About 4 months ago I started my hunt for my new daily driver. Requirements - great handling, good pick-up, good braking, clean, simple, fun daily driver. I have a 02 Focus SVT that I race. This car did not need to fill any racing shoes.
I wont run down my thoughts and feelings on all of these cars listed. I drove 370z, 350z, Camaro, G37, base v6 Mustang, California Special 5.0 Mustang, and a few others. Evo X and Ralliart where on the maybe list, but never driven (I've been in quiet a few of them...). At the end of my furry of car test drives I had nothing that I was head-over-heals for. Until I heard about the performance package Mustang from my good friend otter. Did some research. And on paper, was really impressed with the Frankenstein car that Ford SVO had cooked up. Told my local dealer that if they had one show up, call me. Sure enough a base version showed up a few weeks later. Drove the pants off of the car. Instant grin. I was sold. And for the last 2 months I have been pretty hush-hush on my new car.
And neat factoid -- Ford still allows custom ordering of cars. Just like the COPO cars of the 60's. Working with my dealer, we sat down and drew out my one-off package. My name is even on the window sheet and build ticket. Very cool.
She was delivered early this week to my dealer. Dressed up and parked center stage on their showroom floor. The Sales Manager and my Salesman both kept joking with me on how many people came in and asked how much to buy my car. Even with the sold sticker in the window. Even when I went to pick up my car -- 2 guys where standing over her oogling every bit.
I have been traveling heavily for work. Flew back this weekend special to take charge of my new car.
2011 Mustang 200A 67B "Performance Package"
-Performance White with Saddle/Black Leather
http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k61/smikeevo/DSCF1426sm.jpg
200A
-305 hp / 280 tq
-3.7l v6 with Ti-VCT Intake and Exhaust
-7000 redline
-6sp (shared with GT)
-No rear wing
-Shaker sound system
-Leather interior
67B "Performance Package"
-A 3.31 rear axle ratio
-Mustang GT coupe front and rear stabilizer bars
-Mustang GT front struts and rear shocks/springs
-Shelby GT500 rear lower control arm
-19-inch wheels
-Pirelli Extreme Summer 255/40/19 tires
-Mustang GT front and rear brake calipers with Performance Friction pads
-A strut tower brace for increased body rigidity
-Unique electronic stability control calibration with Sport mode for performance driving
-Unique badging (I ordered without badging or stripes).
Impressions
Absolutely awesome! I have put on about 175 miles at this point. Car goes like stink. And I still have half a tank of gas left. Nimble feeling for being a bigger car. Engine sound is great at the upper band. Brakes are fantastic. Lots of driver feedback. Positive feel. Steering is precise and direct. Very easy to drive the car. I am still getting used to the dimensions. It is much like being back in my 1976 Corvette. Driver position is low and there is a bit more hood in front of you. The Evo and my SVTF both have very different seating postions. SVTF is much higher up for view and the Evo was in-between where the Mustang is and SVTF is.
Few points that I'll be addressing. When I was building it was that I could not get the factory HIDs without the full Navigational Package. 113-118mph limiter. Not enough in-car exhaust note.
My fixes - 4300k HID kit sitting on my work bench. ECU Programmer (~20 hp gain, no rev limiter, adjust fuel curves, 2-step launch program, etc.), and axle-back exhaust system.
EBC graciously shipped me over a set of BlueStuff pads for testing. And I am working a suspension company to develop some new parts very soon.
The Goods
http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k61/smikeevo/DSCF1418.jpg
20% tint all around
http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k61/smikeevo/DSCF1410.jpg
The desktop wallpaper
http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k61/smikeevo/DSCF0067.jpg
Interior
http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k61/smikeevo/DSCF0028.jpg
http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k61/smikeevo/DSCF0026.jpg
http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k61/smikeevo/DSCF1407.jpg
Gratuitous Shots
http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k61/smikeevo/DSCF0034.jpg
http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k61/smikeevo/DSCF0062.jpg
http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k61/smikeevo/DSCF0022-1.jpg
2000 mile update. Rocking out 24 ave mpg and 30-31 highway ave. And I am still not trying to get good mpg. If I can hold myself to hypermiling one of these long trips, Ill report on it.
HIDs installed - awesome night driving. Very clear, not blinding others.
MRT sold the exhaust they had put aside for me to pick up. Annoyed with their lack of organization and ability to remember orders. Cancelled and drove over to Summit Racing. Got the Flowmaster Force II Axle-back. Could not be happier. Easy install. Great sound. Not annoying in cabin - just the right note for the engine.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QATBnB5YhgA
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Hallett Raceway HST Day
If there ever was a brake test, this was it. Really impressed. Oklahoma is hot... Really pushed the limits of cars and brakes. You could say that I have a tendency to really late brake. Loads of confidence all day. Session after session. By far the best pads I have ever run on a car. If there was a day to fade or boil fluid, that would have been it. Bottom line - when you are confident in your car, you drive better.
Temp: 105F+ outside, 50-60% humidity. Track temps of 115F+
Track: Hallett Raceway OK, 1.8 miles, hard track for brakes and fluid, open class test/tune day.
IR Gun: 1200-1400F post cool down.
Braking rundown:
Coming off 10 onto the front straight I was redlining 3rd at 7200 RPM (~95mph). Tap brakes sub 100 feet and dive into the corner (over stripes). Back up to redline in 3rd coming into 2nd. On clear laps, I was diving well into 200s on full brake. Deeper than everyone else that I was running up to on the track. Light tap in 5 to set the car. 6 was another late apex. Braking was done well at the end of the stripes on the right. Wide open up to 7. No braking up and over 8 wide open over the hills. And dive deep into 9. Again, deeper than everyone else I saw in car. Pull though 9 to straight on 10. Didn't touch brakes to stripes on left.
Session:
Hottest HPDE I have ever done in 4 years. OK has some heat here. 105F ambient, humid, track temps even hotter. Full driving gear. Shedding water weight like it was my business. Car coolant temp was in the red at the end of every session. Oil was hot. Pressure was maxed. Tires where hot. Was running mid-to-high 1:35-40s.
Brakes were flawless. 5 15-minute sessions and the video attached here was me running 9/10ths v. a E36 M3 (who was also an available instructor for the A group). Thats 240hp v. my 170hp. I was able to out brake and corner him in 1, 2, 6, 9, 10. Had some looks at inside lines (not allowed to pass in corner). His torque pulled him better out of the turns. Then I was able to reel him in again in braking. Even forcing some errors.
Full Video:
http://www.vimeo.com/14334555
Monday, June 28, 2010
Detroit SCCA - Oscoda, MI
Great event!
Ran the SVTF with my brother co-driving. Other DSP car did not show because of the weather - slacker. Bested my brothers times by 1.5s on the first 2 sessions. On street tires in full wet, he was able to get to within 1s of my times.
Off PAX by 4.9s. DSP indexing really kills this car. Might move to another class if I run more SCCA events.
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
SVTF with COMSCC
What a weekend! Got cleared for my TT License with this group (first event with them and first track day with the SVTF). Sadly, it does not matter. I am moving away from the area.
At the end of the first session, coming off 10, my car lost all power. I thought my trans blew, since I just fixed the clutch. Then I realized, I had no motor - nada. Glided into pits thinking great...time for a new car. These motors are impossible to find/fix.
Got the car restarted. Ran very flat. No smoke, all oil was fine. So I knew I had an ignition issue. Checked sparks, checked wires, got my OBDII out and found a coil code. Looked at my MSD Ignition - the little 3 prong tab that connects the power to the unit had snapped off. :violent: My buddy was there, we start calling auto part stores. AutoZone actually had an ignition coil for my motor and wires. We ran over, got a set, ran back to the track. Missed one session, but was able to get the car back together for 3 and 4.
Session 3:
Returning after a full course yellow and pit in for clean up. I was playing with the high HP line and different approaches to some of the turns prior to coming in. Most resulted in "nah, don't like that". I thought this was a pretty good line.
In Car:
One lap from the stands:
I was timed in session 4 at a consistant 1:31-1:32. Not bad for a full weight SVT.
For reference the Spec Miatas (also in my class) run about 4-8 seconds faster in the TT events. If I shaved all the dead weight in this car, she would be near their times.
The Corvette couple (matching Vettes - that's a wife ;) ) were very nice people. They were amazed that I was going so fast in the turns. On the last session, I was going 9/10ths. Line and braking was nailed down. The faster cars would pill on the straights. Then I would catch them braking and in my turn in speed. They were joking about how they'd pull away for a bit. Then I would come flying up onto them in the braking zone and in my corner speeds. Instructor was impressed.
One funny story - a 95-99 Mustang GT prepped car was on my butt in the front straight. Reluctantly, I let him pass me (ya, I know he had more power to go straight). Soon as he made the pass, we got in line for turn 1. I can take that much faster than he could. I was returning the favor for riding me on the straight...just through the turns. He apparently did not like that...or my late braking into the turn, sucking way up into his rear view mirror. ;) Right after turn 1/2a/2b, he allowed me to pass him. My instructor had a good laugh.
Last session was cut short. I got 13 minutes in then (if you watched the video) that red M3 race car blew a hose right after passing me on the straight. Soiling 1/2a/2b. That clean up killed our time.
Overall, I thought COM did a great event. Instructors were top notch. I got great feedback from him on this car. Wish it was not raining today, or I would be back out there running the TT session. :( No rain tires, my street tires are too played out for rain racing.
Happy Racing,
MG
Saturday, May 15, 2010
Winged Warrior VI (5/8/10)
First Event of the Season:
Just got back from WW6. G
reat event as always. Epic drive this year to the event.
Friend from CT came with me for co-driving, video, and camera work. I left work at 3PM Thursday, got to CT to pick friend up at 6:30PM, then to OH at 3AM. Crashed for a few hours then back up to prep cars and off again. We arrived in Indy at 7PM for tech and to meet up with all the other racers.
MSU Racing Crew Well Represented:
The SVTF in Race Form:
Brother in his LS6 Z28:
Video of SVTF Run:
Results:
2nd in Domestic Heads-Up Drags
3rd in AutoCross
7th in Car Show
4th Overall in D Class
Z28 took 3rd overall in C Class.
NH to OH to IN to OH to NH: 32.4 hours, with traffic, gas, and good stops. 36 solid hours.
Distance Covered:
2020 miles
Saturday, April 3, 2010
2010 Season Prep
Well, I'm back!
New car survived winter.
Some odds and ends needed to be fixed and replaced - one passenger-side wheel bearing, one clutch master cylinder, and 2 snow tires added in there. All-in-all, not a bad winter.
Over the last month, with spring quickly approaching, I have been ordering and sorting through parts. Parts ordered - Nitto NT01 tires, strut mounts, Amsoil oil and DOT4 brake fluid, new headlights and fog lights, HID kits for both (5k and 3k respectively), and Porsche GT3 brake ducts - yes, I said Porsche.
Car is shaping in big time!
Old and busted:
New and hot:
HIDs in action:
That there is some light:
Porsche GT3 Brake Ducts:
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