metroplex

Here are some links:

http://www.badmustangsclub.com/forum...ead.php?t=8443

http://www.stangsunleashed.com/forum...80&mode=linear

It's just an example of how one person says it will not fit, while another says it will fit. I've never seen such a split vote other than the 2000 and 2004 Presidential elections.

06StangSC

Awesome. Any issues with the GT500 STB/Saleen combo with the GT500 hood?

tmcolegr

Actually there are some issues that you should be aware of:

First off even though the STB fits with the GT 500 hood, the STB touches the Saleen S/C. In order to prevent this contact, I tweaked the STB to increase the arc and give it more clearance over the S/C.

Next concerning the Saleen S/C, the throttle body touches the hood liner. I trimmed the hood liner to prevent this contact. There can also be an issue if running an aftermarket CAI. I had to trim the heat shield to prevent it from contacting the hood. The open air filter element I was using with my JDM CAI also contacted the hood. I swapped to a slightly shorter filter and resolved this problem.

Might want to review this thread as it outlines all the issues with a GT 500 clone conversion when using a Saleen S/C.

http://www.modularfords.com/forums/s...ghlight=GT+500

metroplex

Back to the topic... Rocky, have you had a chance to check the clearance using washers? You do not need the exact washer, any substitute would work for a test fit.

m05fastbackGT

Charlie, I just finished checking the clearance..After using several different washer combinations, the GT500 STB barely clears the intake runners, and hood without the plenum cover..

However, even with the bar reversed with washers..It clearly will NOT clear the intake plenum cover..

So my advice is this..If your looking for a STB to clear both the hood, and plenum cover..the GT500 STB, will NOT work with the stock GT hood..

On the other hand, reversing the bar will clear the hood..but again without using an intake plenum cover..

Anyway, my apologies for not being able to provide more encouraging results..

m05fastbackGT

You're right on the money Scott. As the first thing I noticed, were those slight bulges on each side of the hood..Needless to say, that's all it took to convince me to uninstall it..

metroplex

A 07 GT owner just said his bar fit fine with the plenum cover and he reversed the bar with washers at the rear studs. So how is the clearance with the cover removed? How much is "barely" clearing the intake manifold? Would it clear the hoodliner and hood?

Thanks for checking it out Rocky.

metroplex

http://www.mustangforums.com/m_40705...tm.htm#4344033

There are 2 GTs with the GT500 STB successfully installed (06 and 07).
Partsbill reported indentations in the hoodliner with the STB.

Rocky, did you try lowering the plenum cover (by putting the two "feet" under the fuel rail studs) to see if the reversed STB would clear both the hoodliner and plenum cover?

Pwny

Hey I'm in that thread.

m05fastbackGT

Charlie, I also tried lowering the plenum cover (by putting the two "feet" under the fuel rail studs) However, it made very little difference..

Btw: my hood liner, has also been removed..

As for the 2 GT owners, who claim they sucessfully installed GT500 STB's ! I have only this to say to them..their both full of and here's why...

If the bar is reversed..it will NOT be high enough to clear the plenum cover.

Despite using single washers, followed by double stacking, and tripple stacking combinations..The bar would still make slight contact with the plenum cover..

As for clearing the hood and intake plenum, without the cover !
If the bar is reversed..it barely clears by about 1/4 inch, using 2 washers on both rear studs..

But then again, you also have to consider engine torque as a factor as well..For example, when the engine is under load..all it would take is enough force to make contact with the bar, and the next thing you end up with..is a cracked intake runner..

As far as I'm concerned..the risk factor is just too high a price to pay IMO

So once again, if you want my honest opinion..I wouldn't recommend using the GT500 STB, with a stock GT hood..

In the meantime, I would also ask the owners of the 06 and 07 GT's, to look carefully at both sides of their hoods, for slight bulges..

blkstang06

Rocky has summed it up...all points covered. believe me Charlie if there was anyway I could have used the GT500 STB in the correct application I would have in the end I sold it to a brother of the Stang on ebay and I was honest and told him of the fit issues I had, He had a Saleen hood and later emailed me and said it worked with that hood!

m05fastbackGT

Trust me, I tried every possible way, and was hoping that reversing the STB would finally work out..

But no matter how many washer combinations, I tried using..It just didn't make a noticable difference..Nor did lowering the plenum cover.

Although it barely clears without the plenum cover in place..I still would not recommend taking the risk, with a stock GT hood..

However, for those who have aftermarket hoods, that are in the market for a STB..I'll be selling my GT500 STB, for $30.00 + shipping..

metroplex

I apologize for brining this thread up from the dead, but I have some questions:

Rocky, you mentioned you removed your hood liner. Did the bar make contact with the alloy hood with the liner removed?

When you reversed the bar, did you remove the plenum cover to see how much clearance there was between the bar and the intake manifold? You said there was about 1/4" of clearance. The engine would have to rotate a lot to use up all of that clearance and contact the bar.

I too discovered that the STB wouldn't allow the hood to close properly. The new 2008 hoodliner appears to have a cut-out for the GT500 STB:

m05fastbackGT

Charlie,

After removing the headliner, the bar just barely made enough contact with the hood to cause slight bulges between the gaps of the hood, and fender.

However if I remove the plenum cover. It will then clear the hood by about a 1/4 inch. But only if you reverse the bar.

I can also tell you the reason why the bar clears the GT500. is because the center section of it's hood has cutouts on each side of the cowl, where as the standard 05/06 GT clearly does not.

Now being that you have an 07. Your hood may have the cutouts on each side of the cowl. And if it does, it's also very possible the GT500 STB may clear your hood even with the plenum cover in place.

But then again, being that my car is an 05, It doesn't have the cutouts at all.

So again, the only way it will clear my hood. is without using the plenum cover, and then reversing the bar.

SoundGuyDave

This is a WAG, but to my ears, sounds about right...

Not everything on the car is necessarily functional... The GT500 and the Bullitt are "performance" variants of the car, and when you pop the hood you "should" see a brace, therefore there is one. Ford runs a LOT of focus groups of current and potential owners, most revolving on what options are desired in different types of cars, what's missing from current options (and standard feature) lists, etc.

I would bet dollars to donuts that the STB was an appearance option, just like our oh-so-functional factory rear wings. I swear, mine develops AT LEAST 3/8 oz downforce at 120mph... The torsional rigidity of the S197 chassis has been proven again and again, and I am in the camp that the STB for this chassis is strictly a cosmetic mod. There's no way, especially with stock suspension and tires, that you're going to be able to develop enough corner-force to torque the strut towers together. If somebody with an STB doubts me, try a little experiment... Loosen the strut-top nuts 1/16 of a turn, enough so that they'll keep the strut bearings in the car, but not so tight that the bar couldn't slip under them with heavy cornering load flexing the towers. Now, take the car out, and trail-brake HARD into a few left and right hand turns, then pull the bar off, and see if you have any rub-marks in the paint on the top of the strut tower. If there's flex, then the bar shifting around should wear the paint off. If there's no flexing, then there's going to be no rub.

blkstang06

Well Bro, I've ran with a STB and with out,removed mine after installing the Prothane motor mounts it wouldn't clear the plenum cover ! and I did have minor rub marks on the strut towers as in to bare metal had to hit them with touch up paint ! and thats with the G-trac bar too. Hit a pot hole with the brace and hit one with out the brace you will notice the difference right away! Although I will admit I like the way the front end responds better with out the STB..

metroplex

Blkstang: So are you saying that even with the STB bolted down, there were still rub marks on the STB from the strut towers "moving" ?

blkstang06

Charlie, the GMS STB mount plates basically saddle against the ridge above the inner strut mount bolts of the strut tower and thats where the rubbing occurred and yes these towers flex..Also let me point out the J&M adjustable upper strut mounts I have, use larger mount bolts than the the factory mount and torque at 38 lb's verses 26 lb's for the factory!

metroplex

That tells me that the STB isn't doing a good job of preventing the towers from flexing if there are rub marks.

That makes sense... The larger threaded studs would require more torque.

blkstang06

Not necessarily ! some flex is inevitable and not necessarily bad, absolute rigidity is not always good, better to flex under stress than to brake or fail! Aircraft flex, Bridges flex!