Guys, how important is the “Shelby” name to the enjoyment of your car?

[svttim]

My question is this; is the "rebirth" of both the GT350 and GT500 similar in application to what the originals were supposed to be? Now the current GT500 to was built to handle much better than what the original GT500 was set up to be, but the 2016-2020 GT350 was closer in spirit to the original IMHO. I could be wrong. Taking the Shelby name out of the equation, was the intent of the spirit of the cars upheld when they were resurrected?

I agree, the GT350 was closer to the spirit of the original. Probably closer to than any other post 67 car. The GT500 is better than the original especially in the handling department. IMHO they are both outstanding values for what you spend. Then consider thr R and CFTP models.

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[CorralesR]

Every morning when I wake up I remove my Shelby-branded sleeping cap, throw off my Shelby-branded sheets, and step into my slippers that have the Iconic Cobra logo on them. I then perform my morning ablutions while reading the special Shelby book that came with my Shelby GT350 Mustang Shelby Owner's Package. I apply my Shelby-exhaust scented cologne and then change out of my Shelby pajamas into my Shelby T-shirt, Cobra logo (both at the front and at the back) blue striped thong (they don't make Shelby-branded men's underwear for some reason, so I have to make do with what is available; real men know how to commit to an ethos) and Shelby-branded jeans (heritage white color denim with blue racing stripes). Then I get my daughter, named Shelby, out of bed and drive her to daycare in my Shelby Mustang GT350 while wearing my Shelby leather jacket and my Shelby Mustang GT350 baseball cap. My wife, named Carroll, obviously sits in the passenger seat next to me in my Shelby GT350 Mustang Cobra Shelby. I thumb my nose at all other drivers who are not driving the best made and most amazing Shelby Mustang in the history of the world. I get to work and spend my entire day on the Shelby Mustang Forums for Shelby Enthusiasts. I get paid $200,000 American Shelby Dollars a year so that I can maintain my Shelby-lifestyle. Then I go home and park my Shelby GT350 Cobra Mustang in my garage (which obviously has many different Shelby signs, both neon and non-neon) and wash and polish my Shelby Mustang GT350 Cobra Mustang Shelby until Carroll calls me in to eat my 35 oz Tomahawk steak dinner. Other non-Shelby owners eat chicken, which is just a vegetable with a head. I laugh in their faces. My evenings are pre-occupied by rewatching Ford vs Ferrari and extolling the virtues of the revolutionary 5.2 L flat plane crank (it is like a Ferrari but better) Voodoo engine to my daughter and wife so they are both aware of how amazing and revolutionary the Mustang Shelby GT350 Cobra is. I then go to sleep while rewatching the slideshow from my Ford Racing Mustang GT350 Shelby experience in Utah.

You forgot the authentic Carroll Shelby Chili that you'll have with that steak!

 

[young at heart]

To the OP…. Why is this important to you?

dpAtlanta, I’m not sure if your question is rhetorical so I’d likely be better off passing on it. But ever the sport, I’ll give it a shot anyway. Not that it’s so important but I just wondered if it mattered to others. The answer is right there in my OP:

”It’s actually more of a mental health check on myself. My two ‘23 Mach 1s (one manual, one A10) are realistically all I’d ever need or could hope for. I love ‘em. They’re paid for. They‘re beautiful and even stock I’ll admit they’re more capable than I am. But I’m a victim of nearly 60 years of brainwashing and can’t get the Shelby jones off my back.”

I run my cars pretty spiritedly (on the street only) and have a lot of fun with them. And at 74, I don’t think a GT350 would offer me more fun than a Mach. But as a Shelby, it’s cool. And who doesn’t love cool? I’ll stipulate to it.

I don’t think Ford would pay SA big bucks to license the name if I were the only guy that thought this way.

 

[JAJ]

DH get the Tremec as an FYI

That's what I thought, but there's nothing in the Owner's Manual about it and the specified gearbox fluid for all Mustangs is the MT82's DCT fluid. It still didn't make sense to me so I found the Ford Mustang 2024 online spec sheet ()https://www.ford.com/cars/mustang/models/dark-horse/, and the spec section at the bottom of the page doesn't say anything about a Tremec either. Now, what does say Tremec is the PDF spec sheet (https://media.ford.com/content/dam/.../14/2024-mustang-technical-specifications.pdf), which, even though it disagrees with everything else, is probably correct.

Now, all that said, something's going on at Ford. The documents for their "halo" car are a shambles. Very weird.

 

[MAGS1]

That's what I thought, but there's nothing in the Owner's Manual about it and the specified gearbox fluid for all Mustangs is the MT82's DCT fluid. It still didn't make sense to me so I found the Ford Mustang 2024 online spec sheet ()https://www.ford.com/cars/mustang/models/dark-horse/, and the spec section at the bottom of the page doesn't say anything about a Tremec either. Now, what does say Tremec is the PDF spec sheet (https://media.ford.com/content/dam/fordmedia/North America/US/2022/09/14/2024-mustang-technical-specifications.pdf), which, even though it disagrees with everything else, is probably correct.

Now, all that said, something's going on at Ford. The documents for their "halo" car are a shambles. Very weird.

If you go to the build and price, it says Tremec 6 speed for the manual option. They do seem to have some funky things going on with their website, maybe they’re updating it?

 

[rush0024]

The GT350 would be a special car regardless of the Shelby name due to how special the actual car is. The unique engine and carbon fiber wheels matched to a 6 speed manual. How it sounds. How it drives. Those are the key ingredients. The Shelby name just helps boost an already special car. The fact that it says Shelby and we get that awesome snake logo just flat out makes it cooler.

 

[stanglife]

PS - I remember plenty of posts and this IS your MO. You have that weird thing where you cant help but slip in your predisposed opinion while disguising your comments as constructive or inquisitive.

Your car is special... in fact, I would have bought an M1 if the GT350 did not exist.

 

[joe603]

The Shelby name will help with the vehicles value retention vs a non-Shelby car. That's part of the price of entry for a 350/500.

 

[Strokerswild]

The Shelby name will help with the vehicles value retention vs a non-Shelby car. That's part of the price of entry for a 350/500.

Yet it's the hardware as well...

 

[Oakley]

People treat you differently if the car is special.

I have a 2022 mustang GT performance pack.
its not perfect but it is rad. Better than my cobra in nearly every way.

Nobody really cares.

My 97 cobra? people acted like it was badass ALL the time.
maybe cause i built it but I suspect it was because it was a cobra.

people treat people who own special things differently.
THAT is the thing special vehicle owners like.

 

[Cobra99]

And, you don't have to own a Shelby to attend the bash or put it in the car show

Yes but you can't add it to the registry

 

[svttim]

Nor can the Ford produced Shelby's. That is Keven Marti's area. And Ford has their registry as well

 

[Tucker80]

I would love to know how much value do you think it adds having Shelby on it? if Ford produced two identical cars and the only difference was that one had "Shelby" on it how much more would you pay? And maybe more importantly would you fork over the extra cash for the cool factor of a name?

 

[CarmeloS]

Not important at all. I'd still wanna Voodoo swapped vert though, regardless of what it was originally, be sick to be one of the few with one (Sure there's a few Voodoo swaps running around)

 

[svttim]

I would love to know how much value do you think it adds having Shelby on it? if Ford produced two identical cars and the only difference was that one had "Shelby" on it how much more would you pay? And maybe more importantly would you fork over the extra cash for the cool factor of a name?

That car would never exist. Shelby would not allow the name to be used. Shelby speaks performance above stock. The name doesn't make the car, the car has to live up to the name.

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