Installation And Testing
The new wheel and tire package was bolted on before we made any baseline braking runs. It wasn't our intention to add the larger wheels and better tires-it just so happened that our company van broke down and it left us no way to get the wheels and tires from the office to the track. We had no choice but to swap them in the parking lot the day before the test. Naturally, a rainstorm came through the area as Rick Jensen (editor of GM High Tech Performance magazine) and myself had just taken the first wheel off the car. We did our best NASCAR pit-crew impression and changed the rims in record time. Despite our speedy swap, we were drenched to the bone and didn't get any pictures because of the monsoon. It was worth the sacrifice, though, since the next day we'd be stretching out at Raceway Park (Englishtown, New Jersey) instead of goofing off in the office.
All MM&FF brake tests are performed using a radar gun (a Stalker ATS, to be exact) that's hooked up to a laptop to log the information. It's a simple process: Get the car up to speed, bury the brake pedal, and let the ABS do all the work. We performed 60-to-0 and 100-to-0 braking situations. Each mph segment was tested consecutively to create an average. The consecutive run is meant to encourage brake fade and push the system to its limits. We didn't just do a 100-mph-to-0 test and use the 60-mph results off of that chart. That technique is not accurate because the car is slowing down and the 60-to-0 results are skewed. The true way to determine it is to cruise at 60 or slightly above and apply full braking force. Then do the same for the 100-mph test.
 |  The GT500 rotor and caliper...  The GT500 rotor and caliper bolted on easily and quickly. |  Ford Racing Performance Parts...  Ford Racing Performance Parts includes Good-ridge brake lines that are required to feed brake fluid to the Brembo calipers. Be sure to put on the washers before attaching the lines. |
The stock brakes recorded an average of 142 feet to go from 60 mph to a dead stop. In the 100-mph test, we accomplished zero motion in an average of 380 feet. Brake fade was quite apparent after just two stops, and the brakes were literally smoking when we finished the barrage of tests. Our method to the madness was to make several runs from the 60-to-0 in a row, let the car cool off, and then repeat the process going from 100 to 0. Then we performed a trackside swap in order to do the same day testing.
We let the car cool off before Burcham and Danny Kester of JPC Racing took apart the front brakes to install the GT500 binders. The job isn't terribly difficult, but we realized at the track that the GT500 kit comes with rear brake pads, and someone "borrowed" the necessary tool from Burcham's trailer and never returned it. We settled for a Brembo front-brake conversion and figured we could just throw in the rear pads while the car is on the lift getting torn apart for another tech story.
 The line bolts onto the back...  The line bolts onto the back of the caliper (left), while the other side connects to the factory brake line (right). |  |  We recommend using zip-ties...  We recommend using zip-ties to fasten the brake lines to some nearby lines. The Goodridge brake lines had enough slack that they could get caught in rotating and moving parts. |
It took only 47 minutes to remove the OEM brakes, install the GT500 setup, and bleed the system. Burcham drove laps around the Englishtown property with the '07 Stang, while I performed photo duties during the Shelby Shootout (see page 86). We felt comfortable that the pads had been properly cycled and broken in, and it was time to do the "after" test. Our testing technique remained identical: Run it up to the predetermined mph limit, nail the brakes, and let the ABS do its job. Our 60-to-0 average resulted in 129 feet, a vast 13-foot improvement over the stock binders. The 100-to-0 test is where the GT500 stuff really showed its prowess-349 feet average, equaling a 31-foot improvement.
 Our Stang is ready to roll,...  Our Stang is ready to roll, or should we say stop? The installation took a scant 47 minutes, which included stopping for pictures. |  Simple tools are all that's...  Simple tools are all that's required for this job, and we did it in the staging lanes during a private track rental. |  Since we broke open the lines,...  Since we broke open the lines, we needed to refill the brake reservoir with brake fluid. We also bled the brakes to ensure there were no air bubbles in the line. The Brembo calipers feature nice fittings and made the job much easier. |
 You can see the aggressive...  You can see the aggressive pattern on the Goodyear F1 GS-D3 tires. Some people liked 'em and some didn't. However, they worked great not only during testing, but also in wet weather and normal street driving. |  we bolted on the Shelby wheels...  we bolted on the Shelby wheels and dropped the car back on the ground. |  The Brembo calipers and massive...  The Brembo calipers and massive rotors can be seen behind the Shelby wheels. |