If you could build a GT2 car that was not currently available, what would it be?

[dj4monie]

I was wandering around the net and I wondered where the GARRA Blackforest Racing Mustang came from. (see I do try and watch Grand Am, hush!)

I remembered the head of Ford Racing wanting to get more Mustang FR500's into a series, especially in its home market.

Then I got to thinking and did a search.

Back in 2005 Ford was offering "Body On White" cars to people that wanted to build race cars and was selling the limited number of uncompleted cars for $3500.

Crawford built the Mustang for Blackforest and given their track record with their DP, I would pass on them.

But seriously I think I would buy and build a Mustang.

Lou has a Corvette based business; for business and personal reasons he stuck with a Corvette which has always been a good base for a race car since basically the C4.

The Mustang has proven itself to be competitive in near stock type road racing series, including a championship in Europe to go along with the GARRA Grand Am Cup title.

With the Ford "Hurricane" Engine coming online soon and with the 2010 Mustang slated to get a bump in displacement to say 6.0L. Maybe in time for the next special model and the only one left is the Boss series of cars, which in is the name of these engines as well.

With 6.0L of displacement and DOHC cylinder heads, hmmmm

Yeah it has a live axle but it hasn't hindered it very much thus far.

The Mustang FR500GT3 is $250,000 US which is half the price of either of the current GT2 cars available from Ferrari or Porsche. If I started with just a Mustang shell, I am sure I could have a car built for around $100,000 by Riley Technologies and get engines from Roush/Yates, but even "Cammer" 5.0L would allow for me to get the car's weight down.



Just imagine with wider GT2 legal body work and that familiar American 90 degree V8 sound and a truly affordable GT2 car.

I am going to make it a point to speak to Joel@Primetime and Lou@LG to get an idea how much it cost Joel to convert his GT3/Speed World Challenge spec Viper to GT2 spec and around the total cost for Lou to have a Vette build from a body shell and frame rails from GM.

Start my own team with Ford backing? Hmmmmmmmm

[dj4monie]

Guess it would look like the Blackforest/Crawford car when finished -

[Bramzel]

I'd probably go for a Gallardo Superleggara or a Maserati GranTurismo. Audi R8 would make a nice one as well.

[gwyllion]

The ultimate GT2 car = Porsche Cayman

[minimangler]

Gotta agree with Gwyllion and admit I'm mystified how people think a Mustang could rival a 997 or a Ferrari or a Spyker?!

Obviously, a 350z or GTR Nissan?

BMW Z4M would be tasty, too.

[Dani Filth]

Alfa Romeo 8C .. enough said

[johntt]

Audi R8 4.2 FSI

Lotus Exige

Second Nissan GT-R and Alfa 8C.

[minimangler]

Originally Posted by Dani Filth

Alfa Romeo 8C .. enough said

oooh, good shout.

Imagine the SOUND. Mind you, putting wings on it would be like screaming "f**k !" in a church...

[Johnny1lap]

TVR Sagaris V8 version, Now that would be nice in GT2

[Mal]

Originally Posted by johntt

Lotus Exige

Given enough grunt and that would make the perfect GT2 Car.

As far as what I would want to see it would have to be the Alfa 8C; Maserati Granturismo.

I would like to see the R8 but not if it is at the expense of the LMP programme

[Spyderman]

Originally Posted by gwyllion

The ultimate GT2 car = Porsche Cayman

could not agree more!

[Aysedasi]

Anything but yet another Porker on the tracks........

[Spyderman]

Aahh! ..but this would not be just another Porker (if done right!)

[AU N EGL]

Originally Posted by dj4monie

Start my own team with Ford backing? Hmmmmmmmm

DJ you BUY the Mustang GT500 and find sponsorship for your team and Ford will provied technical & engineering support but no money or free spare parts.

Those GT500 are great looking cars. Sound fantastic too.


Me, I will stick with LG and the Corvette. My second choice would be a Ferrari F430.

[Aysedasi]

Originally Posted by Spyderman

Aahh! ..but this would not be just another Porker (if done right!)

Fair enough. Do away with all the others and have this one......

[dj choc ice]

i would love a GT2 version of the marcos TSO, TVR tuscan, alfa romeo 8C, weisman coupe thing with the BMW 5.0 V8 in it, jaguar XKR would be fabulous.

[cptkablamo]

1. Alfa 8C
2. TVR Sagaris
3. Lotus Exige
4. Maybe a Skelta could be fun

But I would just stick with a Spyker...

[bludvl_x19]

Bolwell Nagari - Either the original or the 'retro' model, two of the prettiest cars ever made. and Australian to boot!!!


Mick

[fausto]

The stillborn '06 Noble M15

[minimangler]

Can we please stop saying 8C
It makes me hurt inside thinking of what an aerokit would do to the poor baby

[cptkablamo]

actually - that is soooo very true...hopefully it wouldn't be tacked on but created with the same passion as the rest of the car

[bludvl_x19]

Keep dreaming, it will be a slap job that ruins the car asthetically.

Mick

[dj4monie]

Originally Posted by AU N EGL

DJ you BUY the Mustang GT500 and find sponsorship for your team and Ford will provied technical & engineering support but no money or free spare parts.

Those GT500 are great looking cars. Sound fantastic too.


Me, I will stick with LG and the Corvette. My second choice would be a Ferrari F430.

That's fine with me....

Though I wouldn't buy a GT500 GT3 car, would be better to start from scratch and just use GT500 bits from the production line as needed.

Ming -

Why wouldn't it competitive????

The major issue(s) is handling, weight balance and brakes.

Straight line speed is not an issue, even if the front end causes more drag than most of the other cars mentioned, it has more displacement than the F430 or the 997, it can be overcome.

Depending on how much the car weighs after ACO/FIA legal modifications, that would have final say on which displacement I would use. The "Hurricane" - "Boss" engine starts at 6.2L for the Navigator for 2009 and is capable of being punched out to 7.0L which is plenty of GRUNT the Europeans can't match.

With legal engine lowering and set-back, it might not be 50/50 like the Ferrari, but with GT1 tires ala the 997 GT3 I would make the most of I would least guess at 400-500lbs of torque being generated even with tiny restrictors.

The car should crack 190+mph on the run down to Indianapolis.... and a low 7-8K redline with DOHC heads, reliability shouldn't be an issue, as long as cooling is addressed.

Plus the French would go nutz over it and I am sure it would be fan favorite, the Mustang is an icon like the Corvette, but Mustangs can be seen in Norway and Sweden (and I have seen them, classic models), even Germany and the UK, even Top Gear's Richard Hammond has one...

Plus its SIMPLE and not COMPLICATED like most GT cars.

If I wrecked it, I can replace it for 1/3rd the cost of any of the current "hot" cars and have it back on track in 5 days, if that.

In the end, it would be pretty much like the Corvette, I would maximize its strengthens and minimized its weaknesses.

It would be similar to the Panoz currently but without a IRS or 50/50 balance and the Panoz is limited to 5.0L since it used the older Modular engine and Roush/Yates has already carried out development for that displacement.

If I could get a solid rear tire, I don't think handling would be an issue and depending on weight like I said, I'll take the extra weight and just use a larger engine and larger rear tires.

Besides its beaten Porsche 997 GT Cups straight up in Grand Am Cup competition.... In basically "GT4" spec.



Eric De Doncker's Motorsport 98 GT4 WINNING Mustang FR500C and who did he beat?

All the cars mentioned in this thread including the Cayman....

[bludvl_x19]

How about the Elfin MS8 Streamliner Coupe, with a special 6L V8

Mick

[TheNewBob]

Mazda RX-8 - just for the return of the rotary to LM! (do GT regs allow for rotaries?)