PUTTING THE POWER TO THE PAVEMENT

When you can put the power down with no drama, your car will last longer, and think about this -

How much horsepower does it take to twist the chassis?

200 hp? the energy the chassis sucks out of the engine makes as much difference re: acceleration as anything you do to the engine. For the time it takes to twist the chassis, and spring back, you've lost accelerative and braking capability. When it springs back, you're going to have drama while the chassis reacts in the opposite direction.

Do the chassis first, and make the most of the power you've got, then build on the foundation to better effects.

I chose Kenny Brown's stuff, because it was the lightest system I could find. Since my car is both lighter than a GT, and has less torque from a standing start, weight is more important than pure ruggedness. Kenny Brown's stuff is rigid enough for a GT or Cobra, but there is very little excess weight in overlapping function. The system is modular, meaning you can build on the system without having to replace things.

Thanks for Hogan Muffler of Topeka, Kansas for the installation pics!

Kenny Brown DoubleCross Super Subframe Connectors

You can find full-length subframe connectors that are more rigid, but if you add a roll cage, the longer connectors are just excess weight.

Subframe connectors should be the 1st thing any owner does. I didn't until I hit 95000 miles. This part connects the front and rear subframes for longer chassis life, better handling, better suspension compliance, and fewer sympathetic rattles from the road. This particular part is nice, as it also supports the seats (cross-bracing), reducing flex/noise as you enter the car. Kenny Brown's cross braces are lightweight and scaleable, meaning you don't have to lay down a ton of cash at once, and you can add bracing at your leisure. When complete, it's one of the lightest weight systems on the market. Kenny Brown's V6 Racer (Kermit) was a killer on road courses, and his Cobra CSR is leading ahe AIX series in it's 1st year of competition. A great product.

Kenny Brown Jacking Rails

The 2nd step to the extreme matrix super-subframe chassis bracing. It fits along the seam if the body, further braces the chassis, and keeps the pinch welds from being damaged by lifts. With this mod, you can jack the car from the rail. The last piece is the matrix itself, which ties and triangulates the subframe connectors AND the jacking rails for a lightweight, totally braced chassis.

Kenny Brown Extreme Matrix Brace

Connects and triangulates the Double-Cross Super Subframe Connectors and the Jacking Rails. Provides a lightweight extremely rigid subframe. Interference fit can make it a bit difficult to fit, but makes the subframe extremely rigid.

Kenny Brown Strut Tower Brace

Eliminates flex in the front end, improves handling, and lengthens the life of the chassis. Kenny Brown's brace clears most superchargers with the setback. The other benefit is that the plate on the brace keeps the tower from flexing or punching through when coilovers are added.

Notice how the front of the engine block is entirely behind the strut towers and axle.

Kenny Brown G-Load 4-point brace

This is a zinc coated tubular, and trianguated brace that ties the front subframe to the K-member. It's a signifanct upgrade that ensures structural rigidity, the life of the chassis, and enhances handling. I cannot even begin to describe the change in the vehicle! It's still at the same location, but is manufacturing parts as Engineered Performance.

The subframe connectors did a reasonably good job at tying the front and rear of the car together. I installed this and the strut tower brace at the same time at 153,000 miles. I can't say which was the biggest factor -but I have ridden in cars with just the strut brace, and it didn't feel NEARLY as good as the car does now. It handles almost as good as my 1968 did.

I can place the car and power out of corners with very little snap oversteer. Very Nice! The car feels as solid as the Volvo S40T5 AWD, and has no shimmy over bumps. The platform is stable enough, now to start tuning the suspension.

Kenny Brown Rear Shock Tower Brace

Just got it, & haven't had time to take a picture. Still unpacking from my move to Washington D.C.

The Rear Shock Tower is the last piece of Chassis Reinforcement necessary on the Fox-4 platform. It's really only necessary if you have an IRS, which I plan to install in the near future (like 1-2 years, this is a slow build!). Notice two features no one else has. 1) the triangulation 2) the bar bolts to the floor, as wekk as the towers minimizing the stresses on the towers themselves.

Next project is upgrading the brakes!

Kenny Brown Caster Plus Camber Plates

Works with the strut tower bar/plates to positively locate the Caster in the optimum position while allowing for camber adjustments. The caster improves turn-un and handling. Currently set at 7 degrees mid between street and race handling. In the pictures, you can see how the cylinder banks line up with the strut towers. they are even, the only parts forward on the engine are the accessories. The car was designed for the 3.8L and the 2.3L Turbo. Handling is much better than the GTs, with the addition of the sway bar. With an aftermarket K-member, the engine can be moved back an inch, down an inch, for even better weight distribution and lower center of gravity while losing 45 lbs of weight off the nose. Aftermarket A-arms can move the front wheels 1.5" forward for a Front-Mid (FM) placement.

Kenny Brown Firm Front Sway Bar

This is a lightweight, heavy-duty, adjustable sway bar that also knocks off 9 lbs in front of the front wheel axis. Since I plan on running softer springs to maintain ride quality, I chose the firm bar. There are three holes on either side of the bar to install the end links, the shorter the length the less the chassis will roll -but if you go too stiff, you lose bite on initial turn in.

On stick/axle cars, you tune understeer with the front, unlike independent rear ends, in which a firm fron causes understeer.

Too many Mustangers (& Daytona, Camaro, Firebird, Cuda, etc, etc., etc.,) swap the wrong bars, & really mess up their handling but tuning the suspension as if it were an 4-wheel independent suspended car . ..

GT Takeoff Rear Sway Bar

Should be 2nd modification to any 6cylinder Mustang. Better handling, better launch, more rear end control & less body roll. Pick one up at your local salvage yard for around $35.00. Best mod you can buy. Some folks are using a Bullitt Suspension on the sixes. If you do -Get/Keep the GT rear sway bar, and sell the Bullitt model online. The GT swaybar is a bit thicker and will reduce understeer and control the rear roll MORE than the Bullitt piece.

This made a real difference in the handling and launch of the car. Most of the folks in the V6 forums at AllFordMustangs.com can't believe the change $35.00 can make until they actually do it.

Just do it. You won't be sorry.

Ford Racing Limited Slip Differential

Anyone in the snow belt should make this a priority. Detriot Locker has just reissued the SVO Limited Slip, and Auburn now has a 7.5" line out for the V6 & SVO cars. Either one is probably a better unit than the Ford Racing unit -but they weren't available when I was buying.

Battery Relocation

The 200 amp Alternator required upgrading the wires, given the cost of the wire upgrade, the battery will be relocated to the trunk. I'd been planning to do it, and given the new costs of the wiring, I figured I may as well roll the relocation cost into it. I picked up a Battery Box for $7. Wire upgrade & labor cost $149. Benefits -weight off the nose of the car, better weight distribution between drivers side and passenger side, meaning the left rear tire is less likely to spin coming out of corners of at standing starts.

my hp/weight is current 13.78lbs/hp

skidpad should be around .87/.88 (probably higher, since the stock 3.8L weight distribution is 52.6%/47.4%, as opposed to the GT's 55/45) and I'm running better than GT suspension & chassis.

With the Battery relocation, I'm at 50.3% rear/49.7% Front with the spare, 50/50 without the spare.

Once I add the IRS, I'll be at 49.2% front 50.8% rear with the spare (now that's cool!)

When I take out the spare with the IRS, I'll be back at 50/50.

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The OTHER thing you should work on is ROTATING MASS, and the BIGGEST culprit, by far is the flywheel.

The flywheel is GT Spec. It's HEAVIER than an SVT Cobra flywheel. If you EVER have the tranny separated for any reason -clutch replacement, whatever -REPLACE the flywheel with an ALUMINUM flywheel. You'll pick up better gas mileage, better engine revvability, and better acceleration.

Next up would be an aluminum driveshaft or better a carbon fiber driveshaft.