Winter mods

[lbp]

Gary
I just made a topic about the FR500 seat I am installing. About the harness brackets can you post links for them if available and also how are you going to eliminate the air bag light?
It's funny I seem to be on the same wave length as you with modding the car for track use. Just joined NASA and am looking to get a time trial license for the '13 season. Does anyone know what class our cars would run in? I am reading the rules but there are alot of them. Thanks Steve

American Iron Series here:

http://www.nasaponycars.com/

(are you sure you want to use up a perfectly good brand new street car by racing it?)

 

[cloud9]

Sure I'll post on the lap belt brackets if they work. My friend has them on the way for his GT and I'll be ordering them if it works out. We're going to drill the floor and install eybolts for the sub-belts. Let me know what you find out on the airbag light. For now I was planning on letting the light stay on at the track. I'm still putting my stock seat in for street use, so I want the SRS system still available for that. I did the "belt minder" procedure to turn that off so I won't have the dinging and flashing red seatbelt light with the race seat in the car. I'd be down for bypassing the yellow light too if it's easy to swap back for street use.

 

[cloud9]

Gary
I just made a topic about the FR500 seat I am installing. About the harness brackets can you post links for them if available and also how are you going to eliminate the air bag light?
It's funny I seem to be on the same wave length as you with modding the car for track use. Just joined NASA and am looking to get a time trial license for the '13 season. Does anyone know what class our cars would run in? I am reading the rules but there are alot of them. Thanks Steve

I was in TTA last year. The Boss is TTA* as a base (TTA plus 7 points). You would have to go through all your mods and see which ones add points. I'm not sure what the base class is for the GT, but I'm guessing TTA.

http://www.nasaproracing.com/rules/time_trial_classification.pdf

 

[2012YellowBoss]

Let me know what you find out on the airbag light. For now I was planning on letting the light stay on at the track. I'm still putting my stock seat in for street use, so I want the SRS system still available for that. I did the "belt minder" procedure to turn that off so I won't have the dinging and flashing red seatbelt light with the race seat in the car. I'd be down for bypassing the yellow light too if it's easy to swap back for street use.

I do not think there is an "easy" fix for this. When you disconnect the plug it will throw a light and may even affect the entire system since it will read an error, so the front and pass side bags may not work in a crash.

There may be a procedure to shut off the light, ask the guys at the dealer but I am guessing it would be complicated.

 

[smittytx]

Pete,

Here are pics of my G-Stream wing. Paul Brown did the original testing and it caved in his trunk lid, so he put some pretty big supports in the trunk. As you can see, the new backing plates take up no additional space. Supposedly at 120mph there is 600lbs of downforce. It is designed to work with the 302S front splitter and hood.

It does tend to jump in your way as you walk around the car, if you aren't paying attention.

 

[BLAZN BOSS]

where did you get the sticker from on the back of the trunk lid?

 

[smittytx]

It came on the car. You can probably order one through http://www.fordracingparts.com/home/home.asp

 

[cloud9]

I may end up needing that wing after installing the hood. I won't know until I can get back on the track this spring. Paul said he's working on an "intermediate" wing between the Laguna Seca wing I have now, and the 302S G-Stream wing. A lot will depend on whether I decide to add the front splitter. If I do then I'll probably go with the G-Stream, if I don't then the intermediate wing. I just need to get out and see how "tail happy" it is with the hood first. Since I'm running 305s out back and 285s up front with a wider offset on the rear wheels, I may not need it.

 

[2012YellowBoss]

Pete,

Here are pics of my G-Stream wing. Paul Brown did the original testing and it caved in his trunk lid, so he put some pretty big supports in the trunk. As you can see, the new backing plates take up no additional space. Supposedly at 120mph there is 600lbs of downforce.

That is pretty wild how well they work! Bit much for my street Boss but I like the look on your S

 

[PeteInCT]

Pete,

Here are pics of my G-Stream wing. Paul Brown did the original testing and it caved in his trunk lid, so he put some pretty big supports in the trunk. As you can see, the new backing plates take up no additional space. Supposedly at 120mph there is 600lbs of downforce. It is designed to work with the 302S front splitter and hood.

It does tend to jump in your way as you walk around the car, if you aren't paying attention.

Thanks Smitty - doesn't look that bad at all. My assumption (we all know what happens when you ASS ume ;D) is that the mount points on the top of the trunk are the same (even of the holes don't exactly line up), otherwise I'd be looking at body work also. If I understand this all correctly, the wing kit itself does not come with the additional bracing that's needed to support the downforce created. That being true, is that all a custom job or is a support 'kit' also available from somewhere?

Lastly, I don't intend on doing the hood swapout any time soon. Do you see this as 'must have' with this wing ? I am in an LS and have the larger air splitter, but that's it. If the hood is required I may need to wait for the intermediate wing being discussed above.

 

[smittytx]

I may end up needing that wing after installing the hood. I won't know until I can get back on the track this spring. Paul said he's working on an "intermediate" wing between the Laguna Seca wing I have now, and the 302S G-Stream wing. A lot will depend on whether I decide to add the front splitter. If I do then I'll probably go with the G-Stream, if I don't then the intermediate wing. I just need to get out and see how "tail happy" it is with the hood first. Since I'm running 305s out back and 285s up front with a wider offset on the rear wheels, I may not need it.

My GUESS is that with the 302S hood and a normal front splitter a smaller wing would be fine.

I wouldn't want to drive around town with that big wing on the back.

 

[cloud9]

My GUESS is that with the 302S hood and a normal front splitter a smaller wing would be fine.

I wouldn't want to drive around town with that big wing on the back.

I would ASSume you are correct ;D

Rite, I don't want to be ricer boy In addition, I'd need some ramps if I did put the front splitter on because I scrape the standard one going onto my trailer now.

 

[smittytx]

Pete,

Here are pics of my G-Stream wing. Paul Brown did the original testing and it caved in his trunk lid, so he put some pretty big supports in the trunk. As you can see, the new backing plates take up no additional space. Supposedly at 120mph there is 600lbs of downforce. It is designed to work with the 302S front splitter and hood.

It does tend to jump in your way as you walk around the car, if you aren't paying attention.

Thanks Smitty - doesn't look that bad at all. My assumption (we all know what happens when you ASS ume ;D) is that the mount points on the top of the trunk are the same (even of the holes don't exactly line up), otherwise I'd be looking at body work also. If I understand this all correctly, the wing kit itself does not come with the additional bracing that's needed to support the downforce created. That being true, is that all a custom job or is a support 'kit' also available from somewhere?

Lastly, I don't intend on doing the hood swapout any time soon. Do you see this as 'must have' with this wing ? I am in an LS and have the larger air splitter, but that's it. If the hood is required I may need to wait for the intermediate wing being discussed above.

To my knowledge, all of the production S models have come with those mounting brackets. I have seen #s 6 & 7 and they had them. As far as, will it be ok with this wing without the S hood or the S splitter, you and Gary might want to ask Mark Willson.

I might have bought a bad ass racecar, but at the time of purchase, there was no option for the needed experience/inteligence to go with it. ???

 

[VoodooBoss]

The 302S install of the rear wing is quite a bit different from what I saw on the G-Stream website earlier this year. They had a squared off brace that took up a lot of space in the trunk and the mounts protruded through the trunk lid. It made the trunk useless for street use. I'm glad to see they came up with a much better mounting solution. I'm sticking with the LS wing and street Boss splitter for now.

This is what I'm referring to:

 

[2012YellowBoss]

In addition, I'd need some ramps if I did put the front splitter on because I scrape the standard one going onto my trailer now.

Gary
You do not need to make the front splitter very long. I cut mine to start about an inch longer on the sides then the stock non-LS splitter, then with trimming it went down at least 1/4 from there. I just finished cutting another 3/8+ off of the sides and a little more off the middle. Too much on the sides and you risk flex anyway.

At this point I am at (about I could measure) 3 1/2 in the middle and 4 toward the sides. IMHO it is a mod you will not regret!

 

[adam81]

Gary......you need to re-title the thread to "serious track prep for a Boss". This is becoming very informative. By the time I get going on my car I won't have anything to figure out.....it will all be done!

From what I have been told if you run the LS splitter and 302s hood you will need the rear 302s wing. If you just run the 302s hood and no splitter you should be okay with the LS wing.

At VIR there is a section called the uphill S's. In the S's there are some small sharp elevation changes. At the speeds you can carry through there you can feel the car get light on it's feet, and this happens while you are changing direction...... It can be a bit unnerving.... My small issues with the car are body roll, and not sticking to the road in the above situations. Some extra down force and stiffer lowering springs should solve all this.....

Keep up the good work guys!

 

[PeteInCT]

Adam - with regards to VIR and the S's - what speeds are you going through them when you felt the car get light? I sensed it a little in my LS (LS splitter/LS wing) but not enough to lose grip on the Pirelli Corsa's. Even that last right turn out of the S's she was still sticking, and that's where it tended to feel the lightest. I'm guess you may have been plowing up through there faster than I was.

 

[steveespo]

Gary
I just made a topic about the FR500 seat I am installing. About the harness brackets can you post links for them if available and also how are you going to eliminate the air bag light?
It's funny I seem to be on the same wave length as you with modding the car for track use. Just joined NASA and am looking to get a time trial license for the '13 season. Does anyone know what class our cars would run in? I am reading the rules but there are alot of them. Thanks Steve

American Iron Series here:

http://www.nasaponycars.com/

(are you sure you want to use up a perfectly good brand new street car by racing it?)

Not looking to ruin the car, only looking to run in time trial class, no wheel to wheel, in my mind a competetive step up from HPDE. I haven't had this much enjoyment with a car in a long time, the availability of factory and aftermarket race parts, the info available on forums like this and the ease in which Ford has made these cars safe and fast just feeds the addiction. You know what they say; If you want to make a small fortune in racing.........start out with a LARGE fortune.
Steve

 

[adam81]

Adam - with regards to VIR and the S's - what speeds are you going through them when you felt the car get light? I sensed it a little in my LS (LS splitter/LS wing) but not enough to lose grip on the Pirelli Corsa's. Even that last right turn out of the S's she was still sticking, and that's where it tended to feel the lightest. I'm guess you may have been plowing up through there faster than I was.

I looked down once and ONLY once. It was north of 120..... Probably somewhere around 125. My pucker factor was pegged... In the middle hump when you aim for the big oak tree I would just sort of float up and over and "land" on driver's left rumble strip to set me up for the right hander at the very top.

Here is a video of Dean and I running there. Dean in the black car, I am in the silver. This was my first time there.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ltXZGuC0f8

 

[PeteInCT]

You were about 7 - 10 mph faster than I. I could see why you had that pucker factor for sure ! ;D It was my first time there and only my second event with the Boss/RWD/6 sp Manual (came out of two years in an Audi TTS with AWD/DSG paddle shift tranny). That's a great course, I can't wait to go back in April.