olblue1062 Posted March 12, 2012 Report Share Posted March 12, 2012 Do the verts have any additional bracing? If so, where? I've looked but dont see anything obvious. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tpow96 Posted March 13, 2012 Report Share Posted March 13, 2012 Do the verts have any additional bracing? If so, where? I've looked but dont see anything obvious. I presume you mean from Shelby and not the factory. I know of none from Shelby, but the factory verts and GT500 had the front lower A-arm brace M-5025-A. -Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
olblue1062 Posted March 14, 2012 Report Share Posted March 14, 2012 I thought I read somewhere that the verts got additional bracing at Shelby... What does the lower A arm brace you mentioned do? Thanks Harry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
socalwrench Posted March 14, 2012 Report Share Posted March 14, 2012 The convertibles got extra bracing from Ford. The front bracing was is a short bar that connects the inside lower control arms. Please note that SOME hardtop cars came with the front LCA brace as mine did. The rear bracing is a set of triangular mid length bars located near the fuel tank and the spare tire well; picture shown. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
verlyn12 Posted March 14, 2012 Report Share Posted March 14, 2012 Carroll has always been conducting his business from Gardena. The times he was in Vegas, he made the point of going out on the assembly line to chat with the mechanics, check on the cars and how production was proceeding. He has always been very nice with the people that wrench for him. Did he ever flip out? Sure he did, he still does. But always with the C-level executives only. Never with the guys in the shop. When I joined the company in March of 2006, the assembly line was an empty warehouse with the remains of the Series-1 assembly line. That car's production was set up as a conveyor belt, just like in any OEM's assembly plant. It was necessary, because they were building that car from the ground up. Our first project was the hard top GT-H. I designed the assembly line to be a cell-manufacturing facility. Each car had its lift and the full conversion was done without moving the car off that lift. This eliminated a lot of logistics issues and we didn't have to coordinate between lifts. We have eliminated a lot of down-time by letting each lift work at their own pace. I believe they are still following that philosophy today. Originally we started with 3 mechanics per lift and by the time we did the GT in 2007 it was 2 mechanics per lift. Between the GT-H and the GT projects we have also increased and repositioned the lifts from 6 to15. At the height of the GT's production, each lift was turning out 4 cars per day! There is no better sight than to watch the assembly line "hum". We never hired anybody on a temporary basis. We didn't have to. Nevada is a right-to-work state, I could hire and fire anybody at will. It did happen a couple of times that I had to let go somebody at the end of their first day... It was definitely a major challenge to find qualified people because Las Vegas doesn't have any other automotive manufacturing businesses. So tech schools like Wyotek and similar were the best source for some young and enthusiastic guys and girls that loved to wrench on cars. If you ever talk to Jeremy Roberts, who is in sales now, ask him about the stories of those hectic early days. He is one of the few kids that started with us back then and is still around... Writing all this reminds me that I need to go to Vegas soon to see what's going on today AJ If I remember correctly, Jeremy was the tour narrator when we went the end of January and he did a great job! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
olblue1062 Posted March 14, 2012 Report Share Posted March 14, 2012 The convertibles got extra bracing from Ford. The front bracing was is a short bar that connects the inside lower control arms. Please note that SOME hardtop cars came with the front LCA brace as mine did. The rear bracing is a set of triangular mid length bars located near the fuel tank and the spare tire well; picture shown. I see em...thanks for the pic. I have never seen the underside of a hardtop so had nothing to compare Thanks Harry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
socalwrench Posted March 15, 2012 Report Share Posted March 15, 2012 For sure Harry. I have over 1 GB of Mustang media. Here's a picture of a hardtop to compare with. Notice the lack of rear bracing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
socalwrench Posted March 15, 2012 Report Share Posted March 15, 2012 And just for fun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
olblue1062 Posted March 15, 2012 Report Share Posted March 15, 2012 I see...said the blind man. Thanks, Harry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
socalwrench Posted March 15, 2012 Report Share Posted March 15, 2012 For sure Old Dude; with respect of course. I will return the thread to AJ now. I just thought I'd help out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donc Posted March 27, 2012 Report Share Posted March 27, 2012 Did all SGTs start out as California Specials from Ford? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2+2 Posted March 28, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 28, 2012 Did all SGTs start out as California Specials from Ford? All Shelby GT's had to be ordered with the 54U upfitters package. That pakage was a California Special package without the Cal Special interior, CS gas cap, and CS stripes. It also then had to be ordered spoiler delete. Then Shelby made the sharpest Mustang even better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
07SGT0547 Posted March 28, 2012 Report Share Posted March 28, 2012 Did all SGTs start out as California Specials from Ford? Nope... The Cal Special Order code was 54C (for California)... Whereas the GT Upfitters Package code was 54U (for Upfitters)... Although they include some of the same CS parts (Front & Rear Facias, Side Scoops, etc) these cars started out as standard GT models from Ford... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2+2 Posted March 28, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 28, 2012 A.J. If you have a minute, could we hear about what all went on that lead to the gas guzzler tax. How hard did Shelby Auto fight it? Did it upset the staff or Carroll? I know that tax was what stopped me from buying a brand new one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
07SGT Posted March 30, 2012 Report Share Posted March 30, 2012 The gas guzzler tax has been discussed here before. I found it hard to believe the SGT would qualify for the GGT as I have hit 25mpg on the highway when new. But it was said the laboratory testing determined that we crossed the line in to the GGT terrain. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
azspeed Posted March 30, 2012 Report Share Posted March 30, 2012 I not only looked at them, but drove most of them. Especially at the beginning of the program while I had to staff-up. I would spend the weekends in the parking lot lining up the cars according to their VIN # and final destination, so the production team can work on the right cars on Monday mornings.... It was exciting but it was a blur too, 14-15 hour days 7 days a week to make it happen. Carroll was on the phone with Amy multiple times during the day and we didn't do anything that was not blessed by him. He has always been very active in the day to day operations of the company and the design of each car. The black wheels on the black cars was the plan from the beginning. We simply didn't get the right wheels from Ford on time before the unveiling. Those came in a couple of months later. I actually prefer them to the chrome wheels. We had a small in-house ceremony for the first car, I believe the pictures made it into the GT book. I believe Gary Davis drove the car off the line, but I might remember incorrectly... Wow...I'm honored. Bet you drove my car within the first week - CSM 07SGT 0015 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Akos (AJ) Posted March 30, 2012 Report Share Posted March 30, 2012 Wow...I'm honored. Bet you drove my car within the first week - CSM 07SGT 0015 I'm quite sure I did. The team learnt a lot on those first cars.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Akos (AJ) Posted March 30, 2012 Report Share Posted March 30, 2012 A.J. If you have a minute, could we hear about what all went on that lead to the gas guzzler tax. How hard did Shelby Auto fight it? Did it upset the staff or Carroll? I know that tax was what stopped me from buying a brand new one. You are probably the only person on this planet that worried about the GGT... It didn't "upset" us, we tried to get within the limits to avoid it, mainly to have better financials on the cars. But we knew from the start there will be some sort of GGT on these. We didn't fight it, we did the testing according to the rules and then the government tested the cars and determined the MPG that went onto the monroney. AJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Akos (AJ) Posted March 30, 2012 Report Share Posted March 30, 2012 Nope... The Cal Special Order code was 54C (for California)... Whereas the GT Upfitters Package code was 54U (for Upfitters)... Although they include some of the same CS parts (Front & Rear Facias, Side Scoops, etc) these cars started out as standard GT models from Ford... Jim Owens, when he was still at Ford before joining us at Shelby, got the 54U created. He pulled a major rabbit out of his hat on this one. Without the 54U, we couldn't have built the SGT... AJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Akos (AJ) Posted March 30, 2012 Report Share Posted March 30, 2012 I thought I read somewhere that the verts got additional bracing at Shelby... What does the lower A arm brace you mentioned do? Thanks Harry No additional bracing from Shelby, except for the light bar... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
6f09 Posted November 19, 2013 Report Share Posted November 19, 2013 I really enjoyed all the history , My Wife & I love our 07SGT5466 blk 5spd.A REALLY BIG THANK YOU!! to all involved in making The Shelby Gt. Keep more detail coming! GOD Bless Ji & Judy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carl Bishop Posted November 20, 2013 Report Share Posted November 20, 2013 First off I can't believe that did not find this thread sooner (subscribed)! This thread is bringing back a ton off good memories......... AJ, Here's my question, I posted this a long time ago in a separate thread and never received a response. Can you provide any insight on this hang tag that was on the rear view mirror when I receive my SGT at the dealer fresh off the truck? Here's my Oasis Report that John provided me with my build info; Build Info: Receipt Date: 8/14/2007Serialize Date: 9/6/2007Segment Date: 9/6/2007Sequence Date: 9/13/2007Blend Date: 9/17/2007Produced Date: 9/25/2007Gate Release Date: 9/26/2007Ship Date: 10/2/2007Arrival Date: 10/19/2007Sold Date: 11/23/2007 By the way, I happen to be an owner that purchased my car outright from my local dealer while it was in Vegas sitting in the turn two lot waiting for the conversion (my dealer made me purchase one they already per-ordered to accept z-plan pricing). I received my title & tags/registration before I received my car on 12/10/2007 (boy the story of that day!) I was able to work with John Walker and actually selected my CSM#, at the time my car was in process (November 2007), I asked for 08SGT0628 (wedding anniversary), 08SGT0802 (wife's birthday) & 08SGT1008 (my birthday) but all were already taken, he told me to pick something in the 1200 range, that's how I acquired 08SGT1234. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChicagoChris Posted November 20, 2013 Report Share Posted November 20, 2013 Outstanding thread! Sure would like to get my Oasis reports?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HARALD KELLEY Posted November 22, 2013 Report Share Posted November 22, 2013 Have to agree with AJ and Tom. See my signature of mods. 1966, then again in 2006. So cool. Wow, it was fun reading the entire thread again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobert Posted November 24, 2013 Report Share Posted November 24, 2013 Hi: As the owner of three SGT's and one Hertz Convertable I just wanted to say this thread is the best. What a piece of history! Wow! Bobert Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2+2 Posted November 25, 2013 Author Report Share Posted November 25, 2013 Hi: As the owner of three SGT's and one Hertz Convertable I just wanted to say this thread is the best. What a piece of history! Wow! Bobert When I asked the original question, I had hoped to hear that Carroll Shelby was involved in the decision making in a big way. I was not disapointed. Thank you A.J and all the others that have added such good input. I hope to contiue to hear more questions and answers about our SGT's ( I have learned to include all, SGT-H, SGT-BJ, Grabber Orange SGT) during that historic era. I actually have printed these answers to included with all my other documentation. I noticed A.J. sold his Terlingua. I hope he did not go cold turkey. And maybe some day even Amy Boylan can chime in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeffIsHereToo Posted November 25, 2013 Report Share Posted November 25, 2013 Good stuff! Brought back so many memories of those early days and the fun of waiting…and waiting…and waiting. Nothing, car related, has never been as exciting as seeing my car come off the truck at my dealer. The months on the old forums, the back and forth with many how are still here, it was a shared experience I don't think will ever come again to be honest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carl Bishop Posted November 25, 2013 Report Share Posted November 25, 2013 Good stuff! Brought back so many memories of those early days and the fun of waiting…and waiting…and waiting. Nothing, car related, has never been as exciting as seeing my car come off the truck at my dealer. The months on the old forums, the back and forth with many how are still here, it was a shared experience I don't think will ever come again to be honest. I couldn't agree more Jeff! Working with AFBLUE, Dig-It and Michael Morris on the old forums helping educate me about the 07's and the availability of the 08's, helped me through my decision process. With their guidance I was able to purchase my 08 for about a $1000 less than the 07 I was about pull the trigger on do to a glitch in the Ford ordering system at the time. I had to wait about 3 month longer to finally have a Shelby sitting in my garage, but in the end it was well worth the wait....... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tpow96 Posted November 26, 2013 Report Share Posted November 26, 2013 Good stuff! Brought back so many memories of those early days and the fun of waiting…and waiting…and waiting. Nothing, car related, has never been as exciting as seeing my car come off the truck at my dealer. The months on the old forums, the back and forth with many how are still here, it was a shared experience I don't think will ever come again to be honest. Jeff, have you considered pinning this thread? I had almost forgotten how much good info we had collected in it. -Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shelby Nick Posted November 26, 2013 Report Share Posted November 26, 2013 Good thread and great memories! Also need to include the 2007 SGT- California ( Nor Cal Edition) on the list. Nick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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