Ford Mustang Shelby GT 500 Pictures, Mustang Parts, and My Daily Mustang Rants and Reviews
Tuesday, March 20, 2007
Project Mustang GT vs. Shelby GT500 - Teaser
Here's another great Ford Mustang Shelby GT 500 video I found, It's the Shelby GT 500 VS The Project Mustang GT! It's a teaser video, you'll have to visit the URL in the video to see the rest of the race between two amazing mustangs!
My bother owns a Ford Mustang Shelby GT 500 and he lets me drive it (only when he's in the shelby with me) but it's pretty damn fun to drive. We once pulled up to a chicken bird, hehe, I wanted to race, but I'm not allowed to even floor his shelby GT at all! Hey Let Me Know What You Think, Add Your Comments... Christa
This is one of the best ford mustang shelby gt 500 reviews i have read, and I read alot of stuff on the Shelby GT 500, Here are some quick facts about this popular mustang.
Mustang Cobras are two-seat roadsters (duh!) This Shelby GT 500 has about 450 HP
"Ford Motor Company and Carroll Shelby had been on the outs for decades, but that ended when the two kissed and made up a few years back" Well that's great for all us Ford Mustang GT 500 Lovers out there!
"The GT 500 gets unique suspension tuning, springs, anti-roll bars, bushings, shock valving, and a 12-to-15mm ride-height reduction," says Tai-Tang. Hau Tai-Tang, the 2005 Mustang's chief program engineer. Ok I really dont care if he is from Japan or whatever, I dont even care if he is an alien, as long as he can design great amazing looking Mustangs and make the GT 500 haul ass, I say "keep up the good work!
This is a video of a Ford Mustang GT racing against the mini cooper GP ( it's been modified for racing) the Ford Mustang GT is just a regular stang. If it was a straight up drag race then I think we both know who would win! The GP does give the mustang GT a good run for its money! Hey Let Me Know What You Think, Add Your Comments... Christa
Produced in unison by both Carrol Shelby and the SVT team (what the hell else does SVT have to do?), this car will most likely push the already insanely popular Mustang to never before seen popularity.
Head of SVT, Hau Thai-Tang, along with Carrol Shelby have stuffed the extraordinary 5.4-liter, DOHC, 32-valve supercharged V8 from the Ford GT super car under the Mustang's hood. Final horsepower numbers have not yet been announced, but Thai-Tang hints it will be “Well over 450 hp, closer to 500.” Look for 450-plus lb-ft of torque too. Whatever the final numbers, it will be insane. Engineer Thai-Tang, who did a stint at Newman-Haas Racing, sums up the powertrain by saying: “It's gonna be a monster.”
Taking it's looks from the 1968 GT500, and adapting much of the 2005 Ford mustang GT-R prototype, this is one intimidating snake. Sure to give Corvette and Viper owners a run for their money, these looks are not deceiving. The agressive nose and hood not only look good, their functional. The front splitter creates downforce, holding this beast to the road as it corners aggressivly at high speeds. You'll find the hood has built-in heat extractors, helping to dissapate warm air away from the supercharged four cammer engine. A pair of racing stripes are optional, and make their way agressivly through the center of the car. I do believe stripes add horsepower too, although I don't think Ford engineers accounted for them (you know I'm joking right? Nevertheless, stripes are all too cool).
In the rear a low-profile decklid spoiler provides alittle helpful downforce at high speeds, and includes an integrated third brake light. Alittle further down you'll find that “SHELBY” is spelled out in large badges, and the gas cap medallion features a Shelby Cobra GT500 logo. I'd say thats worth at least 5 horsepower too.
The interior is totally decked out in jet black and deep red leather. Top of the dash, on the door panels, center arm rest, shift boot, and even parking-brake handle is black leather. SVT Red leather seating surfaces and door panel inserts provide a marked contrast to the rest of the leather-trimmed cabin, surrounding the performance enthusiast with luxury and comfort. Snake logos embroidered into the seat backs finish off the new edge interior.
The rest of the interior takes it's cues from the 2005 Mustang, pretty much it's an upgraded version of the new Mustang's interior and even has titanium faced MyColor gauges (yep, Ford's still installing the neat little color changing thingy). One subtle, but unique difference will be the tachometer located on the right side of the instrument panel, as opposed to the left side like you would find in the GT and V6. The chrome accessories inside the cockpit have been replaced with a satin aluminum finish, including the aluminum shift lever knob that is nicely positioned for quick, positive shifts of the six-speed T-56 Tremec transmission.
But wait folks, theirs more! Improvements such as revised shocks, spring rates and upgraded stabilizer bars help the GT500 stop and turn with the same authority as it goes. GT500 features a MacPherson strut independent front suspension with "Reverse L" lower control arms, and a solid-axle, three-link rear suspension with coil springs and a Panhard rod for precise control of the rear axle. To match the awsome handling ability, SVT fitted some of the biggest brakes in the business to the GT500. Fourteen-inch cross-drilled Brembo rotors up front and 13-inch discs in the rear continue SVT's legacy of great-braking Mustangs. Secure footing is provided by 19-inch wheels (what, no dubs! Ahh, they'll do I suppose) wrapped in a set of high-performance tires.
All in all, I'd have to say "Job well done" to the Carrol Shelby and the Ford SVT team. Considering Shelby hasn't worked on a Ford project since 1970 and SVT was, well not doing anything anyways(insert crazy rant about not having a Mustang Cobra or Ford Lightning for 2005 here). It's great to see that Ford didn't just sit back and enjoy the success of the '05 Mustang, their really going after the performance car market now. To top it all off, Ford expects to set an MSRP of under $40,000 - which makes the Ford Shelby Mustang Cobra GT500 (say that 10 times real fast) an entry level supercar in my book.
Could it get even better? Ford's even planning on producing a convertable in 2007, with many improved features over the previous Mustang convertables. With a stiffer chassis design and more lightweight than ever before, it's sure to be a huge hit as well. Mustang fans around the world are anxiously awating the release of the GT500, unfortunately it may not be an easy buy. Although the sticker will be under $40k, don't expect to be buying one for that. With just 7,500 to be produced each year they'll probably be some insane price gauging. Yay for capitalizm.
- Written by Joe Hayes. Images courtesy of Ford Motor Company. Sources from accross the internet. http://www.moddedmustangs.com
The Ford Mustang SSP was a lightweight police car package based on the Ford Mustang produced between 1982-1993. The car was meant to provide a speedier option for police departments in lieu of other full sized (and heavy) sedans on the market at the time. The SSP abbreviates the designation Special Service Package, a special Foxbody Mustang trim made exclusively for law enforcement use. One of the taglines used by Ford to help sell this car was This Ford chases Porsches for a living...[1]
The units served a number of uses, and were often customized to suit each law enforcement agency's particular needs. Law enforcement agencies from municipal to government agencies bought nearly 15,000 examples of these units. Many still exist today, either still in some role of law enforcement, from display cars to DARE cars, or in the hands of collectors and racers.
With the inception of the fifth generation Ford Mustang the muscle car industry came back into vogue. Will it stick around? For years the muscle car has been symbolic of bad boys and street racing which lends them a romantic perception that is hard to deny.
Ford Mustang 2005 showed us a newly redesigned body style reminiscent of the popular 1960's models, thus we gazed upon the first all new Mustang in 26 years. Believe it or not there was a point where Ford considered ending the proud Mustang reign by castrating the stud and reintroducing it as a fuel efficient 4 cylinder pony. Mustang enthusiasts banded together to let Ford know what a mistake that would be and prevailed in keeping the Mustang studly.
Even the interior of the Mustang has a retro feel, with chrome accents and a steering wheel that looks suspiciously like it doesn't contain the safety of an airbag, although it does. The back seat boosts more headroom than ever before allowing you to put passengers back there without earning enemies. Bottom line, the Ford Mustang has always been a sex symbol in it's own right, the 5th generation keeps all its sex appeal and ads some cool into the mix as well.
Dodge Charger It's claim to fame being the 1969 model used on the Dukes of Hazzard as The General Lee, the Dodge Charger is the quintessential muscle car. In 2006 Dodge reinvented the model name with a strikingly retro looking car themselves. The newest Charger is only available in a four door sedan model which may slow some muscle car enthusiasts down. Many of the fans of the two door charger were disappointed to find that the Charger was not introduced as Dodge's answer to Ford's Mustang.
However the law enforcement seems to disagree, and when Dodge introduced their police version of the Charger in 2006 they found their customer base. From right coast to left Chargers are catching up to speeders and pulling them over on the highways. This alone says good things about the speed and agility of this snub nosed sedan. Dodge promises to come up with other options to race with the Ford pony.
Pontiac GTO The GTO has long been loved for its speed and sheer muscle appearance. Until the more recent models turned it into a family sedan type of car. It's most recent re-launch was in 2003, prior to the well received, 60's inspired design phase. It's redevelopment has met with unenthusiastic reviews, mainly due to aesthetics. Many fans feel that the boring body style is not fitting of a vehicle with such a rich history and that it's performance is the only jazzy part of the vehicle.
So poorly received was the newest GTO that production ground to a halt, the American market was simply not impressed and with the muscle car becoming a popular item recently Ford and Dodge managed to earn the market. This does not mean that the Pontiac GTO is dead, in fact rumor has it that in 2009 we may see a fully redesigned GTO, hopefully extending the life of the muscle car craze.
Frankly it's delightful that the youth directed muscle car culture has made its way into fashion again. Engines are being made more fuel efficient, allowing drivers to feel better about pressing (or stomping) on their gas pedals. Drivers on your mark.
Authors Info
Kim Oxford Kim is a Creative writer for Cash4UsedCars.com and loves to write about cars
Hey Let Me Know What You Think, Add Your Comments... Christa
When Ford decided to redesign the Mustang, they opted to incorporate a retro look, much like what was done previously with the Thunderbird. Fortunately, Ford didn’t look at the ghastly Mustang II series from the 1970s for a template, instead the US automaker drew upon the second generation Mustangs of the late 1960s for their inspiration. Let’s just say that the redesigned Mustang has been nothing short of a sell out hit.
Introduced as a 2005 model, the retro Mustang for 2006 offers only one change: the introduction of a Pony package which is meant to give the car a GT look and feel. Borrowing from the fastback design of the late 1960s, the 2005 model was such a hit that Ford could not keep up with production.
Buyers have a choice between a 4.0L V6 and a 4.6L V8 engine to power the car. With 2+2 seating, 107 inch wheelbase, and a curb weight of just under 3500 pounds, the car cruises down the highway with 210 and 300 horses respectively.
Each engine is mated with a 5 speed manual transmission and a 5 speed automatic transmission is optional for both. 4 wheel disc brakes and optional traction control [standard with the V8] help keep the Mustang under control.
Clothe bucket seats are standard with leather seats optional. All models come with tilt steering wheel, cruise control, power locks and windows, power side mirrors, and air conditioning.
Ford gives buyers a choice between 5 coupe and 5 convertible models with base MSRP starting at $19,810 for the coupe and $24,635 for the convertible.
First year sales of the Mustang were so good that the car sold out by early Spring. In fact, the Mustang dethroned the Chrysler 300 as the hottest car on the market with more than 15,000 Mustangs sold per month. All of this production is from just one factory.
Production for 2006 is certain to be tight and with little incentives available – they certainly aren’t needed – the Mustang is likely to continue to have a long waiting list of customers desiring the sporty coupe. Considering that sales across the Ford division are flat, this is good news for an automaker desperately needing a hot seller.
So whats the deal with these morons who drive like 90, in the parking lots? Like big deal if you don't get a close parking space for your car, big deal it just means you have to walk an extra few steps!
Or like these people are parking their cars to save their life! Yeah buddy if you dont't find a parking space under 60 seconds your car will blow up! (wait wasnt there a movie like that but with a bus?)
I mean I was at the mall this past weekend and I almost got my ass ran over because this car super silent and I was in between cars and this dude was driving like he was trying to get a role in the fast and furious!
Hey Let Me Know What You Think, Add Your Comments... Christa
Ok whats the deal with people noticing a chick driving a really nice car? They automatically think, hey she's driving her boyfriends car or something. I went my dorky brothers 17th birthday party and someone outside smoking notice me pulling up in my pimped out car.
So he ask hey "Is that your boyfriends car?" Fuck you! I should of bitch slapped him and made him my bitch!....Ok I know it gets me soooo fucking mad caz this happens all the time. Hey dumbasses its 2007 girls can drive nice cars too! Hey Let Me Know What You Think, and Add Your Comments... Christa
I so fucking hate driving my car when it's really really icy or when it's black ice! At least my car has this anti ice break thingy. I guess the idea is so you dont slam on your breaks and keep pressing down on them. Which we all know you should lightly tap your brakes if your own ice right?
Anyways back to my story. I dont understand these people who drive really really fast when the roads our super duper icy. Everytime it snows hard I always see cars upside down on the ditch, maybe that will teach these people to slow it down a little bit and take your time driving!
It's sad really because a few months ago, the driver of a mini van was speeding or driving to fast for the icy conditions and hit another car and killed 2 kids in the other car!
Hey Let Me Know What You Think, and Add Your Comments... Christa
The U.S. market has seen an upsurge in the demand for imported vehicles in recent years. The main consumer of imported vehicles is the average American working class. Many people find that certain car models combine space, power and safety. Figures from the automobile market provide ample evidence of increased usage of imported vehicles. The registration of imported vehicles has shown an increase of nearly 57%, whereas that of domestic vehicles shows a growth of only about 9%. The growing trend can also be seen in the sales figures of different domestic cars in comparison with their imported equivalents. Toyota, Hyundai, Mercedes-Benz and Volvo have sold more cars than Ford, Buick, Cadillac and Lincoln respectively.
Besides passenger cars, it the sports vehicles that make up a considerable portion of imported vehicles. Reasons for this may vary, from pure fancy to exacting technical specifications that give a reliable performance in the racing arena. Drag racing enthusiasts in the U.S. are the main consumers for cars that perform well on maximum speed in minimum time.
Another popular segment of the import car market is the sports utility vehicles or SUVs. They combine power, safety and speed, and the target consumers of these vehicles are adventurers and off-roaders.
The top segment of the import market is occupied by luxury cars meant for those who can afford to indulge themselves in purchasing unique vehicles. Imported luxury cars come equipped with all sorts of extras, such as chair massagers, heated seats, microwaves, or a refrigerator.
Imported cars are more expensive than their domestic counterparts as they carry an additional burden of taxes and duties, but many people find it worthwhile to purchase the cars that exactly fit their needs.
Import provides detailed information on Imports, Import Models, Import Tuners, Import Cars and more. Import is affiliated with Localization Web Sites.
So I'm driving along minding my own business, driving my car to work and suddenly some stupid ass biatch decides to switch lanes without looking first. What a stupid fucking moron driver.... Um 911 take her car away p-o-l-i-c-e.
Or what about those car diving morons who pull into your lane from a side street or a stop and see your car coming pretty fast put decides to pull out infront of you without speeding up! Like OMG Some people should not be driving at all!
Ok Ok now I'm sure we all do stupid things while driving our cars, from school, work, etc... Now I must admit I feel pretty darn stupid when I'm pulling up to a stop light and I notice my car blocking another car who wants to pull out from the gas station. I sit there and kinda look away, hehe, I now the other person in the car is thinking... WTF dumb bitch, you could of stop a few feet back so I can pull out!! ... Sorry Mom wont happen again!
In 1967 the first big-block Mustang was introduced, the S-code 390 which was rated at 320 hp. This Mustang was not able to compete with the hot new SS 396 Camaro , so in 1968 the 428 Cobra Jet engine was introduced, giving the Mustang true muscle car status, but then why stop there? In February 1968 when Bunkie Knudsen arrived in Dearborn he brought with him some strong ideas concerning the Mustang. He believed the popular pony car was a good looking automobile, but that there were a tremendous amount of people out there that wanted a good looking automobile that could perform. He also knew that the Z/28 Camaro, created with SCCA Trans-Am road racing in mind, could handle and stop as well as it could accelerate. Big block pony cars were faster, but left something to be desired going through the curves with all that weight up front.
Bunkie was able to lure several GM Design Engineers over to Ford in 1968. One of them was designer Larry Shinoda, the man who had drawn up the Z/28's sport image in 1967. Shinoda was tasked with besting a performance legend that he had helped to create. Shinoda contributed the new cars stripes, spoilers and window slats, as well as its name. Two Boss Mustangs were born in 1969, both originally developed concurrently by Ford's performance contractor, Kar Kraft Engineering, in Brighton, Michigan.
The Boss 429 was also built in response to Chrysler's 426 Hemi and it's success in Nascar. Ford built a 427 Hemi-headed single overhead cam motor first, but it wasn't considered stock enough for the series so along came the "semi-Hemi" head 429. Kar Kraft was given the task of wedging a 429 into the Mustang. Quarter-mile times were reported to be in the lower 14s. Although another of the hot rod magazines, Car Craft, slightly modified the stock 429 and got a 1/4 mile in the mid 12s. The street cars came from the factory with a conservative cam and a somewhat small carburetor.
Starting with the 1969 model year the Ford brought the road racing Mustang program in house by creating the Boss 302 with styling by Larry Shinoda, suspension was design by Kar Kraft. Engineer Matt Donner was the man responsible for the excellent Boss 302 chassis, which quickly impressed the critics with the way it hugged the road. The engine was a Ford 5.0L block with the new 351 Cleveland heads. The car was originally to be called the Trans Am, until Ford found out GM had already licensed the name from the SCCA.
The Boss 302 was rated at 290 HP because insurance companies were beginning to penalize the muscle cars by tacking on higher charges to any car rated over 300 HP. Actual horsepower was closer to 350. (These are Gross HP figures, not Net, as used today). Race versions made 450 HP at over 8,000 RPMs.
Boss 302s also ran in Nascar's Grand American (GA) series. The car came with a wide-ratio or close-ratio 4-speed top loader. A 3.50:1 rear gear was standard with 3.91 and 4.30 optional. Front discs are rear drum brakes and 15-inch wheels were standard. Road tests at the time put 1/4-mile performance in the upper 14-second range. However, Super Stock magazine tweaked a '70 Boss 302 and put slicks on to get a time in the mid-13s.
How did the Boss 302 compare to the Chevy Z28? Well it seems that is was very close indeed. Chevrolet's Trans-Am Camaro took home the SCCA racing championship in 1969, while Ford's Boss 302 put the Mustang back on top in 1970. As for street performance, both machines relied on specially built 290 horsepower 302 cubic inch small block V8's. Performance was so close as to be a toss-up in most street or track encounters.
In late 1970 Ford stopped all factory-sponsored racing. So regrettably the fun had to end ... for now.
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Hey Let Me Know What You Think, Add Your Comments... Christa
American automakers sometimes get the brunt of the criticism for producing models that are ugly, useless, or even downright dangerous. Ford has had its share of beasts through the years in addition to several winners including the current Mustang for which demand cannot be met. For the fun of it let’s take a look at some of the Ford models that have been derided down through the years.
Model T – What?! How can the car that introduced mass production make the list? Well, the car was fine, but Mr. Henry Ford’s statement, “…you can have any color you want as long as it is black” has been attributed with the rise of General Motors [who gave its customers a choice in colors] which eventually dethroned Ford as the top automaker in the world. No, the Model T was fine, but Mr. Ford’s marketing strategy was not.
Edsel – In September 1957, Ford launched a new division – Edsel – and introduced to America one of the weirdest looking cars. Sporting a “horse-collar” shaped grille – some equated it with a toilet seat – the Edsel line was hyped by Ford and rejected by consumers wholeheartedly. Expecting to build 200,000 Edsels in its first year of production, only 63,000 were built. Other “radical” aspects of the Edsel included a “floating” speedometer that glowed upon reaching a particular speed and an awkward push button transmission with controls attached to the hub of the steering wheel. Even with a quick makeover completed in time for the next model year, the Edsel limped along only to be pulled one month after the third model year vehicles were released.
Pinto – Hey, even I owned one! With a 2.3L inline four cylinder paired with a 4 speed manny tranny, the Pinto was Ford’s answer during the 1970s to the onslaught of Japanese cars flooding the market. The compact rear wheel drive coupe, three door hatchback, or wagon sold fairly well until disaster hit: the revelation that the Pinto’s gas tank was capable of exploding during a rear impact scared buyers away. Mercifully pulled after the 1980 model year; replaced by the popular Escort.
Mustang II – Ford tarnished the Mustang name during the 1970s with this forgettable and ugly model. Resembling a bloated and stretched Pinto, the Mustang II was weak, poorly made, and a terrible competitor against its arch rival, the Camaro. All was forgiven by the early 1980s with the return of a newly designed Mustang. Today’s Mustang, on the other hand, is a sold-out success story as it took its styling cues from a Mustang of another era: the fastback cars of the late 1960s and early 1970s.
Before you point your finger at Ford, don’t forget to recall some truly forgettable models, foreign and domestic. The Toyota Van was panned for its ugly styling and for having an engine that had to be dropped from the engine bay in order to do a tune up; the Chevy Vega – a Pinto wannabe; AMC’s Pacer – the Jetson’s car; the Suzuki Samurai and Isuzu Rodeo – flip over specialists; the Yugo – a thinly redone 1960s era Fiat; and countless other cars not worth the mention. You hope that automakers learn from their mistakes, but don’t count on it. Maybe in another generation we will see a truly forgettable Ford show up, but for now there isn’t one in the line up...hooray for that!
Matt Keegan is a writer and an automotive enthusiast. For the best Ford parts, including Catco catalytic converters or Bosch oxygen sensors for your Escort, F Series, Thunderbird, Freestyle or other fabulous Ford vehicle, please visit the Race Pages today!
Hey Let Me Know What You Think, Add Your Comments... Christa
