2016 GT 500 Fobra - Yay or Nay ?

[Memphis9s]

Sitting here with a paid off black 2016 GT Premium track pack that still has new car smell and was thinking of trading it in on a new GT500 when the new Predator crate engine got me thinking...
Ford, for some ridiculous marketing reasons, never made a 2016 GT-500.... but what if they had...

Plan:

Predeator engine swap with factory headers and full factory cats legal exhaust
Tremec Megnum XL transmission / 2.66 1st gear and 0.5 OD / - I already have it
GT350 shift knob
GT350 red push start button
Cervini GT500 style hood
2020 Cobra badges on exterior
Forescan radio to display Cobra logo
GT350-R steering wheel and airbag with Cobra logo
GT350 active exhaust with factory console switches and figure out how to make it work like factory through forescan
GT350 rear quad exhaust valance.
Anderson composites open grill
staggered gun metal gray wheels. 19" front, 20" rear like the 2014 GT500's
2016 GT track pack springs, shocks, and control arms
Ford racing half shafts
Torsen rear LSD with 3.73 gears

There is no reason Ford could not have made the above car in 2016.
Whole thing would be something you could have driven off a deal floor in 2016.
Do it ?

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[Strokerswild]

I've pondered doing the Predator swap to my '15 and had researched doing so after the crate engine broke cover. In my case, the only giveaway on the exterior would be a pair of 5.2 badges, no snakes anywhere since it's not a Shelby. Rather, it would be a car that should have been built/offered, top-tier power in a plain wrapper, like a 428SCJ in a '69 GT fastback.

So I say no to the Fobra, but support the swap....

 

[ToughSpecs]

GT350 shift pattern won’t match with the Tremec, so you’ll have to source something similar if you’re going for that look.

 

[Balr14]

I would just get the GT 500. All the mods you are considering will cost $40k - $50k and you will never get it back. The real GT 500 should hold value well. In the long run, you will be ahead.

 

[K4fxd]

If I had the money I'd do it to my 17.

 

[dbtgt]

I would just get the GT 500. All the mods you are considering will cost $40k - $50k and you will never get it back. The real GT 500 should hold value well. In the long run, you will be ahead.

+1

I've been there and done that (not exactly same build) and, while it is fun to do, it is a very poor investment.

 

[K4fxd]

I would just get the GT 500.

But who wants to thrash a real 500? besides he is putting in a manual trans.

 

[Memphis9s]

So here is the math and reasoning as I see it from current situation and wants.

1. current car is paid for weekend fun car, 30,000 miles and still smells like new
2. half the fun of driving a car like this is having a 3rd pedal. It's just fun rowing gears.
3. It really bums me Ford never made a 2016-17 GT500. I still like that year front end fascia the best.

Math time:
I can put a whipple on it for about $10,000
I already have the trans so it's $0
The hood is chipped and has dent from something falling on it. So hood paint is $0 extra cost. If just keep the car and do nothing it's getting painted.

New Predator crate engine $25,000 - less $10k for whipple not buying and $5k for good running Gen2 5.0 motor = $10,000 extra over just buying a whipple, but I get to upgrade to factory built 5.2 Predator engine.

Car already has all the GT track pack control arms and suspension. Actually has full Steeda contol arms and bushings and Peders coilovers now but it's way too harsh, and I saved all the track pack parts when I swapped. $0 cost.

So about $10-15k over what I'm ready to spend putting a whipple on and freshening up the paint.

VS. Buying a GT500 at $120,000 + TTL = $130,000 - get $30k in trade for my GT and put down another $30k for a $1,500/mnth payment for 6 years.

The other Fobra details are just me playing around, but I think if you did it to factory level using factory parts it is quasi justifiable to put the snake badges on it, since it is what Ford/Shelby would have made and I get a period correct "2016 GT500 / 001 of 001" with a 3rd pedal.

 

[ToughSpecs]

But who wants to thrash a real 500? besides he is putting in a manual trans.

People who like to drive, not have a time capsule for when they’re dead.

 

[K4fxd]

People who like to drive, not have a time capsule for when they’re dead.

Still if he goes with the build he has 3 peddles.

Unless I bought the 500 as a true track car I would be hesitant to beat on it.

 

[young at heart]

So here is the math and reasoning as I see it from current situation and wants.

1. current car is paid for weekend fun car, 30,000 miles and still smells like new
2. half the fun of driving a car like this is having a 3rd pedal. It's just fun rowing gears.
3. It really bums me Ford never made a 2016-17 GT500. I still like that year front end fascia the best.

Math time:
I can put a whipple on it for about $10,000
I already have the trans so it's $0
The hood is chipped and has dent from something falling on it. So hood paint is $0 extra cost. If just keep the car and do nothing it's getting painted.

New Predator crate engine $25,000 - less $10k for whipple not buying and $5k for good running Gen2 5.0 motor = $10,000 extra over just buying a whipple, but I get to upgrade to factory built 5.2 Predator engine.

Car already has all the GT track pack control arms and suspension. Actually has full Steeda contol arms and bushings and Peders coilovers now but it's way too harsh, and I saved all the track pack parts when I swapped. $0 cost.

So about $10-15k over what I'm ready to spend putting a whipple on and freshening up the paint.

VS. Buying a GT500 at $120,000 + TTL = $130,000 - get $30k in trade for my GT and put down another $30k for a $1,500/mnth payment for 6 years.

The other Fobra details are just me playing around, but I think if you did it to factory level using factory parts it is quasi justifiable to put the snake badges on it, since it is what Ford/Shelby would have made and I get a period correct "2016 GT500 / 001 of 001" with a 3rd pedal.

I like your math and reasoning.

I’m guessing you’re a married man!

 

[Balr14]

My son just bought a GT500 and it was just over $100k. Your reasoning reads like a rationale for justifying your plan and is not realistic. Been there, done that many times. It never costs what you planned on! But it sounds like you have already made up you mind and are just looking for affirmation.

 

[BabyDoc1012]

I say go for the swap. If you can get a GT500 front bumper for the 16 do it too if you like the look. But I would not put the badges on it. I would honestly debadge it, make it a sleeper. Let some poor kid pull up in his GT, Camaro, Challenger, or Charger pull up and try to run with you thinking it’s a basic GT or even ecoboost

 

[MCS]

It never costs what you planned on!

This. Totally this. I love the look of the GT500. So much so that I've got a hood and a spoiler on the way. Getting these two items themselves was around $5500.00 CDN or so (hood shipped, repaired, primed, painted and installed as well as having the spoiler installed). I've done enough armchair budgeting in my life to know that it always baloons.

Example: In 2000 I bought a 1992 Honda Civic project car. $6500.00. Discovered it had a bad rear fender that had to be replaced and painted so did the whole car. Another $3000.00 (back then). Motor from Japan from an SiR? Another $3500.00 when you include the LSD. Turbo, Intercooler and assorted widgets and doohickys. Another $5k most likely. Rims, Tires? Another $1200.00. Meanwhile, I swore up and down the whole project wouldn't be more than about $10k.

HA!! HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!

 

[K4fxd]

Then there is the whole build it VS buy it thing.

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