S650 GT base model - Good for ocassionally tracking it ?

[MustangNoob]

Hi folks,

How good is a base GT model for a track day ?

If I wish to occasionally put the car in the track but still daily drive it, what mods do I need?

• I currently have the strut tower and cowl brace from FP
• I have air/oil separator kit form FP
• I have Borla S-type cat back system
• I recently ordered lowering track springs from FP. Someone here posted that they are comfortable enough for daily , so I don't worry about it.
• What about the 4 piston brakes it comes with ? Are they sufficient for track use? I did not do any hard braking so I don't know...
• How about sway bars ? what do you recommend to balance daily driving with occasionally tracking the car?
• I run 18in wheels. What do you suggest in terms of tires /wheels? (those can be changed prior going to the event)

Any suggestions ?

Thank you

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[MidLifeCoyote]

I have a GT premium non PP, but has the brembos and active exhaust. I considered it the daily driver fun build.

If you are trying to track a base GT, I think your main limitations will be:
1) Brakes overheating (No Brembos)
2) Engine Oil Temp (no PP oil cooler)
3) Engine Coolant Temp (PP has larger radiator i believe)

 

[AZ_Ryan]

Agreed with the above. Having tracked before, I think the brakes are the biggest limitation by far, followed by cooling. All the afermarket suspension goodies won't matter if you can't brake or stay cool.

LMR sells the front Brembo 6 piston kit. Not sure how easy it is to add an oil cooler, but that would be next on my list.

 

[MustangNoob]

Thanks,

Base GT comes with 4 piston front brembo brakes. Do the 6 piston provide significantly better performance / heat dissipation? For the latter maybe some drilling to create vents might be required. Also, will installing a more performance oriented pads be a good idea instead of switching to 6 piston ?

Can you also provide link for the kit from lmr? Just looked at their website and they dont have the kits for the s650 only individual caliper / rotors...
FP sells an oil cooler now. I think the radiation is 17mm thicker in the PP pack.

 

[AZ_Ryan]

Thanks,

Base GT comes with 4 piston front brembo brakes. Do the 6 piston provide significantly better performance / heat dissipation? For the latter maybe some drilling to create vents might be required. Also, will installing a more performance oriented pads be a good idea instead of switching to 6 piston?

Yes, the 6 piston bremos are a significant upgrade. It's the stopping power. It's not just the 6 piston calipers, but they also have larger rotors and upgraded pads. There is a reason the GT350, Mach 1, and PP S650s all come with them. They don't fade or get as hot, and can stand up to track abuse.

So no, you can't just upgrade the pads and achieve the same result. Once you come out of a straight away and into a corner you'll know exactly what I mean. It's not something to take lightly man. Trust me. Can you get away with the base brakes for a lap or two, sure. But I certainly wouldn’t be comfortable beyond that.

Keep in mind that along with brakes and added cooling, the PP GTs have torsion differentials too. Not saying you need that for one or two track days, but a base GT really isn't set up for the track long term. Just be aware of the wear and tear you could potentially put in you car without the right components. And we haven't even talked about tires....

 

[young at heart]

And we haven't even talked about tires....

And we haven’t talked about warranty evaporation either. They’ll know; it’s their job.

Anything major happens YOYO.

 

[MidLifeCoyote]

And we haven’t talked about warranty evaporation either. They’ll know; it’s their job.

Anything major happens YOYO.

I recently asked myself "what happens if someone crosses lanes and hits me at 1/4 mile track" and google says normal insurance doesn't cover tracks and you need specific track insurance. Haven't done 1/4 mile track yet, but it was good info to find.

 

[MustangNoob]

I don't worry about warranty. I can purchase a track insurance and that's fine with me. The car is meant to be driven hard and enjoy it , otherwise I would have gotten a Prius. Also, they cannot know if you take it to the track.
Per Ford: "Ford disclaims the implied warranty of fitness for a particular purpose if your vehicle is used for racing, even if the vehicle is equipped for racing." In any case, HPDE (high performance driver education) events are not considered racing. So warranty wise should be fine, since hey are educational, non-competitive track days and focus on driver development.

Now with that said, I do regret not taking the performance pack. Unfortunately, nobody had the base + performance pack model and I didn't want to wait.

So the options I have is to upgrade with modes that can provide better handling and better performance overall, both in daily driving and track when decide to go.

 

[AZ_Ryan]

I don't worry about warranty. I can purchase a track insurance and that's fine with me. The car is meant to be driven hard and enjoy it , otherwise I would have gotten a Prius. Also, they cannot know if you take it to the track.
Per Ford: "Ford disclaims the implied warranty of fitness for a particular purpose if your vehicle is used for racing, even if the vehicle is equipped for racing." In any case, HPDE (high performance driver education) events are not considered racing. So warranty wise should be fine, since hey are educational, non-competitive track days and focus on driver development.

Now with that said, I do regret not taking the performance pack. Unfortunately, nobody had the base + performance pack model and I didn't want to wait.

So the options I have is to upgrade with modes that can provide better handling and better performance overall, both in daily driving and track when decide to go.

Oh boy. Not sure where to start with this post.

I'll just say this - Ford can absolutely deny a warranty claim IF they find out your car was on the track. And your cars computer records EVERYTHING, plus its location its tracked. So yes they could know your car was in the track if they dig enough, and you don't disable Ford pass and GPS tracking.

Also, track insurance has at least a 20% deductible. So if you wreck your new GT, it's still going to cost you a few grand minimum.

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