Is the Shelby GT 500 an Official Registered Shelby?

The newgen GT500 is a car manufactured by Ford and sold by Ford as an SVT vehicle, with Shelby branding.

The newgen SGT and GT-H are cars purchased wholesale by Shelby Autos and modified as Shelby cars and sold as Shelby cars thru Ford dealers.

This is not unlike 65-67 vs, 68-70 in the vintage scope of things.

In the case of vintage, both are equally recognized as Shelby vehicles.
Time will place that decision on the newgen cars, but at this point, both GT500 and SGT are considered Shelby vehicles.

If Shelby Autos keeps a list of what was produced and how, that is wonderful.
It is more than what was done in the vintage years. But when production ends and focus moves on, that data may not be perpetuated.

However, the key here is that SAAC, recognized since 1975 as the undisputed authority on the history and legacy of all Shelby automobiles, has commenced the creation of Registries for the newgen GT500, SGT and GT-H automobiles.

They will be "on the same shelf" as the vintage Cobras and Shelby Mustangs.

 

Well said Ron!

 

I guess it all depends in how you look at it. According to Amy Boylan and Carroll Shelby the new GT500's are true Shelbys. The Shelby GT's may be considered more of a purebred Shelby in the future because they were modified at SAI. The Super Snake's, GT500KR's, and 40th Anniversary cars all start out life as a GT500 and then are sent to SAI to be modified. Another way to look at it is that the '68, 69 & '70 GT350's & GT500's were all built by Ford just like the new GT500's and I don't think anybody disputes that they are actual Shelby Mustangs, but some people do prefer the '65, '66 & '67's because they actually went through Shelby's shop. My plan: I already have an '07 GT500, so I hope to buy a nice used Shelby GT in the future. I too like the Shelby GT's because they went through Shelby's facility, but I wanted the 500 HP car. The nice thing is, alot of these cars are being purchased by adults who are not as likely to trash them, so I think there will be some very nice used ones available in the years to come. You could hang on to your S-GT and look for a nice used GT500, then you will have both the Automatic and the 6-speed. Either way, you can't go wrong.

 

I agree with you except; I do not beleive SAI "purchases" the cars for the Shelby SGT or GTH uplift. Much like Ford does with some trucks or vans, where they send them out to an uplift vender to install a truck body, shelving or whatever prior to delivery to a dealer, a Shelby SGT or GTH and now the GT500KR, is the same. sai receiveS a car owned by Ford and ordered by a Ford Dealer and install the SGT/GTH uplift package and send it on to the dealer who ordered it. They never own the car.

As far as if a GT500 is a real Shelby.... my opinion is YES it is a ture Shelby for a number of reasons. But here is my number one; CS was involved in the development phase of the car. It started with the invitation from SVT from Theodore and Coletti both of who retired shortly after the GT500 project was started. Then CS worked with Hau Thai-Tang and the SVT engineers through to production. He and the SAI team was involved in testing and making performance improvment sugestions. He asked for stiffer suspension, lobbied for larger wheels and tires and helped convince management of the need for many performance enhancements that otherwise might not have happended.

So besides his name, the car has his mark in these other ways. This is what makes it a Shelby even if it never has seen the inside of SAI LV. It is a purpose built car, not a uplift of aftermarket products. IMO, people who say it is not a ture Shelby do not know or understand how the car was developed.

I also agree that SGT, GTH, and now the GT500KR are also true "Shelby" cars for the same reason. CS and his team developed, tested and installed the uplift.

In the end only time will tell how historical they all become. But IMO the GT500 is a ture Shelby, and his involvement in development of the car is the proof.

Rick

 

wow, i just learned more about my 2008 gt 500 black with red stripe convertable from you people.

thanks for the question

justus5

 

Rick, I believe the term is " Up fit" or a "Upfitter" and not "uplift" . Just watching your back. Bob

 

Ron, very well said. Bob

 

+1, WELL SAID!!

 

Thanks Bob for watching my back. You are correct of course!

 

Thanks to all for this post. I posted a thread the other day, I am new here, in the market for a GT500 and was asking why would I pay the prices for a KR500 or SuperSnake, when I could get the same packages installed for me by a ford dealer with FPP parts and warranties and have it done at time of purchased and included into my over all price. "2Cokeman" respond that the KR and Supersnake are built at SAI and not at a Ford Dealer.(thanks for your reply 2Cokeman).

As I have told my nephew and friends, I want the GT500 want the "best-bang" for my buck as far as mods, so I wasn't concerned with having the KR or supersnake badges on the car as much as having (to me the bottom line) the numbers(hp-torque) to the rear wheels. In fact I perfer a sleeper, I told my nephew, so when so one comes up on me and see oh "just a straight GT500" they would be in for a surprise.

So I guess it's what you are after, an investment having the name badges and built at SAI or the performance less the fame and about 30-50k less out your pocket.

The packages I wanted was the Drag-kit package, the Suspension package the the first step up super-charger taking it to 605 hp. I calculated that at about 10k in parts plus labor, but figured the right dealer would work with me on a deal like that and the package I wanted

 

Sorry for the late reply.

The Gt500's are Shelby's, they were built by Ford with Carroll's true involvement, this is not a "label Slap" product. We consider these Shelby's and have all the info, we will be putting them in the Shelby Autos registry along with all the cars built by us.

As a side note, unlike Roush and Saleen, we do not buy the cars we make. We are a stop on the shipment trail, We are shipped dealer ordered Shelby's and then upfit and send to the dealers. This is only done for us, the 54U code is a Shelby specific code. Hope that helps


Amy
PS, thanks to all who stopped to say hello at the Mid America meet, it was the best!

 

I forgot to say as well that SAI is the manufacturer of record on all cars we build, we ad our own monrony label to the cars

A