I used to do a lot of high-speed touring with a couple of different late model mustangs at a local track around here.. I was wondering what HAS to be upgraded on the C3's to handle that kind of stress?

The car currently has:
17" wheels on front and back
drilled/slotted rotors on the front with standard aftermarket on the rear and high performance brake pads.
upgraded leafspring
Upgraded electric fan
U-joints look pretty recently done

The suspension feels nice and tight. Not a lot of body roll and the steering is just slightly loose but very controllable.

I know I need to replace:
transmission fluid, driveshaft seal, rear diff fluid/gasket (just because this probably hasnt been done on this car in a long time..)
A full rear bushing kit (possibly font as well).

Anything else that should be replaced? How do the half shafts on the mid 70's hold up (mine is a 74)? Are there any "known" problem issues for this?

Any input would be great!

 

I don't think that using a auto tranny is racing. It's more like driving around the track. The same goes for street tires even if they are Z-rated. You need sticky rubber and dedicated wheels. I know it because I tried for years. I could go through a set of Z-rated 17 inch tires in just one day of three 30 minute sessions and then I would have to drive straight to the Tire Rack and get a new set mounted and balanced to drive to work on Monday.

Lots of these events on road courses are $200 a day with a X-ponder. So you might as well get your moneys worth.

 

The car is a 4 speed. It has 17" BFG Comp TA's all around right now, but I will swap the rears for a wider/shorter drag radial for the best traction when I go on the track. I have been on this track (hallett) numerous times, just not with this car....

Here are bunch of my videos.. some are not car related but most are.. (drag racing, idling videos for other cars that I've built, and road course videos)

 

sorry, your change tranny fluid threw me for a loop!

The sky is the limit. I used to have the Vette Brakes & products slolam setup with 1 1/8 with end links 550# front springs 420# rear with 3/4 bar.

Your front a-Arm frame area is prone to cracking. The spreader bar and or reenforcing is a must once you go with 550 or higher front springs and good shocks.

I really think that when I installed a roll cage and 5 point racing seat that I cut my lap times 10 seconds. I do know that some of it was in my head, but it just made you feel better and apart of the stiffer car when you went around the turns.

 

You lost me. It's my understanding "touring" is open road driving. For genuine touring, you shouldn't have to do anything to a C3 chassis.

You say you did high speed "touring" on a track. Are you road course racing? Making laps on a high speed oval?

 

Haha, I figured thats what it was. Just swapping out all the fluids (especially since its been leaking...).

Im looking at having a shop here in town do a 4pt w/ harness bar sometime this spring. That REALLY stiffened my mustang vert a lot also. Id like to do a 6pt but I'll have to see how tight it makes the inside of the car. Its still an "on road" vehicle as well as a track car.

Thanks for the info! I'll look into the spreader bar.



And easy mike:

What I do is called High Speed Touring.. its a class underneath the point series on the local road course. Its a 1.8 mile 10 turn road course. The difference between the touring and point series is mostly that passing is not allowed in the corners, just on the straights, and its non competition. No points, standings, etc, just time on the track with a full group of people once a month for a full saturday. Its a great time and well worth the cost to do it.

 

Adjustability is a nice thing. As my tire width went up and my brakes got bigger my body started hitting the front tires during braking with good shock on max compression setting with 550# front spring. I tried spring shims. But I knew that the answer was 620 – 700 lbs springs. So I bit the bullet and went for the front QA-1 dual adjust coil over shocks. So if I see a puff of blue smoke on the left front while braking I come in and throw the spanner wrench to it and raise the ride height a ¼ inch and try again.


Three items that are a must are:

Quality tire pressure gauge.

Tire temp meter.

Log book.

I like the hand held trigger IR
Then you can even point it anywhere on the engine and know what the temp is. No more guessing.

log book tells you what you need for settings. No more guessing. You then don’t have to ask stupid people like me how to set this or that or ask the forum what the best alignment settings are. Because you know from the tire temps across the face of your tire when you pull in what is correct for your car.

Tell alignment shop how you want each of your settings. I want 3.9 castor each side and “Zero toe” and .58 degrees of camber on the right side front and .48 on the left front. Same on the rear. Be specific. You might have to go 3-4 times to get the alignment right for your car.

 

Great thread.



This is kinda my goal, as well. I want to get into road racing, so I figured doing the touring and some auto cross would be a good place for me to get less stupid. And so, I have been laboring and going broke trying to get my car up to snuff.

 

LOL.....

 

I submit that hardcores like gkull and myself somewhat understand the differences between merely driving around a track at speed and road racing at 10/10ths, and that automatics of the variety available for our C3's inherently impose severe limitations on doing the latter. 'Nough said.