We posted earlier that MOTORZ TV was doing a brake upgrade install using STILLEN Brake Pros components, and the episode has been released!
Take a peek as they go through the steps of upgrading a 2008 Ford Mustang GT with STILLEN Sport Rotors and STILLEN High Performance Metal Matrix Brake Pads.
We are sorry we haven’t had a chance to get some of the cool things we’ve been working on up, we have a bunch of new content that’s in the can, we’ll be working feverishly to get that up.
In the meantime we had some GT-R’s out to the STILLEN workshop this morning, and while we had some of the new AP Racing Curved Vane Rotors out, thought it might be a good time to grab the camera and shoot some video with our Brake Manager Chris Bernal (with little to no warning.. sorry Chris!)
These rotors are an excellent upgrade for anyone serious about performance on their GT-R, and correct the problems associated with cracking cross-drilled holes and wear issues of the OEM rotors. Bonus is they are half the cost of the factory replacements, with the improved performance and longevity.
These rotors are now available in a Slotted or J-Hook rotor face configuration, depending on the goal of the owner. More information on the AP rotors can be found on our previous blog post on these rotors.
Items discontinued, article kept for informational purposes.
STILLEN is excited to announce the availability of select AP Racing brake systems in a limited-edition caliper color – Competition Gray.
AP Racing Competition Gray Big Brake Kit
Racing fans will notice this color is exactly what full-blown race calipers from AP Racing look like. But unlike the race-only hardware, these are built for every day use with secondary dust seals, anti-rattle clips and extra corrosion protection. Finally – the best of both worlds with no compromises!
As top dog in Formula 1 (634 wins!), NASCAR (2008 championship in Sprint Cup and Camping World Series), World Rally Championship (WRC), LeMans prototypes, Super GT, World Touring Car Championship, Moto GP and more, no other brake equipment company has done more to help drivers win than AP Racing. Don’t be fooled by lesser imitators as this is the genuine article.
That is why you will find AP Racing road car brakes as original equipment on cars made by Bugatti, Koenigsegg, Lotus, McLaren, Aston Martin, Holden HSV, Noble, Rossion, Ultima, Caparo, Ascari, Tramontana, Spyker, Pagani, Morgan, Farbio, Seat, Zolfe, Gumpert, Caterham and other limited, high-end exotic supercars. They could have any brakes in the world and chose AP Racing. So can you.
And, as you will notice in the detailed pictures below, the front 6-piston calipers are the first ones to arrive with the latest in improvements
AP Racing Competition Gray Calipers
Interesting note for you Top Gear fans.. AP Racing are the factory brakes for the top 6 of 10 fastest cars on the Top Gear Lap Chart:
And if Top Gear hadn’t refused to test the Ultima GTR.. they might have found as much as 4 seconds quicker on the same track, again with the help of a full AP Racing setup.
Competition Gray Limited Edition Calipers Available In The Following Kits:
Front 6-Piston AP Racing Big Brake Kit
Rear 4-Piston AP Racing Big Brake Kit
Items discontinued- article kept for informational purposes.
STILLEN and AP Racing are proud to announce the release of upgraded Curved Vane Front and Rear Brake Rotors for the R35 Nissan GT-R. These AP Racing R35 GT-R Brake Rotor are a track-proven upgrade to the OE Brembo components.
The STILLEN / AP Racing Curved Vane Rotors utilize a curved-vane core (48 vanes) which allow for better thermal management, providing improved cooling over the OE pillar vane design. They also have 12 curved slots which improve pad bite and not prone to cracking under severe use, which the OE rotors are plagued by.
The need for these rotors became evident quickly when GT-R owners in the UK began touring various race tracks, and having issues with standard discs only lasting 2-3 track days at the maximum. AP Racing was contacted, and within a couple of weeks rotors were available and testing began.
Results were all positive, with no signs of cracking, and consistency of pedal and performance were reported.
Highlights from the STILLEN R35 GT-R Brake Rotor Product Page:
More product information and pricing available here.- items discontinued, article kept for information purposes.
Items discontinued, article kept for information purposes.
Well, the rally has been over for about a week and a half now. I have returned home from the 2008 SEMA show and I have finally been able to sit down and breathe a little bit. I’ve watched the videos that you will soon be seeing. I have sorted through all of the pictures which will be making their way on to the blogs soon. And, most importantly, I have thought about the week’s event.
As I reminisce about my time on the rally a few thoughts cross my mind. First, New Zealand is the most beautiful country in the world. With everything from crystal clear ocean waters, to clouds lazily floating through the sky above lush green hill sides and farmlands. There is no place in the world like it. You could fill thousands of rolls of film, hundreds of memory cards, and dozens of photo albums and you will never be able to capture the true beauty of the country.
Another fond memory that comes to mind is the people. During the rally we meet a lot of people. From young kids who can’t stop smiling when they see the GT to the good ole boys sitting on their porches as they smile and wave like school children when we rumble by, and especially the competitors. I have been to many different forms of motor racing in my life and I have never seen such a friendly environment. One of my favorite aspects of the rally has to be talking with other drivers. Many times we found that the stages were a little delayed and the teams of volunteers (great groups of people in their own right) haven’t been able to funnel all of the cars through yet. So, we jump out of the car, have a little chat, talk a little B.S. and meet new people. Prior to one stage the owner of a 3 rotor RX7 actually took the time to open the hood on his car and tell me all about his race car. New Zealand is home to the most car crazy people in the world, and some of the most friendly and hospitable people I have ever met.
As much as I love the country, the people, and the overall atmosphere, at the end of the day/week we were in a rally and nothing can beat that. No experience in life can compare to flying through closed roads with a fire breathing 700 horsepower engine screaming right behind you, propelling you into the unknown. One thing to keep in mind is that we don’t know these roads that we race on. Sure, some of the roads are repeats from previous years but good luck trying to remember every part of it. All you can do is put your faith in your driver and do your best to provide him or her with the information they need to get you both home safely, while still pushing hard for the win. Then of course there is always the unknown. What lies behind this left hand turn? A cliff? A car? Maybe the roads have washed out? Or worse yet, maybe there’s gravel strewn across the road? The unknown is one of the most exhilarating aspects of the rally.
I am extremely fortunate. This year, I was able to do the rally with a man that is not only one of the greatest race car drivers… A man that has won numerous championships all around the world in many different forms of motorsport. I was able to do the rally with my Dad. Every son looks at their Dad as the “benchmark.” How can you be better, faster, stronger, bigger… Whether it be a game of basketball, golf, hockey, or racing, every son thinks “I can’t wait til I can beat the old man!” Well, after spending some time with my Dad in his element, I am pretty comfortable just learning, and seeing what I can pick up from him. The videos you will soon see are very exciting, but they don’t show the whole story. When we prepared the GT for the 2008 Targa we added an AP Racing rear big brake kit that moved the braking bias 2% to the rear of the car from the factory settings. 2% is pretty small and easily controllable and under normal even extreme conditions would not cause the car to spin or lose control. Well, Steve Millen is a little different than most people.
About half way through the second day I started noticing that we were pushing harder, we were coming into corners a lot harder and faster and if the corner tightened up, the back end of the car seemed to quickly and abruptly turn in. I started thinking about how or why that would happen. Then I remembered the rear brakes were so much bigger. In the middle of the stage I asked “Are you using the brakes to turn the back of the car? Are you coming into these corners so hot that we’re just pushing through, then you brake a little harder to use the back brakes to turn the back of the car?” In the most matter of fact way you could imagine I heard “Yep, these rear brakes and tires are really helping the back end.” I was blown away. In the few split seconds that we have in these corners he was actually able to figure out how to use the rear brakes to turn the back of the car without using too much pressure and spinning the car. Rear braking is pretty common in forms of motorsport like rally racing or drifting but the main difference is that most of those cars are equipped to use the handbrake for the rear brakes… He never touched the handbrake! All of his pressure application was done through the factory pedals that come in the car.
I know this blog post was extremely long and wordy but I can never fully explain the week I had in New Zealand. The only way I can think to share my experience is to invite you down and live it for yourself. The New Zealand Targa Rally is an unbelievable, unforgettable experience that every car guy should experience. I can’t wait to see what Targa Newfoundland has in store for us.
The original posts from New Zealand as the event was taking place can be found here:
On newsstands now! Modified Magazine’s Project G35 receives a full AP Racing brake upgrade this month, and the improvements in performance are impressive.
After realizing that a pad/fluid change could not bring the factory brakes up to snuff, Modified Magazine decided to step up to the big leagues with our AP Racing G35 Front Big Brake Kit (AP3700) and our AP Racing G35 Rear Big Brake Kit (AP3750).
You can read the article here. Dave Pratte at Modified had this to say about our G35 AP Brakes:
The AP Racing brakes cut heat by almost 50 percent, but what these numbers don’t tell you is that after two hot laps the OE brakes were starting to fade, and by the fourth lap I had virtually no braking power whatsoever because the pads and fluid were completely overwhelmed by the heat buildup. With the AP brakes, on the other hand, I didn’t experience even a hint of brake fade after an extended lapping session where I abused the brakes as hard as I could.
The brake kits consist of the following:
AP3700 Front Big Brake Kit Specifications
AP3750 Rear Big Brake Kit Specifications
Steve Millen and the STILLEN crew are very excited to once again be participating in the Dunlop Targa Rally held in New Zealand with the STILLEN Ford GT. This is an annual road rally held on 38 stages run over closed public roads, with a variety of vehicles, from classics to Porsche’s, EVO’s, STi’s, Skyline’s and everything in between.
The competition stages are public roads which have been closed by the police and driven flat out. The goal is simple, the car that covers the distance in the shortest time wins.
EDIT: Here’s some additional coverage, photos, and previous stories from our friends at Autoblog.com
Videos of the 2006 Targa Rally, including in-car are available at the STILLEN GT Project Vehicle page
Last year we were unable to make the event due to medical issues of one of the major team members but this year we are heading back and plan to be better than ever.
In 2006 we competed with our 2005 Ford GT Supercar. In just a few months we took the car from a bone stock black GT and built ourselves a bright orange race car, including development of a performance exhaust, cat delete pipes, chromoly roll cage, AP Racing Front Big Brakes, and installation of other top quality products like Penske Racing Shocks, MOMO Racing Seats and Restraints, and some aerodynamic and body protection urethane pieces.
This year we will be returning with the same car however it has been MAJORLY improved. In the past year and a half we have continued developing parts such as:
With these improvements we hope to be a strong competitor in this year’s rally. I will be returning this year as Team Navigator, riding with Steve and calling the turns, and will be posting daily updates from the hotel rooms. I invite you to follow along for this exciting event.
The team will be starting from Auckland on the North Island and over 6 days will travel south covering over 2,200 kilometers (1,350 miles).
Here are a few shots of the car prior to loading it into the shipping container headed for New Zealand!
Special thanks to the following sponsors:
EDIT 9/15: Container is loaded and on it’s way!
Update 10/27 – Here are the blog posts from this year’s event:
STILLEN Brake Pros is proud to introduce the AP Racing Front Big Brake Kit for the 2002-2008 Subaru Impreza WRX and STI and AP Racing Rear Big Brake Kit for the 2008 Subaru Impreza WRX and STI. The front kit utilizes AP Racing 6-Piston Calipers, 14″x1.25″(355mm x 32mm) 2-Piece Cross Drilled & Slotted (or Slotted Only) Rotors and the rear kit uses AP Racing 4-Piston Calipers, 13″x1″(330mm x 25mm) 2-Piece Cross Drilled & Slotted (or Slotted Only) Rotors. Both kits include high performance Mintex Xtreme brake pads, stainless steel brake lines, and all necessary brackets and hardware. The factory parking brake is also retained with our rear kit.
These kits will CLEAR THE OE STI 18-SPOKE BBS WHEELS!
When these kits are combined they are a perfect upgrade for anyone looking for additional braking performance for spirited driving, on the dirt and while conquering track days. The combination of 6-Piston and 4-Piston Calipers, two piece large diameter rotors, dramatically improved Brake Pads, and Stainless Steel lines will ensure a firm pedal, zero brake fade, and improved stopping distances.
Mintex Xtreme Brake Pads are very high performance street pads that can handle temperatures from cold to over 1300°F, and are linear and predictable under all conditions. These pads have excellent grip, but retain important features like lower brake dust, moderate wear rates, and they are much more rotor-friendly compared to other high performance compounds.
AP6300 Front Big Brake Kit Specifications
AP6350 Rear Big Brake Kit Specifications
Kit has been discontinued, article kept for information purposes only.
STILLEN Brake Pros is proud to introduce the AP Racing Front Big Brake Kit and AP Racing Rear Big Brake Kit for the 2001-2007 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution. The front kit utilizes AP Racing 6-Piston Calipers, 14″x1.25″(355mm x 32mm) 2-Piece Cross Drilled & Slotted (or Slotted Only) Rotors and the rear kit uses AP Racing 4-Piston Calipers, 13″x1″(330mm x 25mm) 2-Piece Cross Drilled & Slotted (or Slotted Only) Rotors. Both kits include high performance Mintex Xtreme brake pads, stainless steel brake lines, and all necessary brackets and hardware. The factory parking brake is also retained with our rear kit.
These kits will CLEAR THE STOCK OE EVO MR 14-SPOKE BBS WHEELS!
The front kit is expected to begin shipping by Mid-September (update 9/16 – Now Shipping!). The rear kit should be following shortly thereafter.
When these kits are combined they are a perfect upgrade for anyone looking for additional braking performance for spirited driving and track days. The combination of 6-Piston and 4-Piston Calipers, two piece large diameter rotors, dramatically improved Brake Pads, and Stainless Steel lines will ensure a firm pedal, zero brake fade, and improved stopping distances.
Mintex Xtreme Brake Pads are very high performance street pads that can handle temperatures from cold to over 1300°F, and are linear and predictable under all conditions. These pads have excellent grip, but retain important features like lower brake dust, moderate wear rates, and are much more rotor-friendly compared to other high performance compounds.
AP6800 Front Big Brake Kit Specifications
AP6850 Rear Big Brake Kit Specifications
Infineon Road Course in Sonoma, California is one of the most challenging tracks on the NASCAR Nextel Cup circuit. With 12 turns and high speed straightaways leading into 30 mile per hour corners these 3,000+ pound cars abuse their brakes to the limit.
On June 22nd Kyle Busch put his AP Racing brakes to the ultimate test and came from 30th starting position to win the race. This win moved him even further ahead as the points leader for the Nextel Cup Championship.
Immediately after getting out of the car the first company he thanked was AP Racing. This is even more significant considering he did not thank his PAYING sponsors until after he thanked the manufacturer’s of a product his race team pays over $30,000 to use. If AP Racing brakes can help Kyle Busch win in such a demanding environment, imagine what AP Racing street kits can do you for your car during the day to day grind.
Here is an excerpt of his victory speech from the Joe Gibbs Racing website:
“We unloaded here this weekend and we were absolutely horrible,” Busch said in his post-race press conference. “We were so bad we didn’t know what was going on. These guys worked their tails off and never gave up. We worked on it and worked on it – made changes to everything – and finally figured it out. I have to thank AP Brakes, MAC Tools, M&M’s, Snickers, Interstate Batteries, NOS Energy Drink and everybody that’s helped us here. For Toyota to win here at their home race, that’s pretty special, too.”
Track Photo Courtesy Wikipedia
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