Paul's Track and Autocross Toy Build

[Paul_H]

After briefly considering moving away from my FiST as a track/autocross/weekend toy, I've decided that it's time to start a build thread with my plans now that I'm keeping it.

The Car
2018 Fiesta ST, Black with Nav and black wheel/red caliper package. No sunroof. No Recaros, because I just don't fit in them.




Goals
A safe, fun car for HPDE and autocross. I'm tracking for my own enjoyment and improvement and really don't care if I'm the fastest or not. I just want to have the most fun.

Mods So Far
Dedicated track Centric track rotors and Carbotech XP10/XP8 front/rear pads


Upgrade Wish List
Based on advice here and from my driving instructors the rough order of my planned upgrades is,

• Safety
• Me
• Brakes
• Tires
• Drivetrain
• Chassis / Suspension
• Engine Power

All the prices listed are as of today, 181213. Will update them as I actually purchase parts.
I also promise to include lots of pictures as I progress.


Safety
Already have a full-face Bell HANS compatible helmet. The Quick Jack is on the wish list, but not sure if/when it will happen. Since I swap track brakes on and off as needed, I'm thinking this really does fall under safety and definitely convenience.

The owner of the HPDE organization I've been running with, and my driving instructors that I've stayed in touch with, are all storngly recommending I move to a 4pt rollbar/race seats/harness/hans if at all possible. Other option from that is a set of Schroth Quick Fit Pro Harnesses and a Schroth SRH Flex device with my stock seats. I will be driving to tracks up to 5 and 12 hours away, but primarily driving
under 2 hours to the tracks and 1-2 hours for autox.

Right now leaning towards stock seats with Quick Fits and HANS device. I'm waiting to see if I end up doing more autox or HPDE days, and which I want to focus on more, before going all in on a rollbar and race seats at this point.

One last thing is tow hooks front and rear. Looking at the Pierce kit for the front and thinking a tow strap bolted to the crash beam in the rear, but need to pull the bumper cover and see what it looks like. May also consider doing a tow strap in the front.

• Quick Jack BL-5000SLX - @Bought
• Schroth Quick Fit Pro x2 - @Installed
• Schroth SRH Flex - @Installed
• Pierce Front Tow Hook - @Bought
• Rear Tow Strap -

Me
This is my second year doing HPDE and will be starting autox this year too. So, planning as much track time as I can schedule and maybe a private coach a few times later in the season as I get better.

• Coaching - lot's of it!

Brakes
I've already have dedicated pads and rotors. Also have SS brakelines waiting to be installed. Was very happy with there performance at VIR in 90+ degree heat, except that I melted the dust boots on the calipers. Just orderd brake duct shrouds from CMBuildz today.

• Stock calipers L/R - @Bought
• Brake duct shrouds - @Bought

Tires / Wheels
Unsure at this point. Still running the stocks for now, only have 6500 miles, and don't need winters as this is no longer a DD. Lots of research to do and suggestions welcome.

• Tires -
• Wheels -

Drivetrain
My #1 upgrade here is an LSD, and I may do that sooner rather than later. May make a good winter project since I'm capable of doing the install myself. Still researching options and open to suggestions. I'd also like to make the shifter a little easier to reach an would not mind shortening the throws a bit.

• Wavetrac w/ install Kit -
  [*]Boomba All in one shift kit
  
  • Short Throw Transmission Adapter - @Installed
  • Transmission Cable Bracket Bushings - @Installed
  • Short Throw Shift Lever - @Installed {Soon to be removed}
  • Shifter Base Bushings - @Installed

Chassis / Suspension
Biggest complaint right now is the rear of the car feels "nerveous" under hard brakeing from 100+ MPH. Research so far indicates that chassis bracing may be the best way to reduce that feeling. Suspension wise, I need to drive some more before I make any decisions on that front.

• Pierce race package - @Bought (Kind of wish I hadn't...)
• Swift Spec-R Springs - @Bought
• Koni Yellows F/R - @Bought
• Whiteline Rear Anti-Roll Bar - @Bought

Engine
The hottest day I ran my car was at VIR in 90+ ambient heat and had no overheating issues, except for myself. While I know a radiator is convention wisdom, and I plan on upgrading it, it's not a priority right now unless I start having issues. Exhaust wise, I'm cool with the way the car sounds now. Power wise, more is gotta be better and I would like to do either the Cobb Stage 2 kit or equivalent parts form other vendors.

• Mishimoto Radiator -
• Cobb Stage 2 w/ Stratified tune - @Bought
  • Cobb Cold Air Intake - @Installed
  • Cobb Front Mount Intercooler - @Bought
  • Cobb Rear Motor Mount - @Bought
  • Cobb Accessport - @Installed
  • Stratified Flash Tune Stage 2 - @Waiting

 

[kivnul]

Not a bad list. It is about 100% backwards from the order of how I did mine. (I am not a smart man).

 

[M-Sport fan]

Lime Rock, Thompson, and NHIS primarily?

(With Pocono, Monticello, NJMP, VIR, and Summit Point as the outliers?)

 

[Paul_H]

Lime Rock, Thompson, and NHIS primarily?

(With Pocono, Monticello, NJMP, VIR, and Summit Point as the outliers?)

Based on my planning for the upcoming year, my primary HPDE tracks will be Thompson, Palmer, and Lime Rock. VIR and Watkins Glen will be the one shots. For autox it'll be Hartford, CT and Devens, MA.

 

[JSWhaler]

Hello fellow CT owner. Solid plans for your build. I’d recommend other parts for your purpose but to each their own. Have fun as the ST is a blast to drive for the cost.

 

[Paul_H]

Hello fellow CT owner. Solid plans for your build. I’d recommend other parts for your purpose but to each their own. Have fun as the ST is a blast to drive for the cost.

I am open to other suggestions as far as parts go. A lot of the parts I picked were so I had some pricing to add to my list. I still have a lot of research to do before I pick final mods.

 

[theblue]

I would recommend rear motor mount and 6 point front brace as must have items also. build looks great.

 

[Paul_H]

So, just got through with a buying spree, Merry Christmas to me!

Decided to pickup the Quick Jack, also got the harnesses and SRH Flex. From Pierce picked up the front tow hook kit and race chassis package. Grabbed a set of factory calipers to go with the Brake Duct Shrouds. From Boomba got the all in one shift kit.

Finally, just could not resist the idea of a little extra power and bought the Cobb Stage 2 from Stratified with their tune.

Install pictures will be forth coming once I have stuff in hand.

 

[camopaint0707]

I'm just doing some bracing, brake pads, done. But I daily it and am only doing local autox with it.

 

[Paul_H]

The buying continued. Ended up ordering a gas pedal riser from Garage Line.

Also grabbed a set of Swift Spec-R lower springs and Whiteline Rear Anti-Roll Bar from Ron@Whoosh. Big shout out to Ron for all the questions he's answered for me over the past 6 months. Really glad I finally got to support him.

Also grabbed a few tools that I needed for all the installs. At this point I'm about done buying parts and should have 2-3 months of weekends ahead of me installing parts.

 

[sidewaysallday]

Nice build so far!

I've been doing HPDEs for a few years now with my Fiesta.

On the note of a 'lively' rear-end under hard braking, something I've found that helps tame the back is running a quite aggressive race pad on in the rear. Something that "bites" hard. This will help the rear-end squat, making it a bit more manageable under hard braking (like coming into T-1 @ VIR).

 

[Paul_H]

Nice build so far!

I've been doing HPDEs for a few years now with my Fiesta.

On the note of a 'lively' rear-end under hard braking, something I've found that helps tame the back is running a quite aggressive race pad on in the rear. Something that "bites" hard. This will help the rear-end squat, making it a bit more manageable under hard braking (like coming into T-1 @ VIR).

I'm running Carbotech XP8s in the rear now, not sure how much more aggresive I should go. And T-1 @ VIR is the exact track and turn that I'm complaining about when I say the rear feels nervous under hard braking. I will admit though, that by the end of the 2-day event, I really didn't notice it anymore. I found that super hard braking makes me motion sick and I'm looking at some of those motion sick wrist bands for the upcoming season. So heavy braking may become a self correcting problem if I keep getting sick...

 

[sidewaysallday]

Yeah, I had the same thing @ T1 VIR. Back gets very light and, in my instance, always tries to swap ends and I have to give some counter steer to the right to avoid hitting the apex backwards

The brake pad bite should be taken in relative terms, so you have XP10s in the front and XP8s in the rear. The XP10s will have a higher bite to them, making the front 'dive' harder then the rear, causing the light rear end. Instead, if you ran XP8s in the front, and XP10s in the rear, you would effectively be changing the brake bias more to the rear. This will help settle the rear end. But the problem you run into in that scenario is that the XP8 up front might not be heat resistant enough to keep up. Its all about balance.

I run the Stop-tech BBK with a relatively mild race pad up front, and Hawk DTC-60s in the back. The DTC-60s bite nice and hard when warm, which helps the bias.

Either way these things are freakin' awesome on the track and I've smoked quite a few $80k+ sports cars in this little hot hatch. Glad to another person enjoying their fiesta on track!

 

[theblue]

I'm running Carbotech XP8s in the rear now, not sure how much more aggresive I should go. And T-1 @ VIR is the exact track and turn that I'm complaining about when I say the rear feels nervous under hard braking. I will admit though, that by the end of the 2-day event, I really didn't notice it anymore. I found that super hard braking makes me motion sick and I'm looking at some of those motion sick wrist bands for the upcoming season. So heavy braking may become a self correcting problem if I keep getting sick...

There is some driving style to consider here. I raced an integra before my BMW and a loose rear (teeheehee) on a FWD car will allow you to throw the car into turns better using trail braking and lift off oversteer to get the nose in.

while everything makes up a car's handling there are two key considerations here: rear tow and front vs back brake bias and bite.

 

[TDavis]

Yeah, I had the same thing @ T1 VIR. Back gets very light and, in my instance, always tries to swap ends and I have to give some counter steer to the right to avoid hitting the apex backwards

The brake pad bite should be taken in relative terms, so you have XP10s in the front and XP8s in the rear. The XP10s will have a higher bite to them, making the front 'dive' harder then the rear, causing the light rear end. Instead, if you ran XP8s in the front, and XP10s in the rear, you would effectively be changing the brake bias more to the rear. This will help settle the rear end. But the problem you run into in that scenario is that the XP8 up front might not be heat resistant enough to keep up. Its all about balance.

I run the Stop-tech BBK with a relatively mild race pad up front, and Hawk DTC-60s in the back. The DTC-60s bite nice and hard when warm, which helps the bias.

Either way these things are freakin' awesome on the track and I've smoked quite a few $80k+ sports cars in this little hot hatch. Glad to another person enjoying their fiesta on track!

You don't currently use the factory pads that come with the BBK? I've heard they're not that bad. If so, which ones you use/where did u get them?


[MENTION=10144]Paul_H[/MENTION] I see in your original post you regretted getting the Pierce Race package bracing. Can I ask why?

 

[Paul_H]

You don't currently use the factory pads that come with the BBK? I've heard they're not that bad. If so, which ones you use/where did u get them?


[MENTION=10144]Paul_H[/MENTION] I see in your original post you regretted getting the Pierce Race package bracing. Can I ask why?

I did some more reading after ordering the Pierce race package and it sounds like the rear torsion bar + my planned rear sway bar may not be a good combination. One person, sorry don't remember who, tried that combo and had unacceptable oversteer. I've also read that the front strut tower brace may not make much of a difference. Tried to cancel that part of my order less than 12 hours after ordering, before anything was shipped and was told I would get a store credit only if I cancelled, and that policy is on their site. So, my regret is that I ordered hastily. On a positive side, I'll get to test the whole package along with my other suspension changes.

 

[Paul_H]

There is some driving style to consider here. I raced an integra before my BMW and a loose rear (teeheehee) on a FWD car will allow you to throw the car into turns better using trail braking and lift off oversteer to get the nose in.

while everything makes up a car's handling there are two key considerations here: rear tow and front vs back brake bias and bite.

My driving style is still developing and has a lot of room for development. I'll talk with my instructors about more trail braking. At VIR my instructor had previously raced FWD cars, so that made for a good combo that day. Since it was my first time at the track, I was pretty much focused on just following the line.

 

[TDavis]

I did some more reading after ordering the Pierce race package and it sounds like the rear torsion bar + my planned rear sway bar may not be a good combination. One person, sorry don't remember who, tried that combo and had unacceptable oversteer. I've also read that the front strut tower brace may not make much of a difference. Tried to cancel that part of my order less than 12 hours after ordering, before anything was shipped and was told I would get a store credit only if I cancelled, and that policy is on their site. So, my regret is that I ordered hastily. On a positive side, I'll get to test the whole package along with my other suspension changes.

Yeah as far as I understand the only thing you really need is the 6-point brace

 

[sidewaysallday]

You don't currently use the factory pads that come with the BBK? I've heard they're not that bad. If so, which ones you use/where did u get them?

I cooked the Stop-tech pads that came with the kit the first track day I used them. Smeared the pad material all over the rotors. Couldn't take the heat I was generating on track.

I use the PFC 08. They are an endurance race pad. Super easy on the rotors and have good heat resistance. Not too grabby, which is why I like them. They're not cheap, but I got over 15 full track days on my last set, and they still had life left on them. I had to replace my rotors (because of a heat crack) before I had to replace the pads. They're absolutely awesome!

Link: https://www.zeckhausen.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=24_411&products_id=11841&osCsid=sjhgc9n6ab7p53stcckvc577v7

 

[theblue]

PFC 08 is an amazing pad. I use them on my endurance race car. LOVE THEM

I'm only getting 1-2 events from mine then again, that's like 20-30 hours of track time on them.