The S197 Shelby GT500...Too Much Fun to Leave Parked

SCALILOU

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Why can't you modify it? I live in California also, and drive a 700+ HP car that's CARB legal, passes smog and has an EO number. There aren't a lot of choices if you want to stay legal, but there are some out there. I have the 2.8 Kenne Bell LC kit.

Believe me, I would love to have long tubes and all of that, but I'm happy with the horsepower my car makes and the fact that I have no hassle getting it smogged.
I've only owned my 11 GT500 for six months so I'm sure you'll forgive reviving this old thread. My first Shelby. I live in CA and even the worst day in winter is fine for driving. I commute 90 mi RT to work and drive the Shelby to work one day per week. The advantage of CA weather is countered by the fact that I can't do any upgrades to the engine. It's stock and it'll have to stay that way as long as I live here (they scan for tuning now even if you return it to the stock tune).

I've taken it on a few long afternoon drives but no long trips. Also garaged. I don't obsess over the detailing, never have. I don't wipe it down after a drive. It's kinda dirty right now, in fact. I haven't let water touch the car since buying it, though. No car washes, no soap&water, I use waterless with MF cloths in the garage. And even that I haven't done in a couple months. It's a "driver" that gets out once a week, not a trailer queen. Just not my style. I would fully convert it to track if it didn't have a glass roof. but the car is way too nice for that. I was thinking of selling and buying another project track car. This Shelby is too gorgeous to get used up on a track. Although, I have taken it out once (only once).

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Aeneas137

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Why can't you modify it? I live in California also, and drive a 700+ HP car that's CARB legal, passes smog and has an EO number. There aren't a lot of choices if you want to stay legal, but there are some out there. I have the 2.8 Kenne Bell LC kit.

Believe me, I would love to have long tubes and all of that, but I'm happy with the horsepower my car makes and the fact that I have no hassle getting it smogged.

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Correct me if wrong but I believe those KB upgrades are no longer available from FRPP. Congratulations on getting one while they were still around and CARB legal. That's pretty rare today in CA. I pretty much can't do anything at all with the engine. No regrets, though! It's fast enough for me.
 

SCALILOU

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You can buy them straight from Kenne Bell. I bought mine 4 months ago.
Correct me if wrong but I believe those KB upgrades are no longer available from FRPP. Congratulations on getting one while they were still around and CARB legal. That's pretty rare today in CA. I pretty much can't do anything at all with the engine. No regrets, though! It's fast enough for me.

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SCALILOU

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Some eye candy lol
20210927_165607.jpeg


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Aeneas137

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That was actually a very strange thing for Ford to do if you think about it. Like it seems there was some crossover with development of the '13 maybe at the time? Maybe in order to get KB to work with them they had to promise a certain number of units sold for the 11-12's. IDK just speculating.
 

CobraBob

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When I had my ‘03 Cobra, it went under a cover in late November and came out around late March. I never daily drove it, but unless the weekend was raining, I drove it o Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Took it to NH a few times, as well as PA and NJ. In two years I put 7K (s)miles on it. I just couldn’t NOT drive it. Too much fun.
 

prison90

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I live in Iowa if the roads are dry I get my car out even on some winter days . If condition allow I drive it like I stole it . The cars a blast and to leave it in the garage is a waste . Nothing last forever enjoy it while you can .
 

SCGallo2

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Correct me if wrong but I believe those KB upgrades are no longer available from FRPP. Congratulations on getting one while they were still around and CARB legal. That's pretty rare today in CA. I pretty much can't do anything at all with the engine. No regrets, though! It's fast enough for me.

That was actually a very strange thing for Ford to do if you think about it. Like it seems there was some crossover with development of the '13 maybe at the time? Maybe in order to get KB to work with them they had to promise a certain number of units sold for the 11-12's. IDK just speculating.

Sounds like you are confusing KB with Whipple. The FRPP 725/750HP kits were Ford Racing and Whipple components. The original GT500 Shelby Supersnakes were equipped with a KB and also emissions compliant; they later added Whipple superchargers as an option. I installed my FR/Whipple kit while stationed in CA, and the ProCal tune did not like Valley Shell 91 octane. I did get mild pinging at WOT, but no evidence of detonation on the spark plugs. East coast 93 octane is much better :cool:

Whipple1.jpg
 

Aeneas137

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Sounds like you are confusing KB with Whipple. The FRPP 725/750HP kits were Ford Racing and Whipple components. The original GT500 Shelby Supersnakes were equipped with a KB and also emissions compliant; they later added Whipple superchargers as an option. I installed my FR/Whipple kit while stationed in CA, and the ProCal tune did not like Valley Shell 91 octane. I did get mild pinging at WOT, but no evidence of detonation on the spark plugs. East coast 93 octane is much better :cool:

View attachment 1729469

guys nothing in the past matters anymore with what you did in your tunes. as of July this summer you cannot do a damn thing in California with your engines with out a CARB EO.
 

01yellercobra

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i thought about selling mine and doing a different project- but realized that i have the best car in the world (for me). anything else i would buy would cost me more money, be slower, and at best just be "different". my 2008 GT500 has just about 70,000 miles on it now. i bought it a year ago with just under 60,000 miles on it. i've put about $25,000 into modifying my car and making it drive the way i want-especially around corners! (you guys could have done what i did for less than half that- but i don't have a shop and i leave the hard stuff to the pros at JBA. i'll do anything that doesn't require a lift- but installing a tuning a supercharger or replacing the suspension is out of my wheelhouse.)

the only reason i don't have more mileage on it is because i also bought an Aprilia RSV4 RR this last spring and i ride it almost every day. commuting on a super bike in southern california is a lot better than commuting in a super car with traffic jams on the 5/805 and being able to lane split!

i'll never understand people who baby their cars not to mention those who don't drive them! honestly- i should take better care of my car and wash it more and not eat food or drink coffee in it on long road trips- but i'm not really that guy. i will say though- that a clean car does drive better! :)

Do you commute to one of the bases?
 

SCGallo2

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Back on topic... picked my car up from the detailer for a paint correction and shine just prior to leaving for Mustang Week 2021, a 425 mile drive down I-95. Met up with my partner in crime @1Kona_Venom for festivities and some spirited driving :) My car did get rained on, but cleaned up nicely again afterwards. Made the return trip with no drama. I have nearly 55k miles on her, and she still puts a smile on my face every time the engine roars to life!

CarGuys detailing.jpg


IMG_5469.JPG
 

1Kona_Venom

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I've never daily drove any of my cars.
Left California in 2014 and specifically looked for a state that had car weather almost year round. (Btw, east coast has better gas, better shops and a better car scene than the west)

Current car, 2 years, put roughly 2500 miles on it. Sits at 5600 miles now.

I like the "new car" feeling after driving my Escape (2.0L turbo) for awhile.
Work near the ports, no way my car is going down a road littered with 18 wheelers and rocks.
Not parking my car in a parking lot from 530am-430pm 4 days a week.
 
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SCALILOU

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I would love to see a link to this mysterious CARB-legal KB kit. Thanks.
A simple Google search and you would have gotten your answers. There's no mystery. Kenne Bell kits have been around for decades. You must be new to the mustang scene as well as using Google search.


I purchased my kit here:


Revan Racing sells them as well.


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Aeneas137

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Get a P-51. Don’t get me wrong I love my 427R to death, but the P-51 has a much better engine, blower, wheel set up. Which is exactly what I’m doing to my car, making a type of P-51 clone.
Also pretty much bought a second 427R that will happen in a few years.


Pick your poison.

Back in 2011 when roush was selling off all of their old stock I bought up the complete conversion kit for a stage 3 and converted my 06 GT into it. it included everything in the RS3 spec, but the only thing I was missing was the big brakes. that was a fun car.
 

Aeneas137

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A simple Google search and you would have gotten your answers. There's no mystery. Kenne Bell kits have been around for decades. You must be new to the mustang scene as well as using Google search.


I purchased my kit here:


Revan Racing sells them as well.


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I don't really mind being insulted but I'm curious as to why you're so defensive about this issue. the links you provided do not clarify whether a super snake is required or if any GT500 can be upgraded in CA. yes I read everything. also not explained is whether it's still valid since the law changed in July. insult me some more if you want but this is an important issue because when you drop eight grand into a supercharger and then you can't pass smog because the tune file is invalid well then you've got a garage Queen on your hands.
 

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