Power VS Suspension for lower ET's

[Venom351R]

My goals for the car is to have a 400 RWHP street car that runs low 12's to high 11's.

Goal #1 is almost met Im at 370 RWHP on stock heads and cam and the car is untunned so I belive my goal of 400 RWHP is pretty close but getting low 12's to high 11's wont be so easy since I have a lot to learn as far as 1/4 driving.

So the question is for next yr should I throw more power at the car ( even as more track time will turn into lower ET's) or is suspension the key.

Im wondering this b/c in the new 5.0 Mag this month on page 114 there is a story on a stock 93 Notch, stock heads, cam, Intake. Nothing done but sticky tires, suspension, MAF, and exhaust along w/ weight reduction and he runs 12.77 @ 105 MPH and he makes around 225 RWHP. Here I am at almost 400 and Im still deep in the 13's but as being a track noob. As we all know the more HP upgrades we do it is like domino effect and other thing must be upgraded. With suspension its bolt and go. Im at the point where Im comfortalbe w/ the HP having a 400 RWHP ( after the dyno tune) street car is pretty respectible so I just want to get everyones thoughts on what the best way to low 12's is as far as Power VS suspension work. Im still riding on stock suspension.

 

[Killercanary]

I vote suspension. Its cool for showing off if you spin the tires at 40+mph, but it does nothing in a street race/drag strip pass, plus I think its cooler to pull the wheels off the ground in terms of WOW fact than spin the hell out of them. Trust me, I think the feeling of a 1.6 and lower 60' is a better feeling than having 300+hp... I wish I could experience the feeling of the launch all the time, its VERY addicting. I love beating guys at the track with a lot more power than me just because I can put my power to the pavement and they can't. Your car will feel faster when all the power is getting put down to the pavement, trust me. Think about this... how cool would it be if you could run mid 11's with what you have with suspension mods when many guys HCI AND blowers are lucky to do that when they too are spinning. There are a lot more mid 11-low 12 second HCI blower cars running around than you might think, they have the potential to go much farther in terms of ET, but they don't go the extra mile for whatever reason and do the suspension right.

 

[Venom351R]

I get what your saying, whats the point of having enough power to run mid 11's but needing that much more power just b/c you can put it to the ground.

What would be a good 1/4 / street suspension set up? I dont want something that is an all out drag package but something that will ride nice on the street but still kick ass at the track and get my power to the pavment. This is all just for next yr Im just going to start looking and researching for now. Im sure that after the dyno tune and a few other tweeks here and there I can hit my 400 RWHP, If Im only at 390 Im going to want to find the extra 10 somewhere but Im not going to go nuts and bolt on heads/cam and then wham Im at 500 RWHP and the car is not as fun to drive on the street b/c I cant step on the pedal w/ out it comming sideways.

 

[IM_FASTER_THAN_]

I vote for suspension. You can have all the power in the world and note drive fast at all. I out ran a 500 hp car just cuz he couldnt drive at all. So i would def. upgrade my suspension if i were you.

 

[wytstang]

It's all about the weight transfer. The more you make the nose lift and the ass squat the more tq is being put to the pavement. Take the guy Willy from Corral he has a suspension guru helping him and has already hit high 11's on off the self h/c/i parts (in a vert mind you).

 

[YEAHLOH95]

i say susp. too take it from me when paul pulls away from me out of the hole it sucks to take til 3rd gear to go by him .i have done some susp stuff latly so i hope to be bettering my times soon. its all in the first 60 ft.

 

[Nobody]

...I just want to get everyones thoughts on what the best way to low 12's is as far as Power VS suspension work.

You can get 12's with everything you currently have and practice.

Back on-topic, How often do you see guys with 400, 500, 600hp cars with stock suspension? Too often for me. Do the suspension work.

 

[lietuvis91]

ok, so what's the best bang for the buck in traction improvments if you want to maintain as close to stock ride comfort as possible? i live in new orleans, pot hole city! dropping the car 2 inches just doesn't sound good around here, i wanna keep all my teeth too!

 

[MisterCMK]

Full lenght subframe connectors will do wonders for the car. It won't twist like a pretzel when you take off. I will be welding mine on soon. I have heard really good things about the Maximum Motorsports connectors. Next thing would probably be a good set of springs/shocks/struts. The blisteins have been sworn by here and have been great. As for springs, its kinda up to you depending on whether or not you will be driving it primarily as a track car, or as a street car. If you do a search on springs, there is a ton of information out there. A new set up upper control arms with poly bushings will also put power to the pavement. Depending on how balls to the walls you want to go with mods, you can get a pahnard bar, tubular K member, etc... I would say the best thing to do for now would be to get the springs/shocks/struts and the subframe connectors. Also, a set of sticky tires is a given.

 

[Killercanary]

A 2" drop would be the last thing you'd want to do. The key to a hooking up on the street and track is to get the weight to transfer to the rear wheels, prevent the rear from squating, and prevent the rear from rotating. The weight transfer is usually accomplished by adjustable struts and soft sprinsg that can store a lot of energy and use it to the lift the front when the power is applied. Out back you also want an adjustable shock to stiffen up the rear, and a GOOD set of control arms to keep the front of the rear end housing from roating upward towards the car. The soft stock rubber bushings allow this to happen.

 

[Killercanary]

I HIGHLY suggest anyone looking into upgrading their suspension read this... There is a TON of good info in there!

http://www.miracerros.com/mustang/t_suspension.htm

 

[Venom351R]

You can get 12's with everything you currently have and practice.

.

I know I can get 12's just the way it is now on the stock suspension but Im talking about low 12's & 11's w/ out throwing more HP at it.

 

[Venom351R]

I HIGHLY suggest anyone looking into upgrading their suspension read this... There is a TON of good info in there!

http://www.miracerros.com/mustang/t_suspension.htm

Thanks paul.


I know I coud go all out and spend tons of $$$ on suspension but whats a good bang for the buck that wont break the piggy bank but offer good imporvments at the sametime? I have heard alot of MM full legnth subframes and I will prob get those this yr.

As far as Control arms and springs, shocks , struts whats a good brand to stick with?

 

[lietuvis91]

Thanks Killercanary

"The more efficient coilover springs permit the use of very high wheel rates to reduce body roll and brake dive without hurting ride quality"

this part of the article really rocks, the only thing is can someone interpret the bold portion?

what are wheel rates and brake drive?

 

[mackey]

~400hp is enough power to get 10s in a mustang... As long as you have the right setup for suspension and you can hook. If I were you I would go for suspension.

 

[mackey]

You would also be better off with some 15x8 Welds with 275 M/T Drag Radials. They hook like nothing else. The stock suspension setup isn't so bad. I would just change upper/lower rear control arms. Everything else is good. With upper/lowers and removed front sway bar and sticky tires you should be good for low 12s if you can drive...

 

[mackey]

Thanks Killercanary

"The more efficient coilover springs permit the use of very high wheel rates to reduce body roll and brake dive without hurting ride quality"

this part of the article really rocks, the only thing is can someone interpret the bold portion?

what are wheel rates and brake drive?

I believe they meant spring rates. Such as stiffer/not as stiff springs. Brake dive is when your front end "dives" to the ground and looks like your car is tilted during hard braking. Body roll is when the car twists. Such as when the right side is higher than the left while accelerating hard.

 

[lietuvis91]

so can that be true that you can run high spring rates and maintain comfortanble ride quality w/ coilovers??? too me high spring rates always means HOLD ON TO YOUR TEETH on the street!
anyone w/ coilovers care to comment?

 

[94GTLaserRC]

My "late" reply of suspension is irrelevant now, but I was gonna say Since you have all the power mods already, what more in the power realm can you do with everything else the same to know more than a second off your time?

If I had know 3 yrs ago, I would be wanting to COMPLETELY redo the stang, I would have started with suspension. I didnt think I would want to rebuild the entire car, so I slapped on the Vortech and some other things. I have not been to the track yet (big shock!) but Im guessing If I were able to run in the 12's it would only be because of my AODE and good converter...NOT my driving skills.

I never really mention it, but Paul is my "hero" in terms of representing our cars without the "measured" power numbers. He's got his numbers down from all his runs pre and post mods, and proves to us that driving, susp, and weight reduction have to go hand in hand with the power.

My new belief is for every power mod you do, there should be a corresponding susp mod to go along with it.

Thanks
RC

 

[Killercanary]

I never really mention it, but Paul is my "hero" in terms of representing our cars without the "measured" power numbers. He's got his numbers down from all his runs pre and post mods, and proves to us that driving, susp, and weight reduction have to go hand in hand with the power.

My new belief is for every power mod you do, there should be a corresponding susp mod to go along with it.

Thanks
RC

Thanks Rob, I really appreciate that!