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

[Epiphany]

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.

100% true.

 

[Jmeo]

More garage therapy.

I reached back out to my friend from Custom Pony Covers to redesign a set of strut tower covers that look better with what I have going on now. I came up with this idea to be different than everyone else, but at the same time, tie in the SA heritage this car now has.

I especially love how they are larger than the puck style ones I had made a couple years ago, and at the same time don't completely hide the caster/camber plates. I absolutely love these things.

I also added a radiator heat shield & brackets, custom painted to match the car and stripe colors.

For comparison, here are the outgoing, smaller, round, puck style strut covers, and the difference between the non painted radiator cover.

 

[MAGS1]

More garage therapy.

I reached back out to my friend from Custom Pony Covers to redesign a set of strut tower covers that look better with what I have going on now. I came up with this idea to be different than everyone else, but at the same time, tie in the SA heritage this car now has.

I especially love how they are larger than the puck style ones I had made a couple years ago, and at the same time don't completely hide the caster/camber plates. I absolutely love these things.

I also added a radiator heat shield & brackets, custom painted to match the car and stripe colors.

For comparison, here are the outgoing, smaller, round, puck style strut covers, and the difference between the non painted radiator cover.

Looks great, Jaime. Ties in nicely and I dig the throwback Cobra. Very cool homage to the past.

 

[Jmeo]

OK, here is a sneak peak at the new front wheel fitment s/p adding 12mm spacers.

Before

After

Finally, here is how the wheel stud poke came out S/P cutting the front lug nuts 12mm.

 

[kilobravo]

I reached back out to my friend from Custom Pony Covers to redesign a set of strut tower covers

The new covers are gorgeous and the design is first rate, Jaime. But who DON'T you know in the industry?! <grinning>

I also added a radiator heat shield & brackets, custom painted to match the car and stripe colors.

THAT is over the top, amigo and what a GREAT idea! The continuation of the paint and stripes looks SO good and it really flows aesthetically. ANOTHER great idea!

 

[Stage_3]

HA HAAAAAAAA
I was cracking up Jaime. Good stuff.

 

[Jmeo]

This might sound a little crazy, but I spent three days designing a new set of splash guards for my car…… To me it’s much needed therapy. Listening to music and working in the garage is the best way for me to deal with stress and such. Anyway, here’s what I got going on.

Due to the wide body, and the fact that my car no longer has the stock front rocker panel extensions, I am in need of a splash guard that gives me more coverage than any offering that I can find out there. Jager Brothers and Rokblokz are both too small, coverage wise.

Nothing crazy like 3D printer genius work going on here, just a Neanderthal brain, cardboard, tape, Sharpie, and like I said, 3 DAYS of trial and error in till I came up with something I like.

The blue you see is the coverage the Rockblokz gave me. All the lines you see were previous attempts that I taped back on and kept rethinking. As you can see, I pulled it out flush with the wheel and I also carried it in further towards the center of the car. Some might find that it is too aggressive, but I am trying to gain back what was lost not having the stock rocker panel extensions. I am very happy with the new pebble coverage, and I am sure they will look good when I’m done with everything. I’m sure her thick hips will appreciate not being sandblasted anymore, or at the very leas, not as much.

Still, no outside pictures for a couple months, but this also gives a sneak peek of what the front wheels spacers did for my front offset. Hard to capture a good reality shot in a picture, but they are absolutely perfect. The fronts now match the rears, as far as wheel flushness, and really gives the car a much nicer look.

I am taking a much needed trip tomorrow for the rest of the week with the wife, so I won’t get to cutting the actual flaps until the following week. Well, I still need to install the mounting brackets too, but that’s a story for another day…….

 

[Tomster]

This might sound a little crazy, but I spent three days designing a new set of splash guards for my car…… To me it’s much needed therapy. Listening to music and working in the garage is the best way for me to deal with stress and such. Anyway, here’s what I got going on.

Due to the wide body, and the fact that my car no longer has the stock front rocker panel extensions, I am in need of a splash guard that gives me more coverage than any offering that I can find out there. Jager Brothers and Rokblokz are both too small, coverage wise.

Nothing crazy like 3D printer genius work going on here, just a Neanderthal brain, cardboard, tape, Sharpie, and like I said, 3 DAYS of trial and error in till I came up with something I like.

The blue you see is the coverage the Rockblokz gave me. All the lines you see were previous attempts that I taped back on and kept rethinking. As you can see, I pulled it out flush with the wheel and I also carried it in further towards the center of the car. Some might find that it is too aggressive, but I am trying to gain back what was lost not having the stock rocker panel extensions. I am very happy with the new pebble coverage, and I am sure they will look good when I’m done with everything. I’m sure her thick hips will appreciate not being sandblasted anymore, or at the very leas, not as much.

Still, no outside pictures for a couple months, but this also gives a sneak peek of what the front wheels spacers did for my front offset. Hard to capture a good reality shot in a picture, but they are absolutely perfect. The fronts now match the rears, as far as wheel flushness, and really gives the car a much nicer look.

I am taking a much needed trip tomorrow for the rest of the week with the wife, so I won’t get to cutting the actual flaps until the following week. Well, I still need to install the mounting brackets too, but that’s a story for another day…….

Is that some top secret prototype wing you have covered up?

 

[Jmeo]

Is that some top secret prototype wing you have covered up?

You’re on to me, ha-ha. Had some extra cardboard (thanks Amazon) so I thought I’d redesign a new wing as well…… Top secret work in progress.

 

[Tomster]

You’re on yo me, ha-ha. Had some extra cardboard (thanks Amazon) so I thought I’d redesign a new wing as well…… Top secret work in progress.

I thought maybe you had a GTD wing going on over there.

 

[Jmeo]

I thought maybe you had a GTD wing going on over there.

Man that would be sweet.

 

[Jmeo]

Got some outside pictures today to see the new front wheel stance and home grown splash guards. Home run if you ask me.

My car was gone so long my son bought himself a play car (1991 Toyota MR2) and took over my cars usual winter spot., so I took the wife's spot.

In preparation for a little something I have up my sleeve, I switched to working on Rappy for the afternoon. AirLift bags installed in the rear coil springs pretty easily, thanks to the lift..... I'd better be quick with the Raptor before she gets home.......

Done! She'll never know, ha-ha.

 

[MAGS1]

Got some outside pictures today to see the new front wheel stance and home grown splash guards. Home run if you ask me.

My car was gone so long my son bought himself a play car (1991 Toyota MR2) and took over my cars usual winter spot., so I took the wife's spot.

In preparation for a little something I have up my sleeve, I switched to working on Rappy for the afternoon. AirLift bags installed in the rear coil springs pretty easily, thanks to the lift..... I'd better be quick with the Raptor before she gets home.......

Done! She'll never know, ha-ha.

Looks great Jaime. A lot of nice little details too. The clear taillights, clear rear marker lights, the Shelby emblems by the quarter windows, etc. Now you just need that snow melted and salt washed away so you can enjoy it! Or just trailer it here to Chicago , supposed to be near 70F next Tuesday and has been in the 50’s the last few days and will be the next few days as well.

 

[Evolvd]

Looks great Jaime. A lot of nice little details too. The clear taillights, clear rear marker lights, the Shelby emblems by the quarter windows, etc. Now you just need that snow melted and salt washed away so you can enjoy it! Or just trailer it here to Chicago , supposed to be near 70F next Tuesday and has been in the 50’s the last few days and will be the next few days as well.

Or down here to Florida where there’s no such thing as snow or road salt

 

[Jmeo]

Looks great Jaime. A lot of nice little details too. The clear taillights, clear rear marker lights, the Shelby emblems by the quarter windows, etc. Now you just need that snow melted and salt washed away so you can enjoy it! Or just trailer it here to Chicago , supposed to be near 70F next Tuesday and has been in the 50’s the last few days and will be the next few days as well.

Thanks Mark!

Patiently waiting for the good weather to come, that's for sure. I can tell you a little blip of the go pedal today driving around the circle in front of my house set the 345's a blaze instantly. Come on good weather!

You stumbled upon my next venture. Trailer shenanigans part 2...........