[FordBullitt]

Drove #66 through 4 sessions at Texas World Speedway road course this past Sunday. Used 12 gallons of 93 octane in 83 miles including a 10 mile drive from where I filled up.. :smile: Needless to say, the car was hammered for dozens of laps.

Nothing broke, fell off, spilled or otherwise went south in straights from 120+ to braking down at 95+ to right hand turns and tight 40 mph hairpins.

Brakes were a non-problem. I was noticing that the rear brakes were getting extremely hot and seeing a lot of use/abuse which confused me for a while. My front brakes are ducted so they remained perfect. I was experiencing what I thought was a fuel starvation problem coming out of many turns, even with a full tank. This did not make sense either,until during one of the last sessions, scanning the gauges I noticed the traction control light coming on on the dash. Doh! Forgot to turn the traction control off! That explains the stumble coming out of turns and the hot rear brakes! Lesson, when racing, don't forget to turn the traction control off..

The suspension modifications made the car pretty neutral. I was actually quite suprised and pleased how well the car did and behaved, even with stock springs and shocks.

This is a good car. Anyone worying about the car holding up, I don't think it is an issue.

Brian

 

[1BadBullitt]

wow, sounds like you had a blast thanks for shariing sure wish I coulds go play. Maybe in time thanks again :grin:

 

[Bullitt4601]

I've done that before, leaving the TC on, but once you know that feeling you notice it in the first turn, then turn that junk off on the first straight after that.

Can you list the mods you have on your car, what tire pressures you had, and what tires you were running?

 

[FordBullitt]

You can check out these photos for all the parts to date.

Round 1 upgrade parts
http://community.webshots.com/album/16399938MiLpiqxeee

Brake upgrade
http://community.webshots.com/album/17758806iYkhprCxIi

Round 2 upgrades
http://community.webshots.com/album/18367860FGhqmqHQOO

Round 2 upgrades
http://community.webshots.com/album/20350990gXgYlvPflG

I have installed:

Panhard Bar
Rear adjustable sway bar
Rear lower control arms
aluminum drive shaft
front caster/camber plates, car aligned to -.8 camber, 365 caster, 0 toe (pictures to come soon)
Front urethane sway bar bushings
offset rack bushings
Front brake ducting

I have maintained the stock springs and shocks. I will eventually go to coil overs and Koni shocks/struts and still need to get and install a strut tower brace and some other chassis bracing , which should complete the suspension.

My racing wheels are '99 Cobra wheels with 245-45 17 Khumo Victoracers. I started with cold tire pressures of 35 F and 32 rear. After a session, hot pressures were 44 front and 42 rear.

Brian

 

[sinner]

Brian, Glad you had fun at TMS. I hear it's a dynamite facility. Not to contradict what you've said about the performance of the Bullitt, but you're links indicate several great modifications. With all of your mods, I don't think it's right to compare your Bullitt with a Bullitt off the showroom floor. I'll be running my Bullitt as it rolled off the assembly line at Summit Point Raceway this weekend. No racing tires. No tweaked suspension. No braided brake lines (although I might get them soon). I hope I have as few problems in my BONE STOCK Bullitt that you had at TMS.

 

[JayP]

Sinner- he ran Texas World.
Texas Motor is a Roval no one but the Porsche club wants to run.

 

[FordBullitt]

Sinner..

I was not comparing my modofied Bullitt to a completely stock one from a performance aspect. Obviously, mine would perform better. I was really making a point that the car did well from a reliability standpoint, given the abuse of road racing. Remember though, this was done with stock springs and shocks which can have a substantial effect on a cars cornering abilities.

I have run the car at an autocross prior to any modifications, for a baseline. The car, bone stock, does pretty well compared to other cars and stock Mustangs. The suspension and brake upgrades Ford made really improved the car.

I highly recommend the braided stainless front brake lines from a safety standpoint rather than performance. There is a history, out there, of multiple failures under the more extreme abuse of race track driving.

Good luck with yours and let us know how your car performs.

Brian

 

[Bullitt_Buyer]

FordBullitt,

Part of the problem with the rear brakes could have been tied to your TC, like your "fuel starvation" problem. The TC system uses the ABS computer and more than likely was also utilizing your rear brakes at times for more traction. (TC works both via the engine and brakes)

Steve
DHG #4930

 

[FordBullitt]

Steve..

That was exactly the problem. I was forgettting to turn the TC off.. doh! I figured that out later in the day.

Brian

 

[redracer]

Sinner,
How are you going to be at Summit point this weekend? I have a track weekend with the Porsche Club both Saturday and Sunday. Are you going to be on the Jefferson Circuit? If you are, you should stop by the real circuit, I will have the Bullitt up there but I will be running my 914.