tifo

I'm one of those guys who wanted a Shelby GT so bad I actually wrote a letter to Carroll Shelby asking how I could get my hands on one of these limited production cars for sticker price. No, he didn't reply to me.

However, common sense told me the best idea was to just buy a Mustang GT and install the same equipment on it as the Shelby GT and save money. I had a feeling the Shelby GT would not sell for anything close to the sticker price.

So that's just what I did: I bought a Mustang GT and installed all the equipment on it that comes on the Shelby GT (see the list of mods in my signature) except my car doesn't have the Shelby logos, stripes, authentic name plate, bells and whistles.

The only other difference between my car and a Shelby GT is the 4.10 gears and shorty headers because I decided to go with Ford Racing's "Drag Pack" instead of the "Power Upgrade Package." The Drag Pack doesn't come with the GTA mufflers, so I had to purchase the mufflers and X-pipe separately to have the same equipment on it as the Shelby GT. Yes, I purchased the Ford Racing Handling Pack too.

The bottom line: How much money did I save?

I purchased my Mustang GT Premium with the GT Appearance Package, Interior Upgrade Package, Seat-Side Air Bags, 18-Inch Polished Aluminum Wheels and all Ford Racing equipment (in my signature) installed at the dealership (Certified Ford Motorsport Service Center) and still had everything covered under warranty with tax, license, and even Lo-Jack included (out the door) for $38,450.

When you consider that this price includes 25 hours of labor costs (including the installation headers and 4.10 gears) that's a pretty good price...

Now for the HP issue:

The Shelby GT rating of 319 HP is not accurate. While I was waiting for my parts, which were on order through Ford Racing, I got my "stock" (manual trans) Mustang GT dynoed. I wanted to get some base runs in and see some "stock" numbers before the mods were added and it dynoed at 270 RWHP (see my dyno results below). At a 15% loss to the wheels...that's about 318 HP at the flywheel for a STOCK Mustang GT!

Send a stock Mustang GT to the Shelby factory in Las Vegas and have them install the Ford Racing 90mm air intake, a mild tune, the X-Pipe and GTA mufflers...and I guarantee the Shelby GT produces more than 1 HP over a stock Mustang GT.

Ford Racing claims 20 RWHP with their (CAI, mild tune, GTAs). That is probably a stretch, but I would say 12-15 RWHP is reasonable. If you take my stock Mustang GT numbers and add 12-15 RWHP to them it would make 282-285 RWHP. That would be around 332-335 HP at the flywheel and that is my realistic guess for a Shelby GT.

I'm waiting to get my car broken in before having it dynoed again (with mods installed) because it still only has about 1200 miles on it and the engine should get even stronger. I'm probably going to add Doug's Bamachips 91 octane race tune to wake up my Ford Racing equipment. Ford Racing's pro-cal tune (installed on the Shelby GT) is really mild and with Doug's Bamachips race tune I'm hoping for close to 300 RWHP. That would make 353 HP at the flywheel...and then (maybe) it can be considered as the GT350 we've all been craving for!

Strickland

Isn't the Shelby's 218 SAE certified?

theedge67

How sure are you about the 15% loss? The tranny and rear end both use full synthetic lubes from the factory, that would probably cut it down a bit.

Cheese302

25 hours of labor.... ouch

outside of the gears, and maybe the headers. all that stuff could be put on in less than a work day

nice write-up though. will def. be looking for a newer dyno chart.

tifo

Yeah, that is the X factor I wish I had some solid numbers for. It seems everyone I talk to agrees with about a 15% loss. I'm all ears if anyone has any methods or numbers to show actual loss percentage from the engine to the rear wheels for the 05-07 Mustang GT. It would give a more definitive picture of the gains for the Shelby GT as well.

~Ray

theedge67

Until someone takes their bone stock 4.6 out of the car and hooks it to an engine dyno, not a chassis dyno, we probably won't know for certain what these engines are making.

tifo

The service techs said they tried to get around it, but they ended up having to pull the engine out completely to install the headers. In truth, it was more than 25 hours because I took it back twice to them since the header was making contact with the steering rod everytime made a sharp right turn. The soft hydro motormounts in the Mustang cause the engine to move around in the chassis quite a bit. I wonder if any of the Shelby GTs will have the same problem I did with the header.

~Ray

Cheese302

i believe the shelby gt does not have the headers, just an axleback and the x pipe.


and the motor pull for the headers seems odd, oh well, tight spaces in newer cars i guess

tifo

That's right it..it doesn't come with headers.

Cheese302

they might, i am not positive.

i am sure there are others more in the know than i am

Fords4Ever

The Shelby GT's have the Power Pack, not the Drag pack, so no 4:10's or headers. Also the FRPP website says they have 3:73's but I thought I read somewhere that even that changed and they just have 3:55's!

http://www.fordracingparts.com/mustang/buildyourown.asp

mark1

No headers and 3.55s on the SGT.

Nice write up. I too am curious about the actual HP on the SGT. Although it is SAE certified at 319, my gut feel from my first week of driving it, is that it is higher. I have not seen any dyno's yet. After breakin I would like to have mine tested. Of course I will post results.

Mark
07SGT0099

AFBLUE

Comparing a Shelby GT to a stock GT on the same dyno will be the key to comparing apples to apples.

If a stock GT comes in at around 270 rwhp then the Shelby should come in at around 287 on the same dyno (assuming that the GT has 300 and the Shelby has 319 at the crank).

2&2

Awesome car tifo. I have a 65 Fastback that is set up exactly like a 65 Shelby. I did the same thing to it for $500.00 in 1966 that Shelby charged $1,500.00 for.(what a rip-off) Problem is now mine is worth $20,000.00 and the real Shelby is worth $150,000.00. Something to think about

2L8IWON

I am lost here, I bought my GT minus the FRPP mods for 28k. So you paid and (correct me if I am wrong) financed 10k worth of mods on a stock GT of which the value will never be reflected when/ if you ever get rid of the car?

Not to be a kill joy but I don't think you got the greatest deal, but congrats on having a GT that didn't have a ADM of 20k.

Fords4Ever

I think the labor is the killer here.
FRPP Handling pack = $1300.00
FRPP Power pack = $950.00
FRPP Hurst = $200.00
FRPP 4:10s = $260.00
FRPP Headers = $360.00

Parts total = $3070.00

We're talking 7K in labor! Of course he has a Shelby GT Plus if you will because he has more parts than the Shelby but w/out the Shelby name.

AFBLUE

$7000/25 hours of labor = $280/hr

That seems really steep.

tifo

First of all, if you paid 28K (out the door) with taxes and license included for your GT, I applaud you...I might have gotten the same deal on a 2006 GT without the color and options I wanted on it. But I wanted a 2007 manual trans GT and when I searched for one (End of November) in the color and options I wanted; there wasn't one available anywhere from Los Angeles to San Diego.

In my case it was a laydown for the salesperson because my 2007 GT was special ordered with the exact options and color I wanted. It's hard to talk down the price of the car when it's special ordered with a non-refundable deposit on it. When you do it that way the dealer knows it's a sure sale for the sticker price. Or he says, "Sorry that's the best price I can do" and then I can just let the car I had been waiting for over two months for be sold to someone else. I don't think so...

My options included the interior upgrade package (charcoal), GT appearance package, seat-side air bags, 18-inch polished wheels, and Lo-Jack which hiked the price up to 32K. Then there's taxes and license fees which is about $2800.00. If you add another $3000.00 for FRPP parts and 98 dollars an hour for 25 hours worth of labor (Ford Motorsport rate) you have the $38,450 that I paid for what I wanted.

AFBLUE

That makes more sense. $32K was your purchase price and you are adding your $2800 in taxes and fees.
So prior to mods you are at $34,800 (32000 + 2800)
+ 3000 in parts = $37,800
+2450 in labor (98x25)= $40,250

rmays06

Tifo as long as its what you want I'm glad for you. It sounds like a great car. Just get that baby tuned the right way and let it fly. BTW got any pics?