To go STU or not (2006 Mustang GT)

[Fair!]

Re: To go STU or not (2006 Mustang GT)

OK, I had this typed up and lost it.

Car weighed in with stock wheels and 275's at 3365.
Wheel weights = 25 a piece
Tire weights = 25 a piece

CCW should be near 21 a piece and the 285 Yoko's are listed at 28 a piece
So this is near a wash *4 pounds in the negative overall if my math works*

Wow, that's way lighter than I thought these cars were. Good start!

Yea, the Yokohamas are heavy, and CCWs in that size aren't super light, but that's lighter than cast 18x10s made for Mustangs, by a lot.

Battery I would guess could be dropped down by around 22 pounds? This is best guess and I cannot find the super small battery weight. I know that my battery now is min. 33#'s

Factory batteries tend to be 35-50 pounds. The lightweight ones we always use (Deka, Odyssey) are 14-18 pound AGM style. So figure 20 pound savings, at least.

Seats.....This is tough. I have not been able to find the stock seat weights. I have a non-airbag seat so they are not the very heavy seats. Though I would guess that with the tracks and everything at least 40 pounds of weight are there, and probably more. The seats I have I got from a BSP STi and they are Carbon Fiber knockoff's *good deal and shipping weight was 14 pounds a seat with the side mounts*. I would need a track and if I get it in at the 25# minimum thats a savings a 30 overall from the stock setup if it is truly 40#'s.

Most stock seats I've weighed were in the 45-80 pound range. The heavier end of that scale was a very pimpy power BMW sport seat, and the lighter end of that were cheapie manual 1980s era E30 seats. Yours are probably in the 50-60 pound range, each.

The AST Suspension should drop weight on the car, but I am not sure how much this would go down.

We usually see a 10-20 pound drop going to coilovers from OEM struts/springs.

The stock exhaust does only contain 2 cats from the factory. Mandrel bent 2.5 on the way back. I have the SLP loudmouths on the car *no real muffler, just a "tip"*. I also have a local shop built x-pipe. I know that Kooks shows the combo of their longtubes and catted x-pipe as being 50#'s. I have no idea what this would drop from the stock manifolds.

The stock manifolds are HEAVY cast iron lumps. You could lose 50# easily, and even more if you made a dedicated lightweight exhaust. Full lengths would be the smart move, if you're going to bother with headers... more power everywhere.

So, does this add anything to the pot? New thoughts? I know that FS can run right with the boost buggies straight up. Question is, on big streets with modded suspension will it still hold with them?

No, this is even better base numbers than I expected. Since your car is already under 3400 pounds in FStock, its only going to get better in STU trim.

I think the Mustang might give the RWD STU cars a run for their money. And hell, with Nats moving to Concrete, the AWD advantage might be diminished greatly... your car can use a kickass Torsen that costs a small fraction of a "real diff" for a BMW, much less a AWD car. That is the key - getting a good diff and maximizing the grip from the 285 tires.

[Thinkkker]

Re: To go STU or not (2006 Mustang GT)

Ford's shorty headers are 9 lbs lighter than the stock cast pieces. *looks like the GT500 ones though. still looking for the regular GT ones.* I would have to drop the exhaust behind the axle *may be legal?* and Im not sure the rest of the savings. I would think 20#'s. I was amazed at the minimalistness of the system when I got the car.

You will see shortly.

[Fair!]

Re: To go STU or not (2006 Mustang GT)

ST exhaust has to terminate "behind the passenger area", which means you can dump it out the side behind the door or right at the axle, like we did on the STS car.



16 pounds with cat and muffler, just aft of the factory header. Thin wall (.049") tubing/mandrel bends.

[Thinkkker]

Re: To go STU or not (2006 Mustang GT)

I had thought about changing the grill of the car, but aparently this would not be a allowable change. Section 14.2 limits the changes to "spoilers, splitters, body kits, rear wings, and non-functional scoops/vents" and then a clarification that "Body kits are limited to bumper covers, valances, side skirts, and fender flares".

Reading this puts a limit as to what would be allowed mods to the car. I guess its time to put in a question to the SEB on this. Not many other cars would have the space that my car does. So this could be a big change for me, not much for others. Any thoughts on this, or is there something in the '09 rules I may not know of?

[rp1]

Re: To go STU or not (2006 Mustang GT)

Has there been any further development on the front of an STU Mustang GT? Though E46 M3s are getting hella cheap, the GT 'stangs are probably going to be cheaper in the end on the modding side of things and I think some more weight could probably be saved by the sounds of the weight of the seats, exhaust, battery and similar components you'd have to replace on the M3...

Just looking for anyone who's thinking about taking up this task (especially if they are in the SouthEast).

[Thinkkker]

Re: To go STU or not (2006 Mustang GT)

When you say development what are you looking for?

I have to get back up to get the final stuff ironed out on the cars suspesion and then tune it. When up, we will find the mximum wheel that can be fit on the car, and run with that. It will more than likely HAVE to be a custom set of wheels. I am not sure that any off the shelf wheel will fit on the fronts. Plus the ones out there will probably be the mega heavy stock looking ebay specials.

I have to get the seat tracks, but looking around, you will not find any cheap. The few wrecking yards I have spoken with want at least 70% the cost of new. A seat of the tracks from Ford are $500. Ill let you do the math. If ANYONE knows of anything out there cheap *Corbeau has a track for $99 a piece* please let me know!

I am looking at a couple of CAI and tuners. Battery is on the list also. With all the other expenses I hope to have full exhaust *headers back* but in all honesty this is the last on the list.

[Fair!]

Re: To go STU or not (2006 Mustang GT)

Has there been any further development on the front of an STU Mustang GT? Though E46 M3s are getting hella cheap, the GT 'stangs are probably going to be cheaper in the end on the modding side of things and I think some more weight could probably be saved by the sounds of the weight of the seats, exhaust, battery and similar components you'd have to replace on the M3...

Just looking for anyone who's thinking about taking up this task (especially if they are in the SouthEast).

Kent has raced the car already and I think he was pretty "shocked" (ha! shock pun) at the handling. Big improvement before doing the big STU wheels/tires.

The E46 M3 is a very nice chassis but you are right - it will likely cost more to do the same types of mods than compared to the Mustang (which is sold in 100-200K/year volumes). Who knows which will be faster?

[rp1]

Re: To go STU or not (2006 Mustang GT)

Well, this is one of those cars I'll keep an especially close eye on. Now that I have my 2009 ride chosen, I can free myself up to checking out the non-BMWs out there in other classes. I really hope to be able to travel to see and ride in cars like an STU Mustang. They get such a bad rap having the live rear axle, but I really want to see what they are all about for myself.

[Thinkkker]

Re: To go STU or not (2006 Mustang GT)

In the option of losing weight I have a set of offbrand very lightweight seats for the car. Being as I got them from someone stripping out their BSP ride it was a decent deal and they fit me. Which I have run into problems with on some seats.

I have not gotten the seats mounted, but it appears that I will lose about 20 pounds a seat. This is still utlizing the stock tracks. I contacted the one outside vendor I know of who carries Corbeau that is making tracks for the car, and they are still weighing in at about 15#'s a piece. Stock ones are 17.

The overall weight as it sits is about 30. After I modify it to allow for mounting 35# for seat and track should be about right on the passenger side.

I need to do some looking and maybe mount the seat driect to floor or build a seat track. Angled metal and non adjustable should work, but I will not have a shop for another few weeks.

So its a total of 40#'s off the car as a best guess. Seats are roughly 25#'s less in weight from the stock, though adding the metal to add brackets I am being generious in the 5# lean.

[Fair!]

Re: To go STU or not (2006 Mustang GT)

Post pics when they are in - and weigh everything!

[Thinkkker]

Re: To go STU or not (2006 Mustang GT)

Ill have a camera this weekend again. Fiancee has the cool, good, non phone camera. So I should have some stuff then. Of course, Im still working onthe house and thats a time consumer, but I think worth it .

And I have weights. All done with the fully uber awesome bathroom digi scale. As long as the woman of the house where I am stayin lets me steal it again .

[John in Houston]

Re: To go STU or not (2006 Mustang GT)

Buy Fair a bean burrito, some 'Oust!' and let him build you some mounts

[Thinkkker]

Re: To go STU or not (2006 Mustang GT)

No pictures as of yet, but with the minimal seat mount in the passenger side I will have to look into adding a small amount of weight to bracket.

I initially forgot the seat belt holder, but without it the seat weighed in at a svelt 19#'s. I need a better scale to get the right weight on it, but the passenger side should be right on the minimum weight when its done.

I have yet to do the drivers side, but this will take some more work. If mounted to same way, my legs would lay flat on the floor and I would have stretch to reach all controls. I will need to get the welder fired up and work on it like that.

[Fair!]

Re: To go STU or not (2006 Mustang GT)

Buy Fair a bean burrito, some 'Oust!' and let him build you some mounts

One of my least favorite fabrication projects - seat brackets! Nothing so small should take as much time to build as these things do...

[Thinkkker]

Re: To go STU or not (2006 Mustang GT)

Well... just a small update.

The car has some progression going on, and not a whole lot of seat time as of yet. Who would have thought that a fiance would take up so much time??? Pfft.

Anyways. I think I have a set of seat tracks *WITH SLIDERS!* to put on the car. These should be here prior to the next AutoX I will be at. Given that the way my seat on the passenger side is mounted now, I think that it will be better even though the seat will be taller. Ask Amy, Hanchey, and pretty much anyone who has ridden in the car. I could barely see over the dash as it is, and I'm right at 6'3"!

Other news, BIG WHEELS FIT! Last autox I had new shoes on the car. 18x10.5's will sit under the car. I may can go lower with it also, though I will wait to test this till after I get set of rear ride height perches in. The car feels amazing like this, but as the cone count attested, the rear wheels will take some getting used to. These wheels are 2 inches wider than what I have had on the car. I got most of in on the backside, but there is still about a inch or so more on the outside. Which makes a pretty big difference with how close I get to cones.
http://s7.photobucket.com/albums/y25...rrent=kent.flv

I made a couple of other aquisitions. I have a new CAI, and a Tuner. I need to get some dyno time lined up somewhere to get the most out of it, but the lagging pedal is no longer a problem. Instant response from the throttle.

And just to check it out, I got a couple of "crash" bolts for the front. Ill see what I can get out of the suspension when I get that on there.

Just for testing, I should have some 275 Star Specs coming in soon. Since Ill be chasing some fairly competetive vehicles I should get a good idea quick as to how the chassis will fair. I may also try to get a couple more spring rates and get out for some testing somewhere and see what happens if I play with this some.

To date, the cars diet has shed near 75 pounds. I will put in the hard numbers later on when I get them and have the seats on the new improved tracks.