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Best Shelby Upgrades..


Mulanzo

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Hey all.... Christmas just came and I got 500 bucks in Shelby gift cards! SWEET!

 

I'm not sure what I'm gonna blow it on though...I have a huge wishlist and I'm not sure which would be the most worthwhile upgrade. I'm not limited to the $500 but I'm also not planning on spending a wad of cash...otherwise I'd go for the Baers all around... however.....

 

Should I go cosmetic with Engine Cap swaps? Interior stuff? Exterior Carbon Fibre Rad cover / CF Splitter?

Should I go suspension mod? Not sure what is the best option out there...

Engine Mods?

Kicker upgrade?

 

A little guidance would be helpful! If you had 500 bucks in free money to spend at Shelbystore.... what would you get?

 

I've got a 2011 with SVT pp and navigation if that is useful at all...

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$500 wouldn't pay for the tax on the things I would want to buy there so if I had to buy something for my PP that was $500 it would have to be the CF splitter because just about everything else in that price range has a better cheaper version that can be bought else where. Any sort of performance mods should be done as a package with a custom tune so that's out. Engine caps are cool i guess but there so many better things I need to buy before those get towards the top of my list. I could also spend the $500 on the autographed dash plaque that's $350 and have him autograph an air bag cover, and that should take care of the gift card. Or sell them and get some performance parts like a SCT tuner, VMP pulley and custom tune instead of shiny bling stuff.

 

The first dollar I spent on my car was a set of drag radials, because the 20's cant put down the power even in stock form, after I got traction was when I tinted the windows because I was going for 10's w/ stock power.

 

What kind of parts do you want, like future mods.

 

First off for me was my lack of traction so I cured that with a nice set of drag radial's, then since I was having the terrible 1-2 grind I bought the MGW shifter and a N2MB WOT box and it worked great and I was 100% happy with it once I had the windows tinted. Unfortunately my WOT box sent too much raw fuel into my cats and clogged them so I decided on a O/R H pipe and that needs to be tuned so I took advantage of the shops tuning rate and had them install VMP stock look 2.59" pulley, and L&M TB w/ port matched inlet and picked up about 100whp all for his standard tuning rate and now I want to do some cosmetic mods since I need a roll bar the next time I go to the track.

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I'm thinking the first thing I wan't to do that isn't cosmetic is get the power to the ground better, however I don't want to swap out the wheels or change the rims. I was looking at the Watts Link suspension and the anti-wheel hop kit and the Shelby lower control arms...however I don't really know a thing about these things.... It's my first car so these are my first real mods.

 

I was also thinking of just forgoing this for now and putting it towards the Kicker system... not really sure.

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The 2011 suspension is fine and you shouldn't have any wheel hop. Then send the rear's off to weld craft and wrap them with some wide meats, or just buy the 19x10 FRPP rear's and get those widened with a pair of NTO5r.

 

These are amazing car's but only when you can hook up.

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Personally, I've always found less to be more when it comes to bling and doo-dads. Unless it enhances a particular aspect of performance or functionality, the window sticker is my guide.

 

With respect to the rear end, while I certainly wouldn't consider myself to be experienced by any stretch of the imagination, I simply don't like the way the back end behaves with its factory panhard bar set-up. For as good as the SVTPP suspension may be out of the box, I've encountered several situations where the rear end hops considerably - which is owed to the nature of the solid axle rather than how the suspension is tuned, although suspension tuning can affect its behavior.

 

It's important to remember that virtually every aspect of a factory configuration is intended to suit a very broad market - and ensure reliable operation in the widest expanse of circumstances. That doesn't mean it performs optimally, and it particularly doesn't mean it behaves according to your personal preferences. While SOME modifications can improve upon the car's ability to put power to the road and so forth, how it reacts and responds is as much a matter of preference and perception than any fixed constant ideal.

 

Because I lack a certain degree of confidence in how the back-end can break loose, particularly when powering out of a corner if the wheel encounters and imperfect surface, I've decided I'd rather improve upon the panhard bar (which works like a lever when turning in one direction and a hinge in the other) by replacing it with a watts linkage - whose more scissors-like action helps to ensure the rear suspension moves up and down more evenly with relation to the chassis. Even if it doesn't allow me to corner any faster, I expect it to at least be more predictable.

 

If you have the SVTPP, live in Ontario, and plan to drive it beyond the summer months - you may very well be looking for different tires - and sooner rather than later. I've found the F-1 G: 2's are probably dynamite in the conditions they were designed for, but they're miserable the other 60% of the time - particularly without a great deal of warm-up. Everything you're thinking about doing to the suspension may only make a difference if conditions are FIRST within the scope the tire was designed to perform well in.

 

You're going to have one hell of a time finding replacements though, as the OE tires are the only ones made to fit - and accessing the part of the PCM that allows you to change wheel revolutions per mile to make the telemetry right requires a full-blown aftermarket tuner (or a Ford Racing supercharger upgrade). The PCM is otherwise locked-down tighter than a preacher's daughter. If you DO decide to change tires, you'll be doing yourself a huge favor by going to the 19 x 10 Ford Racing accessory wheels (the same style as the SVTPP) as they will open-up an entirely new host of tire choices.

 

What you may lose in direct cornering precision by going to a 19" wheel and a taller tire sidewall you will more than likely gain back in forgiveness before the tires break loose (and you the back-end winds-up where the front should be) during cornering and the extra "give" can help put down power better. You may not be able to hold +1 lateral Gs in the same conditions the F-1 G: 2's were tested on the GT500, but you're likely to find tires that will help it hold the road and be far more predictable the other 99.9% of the time. And by mounting a second set of tires on a second set of wheels, you can keep your OE tires for the track - where they're best suited - instead of running down the soft rubber on the highway. Reports are that they burn through VERY quickly.

 

It's important to remember that despite the fact that 75% of GT500's having the SVTPP, Ford originally anticipated only 20-25% based on appropriateness of use. Ford obviously didn't take into consideration the testosterone factor - or dealers who simply ticked-off every box on the order form - flooding stores with SVTPP-equipped cars and leaving most non-bespoke buyers with little choice. Then there are boneheads like me who suspected the SVTPP might be more trouble than it'd be worth - but went ahead and ordered it on my car anyway.

 

If I were to recommend a path to follow, it would (obviously) be the one I'm pursuing.

 

1. Tires/Wheels - Ford is correct in their claims that everything about the SVTPP was tuned from the tires-up, and a huge part of how your car handles will be defined by the tires it wears - which will have an effect upon ANY suspension modifications you make. Your car also instantly becomes about 50% more usable. Personally, I'm looking toward W-rated Continental ExtremeContact DWS All-Seasons.

 

You just need to be prepared to find a tuning vendor who can sell you a properly-configured SCT or Predator to revise your tire diameter/circumference/turns-per-mile.

 

2. Suspension - From here, it's up to you. Control arms can be a nice add-in, but they can also introduce additional noise and harshness if you don't choose a quality vendor that doesn't use bushings that take that into account. Many don't. They're relatively cheap, easy to install, and can even serve as a bit of exterior dress-up (to those you can get to crawl under your car).

 

Watts Linkage - I personally am a big fan of everything I've read - particularly since it seems to be at least a partial remedy for many things I don't like about the vehicle as it is.

 

Anti-Hop Kit - If I understand them correctly, it just relocates the LCA attachment and gives it a pivot that changes in geometry rather than causing the tire to hop, kind of like a passive mechanical shock absorber in the form of a pivoting hinge. If nothing else, they're fairly inexpensive and easy to bolt on or take-off, but I'd want to do them by themselves - rather than in combination with any other modifications - to ensure I knew exactly what difference they were making. I've seen a lot of people swear by them (particularly for putting power to the road) - and a lot of others seem to dismiss them altogether.

 

Best of luck.

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Then send the rear's off to weld craft and wrap them with some wide meats, or just buy the 19x10 FRPP rear's and get those widened with a pair of NTO5r.

 

These are amazing car's but only when you can hook up.

 

 

I suppose that begs the question, however, of just how much the OE wheel could be widened without risking rubbing.

 

 

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Personally, I've always found less to be more when it comes to bling and doo-dads. Unless it enhances a particular aspect of performance or functionality, the window sticker is my guide.

 

With respect to the rear end, while I certainly wouldn't consider myself to be experienced by any stretch of the imagination, I simply don't like the way the back end behaves with its factory panhard bar set-up. For as good as the SVTPP suspension may be out of the box, I've encountered several situations where the rear end hops considerably - which is owed to the nature of the solid axle rather than how the suspension is tuned, although suspension tuning can affect its behavior.

 

It's important to remember that virtually every aspect of a factory configuration is intended to suit a very broad market - and ensure reliable operation in the widest expanse of circumstances. That doesn't mean it performs optimally, and it particularly doesn't mean it behaves according to your personal preferences. While SOME modifications can improve upon the car's ability to put power to the road and so forth, how it reacts and responds is as much a matter of preference and perception than any fixed constant ideal.

 

Because I lack a certain degree of confidence in how the back-end can break loose, particularly when powering out of a corner if the wheel encounters and imperfect surface, I've decided I'd rather improve upon the panhard bar (which works like a lever when turning in one direction and a hinge in the other) by replacing it with a watts linkage - whose more scissors-like action helps to ensure the rear suspension moves up and down more evenly with relation to the chassis. Even if it doesn't allow me to corner any faster, I expect it to at least be more predictable.

 

If you have the SVTPP, live in Ontario, and plan to drive it beyond the summer months - you may very well be looking for different tires - and sooner rather than later. I've found the F-1 G: 2's are probably dynamite in the conditions they were designed for, but they're miserable the other 60% of the time - particularly without a great deal of warm-up. Everything you're thinking about doing to the suspension may only make a difference if conditions are FIRST within the scope the tire was designed to perform well in.

 

You're going to have one hell of a time finding replacements though, as the OE tires are the only ones made to fit - and accessing the part of the PCM that allows you to change wheel revolutions per mile to make the telemetry right requires a full-blown aftermarket tuner (or a Ford Racing supercharger upgrade). The PCM is otherwise locked-down tighter than a preacher's daughter. If you DO decide to change tires, you'll be doing yourself a huge favor by going to the 19 x 10 Ford Racing accessory wheels (the same style as the SVTPP) as they will open-up an entirely new host of tire choices.

 

What you may lose in direct cornering precision by going to a 19" wheel and a taller tire sidewall you will more than likely gain back in forgiveness before the tires break loose (and you the back-end winds-up where the front should be) during cornering and the extra "give" can help put down power better. You may not be able to hold +1 lateral Gs in the same conditions the F-1 G: 2's were tested on the GT500, but you're likely to find tires that will help it hold the road and be far more predictable the other 99.9% of the time. And by mounting a second set of tires on a second set of wheels, you can keep your OE tires for the track - where they're best suited - instead of running down the soft rubber on the highway. Reports are that they burn through VERY quickly.

 

It's important to remember that despite the fact that 75% of GT500's having the SVTPP, Ford originally anticipated only 20-25% based on appropriateness of use. Ford obviously didn't take into consideration the testosterone factor - or dealers who simply ticked-off every box on the order form - flooding stores with SVTPP-equipped cars and leaving most non-bespoke buyers with little choice. Then there are boneheads like me who suspected the SVTPP might be more trouble than it'd be worth - but went ahead and ordered it on my car anyway.

 

If I were to recommend a path to follow, it would (obviously) be the one I'm pursuing.

 

1. Tires/Wheels - Ford is correct in their claims that everything about the SVTPP was tuned from the tires-up, and a huge part of how your car handles will be defined by the tires it wears - which will have an effect upon ANY suspension modifications you make. Your car also instantly becomes about 50% more usable. Personally, I'm looking toward W-rated Continental ExtremeContact DWS All-Seasons.

 

You just need to be prepared to find a tuning vendor who can sell you a properly-configured SCT or Predator to revise your tire diameter/circumference/turns-per-mile.

 

2. Suspension - From here, it's up to you. Control arms can be a nice add-in, but they can also introduce additional noise and harshness if you don't choose a quality vendor that doesn't use bushings that take that into account. Many don't. They're relatively cheap, easy to install, and can even serve as a bit of exterior dress-up (to those you can get to crawl under your car).

 

Watts Linkage - I personally am a big fan of everything I've read - particularly since it seems to be at least a partial remedy for many things I don't like about the vehicle as it is.

 

Anti-Hop Kit - If I understand them correctly, it just relocates the LCA attachment and gives it a pivot that changes in geometry rather than causing the tire to hop, kind of like a passive mechanical shock absorber in the form of a pivoting hinge. If nothing else, they're fairly inexpensive and easy to bolt on or take-off, but I'd want to do them by themselves - rather than in combination with any other modifications - to ensure I knew exactly what difference they were making. I've seen a lot of people swear by them (particularly for putting power to the road) - and a lot of others seem to dismiss them altogether.

 

Best of luck.

 

 

 

This is more like an article than a reply. Great info and great writing!

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That is exactly why I am considering a Griggs GR40 SS suspension kit.

 

It will make the car ride smoother, yet stout. It will behave like a IRS, and it will put the power down via a torque arm.

 

I have driven in a car with the SS kit and while there are a few extra noises here and there, nothing that is obnoxious. Rides like a BMW and gives you the confidence like you were in a BMW

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"With respect to the rear end, while I certainly wouldn't consider myself to be experienced by any stretch of the imagination, I simply don't like the way the back end behaves with its factory panhard bar set-up. For as good as the SVTPP suspension may be out of the box, I've encountered several situations where the rear end hops considerably - which is owed to the nature of the solid axle rather than how the suspension is tuned, although suspension tuning can affect its behavior."

 

The wheel hop isn't totally brought about by the SRA. My Z06 stock also had this hop and it is a IRS. It really has a lot to do with the dampners as well. You put coil-overs or quality shocks even, and I bet a lot of your issues will be gone.

 

When you have a high performance car with tight suspension, the dampning and valving is so very important and makes a huge difference in how a car behaves over inperfections in the road.

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I'm thinking the first thing I wan't to do that isn't cosmetic is get the power to the ground better, however I don't want to swap out the wheels or change the rims. I was looking at the Watts Link suspension and the anti-wheel hop kit and the Shelby lower control arms...however I don't really know a thing about these things.... It's my first car so these are my first real mods.

 

I was also thinking of just forgoing this for now and putting it towards the Kicker system... not really sure.

 

 

If you want a suspension upgrade that will radically improve the car, start off with a Griggs torque arm and go from there. As i have been taught from Van (revan Racing) the TA changes the geometry and thus the grip. send Van a PM and he will steer you in the right direction, no pun intended!

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