2+2 Posted January 11, 2012 Report Share Posted January 11, 2012 I would like to hear stories about how the 2007 and 2008 Shelby GT was designed, and what input and influence Caroll Shelby had during the planning of our cars. Perhaps articles, old postings, or first hand Shelby employee stories. I am a huge fan of the cobra hood scoop, the spoiler delete, and the 66' grill, and have to believe "the Man" himself was responsible for them. I can just picture them at the meeting room planning our SGT's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harristotle Posted January 11, 2012 Report Share Posted January 11, 2012 Great idea, I'd love to hear something on this too! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeffJ Posted January 11, 2012 Report Share Posted January 11, 2012 I'm none of those folks, but have been around long enough to know some of the background. To get to the Shelby GT, you have to go farther back to the 2006 GT-H. When the news started hitting the waves about the renewed GT-H program in 2006, I've heard the stories how the phone lines went off the hook with people calling about how they can get one for themselves. I know that to be a fact as I was one of those people that called, wanting to know what it would take to get one. Obviously the answer was over and over, you can't get one. That is where the Shelby GT began. They realized that they had a great opportunity here. The calls kept coming. Talking to Amy on the subject some, when they started to work on the GT, they wanted to make it different, but similar. They wanted their own colors different from the Hertz. The grille of course came directly from the GT-H program, so getting stories how they came up with that would also be great to hear. The running horse emblem of course comes right from the 66, even the same part number. I have quite a few of the magazine articles on it, so as I find any more real facts, I'll add more. But yes, would be great to here from employees past and present who can tell more stories. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave c Posted January 12, 2012 Report Share Posted January 12, 2012 I would like to hear stories about how the 2007 and 2008 Shelby GT was designed, and what input and influence Caroll Shelby had during the planning of our cars. Perhaps articles, old postings, or first hand Shelby employee stories. I am a huge fan of the cobra hood scoop, the spoiler delete, and the 66' grill, and have to believe "the Man" himself was responsible for them. I can just picture them at the meeting room planning our SGT's. Here's a link to the announcement of the Shelby GT ....and the rest is history. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
07SGT0547 Posted January 12, 2012 Report Share Posted January 12, 2012 Great Video! Haven't seen it in a while, but it still brings a smile to my face when I think of what I have done with my SGT in the past 4-5 years... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
springer Posted January 12, 2012 Report Share Posted January 12, 2012 Thanks for posting the video. I have not seen that before. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenn Greenwell Posted January 12, 2012 Report Share Posted January 12, 2012 Sure would like to see more of this kind of stuff from the past. GG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2+2 Posted January 12, 2012 Author Report Share Posted January 12, 2012 Great stuff so far. That is what I am talking about. Thanks. When that SGT rolled up on the stage in that video I got goose bumps. Our cars are part of history and became instant classics. I would love to hear how the discussion went when they where talking and making decisions about the Cobra hood scoop and Powered by Ford Badge. Maybe a Shelby employee has some insight? I do remember the concept did not have the PBF badge, it just had the factory GT badge. And I know that Amy Boylan was active and answered questions on several message boards while she was in charge of production .I do think the forums helped Amy make suggestions about choosing Vista Blue for 2008. I remeber AFBlue on this site taking credit for talking her into it. Keep it coming. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jer Posted January 12, 2012 Report Share Posted January 12, 2012 The now hard-to-find Shelby GT book has LOTS of scribbles, notes, and pix from that era... see if you can find a copy for sale. A MUST-OWN for SGT fans... Jer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2+2 Posted January 12, 2012 Author Report Share Posted January 12, 2012 I have not seen the Shelby GT book. What does it look like? What is on the front cover? I will try to get one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SGT0225 Posted January 13, 2012 Report Share Posted January 13, 2012 I have not seen the Shelby GT book. What does it look like? What is on the front cover? I will try to get one. The book, when it was new costed $65 bucks. It has pictures of emails back and forth from Shelby management. It has pictures of concepts of our cars. It has pictures of our cars being built. It has a list of Shelby employees at that time. Obviously I have one. I thought I over paid when I bought it, But now, i would not sell it for under twice that amount. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harristotle Posted January 13, 2012 Report Share Posted January 13, 2012 That's the problem for those of us who aren't the original owners... all the special stuff like the art print or the book are long gone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
07SGT Posted January 13, 2012 Report Share Posted January 13, 2012 what is interesting is that Ford did this to help the dealers. In response to the dealers requests for a version of the GT-H. Then the SGT pretty much flopped on the showroom floors. The first few probably sold for large ADM markups but most were little profit for the dealer. Many were sold at MSRP and many were sold for invoice. And by the way i noticed they mentioned in the video that the first SGT was WHITE (not plow horse black) and Ford and Shelby chose to introduce the best color (WHITE) on stage rather than drive dealers away with a black SGT. Obviously Ford and Shelby chose the best color and this should resolve the question for all times. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tpow96 Posted January 14, 2012 Report Share Posted January 14, 2012 what is interesting is that Ford did this to help the dealers. In response to the dealers requests for a version of the GT-H. Then the SGT pretty much flopped on the showroom floors. The first few probably sold for large ADM markups but most were little profit for the dealer. Many were sold at MSRP and many were sold for invoice. And by the way i noticed they mentioned in the video that the first SGT was WHITE (not plow horse black) and Ford and Shelby chose to introduce the best color (WHITE) on stage rather than drive dealers away with a black SGT. Obviously Ford and Shelby chose the best color and this should resolve the question for all times. Your logic does not compute... you state it was a flop, but that they introduced the "best" color first. It makes more sense that your two points are related. Ford/Shelby had already released the fast color (black) for the GT-H, and figured (wrong) that a contrast would be better to show that folks had a choice. Now if they would've stuck with the original winning formula, perhaps history would be different. Or more likely: ADMs, poor marketing, and overestimated market doomed the sales message of the car as cheaper, better handling, stronger legacy option to the GT500. -Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
07SGT Posted January 14, 2012 Report Share Posted January 14, 2012 Au contraire my color blind marketing economist. You have made the fallacy of taking two separate thoughts to show a link. The SGT was a sales flop in that dealers were promised they could make profits and there was little profit. Second issue is that Shelby chose to make the first SGT white. That is a fact. And when introduced to the dealers they could have chosen to introduce the black SGT but chose instead to pick the classic Performance White SGT. Yes Ford did previously release the black SGT and knew they could do better so in 2007 they offered Performance White. Actually the point of the response was two fold. First was to show Ford was well intentioned but dropped the ball somewhere. Second point was only to poke fun at the sensitive owners of the black SGTs. It was all in jest. Sometimes you just have to poke a little fun at the black SGT as black is not really even a color. Rather black is the absence of color. Sometimes this site becomes a little too dull and needs a little levity. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larry T Posted January 14, 2012 Report Share Posted January 14, 2012 I thought once you go black you never go back .... paint color that is!!!!! HHEHEEEHHEE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyGJ Posted January 14, 2012 Report Share Posted January 14, 2012 And in 2008, the dealers were "BLUE" (Vista Blue, that is) with being stuck with so many slow color Shelby GTs on their lots from not picking a faster color, that they just had to make a change for the better and drop the top as well -- We all know its more fun to go TOPLESS!!! "Orange" you glad you got the full story on what happened to 2008???!!! (Grabber Orange, that is). He He He He He He!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tpow96 Posted January 14, 2012 Report Share Posted January 14, 2012 Au contraire my color blind marketing economist. You have made the fallacy of taking two separate thoughts to show a link. The SGT was a sales flop in that dealers were promised they could make profits and there was little profit. Second issue is that Shelby chose to make the first SGT white. That is a fact. And when introduced to the dealers they could have chosen to introduce the black SGT but chose instead to pick the classic Performance White SGT. Yes Ford did previously release the black SGT and knew they could do better so in 2007 they offered Performance White. Actually the point of the response was two fold. First was to show Ford was well intentioned but dropped the ball somewhere. Second point was only to poke fun at the sensitive owners of the black SGTs. It was all in jest. Sometimes you just have to poke a little fun at the black SGT as black is not really even a color. Rather black is the absence of color. Sometimes this site becomes a little too dull and needs a little levity. Color blind marketing economist here (that's the best part): please don't mistake my lack of or or to mean I was being serious. I was taking your ball and running with the levity. So I poked back, with the hope that the Blue and Orange colors would also join in (thank you AndyGJ). So yes, I'm having fun too. But really, in all seriousness: black is still faster. -Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SGT0225 Posted January 14, 2012 Report Share Posted January 14, 2012 And by the way i noticed they mentioned in the video that the first SGT was WHITE (not plow horse black) If you do your research you will find FORD never made "plow horse black" It is ebony black. I had a white F150, could not keep the damn thing clean. I picked Ebony Black over white because of previous car ownership. In my opinion the black mustangs look better than the white ones anyway. Do a side by side comparison. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2+2 Posted January 15, 2012 Author Report Share Posted January 15, 2012 I remember the promo black cars had the polished rims like the white ones did, and many ordered black cars because they liked that look. But some how the rims gots changed to black and many of the first buyers where upset because it was not what they ordered .It is the reason I like white better . Now you can not imagine that black rims where not really the first choice for the black SGT's. Maybe someone knows more about that change. Still hoping a Shelby or former Shebly employee can chime in with some stories. Turns out I like the Vista Blue best of all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SGT/SC#0471 Posted January 15, 2012 Report Share Posted January 15, 2012 Au contraire my color blind marketing economist. You have made the fallacy of taking two separate thoughts to show a link. The SGT was a sales flop in that dealers were promised they could make profits and there was little profit. Second issue is that Shelby chose to make the first SGT white. That is a fact. And when introduced to the dealers they could have chosen to introduce the black SGT but chose instead to pick the classic Performance White SGT. Yes Ford did previously release the black SGT and knew they could do better so in 2007 they offered Performance White. Actually the point of the response was two fold. First was to show Ford was well intentioned but dropped the ball somewhere. Second point was only to poke fun at the sensitive owners of the black SGTs. It was all in jest. Sometimes you just have to poke a little fun at the black SGT as black is not really even a color. Rather black is the absence of color. Sometimes this site becomes a little too dull and needs a little levity. In mixing paint: Actually black is all the colors of the spectrum absorbing visible light. White is really the absence bouncing back the light....now why is space black I have no clue just saying what I know as far as color theroy reguarding mixing paint goes. My favorite press photo from SA was the "stacked" picture of a 66 350 and a 07 SGT both white. When I first saw the SGT, and that very first time was in person not in pictures and it was a white car I immediaetly though wow looks like a GT350 and wow how do I get one with a stick? The next time I saw one it had a stick and that one is mine now. Seriously the most amazingly fun car I have ever owned especially when you consider the drivability of the car. S/C'd or before that, I might add. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
07SGT Posted January 15, 2012 Report Share Posted January 15, 2012 Yes, black does absorb light. That is why a black car is hotter (and also way less cool!!!!) That is why a black roof is hotter as it does not reflect light rather it absorbs the light/heat. What the human eye sees is the reflection of light off of a color or surface. Since black does not reflect, rather absorbs, it has no color. That is why outer space is black. It sucks in light rather than reflecting. Hence black is the absence of color, or at least the absence of reflected light which determines color. And yes when Ford/Shelby introduced the SGT they chose Performance White. And when Carroll Shelby posed for a poster, dressed in all black in front of the Shelby Headquarters, he chose a Performance White SGT. And when SAI made the poster for the SGT they put the Performance White in front of the old dark car SGT in the back. And yes we could dwell forever on White v black, good v evil, good guy always wears a white hat and the bad guy wears a black hat, etc. But the bottom line is Performance White is classic. Black is not. Performance White is a direct throwback to the original GT 350 and black is not. But this thread could possibly upset some, especially the owners that were stuck with buying black SGTs because the Performance White was sold out. You see Shelby recognized they wanted to maintain the classic look and made a thousand less White as opposed to black, so as to ensure more exclusivity. But enough of this tripe. Lets talk about something that will not cause any controversy. Something we can all agree on. There are several subjects, such as, i.e.: conventional oil v synthetic oil. No, that always caused a fight before. Lets all agree on the brand of oil. No, that's right some like amsoil, some motorcraft, some wallyworld, some Pennzoil, some redline, some royal purple. Forget it. Lets all come together and agree that the SGT is the only true Shelby and the GT 500 is not really a Shelby but really just a SVT from Ford. Can we all agree on that Thank goodness we can all agree on something and there will not be any more arguing or people taking offense or defending their choice, though ill-conceived, of color for their SGT. And I actually do like the Vista Blue and the Orange. But black???????????????? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
demon666 Posted January 15, 2012 Report Share Posted January 15, 2012 my black 07sgt took first place at the2011 sturgis mustang rally in its class. black is beautiful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
07SGT Posted January 15, 2012 Report Share Posted January 15, 2012 Correction. Halle Berry is beautiful. You still have a black mustang Come on. Stop this. This was all started in fun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank S Posted January 15, 2012 Report Share Posted January 15, 2012 [...] Thank goodness we can all agree on something and there will not be any more arguing or people taking offense or defending their choice, though ill-conceived, of color for their SGT. And I actually do like the Vista Blue and the Orange. But black???????????????? What chemicals is this guy ingesting? Eh? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
demon666 Posted January 15, 2012 Report Share Posted January 15, 2012 i don,t think any chems. as will rogers said--- you can,t fix st----, never mind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slbgtsc Posted January 17, 2012 Report Share Posted January 17, 2012 Correction. Halle Berry is beautiful. You still have a black mustang Come on. Stop this. This was all started in fun. My black SGT is beautiful and she is named Halle, both are exotic and gorgeous! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
springer Posted January 17, 2012 Report Share Posted January 17, 2012 2+2, vista blue was my favorite color also. Damn sweet color with the silver stripes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenn Greenwell Posted January 17, 2012 Report Share Posted January 17, 2012 Well I just had to chime in on black as the absolute fastest SGT color in the world. Springer would you leave me your wheels when you make out your will, they just work on this model Shelby GT. GG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SGT/SC#0471 Posted January 17, 2012 Report Share Posted January 17, 2012 Like I said with paint black has the most pigment and white is made from titanium as the pigment, thus being lighter the white cars are faster. So space is a vacuum, still anyone know why its black? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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