SCCA ESP Thread

[boardkat]

May as well start collecting all things ESP-related in one thread, since I expect the interest in this class to be high in the not-so-distant future.

I know there's a few of us planning to have a go at the class in 2015, Jadrice and myself among them. Anybody else out there lurking/contemplating a build?

FWIW, here are the plans I've already set in motion with respect to preparation:

Wheels/Tires - Forgestar CF5 18x11 w/ Hoosier A7 315/30R18
- No interest in pulling/cutting fenders - yet
edit: not enough tire. Going to 18x12/335 next season.
edit2: 18x12/335s are a go. "fit" in the rear, "fit" in the front. fender mods next

Shocks - MCS TT2 Internal DA
- Done.
edit: almost out of rebound in the rear, definitely going to need a re-valve in the offseason when I get stiffer springs back there.
edit2: problems fixed with revalve, rebuild and machining.

Springs - TBD
- Expect to play with a range of rates and combinations from 600-900 up front, and 900-1200 out back. Stay tuned..
edit: 800 and 1100 springs in the back not even close. I've gone much higher cutting up some Camaro street stock springs to desired ride height and still not enough. Custom springs/perch next..
edit2: 2k rear springs on the workbench. waiting on custom perches. soon

Camber/Caster Plates - Vorshlag
- Done.
edit: can't max, had to do some custom things that kept me legal (i.e., not clearancing the center strut hole).
edit2: maxed now, perches back above the wheel. thanks MCS!

Swaybars - Eibach
- First to market, similar rates to the BMR options that cost less. Take your pick.
edit: too much rear bar on roll, experimenting with stock and possibly less or no bar this offseason.
edit2: less than stock bar planned and obtained. will try in tandem with the bump in rear spring.

Bushings - All of them, everywhere
- Spongy rubber be gone! BMR already got me Delrin cradle and poly diff bushings. Waiting on Energy Suspension to get the rest out (UCA/LCA/etc)

Clutch/Flywheel - TBD
- I *hated* the feel of the 2015 GT I took for a test drive before I ordered my car - it felt significantly different from my 2013 GT. Plus, I'll need drop all the weight I can to get this car in a competitive range.
- edit: I took out the dreaded clutch spring and voila! The clutch feels great now. With all the 2nd gear starts I've been doing because of the 3.73FD, I may need to explore replacing this in the offseason
- edit2: 6puck and aluminum flywheel in the shop. installing soon.

Shifter - MGW Race Spec
- Short throws and no more 2-3 misses at high revs.

LSD - OS Giken Custom
- Overnight parts from Japan! Not really, but it's on a boat from Japan and should be here soon. Not disappointed with the stock Torsen, but anxious to see how the clutch type fares on this platform.
edit: do not expect meaningful feedback when breaking in the diff and a new gearset on the Motul fluid! Once I swapped in the OSG fluid, it started working. Initial setup seems close, no understeer on throttle pre-apex on slow corners, nor is there any wheelspin. It's definitely working!

Ring & Pinion - 3.31
- Once my OSG diff gets here, the 3.31 will be mated and all this 3.73 and 2nd gear launching badness will be a distant memory!
edit: went a different direction and put in 3.55s with a big rev limiter bump instead.

Headers - Stainless Works
- Beat ARH to the punch late last year; what a PITA to install, but fit was perfect and no issues since.
- edit: PITA knocking due to A/C bolt. reversed, no longer an issue. but seriously, gave up a lot of power last season for a gdamn bolt. guess that's what you come to expect when you adopt early. frustrating :(

Exhaust - Custom w/ High Flow Cats
- Tried SW and Corsa, way too much drone and volume. Put my stock exhaust back on; cut out the resonator and put an H-Pipe in it's place. Will probably flange after the pipe and get some lightweight bullet mufflers with turndowns for competition - the piping and mufflers after H-Pipe is 58lbs (!)
- edit: v-bands everywhere. straight pipes, mufflers, whatever it takes to make sound at sites, i've got it now

CAI - PMAS
- Recently ordered, haven't got it on the car yet. Early indications are that this company knows MAF well, and how to get the most power resulting from airflow.
edit: big time fail. Never managed to get it to work without throwing codes, running an Airraid w/ dry filter for now.
edit2: redemption? revised MAF and intake elbow enroute. in tandem with the IM/TB, i'm very hopeful!!

Intake Manifold - Stock/TBD
- I'd love nothing more than to do an ITB setup - but I think my money would be better spent elsewhere for now.
- edit: GT350 installed. not disappoint ;)

Injectors - FRPP 47lbs/hr
- Sitting on the work bench waiting for me to install, get E85 in the tank and a new tune. Next season
- edit: installed. E85 tune, too. i have powerz now

Brake Pads - Ferrodo DS2500
- First time running these pads for competition, so far so good. Much less dust and noise than the Carbotech pads I've run for years, and bite is surprisingly linear (my biggest beef with most pads not being the case)
- Carbotech now has the full line available (wasn't the case when I needed and bought the Ferrodos). Part number is CTSTANG, and I'll probably give them a shot in 2016.

Rotors - AP Racing 2pc
- First 2pc option for the 15" 6pot brakes. Dropped 10lbs/corner.

Seats - Stock Recaro
- Still need to DD this, and I love the feeling of the Recaros. Eventually I'll put light raceseats in I'm sure, but not now.

Anybody else put any thought into an ESP build? I've still got a lot of rocks to turn over before I start zoning in on a lot of my build. Thoughts, comments? :cheers:

6/18/15 edit: changed components to what i've actually sourced thus far.
8/30/15 edit: more changes/feedback.
3/13/16 edit: moar.

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[Grimace427]

Going to run aero similar to Vorshlag?

 

[boardkat]

Going to run aero similar to Vorshlag?

No aero allowances for the S550 yet, since there's no Laguna Seca Boss on the same line as the S550 (I'm assuming S197 and S550 won't be on the same line) to get the aero from. I do plan on putting an *SP legal trunklid spoiler on, but that'll be the extent of additional aero I can do in ESP for now.

 

[Grimace427]

I get so confused with auto-x rules, I swore Vorshlag ran their crazy red Mustang in ESP. I know lately they've been doing TT, but even they seem to be confused which TT(A/B/S whatever) they want to compete in.

Just for clarification, which class is the crazy aero allowed in?

 

[boardkat]

I get so confused with auto-x rules, I swore Vorshlag ran their crazy red Mustang in ESP. I know lately they've been doing TT, but even they seem to be confused which TT(A/B/S whatever) they want to compete in.

Just for clarification, which class is the crazy aero allowed in?

At one point a few years ago, Terry's car was ESP-legal; not so much anymore. There are allowances for more traditional aero starting in SM, but there are limits with respect to area, placement, etc. I'm not too familiar because I avoid money pit classes like the plague!!

 

[Grintch]

So for ESP, do you want to start with a regular GT or PP?

PP gearing is wrong for Solo
PP brakes aren't needed for Solo
Much of the stock/PP suspension will be replaced anyway

But
Torsen seems to be the diff of choice for Solo, and road course use
Some of the PP bracing, bushings, and electronics/calibration might make a good starting point

Anyone confirmed fitment of 18x11s and 315/30-18 under the stock fenders?

I think the case for FS favors the PP, but I am not sure for ESP or STU.

 

[boardkat]

So for ESP, do you want to start with a regular GT or PP?

PP gearing is wrong for Solo
PP brakes aren't needed for Solo
Much of the stock/PP suspension will be replaced anyway

But
Torsen seems to be the diff of choice for Solo, and road course use
Some of the PP bracing, bushings, and electronics/calibration might make a good starting point

Anyone confirmed fitment of 18x11s and 315/30-18 under the stock fenders?

I think the case for FS favors the PP, but I am not sure for ESP or STU.

That's why one of my first mods is going to be a 3.31FD swap. Boom, gearing issues solved

While I agree that the 15" 6pots are overkill for solo, I'm not going with the PP for them specifically, they're just an extra bonus. I'm doing it more for the LSD, k-brace, strut bar, larger radiator and front splitter. Not sure if there'll be any difference with ABS/steering programming, but that might come into play as well. Oh and the lack of holes in my trunklid from the spoiler that I would have taken off a non-PP car anyway!

Not aware of anybody that's test-fitted 18x11/315 yet, but I know HRE had no issues with 18x10.5/305 up front, so I'd imagine it'll be fine. Kit and his ESP Boss are somewhat local to me, so I may take a trip over to his place to try out the 18x10.5/315 setup he runs. I'm sure by the time my car gets here though somebody will already have confirmed for sure.

 

[Whiskey11]

At one point a few years ago, Terry's car was ESP-legal; not so much anymore. There are allowances for more traditional aero starting in SM, but there are limits with respect to area, placement, etc. I'm not too familiar because I avoid money pit classes like the plague!!

Yup, when Fairmageddon Mk.I occurred, Fair packed up his SCCA bags and left ESP for NASA's TT classes. At the time of being in ESP, the only aero mods he had was the rear spoiler and Laguna Seca Splitter.

So for ESP, do you want to start with a regular GT or PP?

PP gearing is wrong for Solo
PP brakes aren't needed for Solo
Much of the stock/PP suspension will be replaced anyway

But
Torsen seems to be the diff of choice for Solo, and road course use
Some of the PP bracing, bushings, and electronics/calibration might make a good starting point

Anyone confirmed fitment of 18x11s and 315/30-18 under the stock fenders?

I think the case for FS favors the PP, but I am not sure for ESP or STU.

Really the diff is a non-issue past F-Street. It is legal to swap the diff in STU and ESP. Gearing in STU limits you to 3.73's on the PP so the base might be the better car for STUpid people. ESP you have update/backdate and so long as the GTPP and GT are on the same line (which I'm sure they will be) you will be able to run any of the GT's gears.

Brakes are overkill and IMO an issue for wheel fitment but what do I know, no National titles here! Might as well go for the jugular.

The bracing and stuff on the PP would be legal with UD/BD to swap onto a non GTPP car but would be more money to the equation and might not be available from Ford. I'm also not sure how much of that matters. What I AM interesting in seeing is how many of the solid bushings Ford put in the PP cars. We know the lateral link up front has them. I'm curious to see what the aftermarket does with the splayed bushing axis on the rear lower control arm too.

Boardkat already knows this but coilovers aren't legal for the rear in ESP and STU due to the ridiculous wording of the rules for spring perches. The fronts can be because the spring is over the strut but out back is a no go. I'm willing to bet Ground Control has weight jackers available before too long. Otherwise, engineer all the things and make a custom rear lower control arm.

 

[boardkat]

it has arrived....

operation weight loss.... commence!

 

[Grimace427]

operation weight loss.... commence!

Should be fun!

 

[Trackaholic]

Is that the premium or non-premium model?

Curious what your options were that gave you a ~3700 lb weight (and how much gas was in the car at the time).

-T

 

[boardkat]

Is that the premium or non-premium model?

Curious what your options were that gave you a ~3700 lb weight (and how much gas was in the car at the time).

-T

Base GT 6MT w/ Performance Package and Recaro seats.
No trunk junk, 2/3 tank. Everything else as delivered from the dealer. I'm planning to weigh again this weekend with almost no gas in the tank, before I start wrenching this on:

 

[Tim Hilliard]

it has arrived....

operation weight loss.... commence!

LOL That can't be right, it's not 3850 like every magazine say's it was. :doh:

 

[LHousePhoto]

So I saw you mentioned 18's on your PP, will they clear the 6 pots? I know AM said they would for the 2014 Track Pack, but have you tried with the 15's? I'd love to run 18's.

 

[boardkat]

So I saw you mentioned 18's on your PP, will they clear the 6 pots? I know AM said they would for the 2014 Track Pack, but have you tried with the 15's? I'd love to run 18's.

I have two sets of SVE Drift 18s (18x9 & 18x10) from my '13 w/ Brembos (which fit fine) - not so much on the 2015 PP 15" Brembos - there is caliper interference with the barrel. I posted a bunch of test fit pics for all the wheels I still have; only my 19s cleared, see link below :(

http://www.mustang6g.com/forums/showthread.php?t=15007

That said, the Forgestar CF5 18x11 *will* clear the '15 Brembos (with ample camber and spacers up front to clear the struts), as will the HRE FF15 18x10.5 (without spacers on a Cortex JRi offset strut). Another ESP competitor also test fitted his Enkei PF01 18x10.5 +38 successfully (without spacer), and I'll be test fitting those myself with yet another ESP competitor's set mounted to 315s later this month. I've also got a call into Filip @ Cortex to see if the Jongbloed 700 Series 18x10.5 will fit (I'm assuming yes). Not aware of any other 18s that will, though I'm sure all the usual suspects that offer forged wheels will (Forgeline, CCW, etc)

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