars which will greatly reduce body roll, but won’t greatly effect streetability.

An autoblip (or similar product) can save you some 10’ths if you’re not amazing at heel toe.

Get a camber bolt so you can bump the negative camber up to -3 or more (depending on what your pyrometer says, but usually -3 or a hair over is the sweet spot.)

The z51 Z8 is shit compared to the 350 on track. Ive spent a significant amount of time driving/instructing in that car and believe me, it’s not comparable to the 350…. The c8 z06 on the other hand is going to be BANANAS.

I’ve spent time in the 718, and although it’s a great car, I don’t think it’s worth the price (personal opinion.). The 718 club sport…. That’s another story, but still overpriced in my opinion.

The zl1 1LE is a track monster for the price. Also, I’m partial to the c7 z06 or zr1.

Best of luck!

on the sway bars, front and back or just one?

I wouldn’t say I’m amazing at heal toe, but I like doing it and want to keep it part of the experience in this car.

noted on camber. We’re 2/2 on that suggestion.

as for the C8, it does slightly better times at Laguna than the 350 which I find appealing because I can compare my performances in each car knowing they should be equal and if they aren’t that means I’m not as proficient in one type of car as the other. Gives me goals.

I would do the highest Spec 718 I could afford that still came with a PDK. I think that rules out the GT4 RS but nothing else. My wife forbids a Camaro. The C7 Z06 looks really fast but it would be too similar in terms of car type and driver experience to the 350. Not saying the same, but I want a TOTALLY different experience.

 

[pilotgore]

on the sway bars, front and back or just one?

I wouldn’t say I’m amazing at heal toe, but I like doing it and want to keep it part of the experience in this car.

noted on camber. We’re 2/2 on that suggestion.

as for the C8, it does slightly better times at Laguna than the 350 which I find appealing because I can compare my performances in each car knowing they should be equal and if they aren’t that means I’m not as proficient in one type of car as the other. Gives me goals.

I would do the highest Spec 718 I could afford that still came with a PDK. I think that rules out the GT4 RS but nothing else. My wife forbids a Camaro. The C7 Z06 looks really fast but it would be too similar in terms of car type and driver experience to the 350. Not saying the same, but I want a TOTALLY different experience.

Front/back sway bars and springs come as a kit, and it’s maybe $500 (totally worth it.)

I hear ya on the looks of the camero… not my cup of tea either. The Z06 feels better balanced than then 350 on track, and the times would certainly be faster, although I can’t really say the experience is really much different.

The 718 is a Porsche…. The experience is very surgical and precise where I view American muscle as more of a blunt force visceral type experience.

You could always do a Miata with an LS swap

 

[ARDrummond25]

Front/back sway bars and springs come as a kit, and it’s maybe $500 (totally worth it.)

I hear ya on the looks of the camera… not my cup of tea either. The Z06 feels better balanced than then 350 on track, and the times would certainly be faster, although I can’t really say the experience is really much different.

The 718 is a Porsche…. The experience is very surgical and precise where I view American muscle as more of a blunt force visceral type experience.

You could always do a Miata with an LS swap

Haha that’s a good one. I’ve thought about something like an Ariel Atom or a Superlite SLC which is basically that.

 

[shogun32]

but I want a TOTALLY different experience.

ariel atom 4s
http://www.superlitecars.com/slc

edit: damn it, we post the EXACT same thing at the same time. Are you my long-lost twin?

 

[tosha]

M2/M3/M4 maybe? There's also Lotus.

 

[shogun32]

For the IRS, I’d scoped out the BMR kits. You like those? If not, what do you like better?

I like both the Steeda IRS brace and the BMR 762. My EB had the Steeda, the GT the BMR

what is the DSC controller? Forgive me for having no idea what that is.

https://www.dscsport.com/dsc-controllers/

are the Goodyear 3R street legal? I’ll look into them. Who sells them?

technically yes. But I would advise against. It seems you are in desperate need of a 2nd/3rd set of wheels. Slap the 350R on when you drive down to Monterey and then jack up the car and put the street wheels+tires on when you get back to me casa.

 

[shogun32]

M2/M3/M4 maybe? There's also Lotus.

definitely Lotus. Not very expensive either relatively speaking.

 

[pilotgore]

ariel atom 4s
http://www.superlitecars.com/slc

edit: damn it, we post the EXACT same thing at the same time. Are you my long-lost twin?

Those are pretty badass for the price.

 

[ecoboost321]

I think you have a pretty good setup now since you are still doing a great deal of street driving. Your desire for a “totally different experience” to me sounds like a full race car is next logical step (no ABS, no Magneride, 6 point harness, fully caged and slicks, etc.) Other GT350 owners can chime in, but my experience with my 2007 911 turbo was once I went to coil overs and lowered the suspension and beyond, the car was unbearable on the street.

 

[ARDrummond25]

ariel atom 4s
http://www.superlitecars.com/slc

edit: damn it, we post the EXACT same thing at the same time. Are you my long-lost twin?

yes. Please put me in your will.

 

[ARDrummond25]

M2/M3/M4 maybe? There's also Lotus.

my practical issue with Lotus is I’m a big fat guy (6’1, 260lbs).

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