2007 Mustang GT/CS - Turning into Road Racer in Australia
02-12-2012, 01:27 AM
#11
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Australia
Posts: 28
After the wonders of Germany, and maxing out the 1.2L Skoda on the Autobahn at 185kph; it was off to DC for 6 weeks road-tripping in a 2010 Mustang V6 Convertible. Oh, how I pleaded for a V8, but to no avail. I was dead set on a Coupe, but with my best friend from college set her eyes on a 'vert and that was that.
Got a really great rate on the car though, unlimited miles and full insurance for under $400 a week. Here's a shot at the Bonneville Salt Flats after she's already been DC-Chicago-Pikes Peak-Yellowstone-Vancouver-San Francisco.
Got a really great rate on the car though, unlimited miles and full insurance for under $400 a week. Here's a shot at the Bonneville Salt Flats after she's already been DC-Chicago-Pikes Peak-Yellowstone-Vancouver-San Francisco.
02-12-2012, 01:28 AM
#12
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Australia
Posts: 28
Then it was off to my chosen American speedy-experience -> 2 days of Ford Racing School at Miller Motorsport Park in Tooele, UT. It was here I fell in love with the humble S197 GT FR500 School Car, and even more so with the prototype Mustang Challenge / FR500S cars.
02-12-2012, 01:28 AM
#13
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Australia
Posts: 28
I think I managed a 2:11 on the outer course, not bad for my first time:
-At Miller
-In a Mustang
-In something weighing over 3500lbs
After that I put the Mustang to the back of my mind, still kept dreaming in case I won the lottery. What I was planning to do was rebuild my smashed-up E30 Racing Car (similar to NASA SpecE30), but the growing build sheet started to leave me disenfranchised. I was going to spend $30-40k building an E30 with 200hp on a good day?
-At Miller
-In a Mustang
-In something weighing over 3500lbs
After that I put the Mustang to the back of my mind, still kept dreaming in case I won the lottery. What I was planning to do was rebuild my smashed-up E30 Racing Car (similar to NASA SpecE30), but the growing build sheet started to leave me disenfranchised. I was going to spend $30-40k building an E30 with 200hp on a good day?
02-12-2012, 01:29 AM
#14
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Australia
Posts: 28
To give you an idea, heres the 'before' shot at Darwin's Hidden Valley Raceway in June 2009 supporting the V8 SuperCars:
And here's the 'after' shot at Sydney's Eastern Creek Raceway in July 2009:
It only hurt my ego and bank balance, but the car was toast. Originally a Hong Kong car, it was so full of rust, it got lighter every time I drove it
And here's the 'after' shot at Sydney's Eastern Creek Raceway in July 2009:
It only hurt my ego and bank balance, but the car was toast. Originally a Hong Kong car, it was so full of rust, it got lighter every time I drove it
02-12-2012, 01:31 AM
#15
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Australia
Posts: 28
When I got back from my overseas adventures, I had my last run in a MINI Challenge Car. Please forgive me for the shorts; I had been overseas for 4 months in Fall/Winter, had just gotten back to Australia to a different city with a very small amount of clean clothing left for the hot summer days @ Sydney Olympic Park. Suffice to say the ridicule back in 2009 was enough!
These were nippy little 210hp FWD spec cars, but they didn't offer me the technical challenge I was looking for. When the series folded at the end of 2010, I considered buying one, but then you've paid A$25-30k for a car that is still FWD, turbocharged (which means the category I would want to race in would put a 36mm intake restrictor on it, which is no fun), and very limited in terms of available 'off the shelf' parts for performance applications.
Of course, everyone LOVES the MINI. I could never figure out why though ;-)
These were nippy little 210hp FWD spec cars, but they didn't offer me the technical challenge I was looking for. When the series folded at the end of 2010, I considered buying one, but then you've paid A$25-30k for a car that is still FWD, turbocharged (which means the category I would want to race in would put a 36mm intake restrictor on it, which is no fun), and very limited in terms of available 'off the shelf' parts for performance applications.
Of course, everyone LOVES the MINI. I could never figure out why though ;-)
02-12-2012, 01:33 AM
#16
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Australia
Posts: 28
In the last eight months, everything changed. I attended a hillclimb where someone was running a Saleen S281 and also had a Saleen Parnelli Jones on display.
That night, I made my decision. I was going to disappear all the BMW stuff and focus on a Mustang. Debated buying a used FR500S, building a new-ish Boss 302R-esque car etc.
Then bought some property off the plan that dramatically curtailed my budget plans.
But I came across the almost perfect donor car on eBay, arranged a SpecE30 guy to test drive it, and have now got a 2007 GT/CS Manual on its way to the departure point with a bunch of other parts heading that way for filling the 20' container.
That night, I made my decision. I was going to disappear all the BMW stuff and focus on a Mustang. Debated buying a used FR500S, building a new-ish Boss 302R-esque car etc.
Then bought some property off the plan that dramatically curtailed my budget plans.
But I came across the almost perfect donor car on eBay, arranged a SpecE30 guy to test drive it, and have now got a 2007 GT/CS Manual on its way to the departure point with a bunch of other parts heading that way for filling the 20' container.
02-12-2012, 02:11 AM
#19
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Australia
Posts: 28
Should also mention that (today only) I have this in my garge - 2001 Cobra, one of less than 250 converted by Ford Australia's own SVT of the time, Ford Tickford Experience.
Goes hard, makes a lovely noise, but a bit ugly (sorry to all you SN95 guys) and the IRS is so unpredictable. Interior is so early 90s and the steering column is nasty - byproducts of the RHD conversion. And a cable clutch? Seriously? My 1988 BMW didn't have one of those!
Goes hard, makes a lovely noise, but a bit ugly (sorry to all you SN95 guys) and the IRS is so unpredictable. Interior is so early 90s and the steering column is nasty - byproducts of the RHD conversion. And a cable clutch? Seriously? My 1988 BMW didn't have one of those!
02-12-2012, 02:13 AM
#20
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Australia
Posts: 28
So my next question: where's the best part of this forum to be posting Road-Racing and Open-track handling questions? And is there a 'builds' section that people can update their progress on a single thread?