What have you done to your mustang today?

[06 T-RED S/C GT]

Pulled out the wife's Shelby, ran it up to full temp, reset the tire pressures and torqued the lug nuts.
Still need to put the new McLeod RXT in it, but my good friend that's done a bunch is looking to help us get it done. Maybe as early as tomorrow. Here's hoping.

View attachment 72889

Gabe! I don't remember asking this before, but are those the original "OEM" Goodyear Eagle F1 Supercar tires on your wife's GT500? I can't really tell from the latest image posted

 

[Gabe]

Don't take drives to triple digits with the plate folded under.... band things happen.... don't ask how I know.

Yeah, it acts like a splitter extension. All that air force pushing down on it, can rip it off.

Gabe! I don't remember asking this before, but are those the original "OEM" Goodyear Eagle F1 Supercar tires on your wife's GT500? I can't really tell from the latest image posted

On the front, yes, they're OEM-spec Goodyear Eagle F1 255/45/18 front tires, on her original 18x9.5 wheels.
Quite possibly the last time they'll be installed on the car since with a 2013 build date, they're now 7 years old, that's considered the limit for tire life safely.
On the back these wheels have a pair of Nitto NT555R 305/40/18 drag radials.

 

[GlassTop09]

Nothing yet but this is coming soon...………very, very soon……………….
View attachment 72871
Box on the left is Ford Performance part# M-8C607-MSVT 05-14 GT Cooling Fan Upgrade, top box is the 07-10 GT Mishimoto HP Radiator Hose kit (in black) & bottom box is the Mishimoto 3-Row HP Aluminum Radiator for 05-14 GT.

It's DONE!
Took me apporx 6 hrs to R&R the job. Getting the OEM fan & rad out wasn't too fussy of an affair...all came out the top. The lower rad hose at the engine block behind the oil filter was a bit of a challenge (hate it when them constant tension clamps are installed where you can't get a set of channel locks on the ears but I McGuyver'd her to go my way.....gonna have to break down & get me a set of them cable pliers for these things....been telling myself that for some 30+ yrs...…….).
Now the install of the Mishimoto rad was a little tedious as it was a tight fit due to the extra core\tank thickness....had to install her from under the car to clear the AC condenser lines then getting the AC condenser to go back under the front core support once mounted to the new rad was a bit of a B as well due to the extra rad height....had to compress the lower rad mount grommets approx. 3\16" to gain enough clearance for the upper AC condenser mounting brackets to just slide under then had to compress them mounts 1 more time so the condenser core in the top center would clear the front core support's center section but once by this all fit just fine. Rest went like clockwork afterwards but on the FP Cooling Fan Upgrade (OEM 13-14 GT500 7-blade fan w\ lower cooling shroud air flaps) I had to do a little Dremel work on 1 of the reinforcement moldings to allow the power steering reservoir to bolt back up (stuck out approx. 3\8" too far so reshaped bout 2-3\4" of it so it fits around the reservoir nicely & looks like it came that way). Drained out approx. 1 3\4 gals coolant, refilled her w\ approx. 2 1\2 gals total to top her off after burping\ making a run to perform a full heat cycle including cool down so we gained approx. 3 qts extra coolant. All looking good....no runs, no drips, no errors. Damn thing coupled w\ this upgraded cooling fan can really move some heat! Still running the OEM 195*F thermostat for now to see how she handles it but may install a 170*F stat later on anyway just because.
I got all this due to results during my last dyno session on 4-2-20 (tuner maxed her out when bumping up the WOT AFR from 12.5\1 to 12.75\1 to hit max of 352HP\322TQ...all is good until she crosses 6,350 RPM's is where the OEM rad\fan capacity just couldn't keep up anymore on the dyno so ECT climbed enough at this point to trigger the PCM to start pulling timing (redline @ 6,750) due to high ECT. Didn't pull much out...only 1.5* but was enough to drop the HP\TQ curve to start down just before redline. Tuner suggested to change thermostat to 170*F to compensate while on the street but I figured I would just up the cooling reserve capacity w\ a larger rad & cooling fan instead & replace the OEM hoses w\ the HP silicone hoses while doing this then see how all goes as I don't foresee needing a cooler thermostat w\ this much reserve cooling capacity at current HP\TQ output (OEM rad is a 1 row core of 3\4" round HP tubes....Mishimoto rad is a 3-row core of more conventional rectangular tubes mounted in extra fin material then staggered to not impede airflow thru them).

Sorry I didn't take any pictures of the install (forgot & left phone on charger....got up early this morning to tackle this job). Gave her a bath & shine afterwards so now am gonna hit the shower to limber back up (getting too old for all this) so hopefully I'm not too stoved up so I can vac the interior in the AM.

 

[06 T-RED S/C GT]

Yeah, it acts like a splitter extension. All that air force pushing down on it, can rip it off.




On the front, yes, they're OEM-spec Goodyear Eagle F1 255/45/18 front tires, on her original 18x9.5 wheels.
Quite possibly the last time they'll be installed on the car since with a 2013 build date, they're now 7 years old, that's considered the limit for tire life safely.
On the back these wheels have a pair of Nitto NT555R 305/40/18 drag radials.

I wasn't sure of the build date which was part of the reason for asking. I also have the OEM spec Goodyear Eagle F1's that were included with the GT500 18x9.5" wheels I purchased from a friend of mine a couple of years ago. After his GT500 was upgraded at the Shelby plant with the Super Snake package, he put the original wheels/tires in storage covered up in his bedroom for 10 years. Needless to say, when I found out they were on his car for less than a year and were then stored in a controlled environment all covered up, I went ahead and bought them, as they definitely appeared to be in excellent physical condition. My only concern however is despite how excellent the condition of the tires may happen to be, they never the less do have a 2008 build date on them. Therefore would you consider these tires as being over the limit for their tire life safely being as they are 12 year old tires

 

[WNYGT5-0]

would you consider these tires as being over the limit for their tire life safely being as they are 12 year old tires

As long as they aren’t all weather checked. If you see any signs of cracking in the tires 86 them. Performance tires should be stored room temp and never exposed to temps below 40 degrees or run outside of their date code. The Porsche Paula Walker was driving is a prime example. Tires are the most important part of the package, tires and setup are what make you fast. Improper tire management is an unneeded liability. A proper set of sneakers for your ride would be cheap insurance for a 60,000$ stickered Shelby. As long as you’re not asking too much from the tire you maybe ok, but a lot of damage can happen even at 30-40 mph cruising speed from a blow out or shredded tire.

 

[06 T-RED S/C GT]

As long as they aren’t all weather checked. If you see any signs of cracking in the tires 86 them. Performance tires should be stored room temp and never exposed to temps below 40 degrees or run outside of their date code. The Porsche Paula Walker was driving is a prime example. Tires are the most important part of the package, tires and setup are what make you fast. Improper tire management is an unneeded liability. A proper set of sneakers for your ride would be cheap insurance for a 60,000$ stickered Shelby. As long as you’re not asking too much from the tire you maybe ok, but a lot of damage can happen even at 30-40 mph cruising speed from a blow out or shredded tire.

The tires don't appear to have any visible cracks in them. They were also stored in room temp for 10 years by the previous owner prior to purchasing them. Since then, they've been on my car for the past 2 years and the only time they've ever been exposed to temps below 40 degrees, is when my car is stored away for the winter inside the garage which also is not a heated garage. Anyhow, I'm not quite certain I follow what your referring to as being run outside of their date code, so perhaps you can clarify if your referring to the build date of the tires or if the date code is referring to something other than the build date? As for the Paul Walker incident, I totally agree that his accident which killed him was caused by running outdated tires and especially while driving at 120 mph speeds. Although I don't drive my car anywhere near those speeds on the streets/highways, I also agree that a lot of damage can happen even at 30-40 mph cruising speeds from a blow out or shredded tire. Therefore just as you said, tires are indeed the most important part of the package and should be taken very seriously.

 

[GlassTop09]

I wasn't sure of the build date which was part of the reason for asking. I also have the OEM spec Goodyear Eagle F1's that were included with the GT500 18x9.5" wheels I purchased from a friend of mine a couple of years ago. After his GT500 was upgraded at the Shelby plant with the Super Snake package, he put the original wheels/tires in storage covered up in his bedroom for 10 years. Needless to say, when I found out they were on his car for less than a year and were then stored in a controlled environment all covered up, I went ahead and bought them, as they definitely appeared to be in excellent physical condition. My only concern however is despite how excellent the condition of the tires may happen to be, they never the less do have a 2008 build date on them. Therefore would you consider these tires as being over the limit for their tire life safely being as they are 12 year old tires

You might want to check to be sure. I went thru this myself bout 6 mos back as I had a set of tires on my Dodge for >10 yrs (bought them from Discount Tire) that didn't have any signs of weathering or damage & had less than 15,000 mi on them. Went to get a free rotation as given in warranty but they refused to touch them cause they were >10 yrs past their build date....liability reasons. They cited to me that they aren't to touch any tire >10 yrs past the build date, regardless of whether they sold them or not. Pissed me off at the time. I rotated them myself & went on a 1,400 mi trip w\o issues but after cooling down I realized that I had a set of tires that I couldn't use my warranty on which wasn't smart & couldn't really blame the tire company (if roles were reversed I'd a done the same thing) so I retired them & got a new set of tires so that I could have peace of mind going forward.

At the least find out if a tire shop will still at least service them if you have them mounted on your vehicle w\ a build date that far out.
Not trying to be a Debbie Downer...………….

 

[06 T-RED S/C GT]

You might want to check to be sure. I went thru this myself bout 6 mos back as I had a set of tires on my Dodge for >10 yrs (bought them from Discount Tire) that didn't have any signs of weathering or damage & had less than 15,000 mi on them. Went to get a free rotation as given in warranty but they refused to touch them cause they were >10 yrs past their build date....liability reasons. They cited to me that they aren't to touch any tire >10 yrs past the build date, regardless of whether they sold them or not. Pissed me off at the time. I rotated them myself & went on a 1,400 mi trip w\o issues but after cooling down I realized that I had a set of tires that I couldn't use my warranty on which wasn't smart & couldn't really blame the tire company (if roles were reversed I'd a done the same thing) so I retired them & got a new set of tires so that I could have peace of mind going forward.

At the least find out if a tire shop will still at least service them if you have them mounted on your vehicle w\ a build date that far out.
Not trying to be a Debbie Downer...………….

During the past 2 years, my car has continued to pass the annual PA state inspection at my local Ford dealership. I also informed the Ford tech about the tires being 12-13 years old and inquired about any potential safety risks. Before passing the inspection, he performed a thorough safety check of the tires and then strongly recommended to check them often for any potential cracks in both the tread and sidewall sections and also do not run the tires hard under any circumstances whatsoever. At any rate, after reading over your post response along with WNYGT5-0 and Gabe's. Rather than take any further potential safety risks, I believe the time is now for retiring the Goodyear Eagle F1's despite their low mileage and no visual signs of weathering or physical damage. Therefore, it appears I'll be scheduling an appointment with my local Firestone complete auto care center much sooner than anticipated towards the purchase and installation of the Firehawk Indy 500 tires for replacement.

 

[Anti]

Wise move, Rocky. They get old enough, you may as well have pvc tires, except yours could explode while on the highway.

 

[06 T-RED S/C GT]

Thanks Ray! It was after reading GlassTop09, WNYGT5-0 and Gabe's post responses that finally made me realize that despite the visual condition and low mileage of the tires I've been running, they are never the less 13 year old tires which are now well over their life expectancy that are no longer considered as safe. The reason for not realizing this much sooner is the person I bought the tires and wheels from which also happens to be a long time friend of mine claims he's ran the same tires on his "37" Chevy street rod for well over 20 years and are still in very good physical condition despite their age. Therefore, I followed his advice regarding the condition of the tires rather than from the potential safety issues they present due from being well past their life expectancy. At any rate, what finally made the most difference in realizing just how much of a safety hazard running outdated tires really are, is when WNYGT5-0 brought up in his response what caused the accident which claimed the life of actor Paul Walker. Needless to say, that's all it took to finally convince me for putting things in their proper perspective. That being said, consider this as a long overdue wake up call!

 

[Midlife Crises]

Been a long time coming. This weekend will be Test & Tune Sunday and maybe some Brackets Monday. Getting ready for the 350 mile drive to the strip.

 

[Silver'nStripes]

Been a long time coming. This weekend will be Test & Tune Sunday and maybe some Brackets Monday. Getting ready for the 350 mile drive to the strip.

350 miles?!? I hope that's not the closest one. Have fun!

 

[Midlife Crises]

350 miles?!? I hope that's not the closest one. Have fun!

That is the only one. Alaska Raceway Park.

 

[WNYGT5-0]

Thanks Ray! It was after reading GlassTop09, WNYGT5-0 and Gabe's post responses that finally made me realize that despite the visual condition and low mileage of the tires I've been running, they are never the less 13 year old tires which are now well over their life expectancy that are no longer considered as safe. The reason for not realizing this much sooner is the person I bought the tires and wheels from which also happens to be a long time friend of mine claims he's ran the same tires on his "37" Chevy street rod for well over 20 years and are still in very good physical condition despite their age. Therefore, I followed his advice regarding the condition of the tires rather than from the potential safety issues they present due from being well past their life expectancy. At any rate, what finally made the most difference in realizing just how much of a safety hazard running outdated tires really are, is when WNYGT5-0 brought up in his response what caused the accident which claimed the life of actor Paul Walker. Needless to say, that's all it took to finally convince me for putting things in their proper perspective. That being said, consider this as a long overdue wake up call!

Good call... Air changes tire chemistry daily. There’s a lot more than pressure and tread wear going on in there. You won’t be disappointed.

 

[Gabe]

Took the wife's Shelby for its first drive today, right over to a friend's house, for the clutch swap.
And yeah, it was due (overdue).
The old flywheel was hot-spotted like crazy, I even got some slip on the way to his house.
Going back tomorrow to finish it up, we had to stop early today, he had a few other things to get done.
Today we got the old stuff out, the new McLeod braided clutch line in, new Ford pilot bearing, new Ford slave cylinder/throwout bearing, and the new McLeod flywheel installed.
Tomorrow the fun of getting the huge TR6060 back in its place.

 

[Midlife Crises]

That flywheel is ugly. I bet you could feel that.

 

[Midlife Crises]

My son stopped by in his resurrected 67 Elky. 402 BB, Turbo 400 and Currie 9”. Don’t know what’s wrong with that boy.

 

[Gabe]

That flywheel is ugly. I bet you could feel that.

Yeah, it felt like crap.

The noisy throwout bearing:

 

[06 T-RED S/C GT]

Good call... Air changes tire chemistry daily. There’s a lot more than pressure and tread wear going on in there. You won’t be disappointed.

Actually, It's a huge weight lifted off my shoulders just knowing there's one less thing to worry about by eliminating the potential safety risk not only towards myself, but also towards the safety of other motorists as well by running outdated tires, regardless of their visual appearance/condition or low mileage. That alone provides additional self-confidence and piece of mind.

 

[Gabe]

Finished the clutch job with my friend, had a setback when the McLeod clutch line kept popping off at the top connector, had to swap back to the factory fluid line.
But it feels good, driving it back to the house now