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

[Stage_3]

Awesome stuff Jaime!!

I bet you were like a kid in a candy store. I would have been! lol
Can't wait to see the beast when you get it home!

 

[Jmeo]

Awww man….everyone knows we don’t need to call it performance white. It’s been sprayed into every mustang since 1965!

So the suspension then no longer uses “magnaride” then

Magnaride is 100% retained. The factory dampeners are still used, they just replaced the springs for height adjustment springs. The new TCM just allows them to load their own suspension tune, as opposed to the stock one.

 

[Decible]

Magnaride is 100% retained. The factory dampeners are still used, they just replaced the springs for height adjustment springs. The new TCM just allows them to load their own suspension tune, as opposed to the stock one.

Gotcha that makes sense! So springs and tune are changed.

 

[Jmeo]

Gotcha that makes sense! So springs and tune are changed.

That's correct.

 

[Jmeo]

Awesome stuff Jaime!!

I bet you were like a kid in a candy store. I would have been! lol
Can't wait to see the beast when you get it home!

Yah buddy, it was insane. I will be going back when the car is done to inspect it, and take delivery. Well, to say hi to it before it ships back to me that is.

 

[Jmeo]

On my last day in Vegas Jason, Eric & Ron took me to Speed Vegas to tear up the track in a GT500. What a blast! I can't thank these guys enough for spoiling me rotten.

Even the accommodations were top notch. The view from the 36th floor balcony of NYNY.

I look very much forward to working with Eric (Tuscany Motors, Vegas) & Jason (Bill Pierre Ford, Seattle) on my new 2022 ShelbySuper Snake F150. These guys are at the top of their game, and have my business on all Shelbys and Fords going forward. Thanks for introducing me Ron!

OK, that about wraps up my six days in Vegas, now back to your regularly scheduled programming.

 

[Stage_3]

Yah buddy, it was insane. I will be going back when the car is done to inspect it, and take delivery. Well, to say hi to it before it ships back to me that is.

LOL
Awesome brother. Good stuff.

Did you just type out that you are getting a 2022 Super Snake F150 as well?!?!
Now that's going to be 2 rides you owe me. One in the GT500 and then the F150. lol
Good stuff Jaime.

 

[Jmeo]

LOL
Awesome brother. Good stuff.

Did you just type out that you are getting a 2022 Super Snake F150 as well?!?!
Now that's going to be 2 rides you owe me. One in the GT500 and then the F150. lol
Good stuff Jaime.

Hello, my name is Jaime, and I have a problem.

 

[fmc_smt]

Hello, my name is Jaime, and I have a problem.

No you don't have a problem, everyone else does.

 

[Houston Kid]

On my last day in Vegas Jason, Eric & Ron took me to Speed Vegas to tear up the track in a GT500. What a blast! I can't thank these guys enough for spoiling me rotten.

Even the accommodations were top notch. The view from the 36th floor balcony of NYNY.

I look very much forward to working with Eric (Tuscany Motors, Vegas) & Jason (Bill Pierre Ford, Seattle) on my new 2022 ShelbySuper Snake F150. These guys are at the top of their game, and have my business on all Shelbys and Fords going forward. Thanks for introducing me Ron!

OK, that about wraps up my six days in Vegas, now back to your regularly scheduled programming.

Looks like a great trip. I had a great time driving the GT500 at Speed Vegas as well.

My pic of the their GT500.

 

[Houston Kid]

Well, I got home three nights ago, but I have been at work pretty much ever since, so here we go with an update.

First, let me start by saying that I have met some really great people from this forum, and this recent experience is no exception. I was given the absolute best experience one could ask for, when it come to visiting Shelby American.

Flash forward to Saturday morning, the wife and I Uber'd to cars & coffee @ Shelby to meet with a friend (Ron) from this forum. He introduced us to the General Sales Manager (Jason) from Bill Pierre Ford, in Seattle. He is the largest Shelby Performance retailer (75%) in the US, and is responsible for financing many Shelby prototypes, such as the Super Snake Sport Truck (he owns PP001). We also were introduced to the West Coast Sales Rep (Eric) for Shelby American, and Tuscany Motors. They then took us inside to meet Chris Ruby, my contact at Shelby. Now the four of them gave us an up close and personal tour of the Shelby facility, and the warehouse that houses the overflow cars. We were able to see every step of the process, and we were completely blown away.

As far as my car, unfortunately the stars did not align, and I did not get to see it. I was able to see at least a half dozen other 2020 GT500 SE cars (among many, many other Shelby builds), in various stages of the process from disassembly, body, suspension, interior... everything.

I was told that the rear quarters of my car have been widened, and the car (along with all associated pieces) has been sent to paint, and that's why it was not in the shop. Just bad timing. The silver lining is that my car has officially started the longest part of the process, which is GREAT! Just yesterday Chris called me to finalize a few things before the stripes were painted, so this means we are rolling now.

I forgot to ask, but I believe once the car comes back from paint, it will go on a lift to get the suspension & engine compartment work done. Somewhere in this process the interior will get done. The final step is when the finishing touches, like badging, get done. I was told probably two month until completion.

Since there have been may pictures of the orange car (CSM001), I did not take pictures of other peoples cars. At this point, we know what the car is going to look like, just not a Ford Performance Blue version........ I did grab some pictures of the suspension, which was the only thing that I did not have any concrete information on.

What you see here is the pallet that holds all the parts for the particular car that was being assembled. Heat exchanger, intercooler, suspension, pulley assembly, engine caps, etc...

This coilover system is the first of its kind in a Mustang. First thing of note is, this system works in conjunction with Magnaride, and retains all suspension modes. I am very happy to hear this, I was worried that the suspension would not be adjustable, and the toggle switch on the dash would be rendered useless. Also, by using the supplied TCU, Vince LaViolette was able to custom tune the suspension to outperform the factory suspension tune.

The front uniquely combines the factory dampener with the adjustable coilover spring.

The rear uses a double spring setup, giving a progressive ride control. There is a smaller (black) spring on the bottom, and a larger (orange) spring on top. Nestled between the two springs is the hight adjustment perch.

Now, the Shelby event was at 5:30 PM that evening. The above mentioned people were nice enough to ask us to come early for an unveiling of some kind. Needless to say, we were extremely grateful, and graciously accepted. It ended up being the one off 2021 "Hope Edition" GT500SE that was commissioned by the non profit Cruise for a Cause. This is an antimatter blue CFTP car that was converted for this cancer fundraiser.

In this photo are Garry Patterson (President of SA), Vince LaViolette (VP), Aaron Shelby (grandson of Carroll Shelby), and Dan Neve (founder of Cruise for a Cause).

After the unveiling, my new friends brought the wife and I behind the ropes, where we spent the next 1.5 hours sitting at a table with everyone from the above photo, along with Ron, Jason & Eric . I could not believe that I was able to sit and talk with each of these really great people. They were all completely down to earth, and very easy to be around. This was an experience that I will NEVER forget! I owe all of this to Ron for taking me under his wing, and introducing me to all them. If it were not for him, none of this would have happened. A very special shout out to Jason & Eric for taking me along for this very special ride. Two of the greatest people in the industry.

Lets just say, new relationships have formed, and I am now (soon enough) the proud owner of the upcoming 2022 Shelby Super Snake F150 (thanks Jason & Eric)! This is a story in itself, that is best left for the F150 forum, lol.

Finally, the "first fifteen" event was a major success as well. More information, tours and food & drink. Just an amazing experience. If life is about making memories, then this has been some of the best memories I will ever make.

I met just about everyone from Shelby American, and they are all amazing people. Matt, Sarah, Jonathan, Scott Black and many more. I highly recommend that you all get there at some point in your life.


Oh, and I got to sign the wall

Hang in there. It will be yours one day.

 

[Jmeo]

Hang in there. It will be yours one day.

Gracious buddy.

 

[Jmeo]

One of the things I was given at the first 15 event is this framed document. I think it’s pretty cool.

 

[Stage_3]

^^
That is AWE_SOME!!!
Is that going in the garage Jaime?

 

[Jmeo]

^^
That is AWE_SOME!!!
Is that going in the garage Jaime?

Probably my office until I retire, since I’m there way more often than my garage. Then it will hang next to the car when I move south and build a garage like @Goose17. He has my dream garage, cars too for that matter.

Actually, they gave me another copy that I can frame. Best of both worlds.