Project Mustang 5.0: Part 1 – Establishing a Performance Baseline

,

 

By reviewing the bottom speed chart, we were able to pinpoint what speed the Mustang was traveling at on any given point of the track.  The mph difference between the exit of the “bowl” turn to the end of the back straight before entering the “chicane” really showcases the Mustang's acceleration.

Despite the Mustang's relatively narrow tire width, soft stock suspension settings, and significant weight the g load data shows high levels of grip in many of the corners around Streets of Willow.  A true testament to the platform's potential.

We also took Project 370Z out for a few hot laps with the Qstarz LT-Q6000 despite not being previously prepped for track duty that day.  The stock brake pads and low grip from the old daily driven tires show its disadvantage in the braking zones where Project mustang was making up a lot of time.  We also saw how much faster Project Mustang accelerates despite Project 370's aftermarket power upgrades.  However, where Project 370Z makes up the time, which ultimately led to a quicker over all time was corner entry speed, and corner exit traction which can be attributed to the 370's suspension tune, lighter weight, and aftermarket LSD.

 

Comparing all 3 0-60 runs, you can see clearly in the bottom speed chart which portion of each run was better or worse than the other.  Our quickest time (in green) wasn't the best start off the line, but because of superior traction throughout the run it made for the fastest elapsed time.  Using the data from several runs, you can piece together what needs to be done to potentially string together optimal ET's.

 

The analysis chart breaks down each run to the precise time and distance.  This makes it easy to determine the exact part of each run that was slower or faster.

 

The strong aftermarket support for the current Mustang will make for quite the capable track day machine without sacrificing a serious amount of day to day civility.  A large amount of chassis, suspension, and power upgrades can be performed to the car without it looking like much more than a lowering spring and wheel upgrade has been done.  I think this will be cool for all those unsuspecting “more popular” track day platforms that won't give this horse a second look until lap times prove otherwise.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

*
*