Got a ride in modified Shelby GT500

[Fourcam330]

can you find a decent race in you mustang svt?

Not in a while either actually.

 

[FBMphil]

I do not want to disagree but, the GT500 is built in the Ford plant. They send the cars to the Mazda plant for exterior stripes and finishing. The last thing that goes in the car is the vents in the hood. All that takes place at the Mazda plant. The cars are then shipped from the Mazda plant.

Uhhh, all Mustangs are built in the AutoAlliance plant in Flat Rock, which is a joint venture between Ford and Mazda dating back to the early 90's. Mazda 6's and Mustangs come down the same assembly line, there is no shipping to or from plants.

 

[bobosfocus]

Uhhh, all Mustangs are built in the AutoAlliance plant in Flat Rock, which is a joint venture between Ford and Mazda dating back to the early 90's. Mazda 6's and Mustangs come down the same assembly line, there is no shipping to or from plants.

The final trim was being done at the Mazda trim plant. At least it was on the job 1 cars. When the gt 500's leave the line they have no stripes or hood vents.

 

[SteveEvo8]

Speaking of GT500 and driving in one. I still have not been in a GT500, hopefully someone in the Pittsburgh area gets one soon. The first time i saw one i was on vacation in FL, and there was a blue one with i think silver stripes at the dealer. It looked great. Now i just need to see one in action personally.

 

[CobraRed01]

Thanks for the response "ac"...actually we are in TOTAL agreement about the importance of suspension over power. That is the beauty of watching Clay in particular at work in your videos ,because even with an 80+ horsepower deficit he makes that New Edge sing. While not an experienced O/T'er myself (maybe next year if things work out) I have enough driving experience that I CAN certainly appreciate (and try to employ when conditions occasionally allow) the supreme importance of "momentum"...which also goes by the historical reference...."driving on the edge". Being a New Edge driver and knowing how much the New Edge has been maligned by some since the advent of the Terminator and GT500 I think it should be understandable that I would be pretty proud of what the car is capable of if properly setup and driven (thanks again Clay). That's all really. The reason for my post here was in response to the above comment about how superior the solid axle is to the IRS. I think both Clay and Marv in your videos have sorted out their older platform IRS cars very well and as such counter that argument. I do accept that Ford (as well as others) have done a great job designing a very capable and cost effective SRA, that gives the drag racer and apparently the road racer what they want. But the IRS Cobra's are still a force to contend with. I could just imagine what a proper IRS AND an SLA suspension AND lighter aluminum block would do for the S-197 platform. I bet it would be and even faster (albeit expensive) suspension setup....and the IRS would be no small part of the improvement.

ac...I do appreciate your informative responses to my posts and your appreciation (or tolerance?) for an "enthusiast's" (as opposed to a highly experienced veteran's) viewpoint and allowing me to share in your O/T fun. Again it's great to see the SVT Family (New Edge, Terminator and Shelby) mixing it up together on a road course. I could see how you would be a bit conservative with a brand new GT500 (I did NOT mean to malign your car or skills in anyway) and..... yessir, once you do your own mods you Shelby is going to be real beast to contend with. RE the Z06...I got the impression from the video that he himself "let off" to let you by, because he did seem to be pulling away out of most turns in the beginning. I think your later braking and experience allowed you to reel him in entering the turns. Of course, to be even be able to hang with a Z06 is a testament to the Shelby's prowess. My guess though is if and when the Shelby's formally makes the road race scene weight, heat, brake and tire wear are going to be huge intervening factors. Then we will see if the Shelby can compete with the likes of full-tilt R-rated Corvettes, Cadillacs (who woulda ever thunk it?), BMW'ers and Porsches. Time will tell.

In the meantime, PLEASE keep posting updates on the further on-track adventures of yourself, Marv and Clay. It will be an interesting evolution to watch. Do you think you can get a 2000 Cobra R in the mix?? :beer:

 

[bobosfocus]

Clay, Marv, and Bruce, you are becoming legends! Next summer I want autographs! Seriously though, for all of you who have not been to an on track event get out and do it!! It is more fun than you can imagine! You get to drive your car fast. Learn how to do it safely! And meet great people, and make great new friends!! All this talk just makes me long for summer! Winter sucks!

 

[ac427cobra]

Tom:

We are in agreement on everything I believe?! :beer: One point I'd like to make: IMHO the SRA is superior in it's stock form to the IRS. Once you start mixing in non-factory components, IRS wins.

My "R" is approximately 9 seconds a lap quicker than the basically stock GT500 and I would be driving very conservatively playing cat and mouse with Marv and Clay!

Some of my "R" vids can be found on streetfire also.

This is a music video I made from the NASA event at Road America April '05. I affectionately called it "Corvette Conga line":

http://videos.streetfire.net/video/0eacfafd-d947-4d46-95b9-11bc1812d585.htm

This is essentially the same session but there's no music. It starts out on the grid:

http://videos.streetfire.net/video/605ac1f9-c264-421c-b74a-b8cf1203b81d.htm


Here is a video of the Audi Club event at VIR. (my favorite track!) This time it's a group of Porsche's. The lead Porsche in this group is a Carrera GT:

http://videos.streetfire.net/video/8feb5b13-75f5-4bd2-80d2-f0025eb40542.htm


Here is the Porsche Carrera GT chase and pass at VIR:

http://videos.streetfire.net/video/aa3c2292-65e3-4f95-a700-986f013a64ca.htm

And the music version, (same as above) AKA "Jody's ride":

http://videos.streetfire.net/video/9a6c7465-168a-456a-be53-986f013cff73.htm


Enjoy!

Bruce

:thumbsup: :coolman: :beer:

 

[bobosfocus]

For those of you who can not tell just how fast Bruce was going in the RA video, just look at how much track the black vette in front of him was using just to stay ahead. Too Cool! But Bruce now you have gone an done it.... I gotta get to VIR! What a neat looking track!
One more thing... RA is over 4 miles long. That says a lot for the gt500!

 

[2-slow]

Here is the Porsche Carrera GT chase and pass at VIR:

http://videos.streetfire.net/video/aa3c2292-65e3-4f95-a700-986f013a64ca.htm

The cheesehead! I may have asked this before but what do the R's redline at? Sounds amazing!:beer:

 

[ac427cobra]

The cheesehead! I may have asked this before but what do the R's redline at? Sounds amazing!:beer:

Crazy Cheesehead!!;-)

In that vid the car was on factory redline which is 6,650 I believe. Marv now has it cranked up to 7,050 (I think?) with the latest tune! epper:

Oh she's a runner alright!! :-D

 

[2-slow]

Crazy Cheesehead!!;-)

In that vid the car was on factory redline which is 6,650 I believe. Marv now has it cranked up to 7,050 (I think?) with the latest tune! epper:

Oh she's a runner alright!! :-D

It sounds soooo good screaming like that! I want to hear it at 7,050!!!!

 

[CobraRed01]

Bruce...oh man, you are a treasure-trove of great Cobra road course stuff!!

Let me run this by you....

"If you were driving Clay's '01 would you beat you driving your own Cobra R?"

Clay's '01 seems to be similarly equipped suspension-wise (you added C/O's?) and his K/B-enhanced motor should be making around the same HP numbers as your R, right? Do you think there is a difference in capability between the two cars in your experience?

 

[ac427cobra]

Bruce...oh man, you are a treasure-trove of great Cobra road course stuff!!

Let me run this by you....

"If you were driving Clay's '01 would you beat you driving your own Cobra R?"

Clay's '01 seems to be similarly equipped suspension-wise (you added C/O's?) and his K/B-enhanced motor should be making around the same HP numbers as your R, right? Do you think there is a difference in capability between the two cars in your experience?

Clay's car is 250# heavier than my R. And he's down on power by 30hp. So the answer to your question is no. The 5.4L R motor is REALLY something! And it's N/A. epper:

Both of our cars are MM C/O front suspension equipped. He has the stock Ford IRS with the MM Max Grip kit (or what ever it's called?) I have a Kenny Brown IRS in my car. Both of our rear suspensions are C/O. Clay has 3:73 gears and I have 4:10's.

It really takes a while to get comfortable driving a car safely on track. So I take it pretty easy driving someone else's car. :idea: Unlike the Nascar boys, we can't push a car right to the edge of the limit because we have consecquences to pay. They just roll out a back-up car and have at it again! I couldn't tell you what I would be able to run for a lap time in his car? But I can tell you this? 100# equals approximately 1 second. 10HP equals approximately one second. And you guessed it 100# equals 10HP. So put a 200# passenger in your car, add two seconds to your lap time. Take 100# of crap out of your car, equals one second! Etc. etc. etc.

:thumbsup: :coolman: :beer:

 

[CobraRed01]

Bruce...thanks for the specs and weight/hp vs. laptime analysis. Seems the straight-line guys are always making similar projections, but I haven't heard the road race version before. It's very illuminating and answers my question nicely. Thanks.

Considering 100lbs equals 1 second per lap...how about putting the aluminum Ford GT block in your R? JDM Engineering here in Jersey has done a wet-sump conversion and says it will save 90lbs and is strong enough for 1500hp. Of course, price may be prohibitive....and some assembly is required. I'm planning on coming back next lifetime independently wealthy.

Actually, you do have a back-up car for your R...it's your Shelby....oke:

:beer:

 

[CobraRed01]

Oh yeah, and the Carrera chase-down video is the Best!!! You was on the Edge and he almost lost it cause you had him checking his rearview mirror. he he he he

 

[E. Green Cobra]

Bruce...thanks for the specs and weight/hp vs. laptime analysis. Seems the straight-line guys are always making similar projections, but I haven't heard the road race version before. It's very illuminating and answers my question nicely. Thanks.

Considering 10lbs equals 1 second per lap...how about putting the aluminum Ford GT block in your R? JDM Engineering here in Jersey has done a wet-sump conversion and says it will save 90lbs and is strong enough for 1500hp. Of course, price may be prohibitive....and some assembly is required. I'm planning on coming back next lifetime independently wealthy.

Actually, you do have a back-up car for your R...it's your Shelby....oke:

:beer:

In reality, were he to get a hold of a GT block, he could just run it as a dry sump as the R has no ac anyways, but of course that eats into the weight savings....and obviously it ain't cheap.

 

[ac427cobra]

In reality, were he to get a hold of a GT block, he could just run it as a dry sump as the R has no ac anyways, but of course that eats into the weight savings....and obviously it ain't cheap.

I was offered a Ford GT block, built motor for a very good price. Problem was it needed high octane race fuel and the way I go through gas on a weekend it was not feasible for me. Fuel at the track for the high octane stuff can run $7.00 a gallon and I burn a gallon a lap at Road America. I typically run about 80-90 laps in a weekend. You do the math! :idea:

I'm pretty happy with my R motor like it is. It runs on 93 pump premium. epper:

 

[chuckstang]

Bruce: Why does your R sound so much better than your gt500?? Do you even have an exhaust on your gt500 yet?
Holy shittt that R is fast!

 

[CobraRed01]

Ooops, typo-check on previous post...it's "100lbs per 1 second of laptime"...not "10lbs per second". My bad typing.

 

[dgussin1]

Ooops, typo-check on previous post...it's "100lbs per 1 second of laptime"...not "10lbs per second". My bad typing.

you can edit your old post fyi.