Several of the new Shelbys at Crossroads Ford (Cary & Wake Forest, NC) as well as Capital Ford, Raleigh, NC have bare metal showing when looking at the holes in the hood for the hood pins from the bottom up. You can not see them when the hood is closed. When the hood is open, you can clearly, and without effort, see exposed metal - a sure invitation for rust to form. If you live in the rust belt or in places with salty air (Melbourne & Cocoa Beach, Fl, for example) or places with humid air, next expect rust in less than year.

Why no groumet? What a crappy way to build a car...and that doesn't sound like Shelby.

What am I missing?

 

Aluminum hood, can't rust.

 

Even knowing the stock hood is aluminum it seems like the holes would be finished better.

 

I totally agree it should be finished better, I was just saying that it won't rust.

 

I saw this with a SGT at my dealer. It look like they used a dull Unibit to make the holes. Lots of bare metal and burrs. Aluminum actually does rust, it just doesn't look like rust. (Cast aluminum anyway.) Alloy likely won't do much beyond a little oxidation, but it could lead to issues with the paint peeling.

 

I saw one and I will agree that the fit/finish was just ok, nothing great. The whole car was interesting, but other than the grill and some lettering, there was not much different that could not be bolted to a gt for a few grand.

But at least it is a real shelby and is serialized. That is very cool. Unlike the gt500.

If I was buying another new stang right now (which I am not), and wanted black or white (which I dont), and liked all of the FRPP mods (some are ok). I could maybe see paying the 8K upfitment charge, paying over msrp is not my cup of tea.

But at that point even at msrp my mind would be thinking gt500 or vette for not much more.

 

The rust that people talk about is generally FeO (some form of ferrous oxide or iron oxide). Bare aluminum can oxidize, but the oxidized coating is pretty strong (protects the aluminum underneath) and is generally a white powdery layer (nothing remotely resembling FeO). That is why OEMs clearcoat aluminum wheels and anodize aluminum receivers on the AR15/M16/M4 rifles (protection and better appearance).