Cold Air Brake Ducts or how to keep the brakes alive for weekend at Sebring

[GT-350_merged]

OK Here's the mission.

 

Weekend at Camp Steeda with the SVTOA at Sebring International Raceway.

 

3.7 mile Road Course, high speeds on the straights (I saw 125 M.P.H.+) so this will be killer on the brakes what to do, what to do.....

 

 

Be able to go all out (for me anyway) all weekend and not worry about stopping. Don't want to ditch the wheels and tires (Shelby CS66's and Nitto NT-555's) to put on bigger brakes.

 

So what to do.............

 

I called Agent 47 http://www.agentfortyseven.com/home.html (see Grassroots Motorsports Magazine website http://grmotorsports.com/news/index.php?s=mustang ((scroll halfway down to read article)) and this months printed issue, June 2007 for detailed install of the kit) about installing brake cooling ducts on a new Mustang GT. However I have the Shelby/California Special front fascia on my '06 GT and they did not make a cold air duct for this fascia now Cory at Agent 47 related if I could wait a couple of weeks he would be able to do a fast prototype and send me the result!

 

When he said that I was like do it!

 

So this is what I got....

 

 

There is also a template so you can cut a hole in the lower part of the fascia.

 

 

This is where the ducts will go

 

 

This is behind the two lower fake black grills so if you later remove the kit you can reinstall the two lower pieces and not see the holes.

 

Here's a close-up of the scoops (flash highlighted dust which wiped off revealing a very nice matte black)

 

 

Note tabs which use the factory mounting points.

 

 

After install, a couple of hours, wheels, rotors/calipers and dust shield have to be removed to install kit...... can be done in your garage with basic hand tools.......I did it.......jacks and stands are required.......

 

 

Note: You don't see the white like you see in this photo, it's just because of the angle I took the picture.

 

In the paddock at Sebring......Just think of the great drivers that have been here Ken Miles, Dan Gurney,....

 

 

At speed on the front straight......

 

 

Now did they work? All the mags berate the Mustangs brakes as prone to fade after a couple of panic stops.......

 

So I had Hawk HP Plus pads and Brembo LCF 600 brake fluid along with the Agent 47 ducts and I can tell you the car stopped just as hard at the end of a 20 minute track session as it did the beginning.

 

Do you need a big brake kit? Yes, if you have a power adder, can you keep your stock brakes and calipers on a N/A car, yes....... with a way to draw off heat from the rotors.

 

So if you have a big brake kit you use this as added insurance to draw off heat and use this if you would like to keep the stock parts alive.......

 

CONTUINED BELOW BECAUSE OF SPACE

 

Now for a pro/con on why I went with this kit and not the Steeda, Shelby or Ford Racing kits.

 

- Steeda's kit is designed for their fascia, they have the "scoops" in the fascia for their kit. You could you use it on your stang yes be you don't get the "ram effect".

 

 

- Shelby's Kit Hole drilled in lower fascia no "Scoop" no "ram air" effect.

 

 

- Ford Racing.... $1,199.00 are they kidding? looks like the Shelby kit but no front screen like the Shelby kit, but it is the offical part off of the FR500 race car.... No Picture.....

 

No I don't work for Agent 47 and I paid full price... Hey Cory if you like this you can always refund me half...........

 

[SWEDESHELBY1]

Looks excellent and is very functional. I did not catch the price and length of time to install. Please respond.

Thanks.

2007 SGT #1182 5 speed

 

Oh - Almost forgot, what did you do to make your car 350HP or is that just the name you gave it? I am loking for ways to upgrade HP without the S/C.

Thanks

[stump_breaker]

What wold be the advantages of this vs. just going to ceramic pads? I ask because this is how we have always help alleviate brake fade in the past on other vehicles.

[GT-350_merged]

Looks excellent and is very functional. I did not catch the price and length of time to install. Please respond.

Thanks.

2007 SGT #1182 5 speed

 

Oh - Almost forgot, what did you do to make your car 350HP or is that just the name you gave it? I am loking for ways to upgrade HP without the S/C.

Thanks

 

 

The GT 350 has nothing to do with the horsepower just as the GT 500 has nothing to do with the horsepower.

 

According to Carroll Shelby the GT 350 came about when during a brain storming secession on what to name the new Shelby American Mustang, Shelby had asked Phil Remington what the distance was between the race shop and the production shop. Remington had replied, '350 feet'. The name of the car was given GT 350 and the racing versions had an 'R' attached to the end of its name.

 

My car does have the Ford Racing/Steeda CAI with the Steeda Intake “Elbow”, a Predator Tune and under drive pulleys so it "might" have close to 350hp and the crank......if the manufactures claims are true.......

 

The price is about $350 and time to install about 3 hours

[GT-350_merged]

What wold be the advantages of this vs. just going to ceramic pads? I ask because this is how we have always help alleviate brake fade in the past on other vehicles.

 

 

Here’s a pro/con between Ceramic and Ferro-Carbon but remember the setup I need is for an open track car that car be street driven; aggressive brake pads, high resistance to bake fade/brake fluid boiling and a way to keep the rotors alive. A ceramic pad in and of it self will not stop the rotor from getting hot, the rotor is a big heat sink, look along the top of the rotor and note the air vanes. If the brake fluid is old, a year is old for a street driven car, for a track car change the fluid before the track date; you get water in the fluid. Look at a can of brake fluid and note it has a “dry” and “wet” boiling point, once the fluid boils you get air in the lines and you will need to bleed the system or say “Hello” wall……so the higher the boiling levels the hotter the fluid can get before the fluid boils……

 

The brake ducts are the biggest overall bonus here because they allow cooler air to be directed at the rotor to help carry away the heat: cooler rotor, cooler caliper, and cooler brake fluid.

 

So pads, fluid, and ducts = no new big brake kit and I keep my wheels and tires.....

 

Now if I interpreted the below listed info correct, ceramic pads will help on the street for increased stopping but does nothing for the heat……… but it does not mention repetitive, heavy braking for the ceramic pads

 

So what’s you need? street or track?

 

CERAMIC Pads Taken from Hawk Performance:

Performance Ceramic is engineered to reduce brake NVH (Noise, Vibration and Harshness), creating a quieter performing brake pad. Furthermore, the ceramic brake pad formula has a linear friction profile that allows your ABS brake system to work more effectively. With Performance Ceramic you can expect reduced brake pad wear, lower dust output levels and a rotor-friendly brake pad.

 

Key Features:

• Increased stopping power

• Increased rotor life

• Extended pad life

• Ultra-low dust

• Extremely quiet

• Stable friction output

 

FERRO-CARBON Pads Taken from Hawk Performance:

HP Plus utilizes a unique Ferro-Carbon, high-tech friction material that was developed and manufactured for sport driving in autocross, Solo II and “track day” applications. The Ferro-Carbon formulation offers lower wear rates and higher torque values than other competitive materials.

Extremely high coefficient of friction makes HP Plus the perfect upgrade over stock for high performance streetcars used in autocross competition or that experience repetitive, heavy braking.

 

Key Features:

• Extremely High Friction Output

• Fade Resistant

• Worthy for Autocross & Club Racing Events

 

Warning! Due to the dramatic friction levels produced by this product to achieve "race-level" braking, rotor wear, noise, dust, and pad life may be affected.

[SWEDESHELBY1]

Thansk GT350 for the answer. I like the kit.

[stump_breaker]

Ahhhhh, makes sense.

[ShelbyCobra826]

Good info. Given your screen name, plus the wheels, hood, spoiler, lower scoops, centered fog lamps and rocker stripes you selected, I'm surprised that you didn't also go with the upper scoops. Was this a visibility issue, or just style?

 

Still, a nice looking car.

[GT-350_merged]

Good info. Given your screen name, plus the wheels, hood, spoiler, lower scoops, centered fog lamps and rocker stripes you selected, I'm surprised that you didn't also go with the upper scoops. Was this a visibility issue, or just style?

 

Still, a nice looking car.

 

 

Visibility, I'm in Tampa and the drivers down here leave a bit to be desired at times..........