Jmeo's 2020 Shelby American GT500 SE Wide Body Build (+ "Phase 2")

[Shelbeast]

Hi, sure thing. I called Borla directly to order it. If it helps, I believe it is the same one supplied in their kits. For the GT500 you don’t need to use the supplied reducers because the gose-inta and goes-outta diameter is the same as the switchfire.

After having the Borla/Switchfire set for a thousand miles, I am rather disappointed. I will def. go back to H pipe. Not sure I heard a difference in stock and Borla set up.

 

[Jmeo]

After having the Borla/Switchfire set for a thousand miles, I am rather disappointed. I will def. go back to H pipe. Not sure I heard a difference in stock and Borla set up.

I cannot remember if you are using the stock axle back mufflers and are pairing it with, and comparing, a resonator delete H pipe to the Switchfire, or if you also have the Borla cat back mufflers?

I have the Shelby (by Borla) complete exhaust kit. It came with a mid muffler. It was too quiet. I changed It to the Switchfire and it is without a doubt noticeably louder and better sounding.

Before I installed the Borla setup, I was using the stock cat back mufflers with a Lethal H resonator delete. Although it did not sound bad, it without a doubt got louder and better sounding with the Borla pieces.

 

[Shelbeast]

I cannot remember if you are using the stock axle back mufflers and are pairing it with and comparing a resonator delete Hope and the Switchfire, or if you also have the Borla car back mufflers.

I have the Shelby (by Borla) complete exhaust kit. It came with a mid muffler. It was too quiet. I changed It to the Switchfire and it is without a doubt noticeablylouder and better sounding.

Before I installed the Borla setup I was using the stock cat back mufflers with the Lethal H resonator delete. Although it did not sound bad, it without a doubt got louder and better sounding the Borla pieces.

Edit: Thanks. I have the Borla ATAK Cat-Back Exhaust System with the Switch fire for mid.

 

[Jmeo]

Edit: Thanks. I have the Borla ATAK Cat-Back Exhaust System with the Switch fire for mid.

That's unfortunate, and to me completely baffling, because the difference is night and day in my experience.

 

[Jmeo]

It's safe to say that the big ticket items are done for this car, but that does not mean the fun has to stop. That, and it's the small things that really make a big difference sometimes.

That said, I decided to revisit using wheel spacers, but this time 12mm, and only for the front wheels. I experimented a while ago with 15mm & 20mm spacers but decided to abort. Well, deciding to do this means that the lug nut/wheel stud poke is now going to be different on the front wheels compared to the rears. As they are from SA, both front and rear look exactly the same, even with the different offset and backspacing.

Enter the newest tool to my arsenal to make my vision come to life (AKA, appease my OCD).

I thought having a portable band saw would come in handy for many, many reasons, but also picking up the mount for it allows me to use it as a miter chop saw, AND a table top band saw. Just quick-release the shock, and then slide it to the edge of the bench, and Bob's your uncle.

Takes a quick minute to mount the included table top workspace. Setting up a makeshift jig took a little longer, but soon I was in business.

This thing made short work of cutting down the open (non-threaded and decorative) end of the lug nuts by 12mm.

Pulled my dad's old bench sander out of a 15 year storage since he died to get them nice and smooth and ready for paint. It's crazy to think that I am using a tool that was my dad's, and still has the same sand paper since he last used it (who knows when....).

I know, nothing groundbreaking, but I am still finding joy personalizing this car after four years of ownership!

 

[Jmeo]

Now, on to the spacers I mentioned. There is ONLY one place on this planet to get wheel spacers, if you ask me. @Tim Hilliard of Optimum Performance has the absolute best spacers I have ever seen. He is a long-time member here who I met on this site 10 years ago, and is a great small business owner. Best part is he has a lot more than just wheel spacers. If memory serves, he is the successor of the infamous GT350/GT500 front caliper wheel stud kits too.

Hub-centric 12mm in beautiful bare finish. These work with every wheel option, especially for me, my Shelby American (BC Forged) Signature Edition Wheels.

Please forgive the condition of the rotors and hubs......

I have about four projects going on right now with the car, but as soon as I get the chance to put the wheels on the ground, I will post some pictures of the results.

 

[Tomster]

Please forgive the condition of the rotors and hubs......

jeesh, its almost like you live in MA or something and your car is couped up for the winter.

 

[Jmeo]

jeesh, its almost like you live in MA or something and your car is couped up for the winter.

Besides the miles and miles of trailer life, ha-ha. I plan to hit the rotors and ads with 80 grit sandpaper and doo another brake pad bedding procedure once I can drive it. Hope all is well in your life projects Tom.

 

[Tomster]

Besides the miles and miles of trailer life, ha-ha. I plan to hit the rotors and ads with 80 grit sandpaper and doo another brake pad bedding procedure once I can drive it. Hope all is well in your life projects Tom.

Yes indeed, moving right along. I am swamped.

You shouldn't have to bed the pads unless you install new ones. Just wait for a clear day and run it up and down the driveway a few times, that'll take care of it.

 

[Jmeo]

Yes indeed, moving right along. I am swamped.

You shouldn't have to bed the pads unless you install new ones. Just wait for a clear day and run it up and down the driveway a few times, that'll take care of it.

Yeah, but I'm experiencing brake squeak like I never had before. I think all this time going cross country, and being stored at Shelby, and moved in the shitty weather, as well as who knows what chemicals got on the pads s/p prepping for film. I am gonna scuff everything, bleed the brakes and take her to bed. I will call it therapy.

 

[WD Pro]

Please forgive the condition of the rotors and hubs......

U.K. person - Yeah there’s defo something wrong with them, aren’t they supposed to be more rusty … ?

Joking aside, at this time of year and on the wrong kind of day, I’ve seen the disks on my daily look similar (or worse) after a eight hours on the work car park

You shouldn't have to bed the pads unless you install new ones. Just wait for a clear day and run it up and down the driveway a few times, that'll take care of it.

This

But accept that until they fully clean themselves up, your nice silver wheels are going to look like crap …

WD

 

[Jmeo]

On to my next progress report.

I picked up these universal fit flaps so I could recreate what I did a couple years ago with the RokBlok front flaps. I ended up pulling them off before I sent the car to SA the first time, and it's now time for a revisit. I want a little more coverage, so I will be working on these over the next day or so.

I also wanted to do something for the rear wide body rocker scoops. These things fill up with small pebbles 10 times worse than the fronts do. Previously, I used a foam similar to the JLT Rock Blocker GT500 front inserts, but I never liked how they looked. This is what I came up with.

I made a cardboard stencil and transposed it to the new flaps. Using spare OEM hardware that I have lying around, I created what I consider to be an OEM quality fix to this problem.

Not wanting to drill into the new carbon fiber bits, I decided to drill three holes in the SA rocker panel only. The other side will pressure fit itself inside the carbon edge.

I decided to leave a slot at the bottom to allow rinsing water (and pebbles) out when washing.

These flaps were a nice find, as I love the carbon appearance, as opposed to just a plain black plastic. I lit up the inside of the scoop with a flashlight to show what it looks like, that why it's so bright. To the naked eye they look mint.

I am very happy with how these turned out. When the car is on its wheels again, I will post an update with how great it looks with the very small 345 rear tires.

I am going to start the front flaps tomorrow, but I am waiting for Mr. Delivery Man to bring me the new stainless steel L brackets and industrial strength epoxy that I need to complete the project. If they come out 1/2 as good as the rears, it will be a home run.

 

[Jmeo]

Discovered a third issue s/p the SA trip. Drivers side front carbon rocker piece had the most forward mounting peg broken off. Nothing a little epoxy couldn't handle. I'm not mad, I'm just disappointed..... But seriously, all better now.

 

[kilobravo]

HELLUVA job, Jaime, and logic tells me there will be a LOT less pebbles in there. The drain was a most excellent idea and I look forward to some on the ground photos.

 

[Stage_3]

Amazing stuff Jaime.
You are like the Mustang wizard. Seriously.

Great job!