Just picked up a 2008 GT500 coupe...

black99lightnin

move along
Established Member
Joined
Sep 7, 2004
Messages
13,087
Location
Louisiana
Congrats. Great color combo. Stock it's a turd. 13/14 tvs is a must. I never liked the ride quality in my 12 svtpp, was too rough.
9ad41321297252067177d956ffaa6733.jpg




Sent from my iPhone using the svtperformance.com mobile app
 

RedVenom48

Let's go Brandon!
Established Member
Joined
Sep 29, 2014
Messages
7,973
Location
Arizona
Congrats. Great color combo. Stock it's a turd. 13/14 tvs is a must. I never liked the ride quality in my 12 svtpp, was too rough.
View attachment 1460077



Sent from my iPhone using the svtperformance.com mobile app

+1 about the SVT PP being too stiff. I did find that a change to Viking rear double adjustable shocks and Viking 150# rear springs softened it up. Fronts are still the SVTPP struts and springs. To me, it feels like the suspension is balanced for the street/strip.
 

cgaulzetti

Member
Established Member
Joined
Jan 14, 2018
Messages
45
Location
San Diego, California
guys thanks for all the great advice. i'm taking the car in to JBL here in San Diego to get some XTA coil overs and camber plates installed that i picked up from Sam Strano who hooked me up with all the old stuff i got for my old Bullitt- along with a giant heat exchanger and some Whiteline adjustable lower control arms. i've also got a line on a Watts link here local that i'll probably pick up next. i also ordered an FRPP CAI with the California legal tune. i think this should get me to a good start!
 

cgaulzetti

Member
Established Member
Joined
Jan 14, 2018
Messages
45
Location
San Diego, California
I need to resize the pictures but I picked the thing up today from JBA speedshop. I could not be more impressed. This is a totally different car than the one I dropped off. Everything looks, feels, and sounds 100x more solid. There is no more body lean around corners,the wheel hop is all but eliminated under hard acceleration and the car even feels smoother over chip and seal roads, pot holes and speed bumps. The car honestly feels like a well sorted AMG tuned for the track or an M5 but with afar better engine. I don't know how some upper and lower control arms, coil-overs and relocation brackets could tighten things so far up and basically transform this thing from an overpowered floaty fun boat into a dialed 500hp sports car that feels ready to go race 911s and GT350r's. Amazing work by the guys at JBA and excellent and awesome advice from Sam Strano. I don't even have the Watts link yet- but the new giant heat exchanger goes in on tuesday and I think I'm getting an MGW shifter too and the FRPP Cai and tune I'll get to when Ford Racing gets the tuner to me.
I'll take the car to the mountains this weekend and see about any adjustments- but man this thing is transformed. I guess the stock suspension really was that bad!
 

Attachments

  • IMG_0260.JPG
    IMG_0260.JPG
    36.2 KB · Views: 120

GT Premi

Well known member
Established Member
Joined
Mar 15, 2011
Messages
8,140
Location
NC
... The car honestly feels like a well sorted AMG tuned for the track or an M5 but with afar better engine. ...

If it only feels like an AMG or an M5, then you have more suspension tuning to do. ;) And you're not going to believe how much a difference the Watts link makes, if you install one.
 

RedVenom48

Let's go Brandon!
Established Member
Joined
Sep 29, 2014
Messages
7,973
Location
Arizona
@cgaulzetti That car looks amazing man. Im happy the guys at JBA took great care of you! Great crew that know their stuff about Fords.

Your shifting world is about to get a whole lot better with the MGW. Consider a swap to Redline D4 ATF or Amsoil Signature ATF for your trans fluid. Great call on getting the heat exchanger upgraded now rather than later.

The S197 chassis is an amazing platform, very underrated for its handling capabilities with a live axle.
 

Rick SS

New Member
Joined
Dec 7, 2018
Messages
3
Location
Arizona
Congrats on the purchase! I've had quite the journey dialing in my GT500 to how I want it to work and feel. I'm 99% there. I recommend you attack it in phases. You want to get the chassis cinched down first so the suspension can do its thing. Some say the S197 chassis is stiff enough to not need them, but I recommend some subframe connectors. On my GT500, I opted for boxed subframe connectors from BMR. They do make a difference.

I also recommend you install an A-arm support brace. That will help a little bit with steering feel, but you won't notice much difference until later in your suspension saga. If you can get a strut tower brace that fits, I'd recommend that, too. I still wish I could fit one on my GT500, but I can't find anything that clears the Whipple intake without either having to lower the engine or get a raised hood; neither of which I want to do.

Lastly for phase 1, I can't recommend strongly enough to put a Watts link on it!!! Don't even bother with a panhard bar. Just go straight to the Watts link. I wish I would have!

Those are my recommendations for now. My GT500's suspension is 100% aftermarket from the radiator support to the Watts link and nearly everything in between. My primary goal has been weight reduction, though, with the extra benefit of vastly improved handling. I'm currently on the hunt for some aluminum spindles and steering knuckles and aluminum bodied shocks/struts.

Anyway... You can PM me anytime with questions.
Did you even find a strut tower brace for your S197 that fits over the Whipple? I have searched everywhere to no avail.
 

GT Premi

Well known member
Established Member
Joined
Mar 15, 2011
Messages
8,140
Location
NC
Did you even find a strut tower brace for your S197 that fits over the Whipple? I have searched everywhere to no avail.

There was a member here who was making and selling them. I got in contact with her and found out they're overseas. The cost she wanted to charge for shipping nearly doubled the already expensive price for it, if I recall correctly. So I never ordered a set (front strut brace and rear shock tower brace). They have stopped selling them since the last time I was in contact.
 

Users who are viewing this thread



Top