Racing Setup - Hooptie 500
- Thread starter bigds01
- Start date
Mike
Lifetime Supporter
Re: Racing Setup?
Are you asking what a reasonable top speed is of a GT40 on a road track or how it would need to be set up to achieve it? Which road track? You want to go 200mph in a GT40 on a road track? Subscribed just so I can hear the answers from the racers on here. Should be interesting...
Are you asking what a reasonable top speed is of a GT40 on a road track or how it would need to be set up to achieve it? Which road track? You want to go 200mph in a GT40 on a road track? Subscribed just so I can hear the answers from the racers on here. Should be interesting...
Re: Racing Setup?
Let's say the usual courses I race, Watkins, Atlanta, VIR, Circuit of Americas. I want to be able to hit 190-200 on a straightaway, with an average speed somewhere in the 110-130 range for lap speed.
So the question is what kind of engine setup without making the car a giant wing would work.
Let's say the usual courses I race, Watkins, Atlanta, VIR, Circuit of Americas. I want to be able to hit 190-200 on a straightaway, with an average speed somewhere in the 110-130 range for lap speed.
So the question is what kind of engine setup without making the car a giant wing would work.
Re: Racing Setup?
You aren't gonna hit 190 at the Glen in a GT40........the average lap speeds you are quoting are hard to do in a Daytona Prototype that weighs 6-800# less with more tire, aero and brake. A Superformance GT40 "R" with a 750HP cup type motor could not come close at Watkins. You don't have the tire or brake to that type of time and then add in the aero (or lack thereof) downforce and weight. Don't think it's gonna happen. Go damn fast? Yes, but not THAT fast!
The 200-210 that the GTs hit at LeMans was on a TWO MILE LONG straight!
You aren't gonna hit 190 at the Glen in a GT40........the average lap speeds you are quoting are hard to do in a Daytona Prototype that weighs 6-800# less with more tire, aero and brake. A Superformance GT40 "R" with a 750HP cup type motor could not come close at Watkins. You don't have the tire or brake to that type of time and then add in the aero (or lack thereof) downforce and weight. Don't think it's gonna happen. Go damn fast? Yes, but not THAT fast!
The 200-210 that the GTs hit at LeMans was on a TWO MILE LONG straight!
Re: Racing Setup?
Mike--
I race in a number of series and own a series that is launching in 2014. Clearly I made a mistake asking questions here, and will avoid doing so. I will just ask my friends over at RCR the right setup. I know DaveM may think they are boy racers, but I am pretty sure they know what they are doing. And Circuit of Americas can have a number of adjustments to their road course but with a number of rather long straightaways where my 599 hit 198 no problem.
Mike--
I race in a number of series and own a series that is launching in 2014. Clearly I made a mistake asking questions here, and will avoid doing so. I will just ask my friends over at RCR the right setup. I know DaveM may think they are boy racers, but I am pretty sure they know what they are doing. And Circuit of Americas can have a number of adjustments to their road course but with a number of rather long straightaways where my 599 hit 198 no problem.
Re: Racing Setup?
Drive by.........
COTA, go fast in the Fazzaz, cool, great. But it still will not get a GT40 to 200 at the Glen, Road Atlanta, VIR or most any place short of the Mulsanne straight (Ligne Droite des Hunaudières ). And was the "198" timed or via your speedo?
Not a dis, just facts. I know Fran Hall does great things and knows what he is doing, but I doubt he can change the laws of physics.
Drive by.........
COTA, go fast in the Fazzaz, cool, great. But it still will not get a GT40 to 200 at the Glen, Road Atlanta, VIR or most any place short of the Mulsanne straight (Ligne Droite des Hunaudières ). And was the "198" timed or via your speedo?
Not a dis, just facts. I know Fran Hall does great things and knows what he is doing, but I doubt he can change the laws of physics.
Seymour Snerd
Lifetime Supporter
Re: Racing Setup?
Seth -- you didn't make a mistake asking questions here; some other people made a mistake in over-reacting to your questions, or at least to the premises that they inferred from your questions. In their defense, we've had some really tortured threads here started by the kind of guys that Dave alludes to.
But that's not you. Most of us are big fans of RCR and I sincerely hope you'll stick around, tell us what you find out and let the dialog continue with the guys here that do GT40 have experience at that end of the performance spectrum. There are a few.
Seth -- you didn't make a mistake asking questions here; some other people made a mistake in over-reacting to your questions, or at least to the premises that they inferred from your questions. In their defense, we've had some really tortured threads here started by the kind of guys that Dave alludes to.
But that's not you. Most of us are big fans of RCR and I sincerely hope you'll stick around, tell us what you find out and let the dialog continue with the guys here that do GT40 have experience at that end of the performance spectrum. There are a few.
Last edited:
Re: Racing Setup?
My Google research shows F1 cars topping out at COTA at 195, so yeah, a GT40 should do 230 easy.......................
My Google research shows F1 cars topping out at COTA at 195, so yeah, a GT40 should do 230 easy.......................
Re: Racing Setup?
Ok, so back to my first question, it does not seem that it is possible to get 190-210 as a top speed during a lap. What is a reasonable top end speed on a track for the GT40?
I didn't mean RCR the GT40 guys, but Richard Childress Racing (RCR).
Ok, so back to my first question, it does not seem that it is possible to get 190-210 as a top speed during a lap. What is a reasonable top end speed on a track for the GT40?
I didn't mean RCR the GT40 guys, but Richard Childress Racing (RCR).
Mike
Lifetime Supporter
Re: Racing Setup?
That's possible Rick but only if they have been fully completed and can actually be driven and not just tinkered with in the garage in between highbrowed postings on the internet.
That sounds like a very nice car. Got any pics or better yet video? Those V12s are some of the finest sounding machines ever!
Re: Racing Setup?
So you will be putting a GM engine in the GT40? I guess that that will be allowed as you will own the race series.
Can a "GT40" be built to allow those terminal straightaway speeds on a US track? Yes. Will it really be a "GT40"? Not likely. Think the "Camry" at your local Toyota dealer vs. the "Camry" that runs NASCAR.
So you will be putting a GM engine in the GT40? I guess that that will be allowed as you will own the race series.
Can a "GT40" be built to allow those terminal straightaway speeds on a US track? Yes. Will it really be a "GT40"? Not likely. Think the "Camry" at your local Toyota dealer vs. the "Camry" that runs NASCAR.
Re: Racing Setup?
200MPH on a GT-40 on a N.A. road course you would need a small miracle. Ford spend a good amount of time at the wind tunnel with the new Ford GT keeping the air out of the floor and reducing lift. At Le Mans the straight are very long and required different gears to reach 200mph. Most GT-40 brakes are very small (wheel size 15") and non assisted. Dan Gurney's said about the MK-IV
"They were able to go fast enough to where aero was important. The front ride height dictated whether you had much lift or not, while the rear spoiler dictated downforce. I'd say the Mark IV's Achilles' heel, if you were really trying hard, was the brakes. The car was fast, but it had a lot of weight and stored up a lot of energy, and you had to take it out with the brakes. It was well-balanced, with a lot of torque. It didn't have a huge amount of top-end power, but enough to get the job done. It stayed with you all the way. No surprises. Dial it in to its sweet spot, and you were going to have a good time driving it."
Read more: Ford GT by those who raced them - Motor Trend
Even with a Cup car engine with 14" brakes, aero modifications and weight reduction you could not find a straight long enough and space to stop to reach 200mph. If money no object You could try renting 7.8 Miles Nardo track in Italy or Ehra-Lessien in Germany
200MPH on a GT-40 on a N.A. road course you would need a small miracle. Ford spend a good amount of time at the wind tunnel with the new Ford GT keeping the air out of the floor and reducing lift. At Le Mans the straight are very long and required different gears to reach 200mph. Most GT-40 brakes are very small (wheel size 15") and non assisted. Dan Gurney's said about the MK-IV
"They were able to go fast enough to where aero was important. The front ride height dictated whether you had much lift or not, while the rear spoiler dictated downforce. I'd say the Mark IV's Achilles' heel, if you were really trying hard, was the brakes. The car was fast, but it had a lot of weight and stored up a lot of energy, and you had to take it out with the brakes. It was well-balanced, with a lot of torque. It didn't have a huge amount of top-end power, but enough to get the job done. It stayed with you all the way. No surprises. Dial it in to its sweet spot, and you were going to have a good time driving it."
Read more: Ford GT by those who raced them - Motor Trend
Even with a Cup car engine with 14" brakes, aero modifications and weight reduction you could not find a straight long enough and space to stop to reach 200mph. If money no object You could try renting 7.8 Miles Nardo track in Italy or Ehra-Lessien in Germany
