Personal best at Sebring

[PR3DAT0R]

Before I get on the track again I need transmission, differential and brake fluids replaced along with brake pads. Not sure I’ll have time before Wednesday night because we are babysitting two grand babies while their parents are out of town.

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[PR3DAT0R]

You got 934 wheel hp from just an intake?

No, I have the following;
JLT CAÍ, ported blower, throttle body, injectors, upper pulley, headers, mid pipe, no cats and tune on 100 octane fuel.

 

[PR3DAT0R]

I wouldn’t say I bought the car anticipating needing to do so much, but I was going to make it faster no matter what I bought. Again, my son’s GT350R has the same upgrades to suspension and we’re of the same opinion, add 100hp and nothing catches the 350. You can read his build on this site. He’s Hangman77.

Before the car arrived I bought engine upgrades to make Over 1000hp. I waited to do any work except caster/camber plates and enjoyed the car as delivered for a few months. I then worked on the rear of the car. Stiffening the IRS and differential. Next was adding horsepower; ported blower, throttle body, injectors, upper pulley, headers, mid pipe and 100 octane fuel. I didn’t add lower pulley or fuels pump upgrades which would have made over a thousand HP. I also run a very safe tune at 934whp and 680tq on the dyno. No telling what it is on track with heat soaked blower. I considered going E85, but these cars get HORRIBLE fuel mileage and my understanding is E85 burns about 30% more. On 100 octane I was burning a little over a half tank per 20 minute session.

A friend we track with owns both base 350 and 500. He tracks with us at PBIR and he has A LOT more track time in each car than I have, he is consistently faster in his 350 over his 500. PBIR is 11 turns and it favors a lighter better handling car. At homestead motor speedway before mods I was equal or a tenth faster than my son. At Sebring in February I was a tenth or so faster than my son. Although it was difficult to be consistently faster as the tires heated up and went away.

I came across you earlier post and saw you had the AMG Pro. I’m not familiar with Mercedes AMG cars, but Friday at Sebring there was an AMG GT R. He was in our advanced group and by chance he was up front on one session. There was another stock 350R in front of me and then the AMG. After a staggered start I passed the 350R middle of the second lap. The wait to get around the 350R let the AMG put some distance between us. It took me two laps to reel him in and get into striking distance and I passed him going into turn one on the third lap. I was running 2:22-2:23 lap times at this point late (hot) in the day. Of course we weren’t “racing“. He was fast out of the corners and into the straight, but he didn’t drive into the corners as hard. The factory brakes on the GT500 are REALLY good. My GT500 was the fastest car in the advanced group that day.

There was a Mustang GT4 there testing. He was running 2:16:xx. He was Trying to get the car to run 2:11:xx as this was the expected time for that car on track. Never heard whether he got his times down.

I forgot that my son is running Steeda springs on his 350R. I’m running stock.

 

[JN66]

Thank you for all of this. These have been, imo, the most useful posts I have read regarding the GT500 and the track. Incredibly honest. I find most forums seem to lack that honesty when it comes to our cars (Mustangs or Mercedes, etc)

The GTR Pro is a great track car. AMG did them for one year only and changed a number of things of the regular GTR specifically for the track....and even then I've still done things to the car (alignment, front uniball, brake ducts, tune).

And you were racing Haha. We always are haha. The GTR needs brake ducts, imo. The stock GTR (even carbon ceramics) were good only to a certain point and the stock pads also aren't great. Car corners well, but, I find that stock it lacked a bit of HP as well.

That being said, I am looking forward to the GT500. Been waiting awhile now and will be making many of the suspension upgrades you've referenced; although, probably not the HP ones

Fantastic information. Truly, thank you.

 

[Epiphany]

The factory CFTP (base is different)front is 36mm with 4.8mm wall, rear is 25.4mm with 4.5mm wall.

To clarify, the factory front bars on the Base and CFTP are identical. Only the rear bars are different.

 

[16Kobra]

Sebring is a blast, was tracking last weekend

 

[PR3DAT0R]

Sebring is a blast, was tracking last weekend

Sebring is a blast, was tracking last weekend

it’s my favorite track so far. I’ve had the chance to run Homestead which is also challenging and fun. I’m a member of the Palm beach driving club so I drive PBIR almost every week. Signed up for Daytona and Roebling Road for the fall.

 

[PR3DAT0R]

To clarify, the factory front bars on the Base and CFTP are identical. Only the rear bars are different.

Thanks for the clarification on stock sway bars 500 vs 500CFTP.

 

[16Kobra]

it’s my favorite track so far. I’ve had the chance to run Homestead which is also challenging and fun. I’m a member of the Palm beach driving club so I drive PBIR almost every week. Signed up for Daytona and Roebling Road for the fall.

I am doing Daytona Aug 6, not sure of the next one after that yet. Hope to run into you sometime.

 

[PR3DAT0R]

I am doing Daytona Aug 6, not sure of the next one after that yet. Hope to run into you sometime.

three of us are signed up for Roebling Road Oct 3rd ano Daytona Dec 10-12 for the three day event.

im sure we will add another event or two.

 

[16Kobra]

three of us are signed up for Roebling Road Oct 3rd ano Daytona Dec 10-12 for the three day event.

im sure we will add another event or two.

Is the Dec event the Audi Group event?

 

[PR3DAT0R]

Is the Dec event the Audi Group event?

Yes, and it’s with Hooked On Driving with Adam.

 

[PR3DAT0R]

Thank you for all of this. These have been, imo, the most useful posts I have read regarding the GT500 and the track. Incredibly honest. I find most forums seem to lack that honesty when it comes to our cars (Mustangs or Mercedes, etc)

The GTR Pro is a great track car. AMG did them for one year only and changed a number of things of the regular GTR specifically for the track....and even then I've still done things to the car (alignment, front uniball, brake ducts, tune).

And you were racing Haha. We always are haha. The GTR needs brake ducts, imo. The stock GTR (even carbon ceramics) were good only to a certain point and the stock pads also aren't great. Car corners well, but, I find that stock it lacked a bit of HP as well.

That being said, I am looking forward to the GT500. Been waiting awhile now and will be making many of the suspension upgrades you've referenced; although, probably not the HP ones

Fantastic information. Truly, thank you.

This is one of my alignment sheets. I believe I’m running more like 2.7 negative up front now. I was out changing brakes and flushing brake fluid and came across this.
I’m sure I’ll do another alignment here shortly to make sure everything stayed where it’s supposed to be after several track sessions.

 

[JN66]

This is one of my alignment sheets. I believe I’m running more like 2.7 negative up front now. I was out changing brakes and flushing brake fluid and came across this.
I’m sure I’ll do another alignment here shortly to make sure everything stayed where it’s supposed to be after several track sessions.

you are a great human. Thank you.

 

[JN66]

Don’t get me wrong, the cup2’s are fast tires. We havent really run them more than PBIR. And I’m told that PBIR is very hard on tires. I have been thru 3-4 sets of cup2’s and 3-4 sets of F1’s. I have around 1600 miles on my 500. All of it on the track. I’m on my 7th or 8th set of tires since January (I have three sets of wheels so still have cup2’s on one set) I’m at the end of my second set of OEM pads. I have to put a third set of pads on before Wednesday track night. I was getting a soft pedal late in the sessions at Sebring. Need to flush the brake fluid and change pads.

We drive our cars HARD!

Suspension is Steeda:
caster/camber plates
front and rear adjustable sway bar with end links
subframe alignment kit
IRS subframe support brace
Bushing support system
Differential bushing insert system (race bushings)
jacking rails
rear toe links
adjustable camber arms.
aluminum vertical links
2 point g track brace

I’ll have to look up the alignment specs tomorrow. I don’t know them off top of my head.

Hey man,

Thanks for this. Which race bushing did you use?

Thank you!

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