thewheelman Posted July 20, 2010 Report Share Posted July 20, 2010 I know you all get tired of me gushing about my car, but I just can't help it. Saturday I had her all cleaned up and spit shined. There's a pretty well attended cruise-in in our community once a month and this is the night. So, about 3:00 we decided to take a drive and wound up wandering along country roads for a while. It's days like this I wish I had a photographer in a chase car to chronicle my 500 horsepower carriage meeting a 1 horse power Mennonite carriage, the look on a teenage kid's face-mowing the yard-when he recognized the coiled snake on the side, the view from a small country church-atop a ridge-where you can see for miles in either direction. I don't believe we even got up to 55 mph for more than 8-10 miles of the 120 mile loop we made. We stopped and shopped at some roadside markets and the car is always a hit at them....even the Mennonite kids like to admire it. Sometime about 6:30 my wife reminded me that the cruise-in started 30 minutes earlier. Somehow this was much more enjoyable than sitting in a parking lot--we stayed out until almost 10 and drove home with the top down, moon shining. It was a spectacular evening. But here's the amazing part to me, I am driving a very civilized race car, huge brakes, heavy duty transmission, a clutch designed more for the track than the street, a heat pumping supercharger and never once, never once did she overheat, choke down or protest in any way. I can run down to wallyworld and pick up groceries, cruise, shine & show, throw on the slicks and go to the track and turn in some impressive times.....and the car is perfectly happy doing any of them. I came from the 60's and 70's where to accomplish what this car can do--it would be uncomfortable, somewhat reliable, and suck fuel like a 747. 4.11 gears whine and scream, dual carbs are tempermental, a/c was not a feature on most "muscle cars" and the clutch takes legs like Lance Armstrong to hold down. You simply would not want to get in a muscle car from the 60's or 70's (at least the ones I was familiar with) and go on vacation. On the last few road trips I've made in the GT 500--Gatlinburg, Myrtle Beach, Panama City--we've logged several tanks over 20 mpg....... Now, she's got dead bugs squashed on the front end, dust on the rear end, I love my amazing car! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rdragoo Posted July 21, 2010 Report Share Posted July 21, 2010 uh.......ok Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
azmartin Posted July 21, 2010 Report Share Posted July 21, 2010 uh.......ok Have to expierience it to know it. That is where the uh comes from. Knowing it's a Shelby GT500 is where the ok comes from. You'll understand someday, uh....ok maybe someday. i can see you now. Thinking. Just gigging you. Everyone has thier way of enjoyment. For me it's driving my SGT. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
awakeinAZ Posted July 21, 2010 Report Share Posted July 21, 2010 wheelman - nice writeup...agree with all points!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlloyDropTop Posted July 21, 2010 Report Share Posted July 21, 2010 I am with you. I think it has something to do with our cars being Alloy ragtops. There is something about these things, I just can't stop admiring the style. Everytime I start it, and here the rap of the KR mufflers and the 5.4 come to life, I just smile. Then when I get a stretch of road to open it up, it just sounds amazing. I feel like you about these cars. They are very special cars, with massive personality. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rarecat Posted July 21, 2010 Report Share Posted July 21, 2010 I get it and absolutely agree......what a civilized beast we have in the GT-500 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
09KR0058 Posted July 21, 2010 Report Share Posted July 21, 2010 Well said. I feel the same way about my KR. At times I miss my first muscle car (1969 SS 396 Chevelle), but I wouldn't trade this KR for ANY of those old muscle cars. This one is just freekin awesome and gives me so much pleasure whether driving her or just looking at her. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thewheelman Posted July 22, 2010 Author Report Share Posted July 22, 2010 Here's a footnote to Saturday's drive--a guy I used to work with called me yesterday and said, "Were you up around Lake Malone Saturday?" I said I was and he said a friend of his was at the lake and saw us slow-roll across the bridge (we were taking in the boat traffic), said it looked like a Ford commercial. He was considering a Mustang for his wife and had never seen one like mine. His son said it was like the one on the TV show. My friend said he was pretty sure it was me, especially after he mentioned the tags read FLYBYU..... Think I could get a commission on it if he buys one????? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bamaster Posted July 22, 2010 Report Share Posted July 22, 2010 Well said. I feel the same way about my KR. At times I miss my first muscle car (1969 SS 396 Chevelle), but I wouldn't trade this KR for ANY of those old muscle cars. This one is just freekin awesome and gives me so much pleasure whether driving her or just looking at her. Ya know, I have never liked the hood on the KR. But that's one sexy beast you got there! :leghump: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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