ITS Ford Mustang(s) Build - Stripper Stang Part II

80,000 air miles last year....it was brutal.....

I help when I can, have maybe 40-50 hours in that car. Ron and Jeff G. probably have done that in a week before. Plus, they are the competition, and I have to get my car/trailer/shop in order to do battle with the Evil TwinMustang next year!

Seriously, just read Ron's post and he's dead on. No way I win the championship last year without those guys, and no way I ever get the car to where it is now without Ron. I built the car by myself and raced it by myself in 2003-04 and while I enjoyed it, it was overwhelming and never afforded me the opportunity to get better.

Having a group of guys sharing ideas and work loads is the only way to do this.

lateapex911 said:
Yea, it's time consuming for sure. Smart play on the two for one deal!
Like your approach with the software for suspensions, etc.
I figured that was a lot of work for Young, since he's always in Amsterdam smoking pot....and stuff....
;)
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No Jeffs, no car. We all work together on each others cars and make sure that we'l all be present for the weekend's racing. Having friends around to help out with racing is essential. I don't know how you Lone Rangers find the strength to carry on. Racing is hard work.
 
I'm jealous of you dudes. First, you're all nice guys. Second, you are local to one another. And Rons pretty smart, so that's handy too!

I'm not very close to any of my buds. (and they're all FWD fanbois anyway! ;) )
 
Man I am loving this thread! I am going into the shop tonight after my daughter goes to bed and finishe up the frame repair on the 260Z so I can get back out there this year. Haven't touched the car since late Sept. so it is missing me! Your thread really got me going. Keep up the good work, can't wait to see it on the track!

Mike
 
Ron Earp said:
No Jeffs, no car. We all work together on each others cars and make sure that we'l all be present for the weekend's racing. Having friends around to help out with racing is essential. I don't know how you Lone Rangers find the strength to carry on. Racing is hard work.
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This Lone Ranger uses hard tires leftover from the last race, sometimes doesn't even take the car out of the trailer between races if I didn't break anything, has a crappy alignment, and finishes mid-pack.
But I'm out racing and that's what makes me happy. :)
 
Mike Mackaman said:
Man I am loving this thread! I am going into the shop tonight after my daughter goes to bed and finishe up the frame repair on the 260Z so I can get back out there this year. Haven't touched the car since late Sept. so it is missing me! Your thread really got me going. Keep up the good work, can't wait to see it on the track!

Mike
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Great, a positive result from this thread then! Get that 260z out on track. Didn't see much 260 representation last year from you or I. But Ed has his 260z back up and running can use a 260z brother out on track with him.

I'm back in town for more Mustang work. Headers are done and car #2 is headed back to the Earp homestead. Plan is to paint the interior of Mustang #2 tomorrow as the temps are supposed to hit around 70F, perfect outdoor painting weather. Motor #2 is done also so I suspect we'll be really busy in the next six to seven weeks. I'll get more pics since car #2 is light on coverage here.
 
Lots more work over the last few days: oil cooler mounted, blueprinted water pump on, hoses attached, sensors routed, and the dash panel is mocked up for fitment.

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Mr. Dave Brown is paying a visit this afternoon to learn us some suspension and rear end. And, he'll be taking a rear end to rebuild and put a 3.73 gear in with a spool so that we'll have a spare and something to test out.

Did find out that I have the clutch fork in wrong and the tranny will have to come out. Bummer. But better now than before the exhaust gets on.
 
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Is that Dave Brown as in Dave Brown racing cars? That is quite a gift. That man has done a ton of work to make that car turn well.
 
Hey Ron,

I appreciate all the tips you've given us with the car. You guys have a fast Mustang and there isn't anything fundamentally different between yours and these save the engine. I'm still playing phone tag with Global West but I ahve sourced some spherical bearings for half the rear arms, the small end is available for $25 each!

Dave Brown as in Charlotte Dave Brown, used to work with some IMSA cars, NASCAR teams, AS guys, and most recently tends to some SRF's for a group of guys. I think there is another Dave Brown, working around Winston Salem maybe, that you're thinking of? I've heard he is really good. Either way, Dave Brown who we're working with really knows his stuff with the stangs and had a lot of wonderful ideas. He dropped off one axle and picked up another to rebuild, this second one being done with a shorter gear and a spool. The spool knocks a ton of weight off the rear end when compared to the TruTrac or clutch pack.

Got a lot more done today. Put the TIG and MIG to work fixing the floor up from the driver's seat installation. The floor of a Mustang is the most convoluted piece of sheet steel I've seen in a car, the result of which the seat installation requires hacking a section out and replacing it with something you can bolt a seat to. Otherwise the seat ends up about 4" off the floor and tilted way back. Fortunately it is all good now but the end result is a bit heavier than just a stock floor pan, but that is the price to pay to have the seat securely mounted.
 
Ron, what's your opinion of handling on a spool vs. a clutch pack or a helical?
My car has IRS, but I'm too cheap to buy a clutch type diff. I'm considering welding one of my old open diffs up, but want to decide if it's worth the hassles before I do..
 
Matt93SE said:
Ron, what's your opinion of handling on a spool vs. a clutch pack or a helical?
My car has IRS, but I'm too cheap to buy a clutch type diff. I'm considering welding one of my old open diffs up, but want to decide if it's worth the hassles before I do..
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I'm no expert on diff setups. Far from one. I raced my Z for 1.5 years with a locked clutch pack. Locked, as in our torque wrench gave out at 275 lbs and it wouldn't budge. So, it was effectively welded. I also had a 3.56 ratio in the Z that was really welded and both of these rear ends acted the same.

Pros:

*Had great rear traction. Mat the gas and go.
*Very predictable, you knew it'd stick
*When the front bar was set to work with it all was good
*Won't break (real welded/spool/locker that is)

Cons:
*Was a bitch to push around in the paddock. Don't underestimate how often you move your car via pushing it.
*Undoubtedly, a welded diff has to suck some hp in turns or anywhere except going absolutely straight.
*Turn in isn't as sharp as with a clutch pak or torsen (ran both of these too).

If you are running an open diff now and have nothing else then certainly weld one up. I don't know FWD though, so don't have a clue if this is a good idea or not.

I'm going to try a welded in the stang, although not for the first iteration. Dave says I'll like it and I haven't found anything he's been wrong on yet.
 
My car is RWD. Think a more modern version of your Z. rear suspension is a bit better, but front is still a McStrut.
I have a dead/dying VLSD with a 4.08, and a helical with a 4.6. The 4.6 is too short for just about everything around here, so I use the 4.08 everywhere I currently race.
I have a couple spare open 4.08s just sitting in the garage, so I figured I'd try to weld it up and see what happens. can't hurt, right? :)
The problem is limited track/testing time on my budget. Had I known I was going to go 3 sec/lap slower with the 4.6 rear diff, I wouldn't have spent the money on it. Hoping to not make that mistake again!
 
Matt93SE said:
My car is RWD. Think a more modern version of your Z. rear suspension is a bit better, but front is still a McStrut.
I have a dead/dying VLSD with a 4.08, and a helical with a 4.6. The 4.6 is too short for just about everything around here, so I use the 4.08 everywhere I currently race.
I have a couple spare open 4.08s just sitting in the garage, so I figured I'd try to weld it up and see what happens. can't hurt, right? :)
The problem is limited track/testing time on my budget. Had I known I was going to go 3 sec/lap slower with the 4.6 rear diff, I wouldn't have spent the money on it. Hoping to not make that mistake again!
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Ooops, sorry about that. I know about 240sxs but I got you mixed up with my domestic brother here with the Saturn. Both of you have red car icons for avatars.

I think you'll enjoy the welded. Give it awhirl, pretty easy to do and swap out if you don't like it.
 
our early rear ends were welded and they were easy to drive, in the dry. We went to a geared limited slip and the car was very easy to drive mid corner throttle changes and corner exits were so easy. Like I told you Ron I have not spun our car in years. It always seemed that I could catch it before it went around.
 
All the cage and header work is done, finally. Pimpin headers are headed off to JetHot to get coated up. Burns collectors, stepped pipes, great port transitions into the primaries. At Burns' recommendation we went for a straighter primary instead of bending to make them exactly equal length. The difference is very slight in length but it is there.

More inbound packages for suspension and other parts are coming today and tomorrow so this weekend will be a busy one. I'm hoping that the majority of the green car will be built in a few long work day sessions.

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Matt93SE said:
Purdy!!
That exhaust prolly cost more than my whole car......
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Unfortunately it might be pricey! I haven't paid for them yet as they're bundled in with Jeff G's header work. I expect the bill will be expensive. On the other hand, R&J always do a great job, exactly what you ask for, and generally get it done on time.
 
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