I'm taking it out to the track tomorrow evening, to race legally for the first time in my life. I used to street race back when that was actually cool (no, I never had a mullet!). I had a built automatic back then, but-
I've got a 5-speed now and don't know bull-poop about how to launch and shift this car properly.
I haven't put my Nitto tires on yet, so any advice about how to launch my stang with the stock Pirelli Zero's? My C&L tune increased the rev limiter, so I am thinking that I will not see 4th gear this time out, even if I don't suck as bad as I think I will.
No takers? I will re-phrase the question to make it more interesting:
How do I steer the car when the front wheels come off the ground, since I will be getting most amazing traction from my Pirelli Nero Zero's (Italian for "worth almost nothing at all")?
No takers? I will re-phrase the question to make it more interesting:
How do I steer the car when the front wheels come off the ground, since I will be getting most amazing traction from my Pirelli Nero Zero's (Italian for "worth almost nothing at all")?
Mount a wheely bar on the back.
Why would you take a car to the track if you can't shift that great?
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2006 GT Tungsten Grey 5 spd, Xcal2/Pipeline CAI, Powerhouse tune. Spoiler delete. Front Speakers:Infinity 6812CF;Blaupunkt GTc652. Rear:Infinity Kappa 682.7CF. H/U:Alpine CDA-9885. Alpine MRP-F250 amp. Sequentials. President of the Splash guard registry. On Deck: Motoblue UDP's.
Congratulations, helicfii!! You will be hooked forever. When you pull up to the starting line for the first time your heart will be pounding out of your chest.
I raced all last summer with the setup you are running now. You will get no traction from the Pirellis. You will not be able to launch at more than 2500 RPM and I'd start out at 2000 and move up 200 per run until you can find your optimum launch RPM. You won't be able to just dump the clutch, you'll have to feather it a bit. Just get going and when you are hooked up put the pedal to the floor and leave it there!!
Looks like you have stock gears so you will not see 4th gear, but you will use all of third. I seem to remember having difficulty deciding if I should shift to fourth or finishing in third when I had 3.55s, that's how close it is to 4th.
Don't worry about your first couple runs. They'll be bad. But you'll get better really fast.
Here are some realistic, yet lofty goals for someone racing for the first time with your setup:
60' - below 2.15, below 2.10 would be fantastic
1/4 mile: below 13.7; below 13.5 would be fantastic
Most of all have fun. Everyone who goes to the track does.
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2005 Mustang GT with 04 Cobra iron block, 300 ci, Kenne Bell 2.6l twin screw, P&P S3 Heads, SS valves, Comp S3 cams, Currie 9+ 9" rear end and DS (coming soon), Hurst shifter, BMR K-member, A-arms, LCAs & UCA, JBA long tubes & mid-pipe, Accel COPs, GT500 fuel pumps, much more... 659 RWHP, 598 Tq @ 12 psi & 5800 RPM
I haven't run mine on the track with the stock tires personally, but I have heard to avoid the burnout box to warm up the tires. They say the Pirelli's just get greasy and don't grip as much. Maybe someone else can verify this.
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'06 Vista Blue GT, Manual, Shaker 500, IUP, 18" Boyd Smoothie II Rims, Toyo T1-R's, Saleen Short Throw Shifter Adapter, Demolet Carbon Fiber Air Intake, Bamachips Tune, Sequential Tails, Electric Exhaust Cutouts...
Mount a wheely bar on the back.
Why would you take a car to the track if you can't shift that great?
Not sure what you mean by that exactly. If you are referring to my shifter/tranny problems, I had a friend with a new mustang drive my car this evening, and he tells me that I am imagining my synchro problem- the fact that it doesn't shift like a small foreign transaxle car is not necesarily a bad thing...it's just a different design.
If you are implying that I can't shift the car, well, I have been driving a stick for almost 30 years, and have had plenty of quick 4 & 5-speed cars. I would just like to get through the gears faster in this car, that's all, and I'd like to do it without abusing the Hell out of the synchros and forks.
Also- I totally forgot that I have a steerable wheely bar on the back, no problem steering with the front wheels off the ground!
On a side note, it is interesting that the Tremec uses a transaxle style shifting linkage (single rod). I guess that is the norm these days.
Congratulations, helicfii!! You will be hooked forever. When you pull up to the starting line for the first time your heart will be pounding out of your chest.
I raced all last summer with the setup you are running now. You will get no traction from the Pirellis. You will not be able to launch at more than 2500 RPM and I'd start out at 2000 and move up 200 per run until you can find your optimum launch RPM. You won't be able to just dump the clutch, you'll have to feather it a bit. Just get going and when you are hooked up put the pedal to the floor and leave it there!!
Looks like you have stock gears so you will not see 4th gear, but you will use all of third. I seem to remember having difficulty deciding if I should shift to fourth or finishing in third when I had 3.55s, that's how close it is to 4th.
Don't worry about your first couple runs. They'll be bad. But you'll get better really fast.
Here are some realistic, yet lofty goals for someone racing for the first time with your setup:
60' - below 2.15, below 2.10 would be fantastic
1/4 mile: below 13.7; below 13.5 would be fantastic
Most of all have fun. Everyone who goes to the track does.
Excellent advice- thank you. Funny you should mention 13.5 to 13.7..... I told my buddy that my goal is to pull a 13.6. Probably won't happen tomorrow, but maybe someday..
One thing I always kept in mind was that the guy next to me was just there to bench mark. The first couple of times you go at it don't "race" calm down and figure out your car. I tell you this because when I first went I had all these ideas of what I was going to do, then when I got on the line my competitiveness took over and instead of feathering the clutch I would dump it. After a couple of runs and your nerves get settled a little then you can start thinking about smokin people. Don't launch above 2500 RPMs either... you just wont hook... once you get your Nittos put on you'll be good to go. I think the only time I spun my Nitto DRs was when I dumped it from about 5000 RPMs... just wanted to see whay I could get away with. Have fun dude, and don't let people see you shaking after your first run.
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-06 GT Black on Black -Saleen S/C -4.10 gears -Triax Shifter -JBA LTH, H Pipe, and Axlebacks -Tokico D-Specs -Eibach Pro Springs -Steeda Chrome Molly Steel LCA
-8.34 1/8 @88 MPH (street tires )
Newbie 1/4 mile questions 
Have fun dude, and don't let people see you shaking after your first run. 
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