GT500... SS / KR / 40th... whatever... why?

[Robert M]

I could have sworn I've read or talked to people that say Roush and Saleen have direct contact with Ford as well for R&D.

The thing I was saying is that Ford parts with Ford Racing labeling are on the Shelby product in many cases. There is a direct connection between the R&D and the actual parts on the car. Do Roush and Saleen get some R&D from Ford?, most likely. Ford is interested in their product (the Mustang) coming through as a winner with whatever name is on it. The more Saleen and Roush Mustangs sold, the more Mustangs sold by Ford, but of equal importance to Ford, R&D is for sale $$$. The difference that I have seen, is that the Roush or Saleen name is on the part(s) in the Roush and Saleen Mustang, not Ford Racing.<<<This being said, there are parts and pieces that Shelby has R&D'ed above and beyond the Ford Racing items and they do place "Shelby" on those items.

R

 

[ac427cobra]

Aren't there guys putting 380 - 390 to the wheels on their stock Cobras?

More like the 370 range was the norm for RWHP! :read::idea:

 

[Zan186]

I always get a bit of a laugh when I get to talk to people who look at cars as investments. Sure certain cars will hold their value better than others, and certain cars actually may grow in value. Point is cars are terrible investments and buying one because of what you think its future value will be is dumb. You buy a car to drive it!
I am a small time car collector (slowly closing in on Jay Leno lol). I bought a 2002 Dodge Viper FE, and now just recently a 2008 Shelby GT500. I bought the Viper because I loved the way it looked and that it was a true drivers car. (no nanny governers at all, ok it has ABS, but that is good cause I don't want to die). Did I buy the car because it was a Final Edition and it "will" be worth big money in the future? Nope! I bought the FE because I liked the Red with White Stripes. Being an FE was just a bonus. I paid top dollar, probably 15k more than I should of for it. Why? Because the one I bought was in mint condition and the engine was rebuilt at the arrow plant and documented. Low miles (5500) also played a little into consideration.
So why the story? Most people 99.9% of the population that are car people are going to want a car for how it looks and performance. Yes having an extra doodad like an SS or KR or RS whatever does play a little into the equation. The .1% that are collectors are going to pay a boat load but they want the car undriven or extremely low miles. What a waste if you ask me. Not to mention letting a car sit it probably the worse thing for it. When I was looking for Vipers I wanted one that had at least 3000 miles and if the mileage was that low, I wanted to see documentation that it was driven at least enough to cirulate the oil.

Is it worth paying for a KR or SS? Honestly No. Then again I thought people were foolish spending over MSRP. There are always people who lack patience and their are always people who will spend whatever just to have something. I look at them as people who have been taken advantage of. They will claim they enjoyed the car for the extra 20k ADM they paid. With that ADM money they could of put it towards a whole lot of mods!

Shelby's name? Honestly the name had zero factor in my decision to buy. And to pay 300 bucks for a signed dash plate lol! To each his own but I certainly am not going to pay for someone's name plate! Will it increase the value? Nope. You really think if someone is going to buy a GT500 that a dash plate is going to determine wether they buy your's or someone else's?

 

[Snagged]

More like the 370 range was the norm for RWHP! :read::idea:

Well I didn't say it was the norm, I simply said there were guys putting down 380 to 390. . . . . . . .:dw:

 

[Robert M]

I always get a bit of a laugh when I get to talk to people who look at cars as investments. Sure certain cars will hold their value better than others, and certain cars actually may grow in value. Point is cars are terrible investments and buying one because of what you think its future value will be is dumb. You buy a car to drive it!
I am a small time car collector (slowly closing in on Jay Leno lol). I bought a 2002 Dodge Viper FE, and now just recently a 2008 Shelby GT500. I bought the Viper because I loved the way it looked and that it was a true drivers car. (no nanny governers at all, ok it has ABS, but that is good cause I don't want to die). Did I buy the car because it was a Final Edition and it "will" be worth big money in the future? Nope! I bought the FE because I liked the Red with White Stripes. Being an FE was just a bonus. I paid top dollar, probably 15k more than I should of for it. Why? Because the one I bought was in mint condition and the engine was rebuilt at the arrow plant and documented. Low miles (5500) also played a little into consideration.
So why the story? Most people 99.9% of the population that are car people are going to want a car for how it looks and performance. Yes having an extra doodad like an SS or KR or RS whatever does play a little into the equation. The .1% that are collectors are going to pay a boat load but they want the car undriven or extremely low miles. What a waste if you ask me. Not to mention letting a car sit it probably the worse thing for it. When I was looking for Vipers I wanted one that had at least 3000 miles and if the mileage was that low, I wanted to see documentation that it was driven at least enough to cirulate the oil.

Is it worth paying for a KR or SS? Honestly No. Then again I thought people were foolish spending over MSRP. There are always people who lack patience and their are always people who will spend whatever just to have something. I look at them as people who have been taken advantage of. They will claim they enjoyed the car for the extra 20k ADM they paid. With that ADM money they could of put it towards a whole lot of mods!

Shelby's name? Honestly the name had zero factor in my decision to buy. And to pay 300 bucks for a signed dash plate lol! To each his own but I certainly am not going to pay for someone's name plate! Will it increase the value? Nope. You really think if someone is going to buy a GT500 that a dash plate is going to determine wether they buy your's or someone else's?

Well from personal experience and first hand knowledge I would have to disagree about cars as investments...........

Yes, most cars dive in $$$ and take forever to recover, BUT, if you are an investor, as with any investment, you have to know what to buy and when. I will not go into any specific details, but because of two very wise "car investments" I will now own a 725 Shelby Super Snake with a total of $40K actual $$$ invested.<<<I can think of NO 725h.p. level car that can be bought new for $$$ anywhere near $40K, especially a Shelby, can you? The reason why this happened...........I made a wise investment in 1999 of $14.5K in a (at that time) 25+ year 71 429 Drag Pack Mach 1. Since I am an investor/collector/enthusiast, I have to keep track of ALL monies spent on the car to make it right while I own it,<<<if it needs additional $$$ spent after the purchase. I had $17K in it at time of sale in late 2003, it sold for $$$ just short of $50K. After the 71-429SCJ Mach 1 purchase and sale, I bought a 1993 Cobra R at a time when the market was slow, I did nothing to that car over the past 4+ years and almost doubled my money which was well over $50K. That is better than the real estate market or stock market. Yes, these two "buys and sells" are peanuts in the car world, BUT saying "NO" cars are investments tells me that the investor is investing in the wrong cars. That is the investors fault, not the collector car. Note that the latest car I sold was a 1993 Cobra R. It is a relatively new car, which shows that it does not have to be 60's muscle car to bring a big $$$ return. The key is, when, and what, to buy. :thumbsup:

BTW - I didn't mention........I had purchased an additional Drag Pack Super Cobra Jet and a Cobra Jet, both 1971 429 Mach 1's during this 1999-2003 time period, they too, did extemely well at sale time vs. total investment. I have been buying and selling collector/specialty cars for 30+ years.

If you study the collector/specialty car market from an investment level, you can make the wise investments. If you don't, the cars are toys to be driven and tossed aside when something new comes along, resulting in a $$$ loss at sale time. :whine:

When I started looking at the 725 Super Snake I took into account "ALL" real $$$ it was going to take to build such a car, the GT500 for $48K plus tax, the 725 conversion for $32K plus tax and transportation to and from Shelby. Real $$$, $85K-$90K. I can think of no car in the 725h.p. level that can be bought for these kinds of $$$. The Viper is at 600 or so, the new ZR1 at 650.

R

 

[Robert M]

Another "investment car" for sale.

For those who have not followed the 1993 Cobra R's since new. The original MSRP in the window sticker was $25,692. A 1993 Cobra R in this same "wrapper" condition could have been purchased on a somewhat regular basis in 2003/04 for approx. $40K-$42K. That was just 4 short years ago. This car will go well into the $70K's now, and maybe even beyond that, depending upon who is watching this auction. Just think, 3 times its original price in 15 years and has almost doubled what it was just 4 years ago....Investment.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Ford...008QQitemZ180235277595QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW

The problem with a car like this is that it is still somewhat new in age. Miles will quickly deminish the value.

For the first time in collector/specialty car history a person is able to buy their dream car in new condition, well after the car was new. Just think, you grew up in the "FOX" Mustang era, you have always dreamed of owning one of the 107 1993 Cobra R's. You could not afford one in 1993, and now, 15 years later when you are well established in your career your dream car comes up for sale, and it is in BRAND NEW CONDITION!!!, not restored, but NEW!! Priceless!!

R

 

[Robert M]

I would not have brought this thread back to the top...............

except I came across this Ford information that tells a lot about what "was" and what "is" as it relates to Carroll Shelby and the current GT500. The first bullett, and the last bullett under the Carroll Shelby Connection, in this Ford information say a lot.

I don't know why this image has been resized, but I was able to read it clearly when I clicked on the "resize bar".

R

 

[ViperBlueCobra]

For the first time in collector/specialty car history a person is able to buy their dream car in new condition, well after the car was new. Just think, you grew up in the "FOX" Mustang era, you have always dreamed of owning one of the 107 1993 Cobra R's. You could not afford one in 1993, and now, 15 years later when you are well established in your career your dream car comes up for sale, and it is in BRAND NEW CONDITION!!!, not restored, but NEW!! Priceless!!

R

:rockon: I agree with this for sure!

 

[93SVTCobra]

What would you expect a piece of Ford promotional literature to say?

 

[Ry_Trapp0]

thus far, this entire thread has been worthless. we've just confirmed numerous times what we've known already(ford paid shelby, SVT did every bit of work on the car) and nothing more. dont like shelby? no one in this forum cares, take it somewhere else. dont like the car? why the hell are you even in here? do you just feel like being an ass hole? marriage counseling.

its corporate greed on both parts, I don't care what the know it all internet people think, once shelby kicks the bucket the sales will plummet on any new car with his name on it, order up your dash plaques as soon as you can, he only signs every few months.

wow, your kidding, right??? so ford is being greedy even though they have been IN DEBT for i dont even know how many years now? and mr. shelby is being greedy because ford offers him a few suitcases of money and he accepts the offer??? wow.

 

[93SVTCobra]

Here is the picture of the center cap I referenced earlier:


http://www.autoblog.com/photos/first-drive-2008-shelby-gt500kr-part-2/781711/