Track Testing with Vorshlag's 2018 Mustang GT at MSR-Cresson

Vorshlag-Fair

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We have started a hectic testing schedule with our new 2018 Mustang GT. In the first week of ownership it was autocrossed and driven at our chosen test track in bone stock form. We have a detailed development thread for S550s and now this 2018 GT linked in my sig, but in this thread I will just show our track testing.

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With just a few hundred miles on the odometer and the stock, craptastic 234mm All Season tires I drove to MSR-Cresson for some Baseline laps. Track Test # 1 is shown below. Only change was some Motul RBF600 brake fluid and tweaked tire pressures. #500psi


The stock tires were massively holding back the potential of this car, but the brakes weren't doing the car any favors. We ordered this car as a base model with the 14" 4-piston front brakes. I could overheat the pads in 2 corners, so I took it easy - still murdered the pads and lost brakes after 8 laps. The stock pads were inspected (when replaced with G-LOC R8s) a few days later and they literally fell apart. 100% junk.

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In one day last week our crew installed Whiteline Max-G coilovers, Whiteline swaybars, Vorshlag camber plates and shock mounts, and the 19x11" wheels and 305/30/19 Bridgestones shown above. This is a 200 treadwear tire that is popular in the autocross and track communities. Spring rates on the coilovers were very mild (for us) at 400 #/in front, 550 #/in rear. Camber was set at -3.5° front and -2.0 rear. Very livable daily driver setup. We drove it to the track for Track Test #2, shown below.


Click the video above - the preview might show the earlier test, but it was a 1:21.733 for test # 2. This meant we dropped 10 seconds off the lap time from test #1 to #2. We did OK in NASA's TT3 class (3rd out of 6) in the only car not fully prepped on big Hoosiers and aero. Brakes are still underwhelming (we should have changed pads to R16 compounds) but we have a 380x34mm 6 piston Powerbrake BBK coming that should help drop some more time and give a lot more braking power. Still 100% stock power, stock aero. We have many plans, but will try to develop the car as far as we can on streets before go off the deep end...

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Again, check out the build thread in my sig to learn more. :)

Cheers,
 

Sky Render

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Aren't those "base" 4-piston brakes on the S550 essentially the same thing as the 4-pot Brembos from the S197 BOSS/GT500?
 

Vorshlag-Fair

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Aren't those "base" 4-piston brakes on the S550 essentially the same thing as the 4-pot Brembos from the S197 BOSS/GT500?

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The '15-up Base GT front calipers are 4 piston, but that's where the similarity ends. they are radically different in size, use a completely different pad shape, and the rotors are as different as you can imagine.

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I will get into more of a comparison in our actual S550 build thread but the rotors are a huge fail

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Notice the backside of the rotor above - its completely sealed off. There is no physical way to add any brake cooling to this rotor.

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This is a first... never seen a front rotor with backwards venting. Bizarre. And I can tell you first hand it doesn't work at all. We did 8 laps on brand new stock pads and they failed - came apart. Lost brakes. Even with Motul fluid and G-LOC R8 pads up front I couldn't do two hard stops in a row, inside of a single lap. I had to nurse the heck outta the brakes...
 

Vorshlag-Fair

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So the 4-pot Brembos on the S197 are far superior to those on the S550.

Well I don't know about FAR superior... but the S197 14" Brembos can at least get some brake venting.

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That's a big deal. The new 14" 4 piston stuff is just... dumb. The new caliper looks better (below), but without any way to do brake venting, its worthless on track.

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Of course the S550 15" PP1 brakes (below) and 15.5" Shelby brakes don't have ass-backwards venting and they can be cooled for proper track use...

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TGR96

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Very interesting take on the S550 front 4 piston brakes. I have wondered how they would hold up for track use. Not very well, apparently.

Thanks for posting your findings.
 

Norm Peterson

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I wonder if the aftermarket will come to the rescue with some non-ass-backward 14" rotors. Those things look wrong even for street driving.


Norm
 

Vorshlag-Fair

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A lot more details about the suspension upgrades, wheels and tires, and post race summary from both the 1st and 2nd track tests are in this S197forums thread. We dive deep into the 14" S550 front brake fiasco as well, and compare them to the S550 15" 6 piston and S197 14" 4 piston options.

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The most recent update in that thread is massive and covers the first 6 weeks of testing, racing, and development. Already working on the next update, with more changes, tests, and races already logged.

More soon,
 

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