2012 Build Thread

[Double0fox]

Wow, nice write-up!
And what a beauty of a car!

Thank you, but I still have quite a few more posts to get to where I am currently at. It just takes time to round up all the pics I have taken along the way, and put everything in order.

 

[Double0fox]

Now having the plan that this would be very much track orientated one of the first things that came to mind that would not work for me on track were the seats (the Mustangs I have owned all had the "park bench" seats). I ended up going with a OMP HTR Halo seat. I thought i wouldn't have any side visability once I was in the car, but I can easily see over the halo's, so if any of you worry about a track seat with a halo, don't. Also ordered a Watson's Racing roll bar, harnesses, mounts, and all the supporting hardware. Smashing up the car would be one thing, but smashing me with it would be another. I also wanted to do a spring change. The Steeda sports did not feel good to me. Hard to explain, and I probably won't do a good job of explaining it. but just felt a little "bouncy" when you would load up on a front tire through a corner, not confidence aspiring at all. Great street spring, but not what I am looking for. Even with changing to the Koni Yellows, and trying different settings it felt the same. So out came the pocket book. And ordered:

Watson Racing Roll Bar
OMP HTR Driver seat
OMP TRS-E XL Passenger Seat
OMP Side Mounts
Planted Seat Mounts
Racequip Cam Lock Harnesses
Maximum Motorsports road & Track Springs
Maximum Motorsports Caster Camber Plates

Planted Driver, and passenger mounts.

Before:

After:

Putting the roll bar in was "fun". A lot of measuring before drilling. Luckily I had both front seats out. I had heard from a couple people that they left the seats in while they did this. I have no idea how, or why anyone would leave the seats in while they do this. Took a few iterations of seat placement till I got it where I wanted it at. Then it was onto putting in some Maximum Motorsports road & track springs. I also installed some MM Caster Camber plates that I had bought a few months earlier as well.

The bounce that I was feeling with the Steeda's was gone. The MM springs although rougher (obviously with the increased spring rate) felt more predictable, much better. I know not exactly scientific. I will have to do some testing of what the car likes come track time, cause driving on the street won't tell me much. I hate when people say " My car handles like it is on rails". I know everyone has different experience with how a car handles, but when I ask if it has understeer, oversteer, is the car not rotating, and get the blank stare. Anyway rant over.

 

[Greg D]

Looks like you're well on your way to a nice build. Regarding the halo seat, will you be driving your car on the street with the RaceQuip harness, or do you plan to keep the street shoulder harness in place for street use? The reason I ask is that your halo seat is designed for head restraint (in a helmet, of course) and the QaceQuip harness won't let you lean forward for better side vision in traffic situations. My Sparco seat measures 760mm from the seat cushion to the center of the halo projection - right in the center of my side vision for my 5'11" body. Just thinking out loud.

 

[Double0fox]

Looks like you're well on your way to a nice build. Regarding the halo seat, will you be driving your car on the street with the RaceQuip harness, or do you plan to keep the street shoulder harness in place for street use? The reason I ask is that your halo seat is designed for head restraint (in a helmet, of course) and the QaceQuip harness won't let you lean forward for better side vision in traffic situations. My Sparco seat measures 760mm from the seat cushion to the center of the halo projection - right in the center of my side vision for my 5'11" body. Just thinking out loud.

I am going to trailer it to the track, but I have driven it on the street. I can see just fine over the halo's. I am 6,1", so that might be why. I have no problem with vision with the seat. I didn't keep the three point belts. On track I will be using a HANS as well.

 

[Greg D]

OK. You're experience is different from mine. I went off track and I had to drive forward far enough to allow my vision to clear the halo before I could re-enter when it was clear of other cars.

 

[Double0fox]

OK. You're experience is different from mine. I went off track and I had to drive forward far enough to allow my vision to clear the halo before I could re-enter when it was clear of other cars.

Ya the HANS limits the side to side swivel movement of your head, but still doesn't hinder my sight. I will say the top of the halo is right about at my cheek bone, so it is close.

 

[Double0fox]

A few more things that I had on the list if I was going to dedicate it to mostly track car status, and some that were a must for track work.

BMR radiator support (Trying to get the weight down)
Whiteline front sway bar, with end links
Blowfish Racing brake ducts (Absolute must on my list with the weight of these cars)
Blowfish Racing front tow bracket
SVE Saleen front grill (honestly ordered it for looks originally, but it will probably flow more air to the radiator at the track, so win win!)

I had to do a little modifying for the brake duct hoses. Removed some of the plastic fins that protrude up from the lower cover, moved the horn up a bit, and the washer reservoir needed to be spaced outward a little, but otherwise not too bad.