[mcglsr2]

Hey all, I'm going to be doing an HPDE in the beginning of January in my 95 Mustang GT. I was looking for some pointers from you guys that already track your car.

About me: I have been in an HPDE once already, and used my DD which was a blast. However, I didn't want to wreck it as it it's new, so I bought a 95 Mustang GT, figured I'd spend some time/money to make it somewhat track ready, and then head out and have fun. As I got better, I would upgrade the car.

The car: the engine is pretty much stock. I've been told it's bored over and it has a cam in it (don't know the specs, previous owner didn't know). But everything else on it is stock, stock heads, intake, etc. It came with a BBK o/r H pipe.

Things I have done: I installed a Corbeau racing seat, upgraded to Bullitt brakes at all 4 corners with ATE Super Blue (pads that came with the calipers, I'll replace with Hawk HP+ when they wear out), Agent 47 brake duct kit, SS brakes lines including the one that goes from the body to the pumpkin, installed H&R Race springs, new Tokico Blue struts/shocks at all 4 corners, MM extreme duty RLCAs (spherical at both ends), MM 4 point K-member brace, and some maintenance stuff like new plugs and ignition wires. cap and rotor, replaced the front sway bar bushes with poly ones, both the mount and endlinks, replaced the RUCA bushings with new stock ones.

The car is currently in the shop getting: 3.55 gears, moser 31 spline axles with moroso 3" studs, aluminum driveshaft, and a torsen t-2.

After this, I will do MM full length subframes and RPF1 wheels, MM camber plates; I have but need to install poly engine mounts and poly trans mount. Then I'm probably done for a while with upgrades.

I think I should be covered car-wise for a while, until I learn the car and get better. I focused on brakes and suspension this time around, I'll worry about HP later when I find the limit of the car. I know it's not the "end-game" setup for this car, but like I said, I have to learn it first so I'm not worried about that. Any pointers or anything I should look out for at the HPDE? I'll be running group1 with an instructor.

TIA

[94racing]

really just follor youre instructions from youre instructor and you will be fine. you went a little overboard with the suspension for being youre second event. no more upgrades to the car at all untill like youre 5th event!!! unless something breaks. and you have a 5.0? should be pretty reliable what track are you running at? and you need to go ahead and put dot 4/ dot 5.1 brake fluid in and get that over with. what tires are you running? post some pics up

honestly ive ran my car through 1 and 2 and im hoping to get a spec miata this winter to run but mustangs hold very well on the track and if driven hard enough/ right you can be competative with the good driver miatas.
just remember most cars that seem small and low power are faster in the corners and will probably pass you. if you keep catching people on the strait slow down give them distance unless you can catch them in the corners. lastly just watch a few utube videos and when you start out each session just build up youre speed and cool off youre breaks and stop with youre tranny. dont stop with youre brakes. when its wet stay off the paved sections and dont rev too much. you can always let somebody pass and remember to get youre go pro or smarty cam so we can watch!!

[Serlin]

What club are you going with? and where are you located?

Sounds like you've got the car up to HPDE duties. Thats good.

You'll find some good reading here: http://www.norcal-saac.org/ot/primer.pdf

Try and learn the flags COLD. When I am asked to take someone for a "Check Ride" to move up in groups, the first thing I do is ask them what the flags mean.

More than once, I've had guys stumble on the flags, and then I dont even do the check ride. If you dont know your flags, then I dont want you moving up a group.

But listen to your instructor, and have fun!

Any questions, feel free to ask. I've been instructing for several years.

[94racing]

^agreed on the flags i get the quiz every time haha

[mcglsr2]

Originally Posted by 94racing really just follor youre instructions from youre instructor and you will be fine. you went a little overboard with the suspension for being youre second event. no more upgrades to the car at all untill like youre 5th event!!! unless something breaks. and you have a 5.0? should be pretty reliable what track are you running at? and you need to go ahead and put dot 4/ dot 5.1 brake fluid in and get that over with. what tires are you running? post some pics up honestly ive ran my car through 1 and 2 and im hoping to get a spec miata this winter to run but mustangs hold very well on the track and if driven hard enough/ right you can be competative with the good driver miatas. just remember most cars that seem small and low power are faster in the corners and will probably pass you. if you keep catching people on the strait slow down give them distance unless you can catch them in the corners. lastly just watch a few utube videos and when you start out each session just build up youre speed and cool off youre breaks and stop with youre tranny. dont stop with youre brakes. when its wet stay off the paved sections and dont rev too much. you can always let somebody pass and remember to get youre go pro or smarty cam so we can watch!!

Thanks for the advice! I'm sure the car is little overboard for my 2nd event, but I honestly didn't trust the state of the items that came on the car, so if I was going to replace them anyway, I wanted something that would last me quite a few events without going nuts (like a full coil-over suspension, etc). I am leery of the brakes, which is why I went ahead and swapped to the better Cobra ones with brake ducts on the front to help to keep that fade away. I got spoiled on my DD when I did the event, so I'm trying to start from a reasonably good foundation

I remember the guys at the track talking about how the mustangs would pass the miatas in the straights, but then the miatas would catch back up again in the corners, so I will be mindful of that. My goal is to go out and learn the car, not have a pissing contest with others on the track (that comes much later ).

And yes, the car is a 5.0. I have no idea what it's making for power currently, I'd imagine 170 to 180 or so to the wheels. I'm sure the engine is worn out with all the miles it has on it. I care about brakes and suspension right now anyway, so I'm not sweating the engine yet. The track I have been at is Sebring International Raceway, the one I'll be heading to in Jan is Homestead Miami Speedway. As for tires, you'll laugh. I have four different cheapo brand tires on each wheel - car came that way. Literally, each tire is not the same. When I buy the RPF1s, I'll buy new tires as well. As it is, I don't expect the car to stick too well, which is fine as I also don't expect to be pushing that much. Maybe I'll destroy the current tires and have an excuse for new ones, heh. Seriously though, I do expect to be replacing those before the event, but for now I'm assuming I'll be running those.

What do you mean by don't rev too much? You mean be sure to keep the revs down in the 4K range, because there's no power above that?

I've also been reading a lot of material on racing/open tracking/autocrossing, I also go to an indoor kart track with my friends - trying to learn the trade

Here are some pics of the stuff I've done to it, the car is in the shop right now so I can't take any right this minute:
Just when I got it home, before I took the rear wing off:


Suspension stuff:






This is the car I drove at Sebring:

Originally Posted by Serlin What club are you going with? and where are you located? Sounds like you've got the car up to HPDE duties. Thats good. You'll find some good reading here: http://www.norcal-saac.org/ot/primer.pdf Try and learn the flags COLD. When I am asked to take someone for a "Check Ride" to move up in groups, the first thing I do is ask them what the flags mean. More than once, I've had guys stumble on the flags, and then I dont even do the check ride. If you dont know your flags, then I dont want you moving up a group. But listen to your instructor, and have fun! Any questions, feel free to ask. I've been instructing for several years.

Hey, not with any club per se, though NASA is hosting the event - perhaps that's what you mean? I'm located in Orlando, FL. And the flags, yes. I'm still working on those - I don't plan on moving to 2 at all yet, too much to learn from instructors first. In my first event, I would have had a hard time pointing out the flag corners, much less the flag itself (thanks Rick the instructor ). Too much to focus on. I'll get there though.

My big concern is the rear wheel drive and live axle. I'm not sure what it will be like, so I'll just have to get out there and see what happens. I've tried to make it a little better (like the Torsen for example) without doing too much because at this point I don't even know what too much is yet. I'll have to drive it and see what I like/don't like.

Thanks for the advice guys, and I'll be reading up that norcal saac link

[mcglsr2]

Oh, what kind of power are you guys making? I'll have to see what kind of lines I'll try, but because of the weight of the car (stuff will be stripped out like backseat and probably carpet but still a little heavy) and low horsepower, I'm going to really have to focus on keeping up my momentum and perhaps hitting the apexes a little late so I can get on the throttle a little sooner. Is that generally the approach you guys take (lol, I think I know the answer: "it depends." )?

[Serlin]

Oh cool.
My buddy, Carmine instructs and races with NASA. He does all the local events.
I you want, you can request him. He has a flat black 97 Cobra. He's a good instructor.

They generally try to pair you up with guys with the same car.

Homestead is a good track.

"Keep the rpms down" WTF??? Hell Now!!! Drive the car like you stole it Thats what is meant for.

Listen to your instructor, and you'll be fine.

I'll try and make it down. If I see your car, I'll certainly come say hello.

Check out my videos, there are plenty from Homestead.

[Serlin]

Originally Posted by mcglsr2 Oh, what kind of power are you guys making? I'll have to see what kind of lines I'll try, but because of the weight of the car (stuff will be stripped out like backseat and probably carpet but still a little heavy) and low horsepower, I'm going to really have to focus on keeping up my momentum and perhaps hitting the apexes a little late so I can get on the throttle a little sooner. Is that generally the approach you guys take (lol, I think I know the answer: "it depends." )?

Power is not a big deal.
I only put out 260 at the wheels.
Focus on your driving line, braking, and not "coasting" Lots of guys coast a lot in the beginning. Your either on the gas, or on the brake. nothing in between.

Have fun.

[94racing]

Originally Posted by Serlin Oh cool. My buddy, Carmine instructs and races with NASA. He does all the local events. I you want, you can request him. He has a flat black 97 Cobra. He's a good instructor. They generally try to pair you up with guys with the same car. Homestead is a good track. "Keep the rpms down" WTF??? Hell Now!!! Drive the car like you stole it Thats what is meant for.

i was saying in the rain not to gas it too hard or he will spin.
in all other cases i say drive it like you stole it but i didnt want to risk my car in the rain and im sure he doesnt want to yet either.
and probably pushing 270 crank? not much over stock

[Serlin]

Ah Rain!!!
I've done many events in the rain. I actually like driving in the rain.
Yes, of course, its a whole different game.

[mcglsr2]

Originally Posted by Serlin You'll find some good reading here: http://www.norcal-saac.org/ot/primer.pdf

I printed that out and read through it, good reading, thanks for the link!

[mcglsr2]

When I sign up the Jan event, I'll ask Barbara if Carmine will be instructing and if so, could I work with him. Thanks for the reference

I have yet to drive in the rain. I hear it's a lot of fun, and a lot different. It actually rained the weekend I was at Sebring, so I thought I was going to get the chance, but it actually rained so bad that the track closed down. I'm sure I will get my opportunity. My concern is that the car will be like it's on ice. I'm just going to have to see what it feels like

[94racing]

sunday session 2 hpde 2 part 1 - YouTube

sunday session 2 hpde 2 part 1 - YouTube

not a good example because i was foolin around but youre rain will come. its fun just remember you dont want to go out with slicks in the rain i had a corvette about hit me the first session of that day because it started raining and he wasnt even going fast but he started to tap the breaks and he slid past me in brakeing

it is fun though

[mcglsr2]

Originally Posted by 94racing sunday session 2 hpde 2 part 1 - YouTube not a good example because i was foolin around but youre rain will come. its fun just remember you dont want to go out with slicks in the rain i had a corvette about hit me the first session of that day because it started raining and he wasnt even going fast but he started to tap the breaks and he slid past me in brakeing it is fun though

Looks like a blast! Reminds me, I need to get new wiper blades for the GT. What are you using for data capture?

[94racing]

Originally Posted by mcglsr2 Looks like a blast! Reminds me, I need to get new wiper blades for the GT. What are you using for data capture?

i use smartycam comes with a gps unit that you screw into the back then you download the track map and location and your set. great tool for laptimes. i mounted mine on my passenger a pillar by drilling a small hole though the metal on the actual a pillar after i popped the plastic off. to be honest so that i dont junk dads 1000 dollar camera someday i want to get a go pro or when i talk to drew about it he said they buy these 20$ hemlet cams for trail riding so its not too big of a loss.

Optimum Motorsports - AiM SmartyCam

edit: look on craigs list there are some good deals on them used.

[mcglsr2]

Too much for my budget I am looking at the GoPro Hero 2, and maybe something like TrackVision to integrate track data with the video.

[EscortSportage]

I only have one windshield wiper and no defroster...hmm rain x!!!??

[RockRacing]

Originally Posted by EscortSportage I only have one windshield wiper and no defroster...hmm rain x!!!??

If you have a heat extracting hood, it can defrost the window fairly well as you can see here (it's not the whole window, but enough to see well enough):


Some people also attach hoses outside on the A pillar and wrap them around to point at the windshield as well.

[mcglsr2]

Welp, it's getting closer to the HPDE. I've done some more work to the car, added CC plates, shift light, etc. Looks like I'll be getting some new tires as well. I had the car on a dyno just to see what it's sitting at for a baseline, and I ended up with 185 whp and 243 wtq, which for this stock motor with an unknown number of miles on it, is very good. I'm happy with that.

[94racing]

Originally Posted by RockRacing If you have a heat extracting hood, it can defrost the window fairly well as you can see here (it's not the whole window, but enough to see well enough):

we rainx ours then we have that glass that is shatter resistant and it has some type of non fog stuff made into it so it works excelent.