Jump to content
TEAM SHELBY FORUM

Shelby American builds my GTS


lbj

Recommended Posts

I received word from Richard that Shelby American has been building my Mustang GTS.

He also sent me some photos. I'm told morgan19's is on the block too.

 

Here is what the build will contain:

 

TheBuild.jpg

 

Here is the Mustang GT I sent them:

 

Mustang2.jpg

 

Photos of the work in progress:

 

GTS1.jpg

 

GTS5.jpg

 

GTS4.jpg

 

GTS6.jpg

GTS3.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 102
  • Created
  • Last Reply

My new car with 500 miles on it and now look at it!

 

But I'm OK, I think , but still.

 

I went with the Torsen T2 differential and anti hop package that includes axle relocates.

 

I read a lot on the Team Shelby forum and other Mustang forums on the net, then talked with Jeremy, Richard and Frankie and came to the conclusion that all that HP wouldn't do me any good if I couldn't keep all that power on the ground.

 

I'm not a gear head yet, kind of ignorant about performance items in specific terms about some items.

 

But I have been driving for 40 plus years and had some good cars. I know them when I see and drive them.

 

I started driving in 1971 as a 16 year old with the family car, a 1967 2 door Buick Electra convertible, with fins no less, a 430 2bbl.

My dad took a dim view of things when I knocked a hole in the muffler with a hammer to make it sound cool.

Hey, don't laugh, it was the age of muscle cars and I needed that "sound", you know? All my friends had 1970 Chevelle 396s or Buick Skylark GS cars.

 

Then I had saved money from summer jobs (1969-1972) and bought a 1972 BMW 2002 Tii. Terrific car, drove it until 1984. Put 350 thousand miles on it, only needed one engine rebuild but several transmissions.

 

Then I picked up a slug for power but a great handling 4 wheel drive, the first year downsized 1984 AMC built Jeep Cherokee.

It was slow, a GM 2.8L manual 5 speed but what a great car. It went 200K miles and required almost no maintenance.

 

Then I got a 1995 Jeep Grand Cherokee V8, still have that but it's old and I use it for snow days only.

 

I currently have a 2004 4.4L BMW X5 sport package. I still drive that daily. Very responsive and super stiff suspension.

 

That's my history, and now, a soon to be 624HP Mustang GTS.

I figure that Getrag MT-82 transmission will get me about 20K miles if I am lucky and then I will have to replace it. With 500 miles on it, it whines like a supercharger.

Not good, oh well, shifts good though and I love the close ratio gearing in it.

 

I am really excited about this Shelby. I have wanted one since 1965 or 1966. They were white with navy stripes, at the age of 10 I drooled over those. And now, finally, I am going to own a Shelby, a life long dream of mine.

 

I buy my cars new, drive them until they drop.

 

^ ^ ^

Boy lbj, you can sure rattle on.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks for the pictures and updates. Keep them coming. You are going to have the meanest GTS of them all. I love that it is a 5.0 with all that H.P. There is nothing better than being quiker with a smaller motor.

 

I still have not seen a GTS or GT350 in person yet on the streets or car shows, and I have been to a big Shelby show. I did see the red concept early on though.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I love that it is a 5.0 with all that H.P. There is nothing better than being quiker with a smaller motor.

 

 

Yeah, high HP and less weight equals quicker.

I agree.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yer killin' me.

You get to walk by it and I don't?

 

That ain't fair.

 

Based on Roger's photo shoot of a few GTS models that were just finished here:

 

http://www.teamshelb...o-deliver-gtss/

 

I am guessing mine got included in the tail end of that group for production.

 

Hey, I'm down with it.

 

So, I call Richard and ask why all the cars in the photos are on lifts because I had visions of a production line factory type setting.

He tells me that each car goes on a lift and that in general, one technician is assigned a vehicle or vehicles, who then, for the most part, basically starts and finishes his assigned car himself, except for certain specialty items like welding or seat covers et al.

Unless I misunderstood him.

 

Very interesting and not what I had imagined.

 

This means each one is truly hand built, one by one.

Vey cool. In this day and age, this seems very unusual.

 

I'm not sure what Henry Ford would think of that but hey, he probably doesn't think much about anything anymore.

Me neither if I was uhm well, for lack of a better word... dead.

 

I expect my new Shelby to make me feel very alive.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I hope so.

 

Just in time for the holiday, Richard sent me updated photos.

 

Meat and potatoes:

 

GTS12.jpg

 

GTS7.jpg

 

GTS9.jpg

 

GTS8.jpg

 

GTS10.jpg

 

GTS11.jpg

 

GTS13.jpg

 

 

GTS14a.jpg

 

GTS15a.jpg

 

GTS16a.jpg

 

GTS17a.jpg

 

GTS18a.jpg

 

GTS19a.jpg

 

GTS20a.jpg

 

GTS21a.jpg

 

GTS22a.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

When I looked at this photo, all I could think of is, "Svetlana, she haunts me."

 

The car now has been named.

I know, it's a bit odd, but then so am I.

 

GTS17a.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Pics look awesome! Cant wait to get home from vacation and post the build pics of mine. It's a MUCH more basic build than yours, lol. Looks mine will be done probably by the end of next week!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yeah, I would like to see them.

 

Luckily, there was a slew of Mustangs already waiting for GTS builds.

 

Figures you were on vacation.

 

Mine will be a while I think.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Nice ... very, very nice indeed!! I had to take mine to the local Ford dealer. It appears that not only did I not get the 19" rims I had been promised they did not tune the car to reflect the upgrade to the 18" GTS rims. Other than the gaff with the wheel and tire package we are enjoying the car. When we take both cars out to the beach her car gets all of the attention. Nice!! I wish I had known all of this before I shelled out the money for the 500!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Nice ... very, very nice indeed!! I had to take mine to the local Ford dealer. It appears that not only did I not get the 19" rims I had been promised they did not tune the car to reflect the upgrade to the 18" GTS rims. Other than the gaff with the wheel and tire package we are enjoying the car. When we take both cars out to the beach her car gets all of the attention. Nice!! I wish I had known all of this before I shelled out the money for the 500!!

 

 

Thats why I went the route I did. I thought about doing a gt500, boss, or even a used Shelby GT. But eventually decided I wanted to go the GTS route. I'm a huge fan of the Terlinguas and figured a V6 GTS would be low production numbers too.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

And here come more photos:

 

GTS23c.jpg

 

 

GTS24c.jpg

 

 

GTS25c.jpg

 

 

GTS26c.jpg

 

 

GTS27c.jpg

 

 

GTS28c.jpg

 

 

GTS29c.jpg

 

The engine looks finished.

Svetlana, she haunts me.

 

GTS30c.jpg

 

 

GTS31d.jpg

 

GTS33d.jpg

 

GTS34d.jpg

 

GTS35d.jpg

 

GTS36d.jpg

 

GTS32d.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I wish they had taked some photographs of the Torsen differential interior before they put the cover plate on, but that's OK.

 

One can't be everywhere when things get done.

 

I definitely would not want them to wait and not assemble something just so I could have an extra picture or two.

 

 

I am really glad to see some pics of a build in progress from Shelby. You are having a lot done and it looks great.

 

GG

 

 

Somebody must have done this before on this site.

I certainly enjoy sharing the excitement, for sure.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You got that right, it is getting close to completion.

 

Maybe in a couple of weeks or so I will be doing museum delivery, I hope.

 

Svetlana, she haunts me.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

That's it for the photos.

Richard emailed me last night and it doesn't have a hood on it yet, I guess it needs hardware of some kind.

 

It needs to be test driven, the white stripes need to be put on, and then off to the speed shop for a clutch upgrade.

 

Hopefully I will have it in a couple of weeks.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Except for that whiney Getrag transmission, it's loud.

At least now I really have a supercharger.

 

Seeing all those pictures is making the wait harder.

 

I really appreciate that Shelby American and Richard sent me all the photgraphs and kept me in the loop.

It makes this build experience feel very personal, and I suspect, owning a Shelby feels deeply personal.

 

You guys already have Shelbys. You tell me.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.


×
×
  • Create New...
...