S197 2005 Mustang GT "Red Baron" gets custom fabricated front splitter and canards for track use

 While in T-town for the Sally engine install, of course I took advantage of the chance to check out and even drive Brent's S197 Mustang GT modified for aggressive street and track driving. Once we got Sally driving, we went to Autozone to pick up something and on our way there went by Brent gassing up the Red Baron. So, he followed us over to Autozone and I snapped this pic.

Brent was finishing up his home fabricated front splitter and canards made of a fiberglass covered foam core that he designed himself during the week while I was there.

Here's a pic of the finished product with all the aero bits installed! Everything about this hot rod is cool! The bright red paint is great! Adding to the "stealth mode" appearance are the #005 race number decals, inspired by the "Red Baron" P-51 Reno Racer's # as well as a very loud exhaust. heh heh

The SVE 19x11 flow formed wheels are wrapped in 295/30/19 Continental track tires with 200 treadwear. It's rocking Roush 427R coilovers (mfg'd by KW) with 300lbs springs (instead of the stiff 400lbs) in the rear and GT500 big front brake calipers and rotors which bolt right in. 

I got to drive this thing for about an hour, at least half of that was on our favorite Keene Touge mountain road. It's hard to pick which parts of the car are my favorite. Towards the top of the list are the Corbeau race bucket and Ford Performance Sparco steering wheel wrapped in suede which is noticeably smaller than stock diameter. The uber short shifter and smooth light clutch pedal feel make this car so easy to drive hard. No offense Gary, but after driving your late model GTO back to back with the Red Baron, it was such a night and day difference and really made me love the Mustang even more. 

The aero parts that Brent fabricated himself really add to the track focused look of the car. It's a totally different car with these parts. The hood vents are (faux CF, right?) add function and form as well!

Last but not least is the approximately 400hp on tap from the fairly modified (at least the top end) 4.6L 3-valve V8. It is a perfect amount of power for a 3350lbs car. Sure, lots of dudes are making crazy power, 500hp and up with built engines or forced induction, but this thing rips with 400hp. I'm not sure what you would do with more (I mean, I am willing to find out...heh heh). 

I figured I'd add a quick pic of the P-51 racer called "Red Baron" that is Brent's inspiration. 

Here's some "work in progress" pics during the fabrication of the splitter and canards.

In this pic, it was in barely cured up bondo for smoothing the surface over the fiberglass. It's built around a cheap eBay plastic front lip and thus hooks right up nicely on the bumper.

Here's a test fit of a canard.

Here was a mock up once it was primed.

Brent is applying the satin black paint.

With the paint barely dry, we did the final fit. It took some drilling through the bumper to get the fastening rods mounted to the bumper beam structure and through the plywood inserts that are inside the splitter. 

A few shots late that night of the splitter and canards installed and ready for the track. The parts were installed with sticky double sided tape. Brent cleaned off the surfaces before applying the tape. The tape was really on there for solidly. 

While Brent had the front wheels off for installing the splitter, he took advantage and raised up the front coilovers maybe 1/2" or so to give some clearance and a little more suspension travel for the track.

I think the splitter looks best from a high front corner angle shot. The car is ready to rock at Buttonwillow in a couple weeks where he'll be shooting for a new PB, hopefully right around the 2:00 mark, maybe even a 1:59:xx laptime at the CW13 configuration. A 2:00 lap time is known for being a very fast street car. With the aero parts, the sticky Continentals and some other odds and ends since the last time he ran the car, he's hoping for a big drop in lap times. I'll try and report back later how it goes...

Stay tuned...