The Ford Mustang GTD is the ultimate track-ready pony car, with zero shortcuts taken to maximize its performance. That doesn’t mean it’s above using simple solutions for simple problems, though. By that, I mean the zip ties that hold part of the Mustang GTD’s rear suspension together, which Ford makes zero effort to hide.
We spotted these standbys of every shadetree mechanic through the suspension display window in the rear of the Mustang GTD’s cabin, as shown in newly released photos. This 24-by-10-inch polycarbonate panel is included to show off the GTD’s semi-active rear suspension, which is mounted inboard and actuated by pushrods for optimal weight distribution. It uses dual springs and hydraulics to adjust ride height and firmness, and Multimatic Adaptive Spool Valve dampers to control body movement. These dampers can switch from their softest to firmest settings in 15 milliseconds, making them ideal for every feasible track condition.
Of course, not every piece of the GTD’s suspension is as high-tech.
Look closely at the assembly to the right in the photo above and you’ll note some sort of yellow wire held to the suspension with three bright orange bands. Those are definitely zip ties, which many of us know as the last resort of some of the jankiest mechanics out there. But they’re more appropriate in the expensive, high-tech Mustang GTD than they might seem at first.
Zip ties (sometimes also called cable ties) have serious tensile strength, vibration resistance, and aren’t very conductive, so they’re well-suited for use as fasteners in a track car. They look like they’re only being used to keep wires tucked in on the GTD, and not for anything structural—though we all know somebody whose front bumper is held on with zip ties. Hell, I use them to hold the kill switch in on my race car.
So, while it’s easy to point and laugh at the most expensive factory Mustang using such a cheap solution, it’s also obviously not a bad one. These photos are also technically of a pre-production car, so Ford might change how it secures those wires (though in all honesty, I don’t see the need). Besides, if zip ties are good enough for Formula 1 and the Mars rover, then they’re definitely good enough for the Mustang GTD. Here’s hoping it beats the seven-minute mark at the Nürburgring this summer.
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