GT500 Spoiler • Date of photos: 18-May-2008 •
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I thought about getting the windows tinted for some time. The clear glass doesn't quite present the look I want. I wanted the back and rear quarter glass black (like an SUV) and the door glass a little lighter. I had the work done by American Window Tinting in Brighton.
Window Tinting • Date of photos: 28-May-2008 •
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I researched superchargers during the winter of 2007-2008. The additional power and fun from the Steeda cold air kit just made me want more horsepower. I have a buddy who is a journeyman mechanic, and originally he was going to do the install with me assisting. After I decided that the Whipple was what I wanted, he let me know (just in time before I ordered the kit) that his schedule precluded him from doing the work. So I searched the internet for a local shop to do the install.
I went over to Mustang Racing Technologies (MRT) one Saturday just to check them out. I just walked in and said I wanted to learn about the operation and was looking for a shop to do some work on my Mustang. Scott Hoag, the owner, was really nice and showed me around the shop. Scott explained the mods he recommended, and gave me a price on the whole package. Scott also invited me to the MRT open house. I also checked out Livernois Motorsports, but they seemed too busy to pay me any attention (I don't think they thought I was serious about installing a supercharger).
When I went to the MRT open house, I had the Hurst shifter and the hood struts installed. MRT had some problems getting the Whipple, and let me know that the Rousch charger was readily available and would provide similar gains. However, I was set on the Whipple and waited until they could get one (and even paid a premium to get it). I had decided on a Ford Racing theme for the car. A few weeks later, on 22-Jun-2008, I had MRT install the Whipple, the MRT MaxFlow 304SS H-pipe (with hi-flow cats), lower control arms, adjustable panhard bar, and H&R Sport Springs. And let's not forget the MRT 2 1/4" black shift ball!
The Mustang had 7840 miles on it when I got it home.
Later, I added the 14-inch Fixed Black Antenna from American Muscle.
Whipple Supercharger • Date of photos: 22-Jun-2008 •
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It took me over a year to get around to installing this iPod adapter. I've got the Shaker 1000 radio, and wanted to be able to listen to music or audio books without fooling around with CDs. This neat device is the solution. It's acutally two devices: the adapter which enables interfacing to the Ford CAN Bus audio system and the Uni Pod which provideds the iPod interface (including the capability to charge the iPod). The best deal I found for it was at Enfig Car Stereo. I found the Idiot’s Guide to the FRD04-AUX Adaptor (by Joe Eiers) an excellent step-by-step installation guide. The adapter works great!
FRD04-AUX CAN Bus Auxillary iPod Adapter • •
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When I was at Gingerman Raceway, I had a few difficulties.
As I was driving home eastbound on I94, the Mustang just quit running. It was fortunate that I decided to leave the track numbers on the Mustang's glass because several others who had been at the raceway spotted me along side of the road and stopped to help. First, it was my driving instructer. He wasn't able to do much, but hang out until Scott Hoag of MRT drove by with his race car and trailer. Scott was extremely nice to me as he drove his truck all the way to Plymouth, unloaded his car from the trailer, and returned to pick up mine. In the meantime, I called a towtruck and had the Mustang hauled over to a gas station.
Scott drove back to the gas station where I waited with the Mustang and we loaded it up into the trailer. My wife met us along US23, picked me up, and Scott took the Mustang back to the shop.
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It turned out that I had ran out of gas! When MRT pulled the fuel pump, they found that the fuel gauge sending unit on the float had become entangled and the fuel gauge was registering a half tank even though it was empty. We surmised that while racing, the assembly became hung. MRT was careful to ensure that all was properly secured upon putting the fuel pump back.
The other problem I had was the brakes. I just wore out the stock rear brakes and ruined them while racing. We were a little surprised that it was the rear brakes that wore out, but since I've read that the Mustang Traction Control System can cause this if it's not turned off. I suspect that I neglected to turn of the TCS when I was out on the trac,. MRT installed Power Slot roters, Hawk HPS High Performance Street brake pads, and braided stainless stell brake hoses all the way around (including DOT 3/4 racing brake fluid). Now I am all set for next year!
Performance Brake Upgrade • July, 2008 •
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I like a clean look. I was thinking for quite a while about how to paint the chrome Mustang black in the stock grille so it would be a bit more subtle. I even tried to remove it (and broke off one of the little plastic tits trying to get the little retainer clip off) and bought a replacement on Ebay. Then I saw the clean look of the Bullitt grill after viewing MRT's Bullitt Hotload at the 2008 Mustang Alley during the Woodward Dream Cruise. I bought the Bullitt Grille from Hubcaps Plusand put it on myself in the driveway. I also added the SilverHorse Racing lower grille inserts.
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Bullitt Grille • Date of photos: 31-Oct-2008 •
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I like the looks of a front splitter (chin spoiler). In keeping with the clean look I like, the agressive chin spoiler from CDC and others just doesn't work for me. I really like the GT500 splitter. Since the car is lowered, the right chin spolier out front is important because I don't want it hanging too low or it's going to rub against the pavement. I've read in the various Mustang forums about how to adapt a GT500 splitter to a GT. I even bought one (they're cheap) from the Ford dealer and tried to modify it and fit it to the front bumper. I just didn't like the fit of it; it requires a bit of tweaking and it just doesn't go on their right. After looking around, I decided to go with the Legends front splitter. I purchased it from Mustangs Unlimited. I installed it myself, which was a little difficult because the car is so low. I stll have to drill some holes and put a few more bolts in it because I don't want it flying off when I'm driving at speed. Now I really have to be careful pulling into parking spaces so I don't smash it! This is the last mod of the season.
Front Splitter • Date of photos: 01-Nov-2008 •
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Aeroforce Interceptor Gauges and Raptor Shift Light
All winter I researched gauges. I figured with a Whipple supercharger that I needed at least a boost gauge so I could monitor performance. But I also wanted any other relevant gauges as well, as long as I was going to add any. I liked the Ford Racing gauges, but they're pricey. I came across the Aeroforce Interceptor gauge, and the idea of tapping into the same sensors that the computer uses appealed to me. Aeroforce provides for other inputs in addition to the factory sensors. I decided to go with the Aeroforce dual gauges, and I ordered them along with the 3-bar MAP boost/vacuum sensor kit, the oil pressure sensor kit, and the air/fuel wideband sensor kit. I also decided upon the Speed of Sound dual gauge pillar pod. In my research, I learned about the Raptor Performance Digital Mini Shift Light (with launch feature) and I figured I might as wll go all the way! I ordered all of these parts from Lethal Performance. I took all of these parts over to MRT and had them installed. The Raptor shift light got plenty of attention from other customers while it was in the shop! It's way cool!
Aeroforce Interceptor Gauges with Raptor Shift Light • Date of photos: 27-Sep-2009 •
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Whipple Air Intake Temperature Relocation
While Scott Hoag had the Mustang for the gauge install, I had the intake air temperature sensor relocated (see Simple Whipple IAT Relocation). This required an air intake sensor and a connector.
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Dead Pedal and Pedal Covers
Also as long as Scott Hoag had the Mustang installing the gauges, I couldn't resist having the GT500 Dead Pedal kit and the GT500 pedal covers installed! I had always intended on installing a dead pedal as I needed a place to rest my left foot when not operating the clutch. I needed the rest of the pecals to match the new dead pedal!
Dead Pedal and Pedal Covers • Date of photos: 27-Sep-2009 •
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GT500 Wheels and Tires
Scott Hoag at MRT had a great deal on GT500 wheels and tires takeoffs. These wheels and tires are brand new! The wheels are factory 2007 (18 x 9.5 all the way around) and the tires are Goodyear F1 Supercar (255/45ZR18 front and 285/40ZR18 rear). I like the wheel and tire size combination and they fit the GT perfectly. The wider tires in the rear look really great!
GT500 Wheels and Tires • Date of photos: 27-Sep-2009 •
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Saleen/Stoptech Big Brake Kit
With all the investment in go power, I felt that I was deficient in stop power. Even as a matter of safety, I needed improvements in the binder department beyond the brake upgrades I did last year. And now that I had scored the GT500 wheels, I had room inside the wheels for a big brake kit. I wasnt' willing to invest thousands in a new big brake kit, so I started watching Ebay. At first, I looked for GT500 Brembo takeoffs which are readily available, but my research revealed that the GT500 Brembos were not that well thought of. Therefore, I prefered a different setup. With Saleen going out of business, there were plenty of Saleen big brake kits on Ebay at the time. I learnded that Stoptech had made the Saleen kit, so I started watching them and trying to snipe a set. I finally sniped a set, and it turned out to be a guy from the Detroit area, so I saved myself shipping charges and drove to get them. I took them to Scott Hoag at MRT for installation. They work excellent! They're black, and kind of difficult to see in these photos.
Saleen Big Brake Kit • Date of photos: 06-Sep-2010 •
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E-Brake Boot and SHR Billet Handle
I determined that this year I would take it easy on the modifications. Yeah right!
Mods for the year started slowly with just the desire to dress up the interior a bit with an e-brake boot. I believe that the GT500s have them, and I know Corvettes do. This seems like a nice touch that Ford missed on the GTs. Surfing the Mustang forums, I found a guy in The Mustang Source forum from Canada that makes e-brake boots to order, so I PMed him and ordered one. Since I was putting an e-brake boot on, I thought I'd go the extra mile and put a nice handle on as well. So I ordered up the black anodized billet e-brake handle from SilverHorse Racing.
E-brake Boot and Handle • Date of photos: 05-Jul-2010 •
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Track Wheels and Tires
This is where I went a little farther than I intended for this year. After a session at Grattan Raceway with Experience Performance in July, I decided to get a set of tires for the track. And of course, with a set of tires one needs a set of wheels. And a way to get them to the track.
Searching the internet, I found John Berget of JB Racing Tires who deals in used race tires. (The website is pretty crude; it's best just to email or call him if you're interested.) After talking to Scott Hoag to confirm the size, I bought a set of used Hoosier Koni series slicks (275x35x18) that John said still had 90% of their tread. I understand from John that these tires come from race teams who used them a few times and then are done with them. I got these shipped to my door for about $100 a piece.
Then, I found another set of used GT500 wheels (the same ones I have for the street) from Greenleaf Prime Salvage on ebay This outfit turned out to be located only a few miles away so I saved on the shipping! They picked out a set of wheels that are in real nice condition. I paid $100 a piece for them.
I took the wheels up to Spartan Tire in Brighton for mounting, at about $18 each. So, now I've got about $875 in to the wheels and tires. Not too bad!
Now I've got to get them to the track and back! Ultimately, I'd like to be able to go to the track and take our pop-up trailer so that we have a place to stay. My wife Robin would like this option, as she likes to camp (and I like to have her along)! I've been thinking since last year about the options: rent a car hauler and trailer the Mustang (kinda expensive to rent, and I figure my 2001 F150 SuperCrew could do the job but that's a lot of weight), use a car dolly to tow the Mustang (less weight behind the F150, but now the Mustang's rear wheels are on the ground plus it's a hassle), or tow a small trailer behind the Mustang (ew, a trailer hitch on the Stang?). I decided that the cheapest and easiest way to do it is to tow a small trailer.
The first thing I do is find a trailer hitch for the Mustang, a Hidden Hitch model from etrailer.com. I decide to try and install it myself so I take my ramps and tools over to my buddy's house. I get the Mustang up in the air and follow the installation directions to drop the mufflers. Then I discover that the hitch won't fit with my Flowmaster American Thunder mufflers! The oval shape of the Flowmaster mufflers are too big, and I need a smaller muffler that has more room for the trailer hitch to be bolted to the fram. I put it all back together, and go home to look on the internet for suitable mufflers.
Now, with the Ford Racing theme I have for the Mustang, I've always wanted the Ford Racing mufflers, the Stingers made by Borla for Ford Racing. New, these are about $500 from American Muscle. The same day I determine that the Flowmaster mufflers won't work with the trailer hitch, I find a set of the Ford Racing stingers used on Mustang Source forums just posted in the used parts section by a guy in the Detroit area! I PM him, line up the deal, and make a new Mustang buddy! These FRPP stingers look like brand new! Bob's wife found them too loud. I save a couple of hundred bucks! This time, I take the FRPP stingers and the trailer hitch over to MRT and have Scott Hoag's crew install them.
I reserve the smallest trailer that U-Haul has for the trip to Mosport and the Redline Rendevous. The week before I leave, I get a coupon from Harbor Freight for their 40x48 small trailer for $179. I decide to go with this trailer instead of U-Haul. I run down to the closest Harbor Freight only to find that it's not in stock, and have to drive across town to get one! I do so, and put it together during the week and finish it up on the day before I leave, with the help of my buddy Angelo.
Track Wheels and Tires • Date of photos: 14-Jul-2010, 30-Aug-2010, 31-Aug-2010 •
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Trunk Pockets
I have some stuff I like to carry in my trunk, mainly a few cleaning rags and some cleaning tools (like pieces of cedar shingle to reach hard places). I just don't like this stuff flopping around in the trunk. I looked at the CDC trunk lid storage product, but it was just too pricey. So I went with the
Covercraft Pocket Pod Trunk Organizer. I bought it at Ninosport for $116.
Trunk Pockets • Date of photos: 05-Jul-2010 •
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