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My 1987 Mustang GT

Chad Cressey

New Member
Hey! I'm completely new to this forum (I signed up today) and I'm just trying to get some advice on my '87 GT. It currently has a 347 Stroker with a PTE72BB turbocharger. @15psi it makes 748whp. It has a 700r4 trans with a 3.42:1 rear gear. It runs 11.20s in the 1/4mi. The advive I need is what do I set my shocks to? The are 2-way adjustable (Bump and Rebound) and can range from 1.0 (soft) to 12.0 (Stiff). Any advice will be appreciated. Thanks!!
 

Redtwilight

Shinigami
Welcome to the site!

We will need a little more information!
What is the car doing off the line and then further down the track?
What kind and size of tires are you running? What is the air pressure that you are running?
What does the rest of the suspension consist of?
Have you plotted the chassis and found out where the Instant Center is?
 

Chad Cressey

New Member
Welcome to the site!

We will need a little more information!
What is the car doing off the line and then further down the track?
What kind and size of tires are you running? What is the air pressure that you are running?
What does the rest of the suspension consist of?
Have you plotted the chassis and found out where the Instant Center is?


I am running 275/40/R17 Nitto NT05r tires @ 25psi. The 60' times are 2.0sec-2.2sec, 1/8 mile is around 7 seconds.
All the suspension is stock design. It just has 2-way adjustable coilovers. 275lbs spring in the front and 200lbs in the rear. The car weighs 2,650 with me in it and I weigh 160. I don't know what instant center is.
 

Redtwilight

Shinigami
Your car is super light even with you in it! I want more details on what all has been done to lighten it up that much.
By stock design suspension do you mean tubular control arms and mounting points? Are the rear coilovers in the stock location or have they been moved inboard?

What are your plans for the car? Keeping it Street with some fun on track every so often, or going to go more strip oriented?

From your power and weight you should easily run low 6 second 1/8 miles times with 60 ft times in the 1.5 range in street trim and deep in the 10's in the 1/4.

It's obvious you are spinning with the 2.0 60 ft. times.
My first recommendation would be to ditch the Nitto's and step up to a Mickey Thompson ET Street or Hoosier Quick Time Pro. And if you're really going to get serious, swap to a 15" diameter wheel to get more sidewall on the tire.
If you still want to try on the Nitto's, then try dropping air pressure a little at a time.


As far as the shock settings... you are hitting the rear tires too hard. So you will want to loosen the rear shocks some. Not knowing where they are set now, try about 5 on the extension / rebound and then adjust from there.
The front you can start with a setting of 3 on extension and adjust from there.
Also your front spring rate is a bit stiff. 275# is pretty high for drag racing. A 150# or 175# would work much better on the track.


I'm running 1.71-1.74 60ft. times on my coupe with a factory sealed stock 5.0 with only a few bolt-ons, 5-speed, and 4.10 gears. Power is maybe 260hp; 275hp if I'm lucky! It weighs around 3k with me in it or about 2800 lbs without me. I have Strange 10 way single adjustable coil-overs on front with 12"-150lbs springs set at 2 or 3 on track. The rear is factory shocks with Team Z drag springs and tubular double adjustable control arms. I'm running bias ply Mickey Thompson ET Street R 26x10.5 x 15 on the rear.
 

Chad Cressey

New Member
The car is already track oriented, and as for the weight, it's a pro stock tube-chassis setup. it has a full rollcage. The only thing I built was the motor, I was told that I could run 800hp easily but I don't want to until I get the launch right. What should I set the Compression to??
 

Redtwilight

Shinigami
Honestly I haven't really messed with compression settings. So I dont want to give you any wrong information there.
But I'd try setting it at a neutral factory like setting and work on everything else first.
You dont want to make too many changes at a time or you wouldn't know what change cause the improvement or degradation.
 

Chad Cressey

New Member
UPDATE!!! Running M/T 315 slicks. It now has a 430sbf with a fully built bottom end, new billet block. Holley Dominator EFI system, PTE106CEA turbocharger @35psi, it made 1,136whp on the chassis dyno, it now has 4-link rear suspension. Re-weighed it, it's heavier now but it makes a lot more power. It weighs 2775 with me in it
 

Redtwilight

Shinigami
UPDATE!!! Running M/T 315 slicks. It now has a 430sbf with a fully built bottom end, new billet block. Holley Dominator EFI system, PTE106CEA turbocharger @35psi, it made 1,136whp on the chassis dyno, it now has 4-link rear suspension. Re-weighed it, it's heavier now but it makes a lot more power. It weighs 2775 with me in it

DAYUM!! Now that sounds like quite a monster!
 

Chad Cressey

New Member
It truly is! I forgot to mention...it now has a 2-speed Powerglide in it instead of the 700r4. Match that with a 4.11:1 rear gear... that car cuts a 1.0-1.1sec 60'! I'm so happy with the car! I've only ran it in the 1/8 mile (4.4-4.6sec). I'm afraid of the 1/4 mile now! My buddy who helps me with the car said that with the eighth-mile time and the 60' it SHOULD run a high 8-low 9sec quarter. So, all in all it was the gearing that was making me spin. Thanks for everything so far! I'll keep you as up to date as I can...I'm a very busy man.
 
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