Now that winter is settling in I am starting to work on the Shelby task list that was postponed due to the accident.
installed the Shelby trunk mat that was ordered back in June .
.
What a great day today! Finally got out into the garage and worked on the Shelby.
Here is a list of tasks accomplished
fixed the trunk pull strap which was not installed properly on the new trunk. I also noticed that the pull wording was not centered on the strap
reinstalled road trip vinyl on the inside of the trunk lid area from my adventures in Tennessee and Virginia,
Updated the license plate registration
cleaned up the engine bay wiping everything down as it was dusty from being at the body shop
Removed the vinyl overlay on the carbon fiber radiator cover: The vinyl was just not adhering properly
Finally installed the custom painted engine coil covers which really made a huge difference in the appearance of the engine bay. It felt really good to be out in the garage working around the Shelby again.
More to come….
.
Vinyl Accents review and thoughts...
I was at a rally down in Tennessee two years ago and ran accross a guy with a GT500 who had numerous vinyl accents applied to his Shelby. I thought they looked really good although the volume was a bit much for me. I am always of the opinion that less is more.
I found out he had purchased the items from Bemaro Films.
I ended up purchasing the following:
1. Front and Rear Badge overlays- I really liked these at first especially on more of the exotic colors such as grabber lime and orange twister. I still have the front grill overlay applied, but the back was toast after the accident. I think I am going to leave the rear one off. The gun metal looks more bad ass in my opinion.
2. Steering Wheel Stripe- I decided upon a red stripe, but have since removed it. The actual stripe was too wide and did not fit properly within the leather indent at 12 oclock. Plus It felt like I was trying to be an "R" wannabe. Not that a red stripe is bad, just not for me.
3. Brembo Caliper Overlays- These were a fail. Just did not look right and very difficult to apply. The plain oem look suits me.
4. Side Mirror overlays- This was just a subtle stripe just under the main casing of the rear view mirrors. Another fail- difficult to apply and did not look right. I am including a stock photo as I forgot to take pictures during the process and ended up taking them off immediatly.
5. Carbon Fiber Composite lettering overlay on radiator cover plate- another fail. Difficult to apply and starting lifting after 6 months. I prepped properly and took my time, but the vinyl is just so thin and hard to work with. Some guys have painted the whole cover, but I think I am just going to leave this area alone. Less is more in this case. The new coil covers give the engine bay just enough color, but not overwhelming to the eyes.
I just think the GT350 FPC Engine bay is bad ass. So glad they did not put an engine cover plate over that beautiful piece of work.
Bemaro has since been acquired/sold to another company so I decided to look for another vendor and landed on Anchor Room Graphics.
I recently purchased new steering wheel stripes from Anchor Room which I will be applying soon. I have one of their stripes on my Bronco steering wheel and I can tell they are much better quality and of the proper width to install and sit easier on the steering wheel.
I hope this review helps anyone looking at applying vinyl accents. Remember... less is more.
.
My grandson James got some seat time in the Shelby over the holidays.
Looks like my oldest son has some competition for ownership of the 350 someday.
.
Full interior detail of the Shelby today. Included spot treating carpeting and cleaning/conditioning the leather. First use of the sonax alcantara cleaner on the steering wheel was impressed.
.
Shelby Accident Update:
Finally received a reply from the Insurance Company regarding my Depreciated Value Claim. I was awarded just under 4k. I was hoping for a bit more, but based upon my research on multiple vehicle sales sites including cars.com and Auto Trader It was in the ballpark.
I searched a 500 mile radius and came up with a limited number of vehicles that matched my model year, specs, miles, etc.
My vehicle suffered limited cosmetic damage with no structural injury to the frame.
There are not a lot of clean 1-2 owner vehicles out there to contrast/compare with the myriad of listings that had bad Car Fax reports. I was suprised at the number of 350's that were in accidents that involved significant damage and yet the price was still within the market value
Anyway, just posting this in case someone else runs into a similar situation with their 350.
We don't have diminished value compensation here in the UK so it's suck it up for us. Win some loose some but glad you've got something for an otherwise crap incident.
5 Year Ownership Review and Perspective on the Shelby GT350
It’s been just over 5 years since I picked it up in January of 2020.
All in all, it’s been a great experience with some twists and turns along the way.
The Gen2 engine has been rock solid with just over 17k miles and no oil consumption issues. The AC Compressor was replaced at approx. 10k miles.
I’ve had to fix a few buzz/rattles in the dash and rear quarter window area.
All this has been documented in this thread.
I have yet to find another vehicle that I desire more than this one. Still feels like a new car experience every time I get into it. The sound, handling, overall size, comfort of the car just fits me so well.
The accident back in July was a good litmus test to see where I was at mentally and emotionally with the vehicle. Was the desire there to keep it even after the accident? Would I really miss it for the rest of the driving season given the addition of the Bronco?
All those questions were answered during the winter months. Really looking forward to this years driving season.
It's still the best driving experience I’ve ever had.
.
Mixed a new batch of ONR in preparation of my annual spring cleaning of the Shelby. I’ve had the cover off the past few winters due to projects needing to be done so it accumulates a fine layer of dust. Perfect scenario for a rinseless wash.