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S550 Honey Badger GT350 Build Build Thread Profile - S550 Mustangs

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34
22
Exp. Type
HPDE
Exp. Level
Under 3 Years
Wyoming
Interesting question and one I think about often given where I'm at with cost. I don't feel qualified to have an educated opinion quite yet as I need to finish the build and see what reliability and performance look like. I can tell you there are some things I've learned -

  1. If I was going to build the ultimate mustang, I'd buy a cheap base GT - I'm not really keeping anything from the Shelby. All cooling/braking/suspension improvements from the Shelby/PP1 have been replaced. Only thing I've kept is the rear diff - and I plan to move to a Winters quick change in the future - so really would have saved a lot starting with the cheapest chassis I could find.
  2. I'd look real hard at a C6 if I was doing it again. Vette has a better starting point IMHO (weight + engine behind the front wheels, etc.) and shops like GSpeed have Vettes really dialed. Tons and tons of parts. And you can make huge NA power with a stroked LS7 with some higher compression pistons. Would be a ton of fun
  3. For over $200k, if I was starting again, I would look real real real real hard at a Porsche Cup Car. A few run at COTA and I'm super envious. They're bullet proof, sound amazing, wicked fast, and really rewarding to drive when you get right.
I'm not at all disappointed with the direction i've gone and it'll be really special to have this fully converted knowing I bought it new, drove it down the coast for my honey moon and then converted it to a Porsche/Vette killer. But it's a lot more expensive than it needed to be ha


I really hope I can get it done. I also need to go hit up Road America. I plan to be there next spring - this thing has to be done by then!
Yep. It's really cool to work the S550. I didn't get mine because it was a Mustang GT350. I got it after driving several and thought it the best to drive under $100k. But, and I still do it today, I look back at it after parking it, and it looks good. Great lines with its sexy hips. Corvette and Porsche have similar appeal and of course after market access. We chose well.
 
741
1,075
TX
Agreed. I still visually love the mustang the most. Only thing that comes close for me are the Astons design language.

Not a bad angle on the girl. Side profile is perfection
IMG_1916.jpeg
IMG_2097.jpeg
ED1_2506.jpeg

I also really love how mean it looks in the rearview
IJ9A0014.jpeg
 

Fabman

Dances with Racecars
6,518
8,154
Exp. Type
W2W Racing
Exp. Level
20+ Years
Pleasanton: 1/2 way between Sonoma and Laguna Seca

Fabman

Dances with Racecars
6,518
8,154
Exp. Type
W2W Racing
Exp. Level
20+ Years
Pleasanton: 1/2 way between Sonoma and Laguna Seca

Fabman

Dances with Racecars
6,518
8,154
Exp. Type
W2W Racing
Exp. Level
20+ Years
Pleasanton: 1/2 way between Sonoma and Laguna Seca
I'm continually impressed with your skill and patience in making these videos.
I am often asked to make them but the most I ever actually do is maybe take some pics and possibly make a quick slideshow in retrospect some weeks or months later when the subject comes up.
I did do an exhaustive and detailed bump steer video that was up for a short time and then photobucket dumped everybodys files and I lost everything way back when that happened. I had a ton of content. :mad: Hard to get excited about going through all that work again as my video skills are pretty rudimentary so it just doesn't happen.
Seems I can do the work, but I can't film the work....lol. My hats off to you Kevin, don't stop making them. ;)
 
741
1,075
TX
I'm continually impressed with your skill and patience in making these videos.
I am often asked to make them but the most I ever actually do is maybe take some pics and possibly make a quick slideshow in retrospect some weeks or months later when the subject comes up.
I did do an exhaustive and detailed bump steer video that was up for a short time and then photobucket dumped everybodys files and I lost everything way back when that happened. I had a ton of content. :mad: Hard to get excited about going through all that work again as my video skills are pretty rudimentary so it just doesn't happen.
Seems I can do the work, but I can't film the work....lol. My hats off to you Kevin, don't stop making them. ;)
Thanks, Sal! They're a lot of work, but I feel like it's my way of paying it forward to those of you (yourself included) that share your expertise and candid experiences. Between folks on the forum and the creators on YT, I've learned the majority of what enables me to tackle projects like this. It's incredible how much knowledge is out there today.

Hopefully when I get to the PDM/ECU/Wiring Harness/ABS stuff I'll be able to share that in a way that's helpful since those areas seem to be pretty light for what's available outside of paid education or trade secrets. I thought tuners were an interesting group - wiring and programing experts are even more eccentric :)

Sucks to hear about your bump steer video. I remember when photobucket made that decision. It wrecked so many helpful threads across so many forums. ugh
 

Fabman

Dances with Racecars
6,518
8,154
Exp. Type
W2W Racing
Exp. Level
20+ Years
Pleasanton: 1/2 way between Sonoma and Laguna Seca
Thanks, Sal! They're a lot of work, but I feel like it's my way of paying it forward to those of you (yourself included) that share your expertise and candid experiences. Between folks on the forum and the creators on YT, I've learned the majority of what enables me to tackle projects like this. It's incredible how much knowledge is out there today.

Hopefully when I get to the PDM/ECU/Wiring Harness/ABS stuff I'll be able to share that in a way that's helpful since those areas seem to be pretty light for what's available outside of paid education or trade secrets. I thought tuners were an interesting group - wiring and programing experts are even more eccentric :)

Sucks to hear about your bump steer video. I remember when photobucket made that decision. It wrecked so many helpful threads across so many forums. ugh
In general, when it comes to the sharing of information I say "we are better together" and I'm happy to see you carrying that torch.
If I can help in any way just let me know. I may be old but I can still fix a thing or two. ;)
 
741
1,075
TX
Got started with the sand blasting while I wait for my safety nets to come in. I knew this would be messy, but WOW. Nothing could have prepared me for the mess this makes. I went through 500lbs of media today and only got through the underside, rear wheels, and some of the sides. Spent more time cleaning than blasting I think.

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Goal is not to strip every surface - but to decontaminate all the welded bits and roughen up the surface enough for the Steel-It to bite into.
 
741
1,075
TX
Finished the dry sump oil tank enclosure editing. I was really happy with how the enclosure mounting and enclosure came out. Fairly accessible and still fully protected hose lines and tank.

 

Dave_W

Cones - not just for ice cream
984
1,277
Exp. Type
Autocross
Exp. Level
20+ Years
Connecticut
Great video with good explanations. Thinking about the option of mounting behind the seats, if you had gone that way you could have used rigid aluminum tubing for most of the run instead of flex hose. It would be like brake lines - most of the length is hard line, and only where you have movement is it flex line. Downside for your application is you'd need a really large flaring tool die for the AN tube nuts, or you might be able to find weld-in AN fittings.
 
741
1,075
TX
Great video with good explanations. Thinking about the option of mounting behind the seats, if you had gone that way you could have used rigid aluminum tubing for most of the run instead of flex hose. It would be like brake lines - most of the length is hard line, and only where you have movement is it flex line. Downside for your application is you'd need a really large flaring tool die for the AN tube nuts, or you might be able to find weld-in AN fittings.
Thanks, Dave!

You can use rigid AL tubing, but not sure you gain much. The tubing would still be exposed to the bottom and be a risk when you're running over stuff like kerbs or off track excursions. And 16an hose (or tubing equivalent) is pretty darn large - a lot harder to protect than tiny brake lines.

AS for flaring tool, there are tons of weld on ends for all material types - AL, SS, mild steel, etc. So if you go that route, you're covered
 

Fabman

Dances with Racecars
6,518
8,154
Exp. Type
W2W Racing
Exp. Level
20+ Years
Pleasanton: 1/2 way between Sonoma and Laguna Seca
Thanks, Dave!

You can use rigid AL tubing, but not sure you gain much. The tubing would still be exposed to the bottom and be a risk when you're running over stuff like kerbs or off track excursions. And 16an hose (or tubing equivalent) is pretty darn large - a lot harder to protect than tiny brake lines.

AS for flaring tool, there are tons of weld on ends for all material types - AL, SS, mild steel, etc. So if you go that route, you're covered
If its a metal tube (steel or aluminum) you can run it inside the car.
 
741
1,075
TX
If its a metal tube (steel or aluminum) you can run it inside the car.
AHh that makes sense. I'd still want it encapsulated/walled off. But maybe I'm over cautious about fires/oil leaks.

Since I run a passenger seat, the behind the seat approach wasn't ideal any way you look at it. Filling, checking levels, etc would be a nightmare.
 

Fabman

Dances with Racecars
6,518
8,154
Exp. Type
W2W Racing
Exp. Level
20+ Years
Pleasanton: 1/2 way between Sonoma and Laguna Seca
AHh that makes sense. I'd still want it encapsulated/walled off. But maybe I'm over cautious about fires/oil leaks.

Since I run a passenger seat, the behind the seat approach wasn't ideal any way you look at it. Filling, checking levels, etc would be a nightmare.
Yeah, I get it. I was just clarifying.
On my mid engine RX7 I ran 1"x .065 round steel tubing for the oil lines and 1x2"x .065 steel box tubing for the radiator.
Easy to fab and shape and kept a nice low profile. Also gave it a lot of surface area for additional cooling.

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741
1,075
TX
Yeah, I get it. I was just clarifying.
On my mid engine RX7 I ran 1"x .065 round steel tubing for the oil lines and 1x2"x .065 steel box tubing for the radiator.
Easy to fab and shape and kept a nice low profile. Also gave it a lot of surface area for additional cooling.

View attachment 86738
I love RX7s! I've been tempted to play with a rotary! but the Voodoo has hurt me so much already
 

Fabman

Dances with Racecars
6,518
8,154
Exp. Type
W2W Racing
Exp. Level
20+ Years
Pleasanton: 1/2 way between Sonoma and Laguna Seca
I love RX7s! I've been tempted to play with a rotary! but the Voodoo has hurt me so much already
It was actually a center seat IRS tube chassis with a gutted, chopped and channelled RX7 shell with a homemade aluminum hood and doors.
I chopped about a foot of the bottom of the car and 8" out of the length of front fenders and shortened the wheelbase.
It was basically a 7/8ths scale metal body RX7.
They didn't like it...but it was legal...and wickedly fast.
 

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