S550 Honey Badger GT350 Build Build Thread Profile - S550 Mustangs

[honeybadger]

Got a little more of the car prepped. Front end and rear bumper area are now done. Just need to work my way through the interior

 

[honeybadger]

Testing the safety nets before I weld the hooks permanently into place. Going with the seat containment nets used in IMSA for the mains nets. One on each side. Will add Scroth window net later if I don’t figure out a door window solution.




nets wrap around seat in back for maximum containment

 

[honeybadger]

Am ready for painting. Sand blasted all the needed bits, scuffed the bare metal, and sanded exterior/door jambs/etc. Plan is for Steel it on the underside, wheel wells, engine bay, and interior so its durable, easy to repair, and can be welded through. Exterior body panels will be white and then wrapped in vinyl. Really excited to get started on reassembly. Shortblock is at the machine shop now. Trans should be about 2 weeks out.

 

[biggsy]

Sorry if I missed it but which transmission did you decide to go with?

 

[honeybadger]

Sorry if I missed it but which transmission did you decide to go with?

HGT six speed sequential with load cell shifter (no paddles)

 

[biggsy]

As someone who will probably never go through an extensive build like this in life, I appreciate your videos and documentation throughout the process. Your videos/posts have enhanced my little knowledge on cars and related things. Can't wait to see COTA videos when the time comes

 

[honeybadger]

As someone who will probably never go through an extensive build like this in life, I appreciate your videos and documentation throughout the process. Your videos/posts have enhanced my little knowledge on cars and related things. Can't wait to see COTA videos when the time comes

Thanks, man. I really appreciate it.

I'm getting really, really itchy to get this thing done. It's going to be such a cool accomplishment when it finally rolls again. I told my wife I might cry once I get to drive it down the street first time hearing that sequential trans straight cut gear whine

 

[honeybadger]

Made some progress last night

I am officially a steel-it fan boy. This stuff goes on soooooo good. Very forgiving - just not for your bank account.





15 cans covered the roll cage, complete underside (including wheel wells), and engine bay. Ordered another 12 to finish interior. Hoping to finish up the painting this weekend.

 

[honeybadger]

For those interested - I weighed the tub today. About where I expected



Interesting of note - the floor is just the tiniest bit uneven and since the tub has so little flex, the corner weights are wild

 

[Fabman]

For those interested - I weighed the tub today. About where I expected
View attachment 86939


Interesting of note - the floor is just the tiniest bit uneven and since the tub has so little flex, the corner weights are wild
View attachment 86938

Its those pesky parts that add up....!

 

[honeybadger]

Exploring mounting location ideas for the diff and trans coolers. First option is where the GT4 car puts - in the cavity left by the OEM fuel tank.



Second, I am playing around with putting them next to the fuel cell in the rear. Air flow looks to be plenty and it leaves the OEM fuel tank cavity open for the exhaust (i.e. side exit exhaust with extra room for mufflers if I am running a track with sound restrictions)


Thoughts?

 

[Scootsmcgreggor]

If putting them in the back makes room for side exit do that! Super bad ass.

 

[honeybadger]

So I've gotten the tub painted. Can FINALLY begin reassembly. Starting to get excited now!



While waiting for some parts to come in, I've begun messing around with the fender. While I'd love a GT3 fender, I am going to work something up on my own at least for now. Plan is to remove the existing vent I have and replace with a curved Race Louvers fender vent that goes ontop of the wheel arch. Then going to cut into the OEM vent and deepen. One of my goals with this is not to mess with outline of that iconic GT350 fender vent that's at the front of the swoosh. Really not a fan of how a lot of the existing solutions have approached this.




This should help get a lot more airflow out without really ruining the 350 body lines

 

[Fabman]

So I've gotten the tub painted. Can FINALLY begin reassembly. Starting to get excited now!

View attachment 87233

While waiting for some parts to come in, I've begun messing around with the fender. While I'd love a GT3 fender, I am going to work something up on my own at least for now. Plan is to remove the existing vent I have and replace with a curved Race Louvers fender vent that goes ontop of the wheel arch. Then going to cut into the OEM vent and deepen. One of my goals with this is not to mess with outline of that iconic GT350 fender vent that's at the front of the swoosh. Really not a fan of how a lot of the existing solutions have approached this.

View attachment 87231
View attachment 87232

This should help get a lot more airflow out without really ruining the 350 body lines

Looks fantastic.

 

[Stan Whitney]

Thanks, man. I really appreciate it.

I'm getting really, really itchy to get this thing done. It's going to be such a cool accomplishment when it finally rolls again. I told my wife I might cry once I get to drive it down the street first time hearing that sequential trans straight cut gear whine

It will be a tremendous feeling of accomplishment and relief. When we built our C5 race car years ago, we had a group of friends over to help the cross the last leg of the punch list to drive it under its own power. Was a great day, you can see the grin on my face You need a roll out party!





PSA - lay some strips of PPF film over the door bars and other cage bits you work around a lot. It will save a ton of knicks on that beautiful paint.

 

[honeybadger]

It will be a tremendous feeling of accomplishment and relief. When we built our C5 race car years ago, we had a group of friends over to help the cross the last leg of the punch list to drive it under its own power. Was a great day, you can see the grin on my face You need a roll out party!
View attachment 87262
View attachment 87265
View attachment 87263
View attachment 87264

PSA - lay some strips of PPF film over the door bars and other cage bits you work around a lot. It will save a ton of knicks on that beautiful paint.

Nice! I am looking forward to the day I can roll it down the neighborhood street and hear that sweet, sweet straight cut gear whine. Long way to go still, though. I'm most worried about the wiring. Turns out there's so much to do when you replace all the wires/fuse boxes in a car with a PDM and aftermarket ECU. Ha!

On the bright side, I got my dash in this weekend and I didn't even scratch the Steel-it coated cage. Well I did, but it was more a scuff. That stuff is super tough from what I've seen already

 

[honeybadger]

Things have been fairly quiet the last couple weeks juggling some family time and other stuff, but some progress has been made. Since the car is painted, I've started some minor re-assembly.

Got the dash back in along with the pedals/steering wheel. I still need to work on pedal plumbing and steering shaft fabrication. Latter of which should be coming soon.



I've also installed a Watson rear-bumper support tow hook setup. I really liked pulling the car in backwards before, but the OEM rear bumper support was only held in with (2) bolts per side. There was some flex and that always made me nervous. This uses (4) per side and they tie into the frame rails. Should be perfect.



I also scored a nascar radiator off of ebay. This sucker is abut 20% bigger by volume than the Mishimoto I was using - while being 3in shorter. And with an attached oil cooler, it will also replace my FP350S oil cooler. Plan is to tilt forward and duct a la an FIA GT3-spec factory car.



Going to drop it off at a local shop this weekend to get some AN bungs welded on.



IT doesn't currently fit between the frame rails due to the placement of the lower hose, but plan is to tilt forward like this - just pushed further back. Will likely modify the k-member to fit it, but haven't gotten that far yet.

 

[Fabman]

Things have been fairly quiet the last couple weeks juggling some family time and other stuff, but some progress has been made. Since the car is painted, I've started some minor re-assembly.

Got the dash back in along with the pedals/steering wheel. I still need to work on pedal plumbing and steering shaft fabrication. Latter of which should be coming soon.

View attachment 87494

I've also installed a Watson rear-bumper support tow hook setup. I really liked pulling the car in backwards before, but the OEM rear bumper support was only held in with (2) bolts per side. There was some flex and that always made me nervous. This uses (4) per side and they tie into the frame rails. Should be perfect.

View attachment 87491

I also scored a nascar radiator off of ebay. This sucker is abut 20% bigger by volume than the Mishimoto I was using - while being 3in shorter. And with an attached oil cooler, it will also replace my FP350S oil cooler. Plan is to tilt forward and duct a la an FIA GT3-spec factory car.

View attachment 87492

Going to drop it off at a local shop this weekend to get some AN bungs welded on.

View attachment 87493

IT doesn't currently fit between the frame rails due to the placement of the lower hose, but plan is to tilt forward like this - just pushed further back. Will likely modify the k-member to fit it, but haven't gotten that far yet.
View attachment 87495

It would the interesting to know what the original flow path of the radiator is...I see it goes back and forth like the ones I do....but which way and how many passes does it make.
The lower pickup is very high in the tank and the inlet side has relatively few rows while the bottom has many rows....does it pass back and forth several times? Inquiring minds want to know.
I'd like to snake my little bore scope in there....

 

[honeybadger]

It would the interesting to know what the original flow path of the radiator is...I see it goes back and forth like the ones I do....but which way and how many passes does it make.
The lower pickup is very high in the tank and the inlet side has relatively few rows while the bottom has many rows....does it pass back and forth several times? Inquiring minds want to know.
I'd like to snake my little bore scope in there....

So it looks like it has (2) cores/rows(?) and goes through one first and then returns on the other side. Here’s video…not sure it’s clear. Hard to describe holding a phone in one hand

 

[Fabman]

So it looks like it has (2) cores/rows(?) and goes through one first and then returns on the other side. Here’s video…not sure it’s clear. Hard to describe holding a phone in one hand

Interesting.
So it’s two row, two pass and the second pass is the second row of tubes. Different than the usual 3 separate passes across the radiator with baffles in the tanks flowing in an ’’S” pattern. Very clever.
Thanks for indulging me.