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

[Point45]

Not so much the shelby part of the name but I wanted a gt350 as a kid, when this car came around as an adult I bought it.

Though I do appreciate the history that is caroll shelby and what he contributed to the history of the brand, he is not the reason I bought it the car. This is just a case of me being a kid with an adult bank account.

You are paying a small premium for the name, but that goes with anything marketing related tied into a historical name. You want cheap or cost effective performance there are other ways to go about it.

Anyone that argues that the car is overpriced for what it is performance wise is correct to an extent but thats not the whole point of the car.

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[JR369]

Having owned 3 Shelby's:

2014 GT500
2018 GT350R
2022 GT500 (currently)

I realized the name Shelby wasn't just a name on the car. It was Ford's best performance effort for model year platform it was offered. An effort that lived up to the legacy of CS. That's what you got when you bought one. It's also the personal touches on the car. The hand built engine. Builder name plate. The chassis Tag on the dash. Shelby specific styling cues and options that never carried over to the lower trim levels that would dilute the Halo trim level. Shelby's were never meant for the masses. Even tho the masses like to feel they were entitled to owning such a car at bargain pricing. It's just not reality. So I do feel special to have had 3 of them. But you know, I make my money and I enjoy spending it on special things too. Don't take this the wrong way but there's literally nothing else offered in the mustang platform today I would feel is special enough to spend my money on. Had it not been for the Shelby offerings during the years I purchased them, I would've been in something else. Hard to say what but it have to be special. Lol.

 

[young at heart]

Having owned 3 Shelby's:

2014 GT500
2018 GT350R
2022 GT500 (currently)

I realized the name Shelby wasn't just a name on the car. It was Ford's best performance effort for model year platform it was offered. An effort that lived up to the legacy of CS. That's what you got when you bought one. It's also the personal touches on the car. The hand built engine. Builder name plate. The chassis Tag on the dash. Shelby specific styling sues and options that never carried over to the lower trim levels that would dilute the Halo trim level. Shelby's were never meant for the masses. Even tho the masses like to feel they were entitled to owning such a car at bargain pricing. It's just not reality. So I do feel special to have had 3 of them. But you know, I make my money and I enjoy spending it on special things too. Don't take this the wrong way but there's literally nothing else offered in the mustang platform today I would feel is special enough to spend my money on. Had it not been for the Shelby offerings during the years I purchased them, I would've been in something else. Hard to say what but it have to be special. Lol.

I appreciate your straight up thoughts.

You 100% responded honestly to what I was wondering.

 

[UpACurb]

Having owned multiple Shelby’s throughout the years including a 67 Shelby GT500… I feel like the S550s are a more unique driving experience then the earlier Shelby models were compared to their Mustang counterparts if that makes sense …

 

[Hack]

I probably won't make friends saying this, but having owned and driven a GT350 a lot as well as a Mustang GT, they are not close, but if you modify a Mustang GT, you can get close (acceleration/handling performance only) for about half the money. I wouldn't be surprised if the Mach 1s are very similar in feel to the GT350s in many ways. I haven't driven one because I always thought the prices were too high and I don't like DI. Braking is the exception where the GT350 will be significantly better in feel if not in actual performance - unless you upgrade your brakes.

And styling and interior of the Shelby is worlds better than standard Mustangs. If you don't care about styling and interior, there's not that tremendous of a difference (after modifications).

 

[Inthehighdesert]

We’ll have to disagree. I have a fully modded gt with suspension and brakes. It doens’t feel like a 350. There is a definite disparity there. The Ford Performance brakes are pretty decent. Start standing on them at 100 plus repeatedly and the difference to the shelbys really comes out. The gt is a great car and a great base to work from with out breaking the bank. No doubt about that.

I probably won't make friends saying this, but having owned and driven a GT350 a lot as well as a Mustang GT, they are not close, but if you modify a Mustang GT, you can get close (acceleration/handling performance only) for about half the money. I wouldn't be surprised if the Mach 1s are very similar in feel to the GT350s in many ways. I haven't driven one because I always thought the prices were too high and I don't like DI. Braking is the exception where the GT350 will be significantly better in feel if not in actual performance - unless you upgrade your brakes.

And styling and interior of the Shelby is worlds better than standard Mustangs. If you don't care about styling and interior, there's not that tremendous of a difference (after modifications).

 

[Hack]

We’ll have to disagree. I have a fully modded gt with suspension and brakes. It doens’t feel like a 350. There is a definite disparity there. The Ford Performance brakes are pretty decent. Start standing on them at 100 plus repeatedly and the difference to the shelbys really comes out. The gt is a great car and a great base to work from with out breaking the bank. No doubt about that.

I'm not sure if we are really disagreeing. I agree with you that there is a definite disparity. Just the sound of the GT350 is incredible and way better than a GT. The engine breathes better unless you really do extensive modifications. The MT82 with factory clutch doesn't like to shift quickly at high RPM.

But they aren't worlds apart once the GT is modded. And there are some benefits to running a GT.

 

[NPTR]

I’d like to see the mod list for that comparison…because that stuff adds up fast, and before you know it you’re at or close to the cost of base 350.

Guys make the same argument for my M2 CS. They say you can buy an M2 Comp, and add a bunch of parts to get it close. You’ve then spent $15-20K plus on parts and you don’t have the resale value or “special” nature of the car, you just have a highly modded M2C you’d have to part back out on sale.

I hear you on the claim that the GT is a solid car, I just think the 350 adds a special feel / experience the GT can’t replicate for a reasonable cost. The Cayman GT4 is a sick car, but the GT4 RS is just absurd…and that’s generally how I view the progression on these cars.

 

[IPOGT]

The name probably means more to me than others. This is my third Shelby starting in the early 80's. My first was a 69 GT500 and I still have the second, a 69 GT350 convertible. Part of it is the memories we’ve had with these cars and the people that we’ve gotten to know because of them, and the things we’ve done with them. I always loved the looks of Shelby’s over regular Mustangs, which started back when I was about 8 and a friends brother had a yellow 68 GT350KR convertible. When I walk away from mine, I always look back to admire them. I’ve liked the specialness and rarity. I realize ole Carroll had nothing to do with this generation of Shelby’s, but his spirit is there under the hood and in the whole car.

I don’t know about the whole spirit thing, but Ford built one hell of a Mustang with the GT350.

 

[Tomster]

I don’t know about the whole spirit thing, but Ford built one hell of a Mustang with the GT350.

You mean "shelby" GT350?

 

[IPOGT]

You mean "shelby" GT350?

With a capital “S” my man.

 

[Tomster]

With a capital “S” my man.

Actually it appears as "Shelby (R)" on the window sticker

 

[Hack]

I’d like to see the mod list for that comparison…because that stuff adds up fast, and before you know it you’re at or close to the cost of base 350.

The GT and non R GT350 are somewhat close (in performance only) if you do tune with intake, suspension, cooling, aero and wheels/tires on a GT. Less than $35K total with the car if you do the work yourself (based on my 2017 I bought pre-COVID). You can probably get within about 35 hp with a conservative tune on a Coyote compared to a stock Voodoo based on the information I've seen.

I'm not talking about styling, interior or exterior, sound, cachet that kind of stuff, because you will never match that with a GT and it's not worth trying. If you want that, just buy the GT350. I'm talking performance only. The cars are the same size, weigh a similar amount, ergonomics are the same, suspension is very close if you have similar springs, bushings, shocks and bars on them.

And I'm not saying all things equal a GT with $5K of mods will beat or tie a GT350. I'm saying the feel will be similar/close. Surprisingly so. But the GT350 definitely will still be measurably better in every way. But for some people like me, getting close while spending half is worth it.

 

[dpAtlanta]

The GT and non R GT350 are somewhat close (in performance only) if you do tune with intake, suspension, cooling, aero and wheels/tires on a GT.

I'm not sold on this idea... I have drove the GT350 and the Mach1 back to back, and they are not similar. And the Mach1 is a GT upgrade.

That being said, the GT needs a lot of mods as you have indicated.

If you bought a GT350, you sell a GT350 for it's market value.

If you mod a GT to make it close to a GT350, you sell a GT with mods that most probably will never sell anywhere near the GT350 retail, or what you invested in mods.

Unfortunately, without the Ford Flat-Planed 32-Valve Philharmonic Orchestra with Chewbacca on Vocals wailing out from the exhaust tips.... you're only fooling yourself and your wallet.

 

[Hack]

I'm not sold on this idea... I have drove the GT350 and the Mach1 back to back, and they are not similar. And the Mach1 is a GT upgrade.

You need a stopwatch to differentiate between a HP Mach and a GT350 on a road course. Of course the GT350 has about 3.8% more displacement and is rated at 10% more power with both being stock, so you might feel a performance difference.

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