here's the plan for auto-x

[blacksheep-1]

You guys can tell me how full of crap I am.
93 mustang notch
2.3, 5 speed, 7.5 rearend
budget .50 cents
I have lying around misc parts from a 99 gt that might be used.
1. Springs -99Gt with cut coils
2. rear sway bar -99gt
3. front sway bar- either from a GT or maybe a Fairmont wagon, whatever I have to choose from (about 25 of them).
4. brakes- stock with a good rebuild, stainless lines and new rotors - (The reason behind this is that I think that the little 10.5 brakes were actually used on V8 cars. )
5. Granatelli or QA-1 front k-member, (some of the drag race oriented k-members move the front end out too much) these can be used witht he stock control arms. (I need to know if they are also compatible with the 2.3 front control arms)
6. Steeda lower ball joint kit and bump steer kit along with the upper alignment plates.
7. subframe connectors
8. Fabricated panhard bar and upper control arms for the rear.
9. 3.73 gear and posi (probably used).

If all this sounds doable for a weekend warrior auto cross car let me know. Also let me know of a better/cheaper way to do it or if I might run into compatibility issues. I'll probably run some type of Cobra replica 9 in wheel since they are available in 4 lug now. I also need to know of a 140 or higher tread wear rating tire to fit in the "stock" class.
Your comments and ideas are extremely appreciated.

 

[bhuff30]

Whooaa, hold on. You need to get a rule book and read it carefully first. Figure out what class you want to run and what you can leagally do. Most of the parts listed above will each kick you out of the stock class. As I recall, you can basically change the struts, shocks and tires in the stock class.

I'm pretty sure even the 99GT suspension parts will throw you into street prepared.

If you want to be competitive, then you'll need to reconsider what you are driving. The newer mustang (95+) can do a bit better in the stock classes.

Of course, the biggest part is learning how to drive! You are best learning when your car is still stock. Just go out to some events and drive the hell out of the car. You'll learn what it can do and what needs to be changed to make it quicker, and most importantly learning how to drive. It can take several seasons of auto-X before you really learn the fast way around each course.

Having said that, I didn't do this at all. I already had a turbo on before I started doing Auto-X, and it threw me into Street Modified. I had a hell of a lot of fun, and I'd do it all again too! I was usually competitive, because it was often only me.

I'd highly suggest doing only 1-4 to start with. You can still return the car to stock with these and run in a stock class.

6. You don't want that QA1 K-member, it would likely break seeing street or auto-X use. Anyway, the control arms would fit, but i'm not sure if it clears the 2.3 oil pan or not. Some of them have interference with our oil pans, as compared to the 5.0 as I recall.

7. Subframes will help, but they will also throw you into a crazy class where you can't be competitive. At least street prepared and maybe street mod.

8 and 9, same thing. Into a very serious class then.

I would highly suggest just going out and running a few events before modifying anything. When you do finally change some things, do them slowly. I'd recommend wheels and tires very first, as that's where the biggest gain will be. Then, you can play with springs and sway bars. Be careful though, the mustang isn't well sorted out and can get tail happy.

Here was my basic auto-X setup: Tokico Illuminua struts, 16 or 17" wheels with street tires (400+treadwear), trimmed 99+ spring, GT sway bars, turbo engine (maybe 225ish hp) and caster camber plates. I also had some poly bushing in the front, but I'm not sure how much difference they made. The CC plates were great, because when I arrived at the track, I could slam them to max negative camber, which had an added benifit of adding toe out. I could carve some nice corners at times. Still, the rear suspension wasn't sorted out well and it would get VERY tail happy in some of the sloams.

These days, I'm playing around with going in streight lines. It's working a lot better for me. I got a 2.0 60' time on street tires and it just hooked. I bet it has a 1.9 or better in the same track prep hehe