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cerv14

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The Build Thread:

Hey Guys - I wanted to start a build thread to not only give others inspiration (as some have for me) but also to keep a timeline throughout the life of this "Pumpkin". Still haven't come up with a name for her yet...

A little about myself -- My name is Chris and I work in the Marketing Dept. at CJ Pony Parts - this is my personal 6G account and build thread. Anyways, I've been a Mustang fanatic all of my life and this is my 4th Mustang. I've owned a 2006 V6, 2004 GT, 2011 GT and now this 2015 EcoBoost. After owning a Coyote and seeing what they're capable of, I wanted to tap into the EcoBoost market as it's new, ever-growing and a drivetrain I'm really excited to learn more about! Not to mention, with all the driving I do between PA, MD and VA, it was definitely the more practical choice.

2015 Mustang EcoBoost
Premium, 201A, 6MT, Performance Package
Competition Orange

Current Modifications:

Engine/Trans:
- Steeda Tri-Ax Short Throw Shifter (CJPP)
- Barton Industries Black Reverse Lock Out Adapter (CJPP)

Exhaust:
- Roush Axle-Back Quad Tip Exhaust Stainless Steel (CJPP)

Suspension:
- Steeda IRS Subframe Bushing Support System (CJPP)
- Set of Four CJ Pony Parts Lowering Springs (CJPP)
- Steeda Front Sway Bar (CJPP)

Wheels:
- Summer Setup - Factory GT Performance Pack Wheels w/ Hankook Ventus V12 evo2's
- Winter Setup - 11-14 Track Package Wheels w/ P-Zero Nero & X-Ice Tires

Lighting:
- LED Map Light, Glove Box Light and Trunk Light Conversion Kit (CJPP)
- LED Reverse Light Bulb (CJPP)
- LED Switchback Turn Signal With Side Marker Cool White Front Kit (CJPP)
- LED Side Marker Light Smoked Rear Pair 2015-2016 (CJPP)

Exterior:
- Black Roush Spoiler (CJPP)
- Anchor Room Full Car Vinyl Light Tint Kit (CJPP)
- Shelby GT350/GT350R Rear Valence
- Factory GT Upper/Lower Grille
- Custom RTR Style Stripes from 13-Three Motorsports
- 35% Window Tint (All Around)
- GT Performance Package Chin Spoiler with Steeda Front Splitter Kit (CJPP)


Future Planned Modifications:
- A host of Steeda Suspension Mods :)
- And much, much more!

If you have any questions, comments or suggestions feel free to reply below. Would love to hear what others think!

Update (3/15/2016):
I had to take down my original build thread due to the fact I was taking my car in for a warranty claim on my motor in late January. Long story short, I dropped a ceramic in one of the spark plugs and it eventually led to two burnt valves and more importantly, a bent rod, thus seizing the motor. After keeping the car for two weeks going back and forth with Ford, the dealer notified me that Ford had decided that they will not cover the claim due to the fact there was an aftermarket tune installed on the car -- Yes, the Accessport was uninstalled/umarried. They will know regardless, even down to how many key cycles you had on with the tune installed.

So, I ended up having Ford put a new motor in out of pocket in an effort to keep the factory warranties intact and resale value down the road. Had I wanted to build up this car and make a high horsepower build, I would have picked up a built shortblock and gone from there... but that was never my intention, so I will be keeping the engine factory stock from now on.

Current Photo --



Here's a quick shot of my 2011 GT shortly before it went back to stock to trade in:



Stock Photos --



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cerv14

cerv14

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COBB CAI, Accessport V3 and Mishimoto Catted DP (No Longer On Car)

Note:
These parts are no longer on the car since the motor work in Feburary 2016. They're dated October-November 2015. However, I wanted to post these up for anyone who would like to reference them. :thumbsup:

Post [MENTION=9466]COBB Tuning[/MENTION] Cold Air Intake --

CJ Installation Video:
[ame]







___________________________

Post [MENTION=9466]COBB Tuning[/MENTION] Accessport V3 --
2,300 miles on the clock - Engine is now broken in, so it's time to pick up [MENTION=9466]COBB Tuning[/MENTION] Accessport V3! I installed their 93 Stage 1 tune on Friday evening with the impending AutoX events coming up over the weekend.

Initial impressions - Wow! Throttle response is definitely heightened and takes a bit getting used to, but I love the immediate response when you hit the gas pedal. Combined with the Cold Air Intake, the V3 really opened up the top of the powerband. It pulls hard all the way to redline, whereas before it dropped off after about 5,500 RPM.

I've been learning about this as I go along, so to answer some of the typical questions that I've been seeing about the custom features of the Accessport V3 with the included 93 Stage 1 tune -

- Launch Control (LC): In order for this to work, you need to have the car in Track Mode along with both Traction Control and AdvanceTrac off. The car needs to be in Neutral, 1st gear or 2nd gear with clutch down and gas pedal floored - it will cut fuel at 2,750 RPM. Made about 5 PSI of boost that way. If you hold the "- Set" button on the Cruise Control panel while you floor the gas pedal, then it will cut throttle if you want to use the feature without creating boost.

- Flat Foot Shifting (FFS): I only tried this feature in Track Mode with both Traction Control and Advance Trac off. But after glancing down at the RPM gauge, this feature had the RPM set around 5,200 when quick shifting while holding the gas pedal to the floor. Definitely felt a difference using FFS as well!

Those are my initial thoughts. Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong on the custom features - I'm learning as I go along with the new platform and loving every minute of it!

I also plan to mount this somewhere in my car. I'll post up pictures one I decide on a mount!

___________________________

Post [MENTION=9961]Mishimoto[/MENTION] Catted Downpipe --
First off, the fit and finish of this Mishimoto downpipe is stellar. 304 Stainless Steel, the welds are clean and the clamps are quality. The fact it comes with the option of running 3" or with a reducer down to 2-1/4" really allows it to be used with a wide variety of aftermarket (or stock) exhaust systems.

I will note that I'm currently running the COBB Tuning Stage 1 OTS tune on my car and have zero issues in terms of tripping any CELs with the catted DP. I do plan on picking up a custom tune soon to make sure that everything is in spec.

In terms of smell, you can rarely tell the difference between the stock cat and this one unless you get off the gas after a hard pull. And it may be placebo but it does seem to pull a bit harder at the top of the power band. All in all, I'm very pleased with this modification and it will definitely compliment whatever catback I throw on the car. :headbang:

Post Downpipe Install Photos:











CJ Installation Video:
[ame]


___________________________

Well, I've had the Mishimoto High-Flow Catted Downpipe on the car for about 3 weeks now. Through all kinds of driving, everything seemed to be going well for the most part. I've had a custom tune in the plans once I get an intercooler on the car, but after this weekend it may be coming sooner.

I've been running this downpipe with the OTS 93 Stage 1 Tune that comes with the Cobb Accessport V3. Not excited to say that the car tripped a lean code (P0420) as I was on my way down to central Virginia this past weekend. I cleared it and everything was fine, but it did come on again before I got back to PA.

This is typical of an off-road or high-flow catted downpipe, so it's not an immediate concern. But, I will be getting a custom tune sooner rather than later.


 
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cerv14

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Filling License Plate Holes (November 2015)

So I bought the car in MD which means it had the hideous front plate that we all can't stand. I had the same issue on my '11 and just ignored the holes. This time around, I wanted to do something about it. At this point, it was a little out of my budget to pick up a new bumper or have it professionally filled and repainted for ~$400-500.

So, after doing some searching online, I cam across this forum post on a BMW Forum --
http://www.m3post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=584852

Photos --



Used a plastic puddy knife to spread it around:




I lightly sanded with 320 grit paper, and followed up with 1000 grit:



Final Product after touch-up paint:


 
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cerv14

cerv14

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SCCA SUSQ Autocross Event (Fall 2015)

Took the car up to an SCCA AutoX event this weekend in Hershey, PA. First off, this car handles 10x better than my '11 GT ever did. That includes with lowering springs, lower control arms, relocation brackets, shocks/struts, etc. With that said - AutoX was an absolute blast this weekend.

With the current modifications on my car, I was at a crossroads. By putting on an aftermarket cold air intake, I was kicked out of my initial (and fair) class of F-Street (FS) and into Street Touring Ultra (STU). So, I went from racing other Mustangs and BMW 1, 2 and 3 series to racing in classes that hold prepped 350Zs and Corvette C5's. So, I really focused on racing myself and learning the car more than anything else.

Out on the track, it was actually really hard to get the car sideways. Yes, it was actually that planted. The only thing that I felt was lacking was straight-line acceleration, which can be expected from a four cylinder. Hopefully a couple more mods and a more aggressive tune will take care of that issue. Conditions were mostly dry for both days - so the accelerometer read some pretty good numbers for both stock suspension and wheels/tires!

Saturday Best Run Video/Accelerometer:
[ame]

Sunday Best Run Video/Accelerometer:
[ame]

One other thing that needs attention is wheel hop. Obviously not a big deal for AutoX, but I plan on picking up some Steeda parts to get rid of the excessive wheel hop that's extremely noticeable in the beginning of both videos.

Happy to say that on Sunday I was within 7/10th's of a second of getting a trophy. Really getting the hang of this car and hopefully taking it out again for another event this weekend before the weather gets too cold.

A few photos:





 
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cerv14

cerv14

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Black Roush Spoiler & Steeda Tri-Ax Short Throw Shifter

-- Black Roush Spoiler --

Found an opportunity to pick up a Black Roush Spoiler and couldn't pass it up. I have always been a fan of the wingless look on the 2015 PP cars, but I think the black on orange look of this spoiler definitely makes it more aggressive. Thoughts?

Post Roush Spoiler Install Photos:





CJ Installation Video:
[ame]

-- Steeda Tri-Ax Short Throw Shifter --
As for the Steeda Short Shifter - I'll be honest. It was a bit of a pain to install. Granted, for the price it is an excellent item. The plus side is that the driveshaft and exhaust did NOT need to be removed for installation, however, having both out of the way would have made things a lot quicker.

The throws were reduced ~20% and it's a great way to shorten the throws without spending the big bucks on a Barton or MGW setup. I eventually am looking to tie this with a Blowfish Bracket and really put some more confidence behind each shift.



CJ Installation Video:
[ame]
 
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Custom Gloss Black RTR Stripes & Roof (January 2016)

Really happy with the way the car came out thanks to Rich at 13-Three Motorsports!





 
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cerv14

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Smoked LED Side Markers & GT Upper/Lower Grilles

Smoked LED Side Markers --
Installation literally took me about 5 minutes for these side markers. It's always the little things that make the most difference! :cool:




GT Upper/Lower Grilles --
Wasn't too difficult to install these either, but it did take some patience and help (as you can see). The only tip I have is to start on one side and work your way over. The corners are the hardest. As you can see, it's always good to have a couple extra hands to help getting those plastic hooks loose.




 

ied0135

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Great work on everything man. Looks great. I might have to do the same to my front bumper for the plate holes.
 
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CJ Pony Parts Lowering Springs - 1" Square Drop on EB Mustangs

Well, I finally got springs on the car... and man I wish I did it sooner. Unlike my '11 GT on linear lowering springs all around, the S550 takes to lowering springs a lot better. The stock ride is harsh and bouncy, especially with Performance Pack cars. The best way to describe it is that these CJPP springs seem to level the shocks/struts out for a much smoother ride.

For these springs, I decided to hedge my bets and see how close I could get the alignment without camber bolts or CC plates. Granted, this kind of thing can change from car to car (and many have gotten them within OE specs without either bolts or plates); I was able to get the rear end in spec at -1.2 degrees of camber, but had to settle with -1.7 up front. This is great for handling, but not so great for tire wear. Luckily, the shop was able to adjust the toe to aid in premature tire wear.

So, with that said... I can't wait to get this thing on the AutoX course... and eventually Summit Point this summer! It's going to be a completely different animal than my '11.


This picture was taken immediately after installing them. I'll have to get some more pictures once it gets a bit nicer outside.


CJ Installation Video:
[ame]
 
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I can feel the warm weather now...

Summers are on and good to go. Can't wait to get this beast on the AutoX course next weekend :)

 
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Roush Quad-Tip Axle-Back Retrofitted to GT350 Rear Valence

So for anyone who is wondering... the answer is NO, The Roush Quad-Tip Axle-Back will NOT fit the GT350 Rear Valence without modification.

The Roush tips are too deep to use with the built in valence tips and are towards the center about 2" on either side. The distance between the tips center to center is about a 1/2" smaller than the FRPP Quad-Tips as well.

I love the look of the GT350 valence, so that's why I decided to give it a shot. After much contemplation, I decided to have a local performance shop fab this up to fit properly. I like the idea of being able to remove the center plate to open up the exhaust note, or keep it near stock volume for regular daily driving.


Lining things up off the bat:






After getting everything fitted correctly:

I had the back of the mufflers and tips painted black to they blend in better with the valence.









Final Product:
 

mykrrrr

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Your autocross runs looks good. That course was nice and long.

Car looks pretty killer man.
 
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Your autocross runs looks good. That course was nice and long.

Car looks pretty killer man.

Thanks! I can't wait to get it out there again after the springs. I'll be sure to post up runs when I do.


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