Time for some Lightness

[Offboost]

Since the announcement of the new 500 yesterday I know that car will be a beast but I also feel that it still will be heavy. I know the rotors being 16.5 and going from 19 inch wheels to 20 inch will add weight and probably loose some flick ability as well during direction changes. Then the added weight of the supercharger and coolers is certainly going to effect front end feel and push. All that being said as long that car has good tires on it for setting fast laps it is going to be one fast vehicle and probably going to set some new track records.

With all that said I think as the lap count goes up and obviously depending on track configuration that the tires are going to get killed pretty quickly! Physics says that x amount of mass can only go around a corner y amount of speed with X amount of tire size and grip and aero.

So while I know my R will never beat a 500 I think with a few tweaks it will certainly do well against one on a road course so I am going to do a few things. I do feel with the following upgrades the handling can only improve even more and acceleration will certainly increase as well.

I am going to order a carbon fiber driveshaft, Kooks headers and Green cats and do a tune along with putting in a lithium battery and new set of sport cup2s since mine are about done and add a set of Camber plates. I think this should drop the weight down about 60 plus pounds and still keep the reliability pretty safe. I am not too worried about the engine since this is my second Shelby and I have had zero engine issues with both vehicles.

Interested in your feedback.

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[honeybadger]

I highly recommend upgrading the valve train if you're going to tune. With track use, it will fail eventually. Once the warranty is voided, there is no reason not to. Not saying you need to go all out, but I'd at least recommend upgrading the valve springs to PAC Racing's stiffer ones.

Edit - oh, and add the billet OPG since you're already in there.

 

[Offboost]

I highly recommend upgrading the valve train if you're going to tune. With track use, it will fail eventually. Once the warranty is voided, there is no reason not to. Not saying you need to go all out, but I'd at least recommend upgrading the valve springs to PAC Racing's stiffer ones.

Edit - oh, and add the billet OPG since you're already in there.

Yea I agree I may do a set of upgraded PAC single springs with titanium retainers since there is a tool available to replace the springs without removing the cams. I am very familiar with this since I am the foreman a BMW dealership and we replace valve stem seals on a daily basis on the N63 v8 engines.

I am not convinced yet on the oil pump failing I can see it failing if it sucks something up in it similar to what happened to your engine. The pump was damaged from the debri not the design of the pump. Now if I take the timing covers off etc I most certainly would upgrade it then and probably find out if the GT 500 oil pan will fit the voodoo and add that at the same time.

 

[honeybadger]

You can break the OEM OPG by dropping it onto concrete. Ford themselves recommends upgrading it for competition use. Not worth the risk if you're voiding the warranty. At least not IMHO.

 

[Offboost]

You can break the OEM OPG by dropping it onto concrete. Ford themselves recommends upgrading it for competition use. Not worth the risk if you're voiding the warranty. At least not IMHO.

Yea you are probably correct!

 

[Mach4.6]

I am going to order a carbon fiber driveshaft, Kooks headers and Green cats and do a tune along with putting in a lithium battery and new set of sport cup2s since mine are about done and add a set of Camber plates. I think this should drop the weight down about 60 plus pounds and still keep the reliability pretty safe. I am not too worried about the engine since this is my second Shelby and I have had zero engine issues with both vehicles.
Interested in your feedback.

The driveshaft will save you 8 lbs, headers and cats are probably a push, lithium battery will save 20 lbs, will will take more to drop 60 lbs
Here's some weight saving ideas for you
CF Hood 8 lbs
CF Trunk 10 lbs
CF Doors 68 lbs total
Sparco Seats 31 lbs total
Carbon Ceramic Rotors 32 lbs total
Lexan rear window 7 lbs
Lexan Door Window 12 lbs total

My R is currently down to 3435 lbs
Hope this helps
Paul

 

[honeybadger]

The driveshaft will save you 8 lbs, headers and cats are probably a push, lithium battery will save 20 lbs, will will take more to drop 60 lbs
Here's some weight saving ideas for you
CF Hood 8 lbs
CF Trunk 10 lbs
CF Doors 68 lbs total
Sparco Seats 31 lbs total
Carbon Ceramic Rotors 32 lbs total
Lexan rear window 7 lbs
Lexan Door Window 12 lbs total

My R is currently down to 3435 lbs
Hope this helps
Paul

Paul - do your door weight reduction numbers include removing all the junk inside the door and going full race car? Or is that purely from switching the door shell to CF? Thanks!

 

[Mach4.6]

Paul - do your door weight reduction numbers include removing all the junk inside the door and going full race car? Or is that purely from switching the door shell to CF? Thanks!

I purely swapped everything over, I can't gut the car for the Optima Series without taking a big hit on D&E judging
Everything is intact and functionable
Use my discount code for 20% off Anderson CF "VodooV8"

 

[Offboost]

The driveshaft will save you 8 lbs, headers and cats are probably a push, lithium battery will save 20 lbs, will will take more to drop 60 lbs
Here's some weight saving ideas for you
CF Hood 8 lbs
CF Trunk 10 lbs
CF Doors 68 lbs total
Sparco Seats 31 lbs total
Carbon Ceramic Rotors 32 lbs total
Lexan rear window 7 lbs
Lexan Door Window 12 lbs total

My R is currently down to 3435 lbs
Hope this helps
Paul

Thanks for the information and weights but I do not want to change body panels, I think I may need to settle for about 30lbs, Thanks for bumming me out LOL.

 

[Mach4.6]

Thanks for the information and weights but I do not want to change body panels, I think I may need to settle for about 30lbs, Thanks for bumming me out LOL.

Sorry! lol

 

[zzrat]

Any of you guys have a roll bar installed? Looks as if you take advantage of items that shed some pounds then decide on a roll bar you've added back every pound & then some.

 

[honeybadger]

Any of you guys have a roll bar installed? Looks as if you take advantage of items that shed some pounds then decide on a roll bar you've added back every pound & then some.

I don't remember exact specs, but if I recall correctly, deleting the rear seat (and the associated bits and pieces) was about equal to the weight of the roll bar.

 

[madlag]

Since the announcement of the new 500 yesterday I know that car will be a beast but I also feel that it still will be heavy. I know the rotors being 16.5 and going from 19 inch wheels to 20 inch will add weight and probably loose some flick ability as well during direction changes. Then the added weight of the supercharger and coolers is certainly going to effect front end feel and push. All that being said as long that car has good tires on it for setting fast laps it is going to be one fast vehicle and probably going to set some new track records.

With all that said I think as the lap count goes up and obviously depending on track configuration that the tires are going to get killed pretty quickly! Physics says that x amount of mass can only go around a corner y amount of speed with X amount of tire size and grip and aero.

So while I know my R will never beat a 500 I think with a few tweaks it will certainly do well against one on a road course so I am going to do a few things. I do feel with the following upgrades the handling can only improve even more and acceleration will certainly increase as well.

I am going to order a carbon fiber driveshaft, Kooks headers and Green cats and do a tune along with putting in a lithium battery and new set of sport cup2s since mine are about done and add a set of Camber plates. I think this should drop the weight down about 60 plus pounds and still keep the reliability pretty safe. I am not too worried about the engine since this is my second Shelby and I have had zero engine issues with both vehicles.

Interested in your feedback.

You'll be happy. I did the Kooks catless headers, kooks resonators into factory mufflers, tuned, CF driveshaft. Made a huge diff. I just completed OPG/CS upgrades and am in the middle of a procharger install. I love cup 2's. Sometime toward end of year I'll upgrade the valve train.

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