Shelby De Mexico, I just learned of them just now, I never heard of Shelby Mavericks either, but here is the scoop

There's the scoop ( literally ) Naca duct for fresh air and 2 exhaust to keep it cooler under the hood.

Sequential taillights, just like the California Specials (originally from the t-birds)

with hood pins, and the Shelby rims

So here's what it's all about:

In 1965, Mexican auto parts distributor Eduardo Velazquez bought a Hi-Po 1965 Mustang hardtop and delivered it to Hi-Performance Motors in Los Angeles for conversion to competitive status. Equipped with a race-ready 289ci engine and the complete Shelby suspension, the Mustang became a winner in Mexico . By the end of 1966, Velazquez's team had won ten of the seventeen events they had raced.

Ford Motor Company, S.A, the Mexican branch of the corporation, had begun producing Mustang hardtops During 1966, Velazquez became a Shelby parts dealer, and the victories provided great promotion for Shelby aftermarket parts for those Mustangs. In 1967, Velazquez formed a friendship and partnership with Carroll Shelby. Their company Shelby de Mexico, would create modified Mustangs to be marketed through Ford of Mexico dealerships.

The Shelby de Mexico models of 1967 and 1968 were powered by 289ci engines and looked nearly identical to their 1967 and 1968 stateside namesakes. Production totaled 169 units in 1967 and 203 units in 1968.

The 306 Shelbys produced in 1969 were based on 302hp powered Mustang hardtops, but had fiberglass roofline extensions that created a Fastback look. Their front sheetmetal was near-stock Mustang, but the slightly bulged hoods were fiberglass, their deck lids had spoilers, and the taillights were the 1965 Thunderbird units used by US production 1968 and 1969 Shelbys. Several of the 1969 Shelby de Mexico GT-350s have been brought into the United States during recent years, and two have been featured in Mustang Monthly and other enthusiast magazines.

During those years, Shelby de Mexico campaigned Mustang race cars throughout Mexico , including two Shelby-built 1966 and 1967 Group 2 hardtops. Much advice was received from Al Dowd, Phil Remington, and Lew Spencer at Shelby American, and Carrol! Shelby made a point of attending several races in Mexico . The company created two race cars in 1969 and only one in 1970. Only one of those race-specific models is known to survive.

Shelby de Mexico, during the 1971 model year, built approximately 200 Shelby Mustang GT-351s (Windsor engines) and 300 Shelby Mavericks powered by 302hp engines.

all this info, lifted verbatim because it's dead on and consise: http://sarin.lunarpages.com/~musta4/mustangtrivia/shelbydemexico.htm

But the Shelby Maverick is a real big surprise..

photos from http://www.shelbyforums.com/forums/open-community-forum/1625-shelby-maverick.html
and
http://mmb.maverick.to/gallery/showimage.php?i=9442&c=145

The authoritative write up is from Bob McClurg who made some trips to Mexico and almost bought one, but while he was waiting for delivery, it all went up in smoke, the car and his contact in Mexico disappeared. He first covered the Shelby in Mustang Illustrated February 1991 which is online right here: http://www.darkhorseracing.net/south_of_the_boarder.htm and refreshed with a new look in this months Muscle car

Dean Jeffries, pinstriper and custom car bulder, Oakland Roadster Show winner

I was just reading an article about Dean and the Mantaray, and learned that he travelled to Indy for the 500, and on year, pinstriped 2/3rds of the race cars

James Dean was one of his early customers, and Jeffries painted "Little Bastard" on the Porsche 550 Spyder that Dean owned.

Agajanian took Jeffries to the 1952 Indy 500, Mobil Oil, noticing his unusual painting and pin striping style, hired him in the following years to paint any of the Indy race cars. It was free to the teams and Mobil got their logo somewhere on the car. Jeffries would paint and pin stripe the cars and helmets of race car drivers like Jim Rathmann, Parnelli Jones, and A. J. Foyt, and become Foyt's paint and body man.

After that, in 1962, he worked for famous race car designer and builder Carroll Shelby on the Cobra.

Dean's show car, Mantaray, first appeared at the 1964 Oakland Roadster Show where it won the Tournament of Fame First Prize. The smallblock Ford engine & 4-speed trans came directly from Shelby as partial payment for work Jeffries had done and to this day that Cobra engine has just a few miles on it.

For more about Dean Jeffries, mostly photos of his pinstriping, Krazy Shirts, and his magazine advertisements: http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/search/label/Dean%20Jeffries

Barnfind Shelby AC Cobra, and a one owner, less than 7.4 thou miles '62 Benz 300SL roadster getting auctioned by Gooding Jan 21st

Said to be the only unrestored Cobra in blue and red livery, the '64 AAC Cobra spent 33 years in "storage" yet comes off as surprisingly lustworthy in spite of that. It began life as Carroll Shelby's promo car at SoCal racing venues, was pulled from the deeep barn sleep to do the 2010 Pebble Beach

from http://www.autoblog.com/2010/12/15/gooding-unloads-its-time-capsule-cars-for-its-2011-scottsdale/

Home built Shelby Cobra Daytona was made when Shelby sold chassis CSX2130 to an independant racer. I wonder if it was the only one

learned about this at http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showpost.php?p=5870067&postcount=13861

but the story is at http://www.imca-slotracing.com/1964-Le%20Mans%2024-5.htm

September 26, 1964 - The annual Autosport Three Hours, at the Snetterton track is the tenth and last round of the British Championship and the fifth time that Ford and Cobra stay eye into eye.
Eventually there are only two Cobras (a Willment Coupe and the HEM-6) at the start and two Ferraris - two LMs: Maranello's for Graham Hill and Piper's.

At the start, with Graham Hill on the pole, it's raining the proverbial cats and dogs.

As the track becomes less like a lake, Jack Sears is able to use some of the power of his Willment Cobra Roadster, passing Roger Mac and taking the lead.

The Willment Cobra Daytona Coupe places 1st

October 21, 1964 - This is the third year that British drivers show at the Daily Rand Nine Hours of Kyalami. Willment Cobra Daytona Coupe places 5th

Hear that screaming? Hear the cry of outrage? Yup, they just looked at this GT500 Shelby Mustang Cobra on a junkyard heap of junk cars. The point is

that this should get us fired up, like when Car Craft once had a photo of a Camaro that was being eaten by the jungle slowly... and the submission was accompanied by the phrase "we lost one, but let it be remembered by saving others" (Adam Rosenbaum, Portland Maine)

from http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=428585&page=561

it reminded me of

that I posted a couple years ago http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2008/12/no-one-will-likely-ever-know-what.html

Ford to limit 2011 Shelby GT500 production to 5,500 units

We've just gotten off the horn with Ford's SVT performance division, and we've learned that the Blue Oval's hot-rod arm is going to limit production of the 2011 Shelby GT500 to 5,500 units for this model year. According to Ford spokesman Henry Platts, the move is not the result of slow sales, but rather a desire to maintain exclusivity. In fact, sales of Ford's king of the Mustang range have "exceeded expectations," with in excess of 3,300 orders already placed.

The 550-horsepower GT500 has not only been performing surprisingly well in a down economy, it's been going out the door loaded-to-the sills with options. According to Platts, there have been three times as many GT500 coupes ordered with the $1995 glass roof option as compared to the regular Mustang. In the "News That Makes Us Happy" category comes word that a full 68 percent have been spec'd out with the $3,495 performance package (includes 19- and 20-inch painted forged alloys, 3.73 limited-slip, tuned suspension, Gurney flap rear spoiler, etc.), and additionally, 70 percent of all GT500s have been ordered with the $2,340 electronics package (navi, dual-zone HVAC and Sirius/HD radio). With the GT500 starting at an out-the-door price of $49,495 before options, we're guessing that the GT500 is more than carrying its weight for Dearborn's bottom line.

While Ford is limiting total output of the GT500 to 5,500 units for 2011, Platts says the automaker has no plans to dictate how that shakes out in the coupe/convertible bodystyle mix. That said, if you've been fence-sitting on whether to pick up a GT500 of your very own this year, might we suggest that you make up your mind... quickly.


[Source: Ford]

Chicago 2010: Aluminum-ized Ford Shelby GT500 treads lightly on show floor

Like the 2011 Mustang GT at last month's Detroit Auto Show, the 2011 Shelby was unveiled here at the Chicago Auto Show with little fanfare. In fact, there wasn't an unveiling at all, as the new Shelby was sitting uncovered on the show floor as soon as we arrived. The car looks fantastic in person, especially with the optional Performance Package and its 19-inch forged aluminum wheels, and the thinner stripes look better than we expected.

The best part about the 2011 GT500, however, is underneath the hood. Ford has finally thrown out the heavy iron block in favor of an aluminum unit that contributed to a significant weight savings of 120 pounds. The GT500 still isn't a lightweight at 3,820 pounds, but we fully expect the handling to be improved over the 2010 model with all that weight removed from the nose.

2011 Ford Shelby GT500 finally gets aluminum engine, loses 120 pounds

Ever since Ford introduced the modern Shelby GT500 four years ago, almost no one has complained about the prodigious power levels produced by its supercharged 5.4-liter V8. With as much as 540 horsepower and 510 pound-feet of torque in the 2010 model, there was no shortage of grunt. No, the issue was an excess of mass.

Before the contemporary GT500 was born, Ford had a blown aluminum block 5.4-liter V8 in the short lived GT supercar. However, when the engineers at Ford's Special Vehicle Team developed the GT500, they opted to mount the GT's cylinder heads on the cast iron block used in the big F-Series pickup trucks. After debuting a visual refresh for the Mustang a year ago, Ford has spent the last two months announcing fresh new powertrains for the base and GT models. That process has now come full circle with SVT rolling out a heart transplant for the Shelby GT500. The 2011 model finally has the aluminum powerplant we all wanted when it debuted, and the effect is absolutely en-lightening.

The SVT engineers actually had a reason for going with the iron block in the first place. Mustangs like the GT500 and its Cobra ancestors often end up being heavily modified for use at drag strips and race tracks, and the SVT crew wanted to make sure the standard block could stand up to the rigors of those significantly higher outputs. They chose not to use an aluminum block until they had a chance to develop one with the same strength as the iron version, and that time has now come.

We recently had a chance to sit down with GT500 chief nameplate engineer Jamal Hameedi in his office at SVT's headquarters to learn more about what's new for 2011. Switching to an aluminum block was a bit more complicated than simply digging out the casting molds that were used for the GT. The engine in that 200+ mph supercar used a dry sump lubrication system and featured iron cylinder liners. The new GT500 engine is derived from the structural design of the older block but retains the wet sump system used in other Mustangs. The real magic is something that most owners will likely never actually see.



Last June we learned about an award that several Ford researchers had received for a cylinder bore coating system they developed called the Plasma Transferred Wire Arc (PTWA) process. The Ford press release at the time framed the award in terms of fuel efficiency and gave no real hint about what was about to come. It now turns out that the first production Ford to use the PTWA process will be the 2011 GT500.

Nissan actually licensed PTWA from Ford for use on its V6 engine in the GT-R.

The heart of the PTWA process involves feeding a steel wire into a device that heats it up to 35,000 degrees Fahrenheit and then sprays it onto the aluminum cylinder bores. Ford is not actually the first company to use a process like this. Similar mechanisms have been used to coat the fan blades in jet engines for a number of years. One of the primary differences is that Ford is using PTWA with a conventional steel alloy rather than some super exotic aerospace material. Ford isn't even the first automaker to use this specific coating process. That honor falls to Nissan, which actually licensed the technology from Ford for use on its V6 engine in the GT-R.

Hameedi believes that Ford has an important advantage over Nissan. Anyone that has ever used a teflon-coated pan is familiar with the problem of the non-stick coating peeling off over time. In the past BMW has also had issues with the nickasil coatings prematurely separating on some of its aluminum blocks. Getting any dissimilar materials to adhere to each other is always a problem, so the initial surface has to be specially prepared in order for the coating to have something to hang on to. Nissan licensed Ford's coating technology but used its own surface preparation process. According to Hameedi, Ford's surface preparation works so well that even after engines have gone through a full durability cycle the bores still look like new.



Using the PTWA process allows the block to have a thinner surface coating – only 150 microns deep – that is just as tough as one with cast or pressed-in iron or steel liners. However, using less material results in lower weight. According to Hameedi, the GT500 block is 8.5 pounds lighter than the sleeved GT version. Overall, the complete engine is 102 pounds lighter than the 2010 cast iron engine. The steel coating has also helped Ford reduce the internal friction of the engine, aiding both efficiency and power production.

Hameedi explained that some drag racers complained of power drop off on humid summer days, which was attributed to reduced heat transfer efficiency. SVT addressed this with a larger intercooler that helps the engine deliver more consistent power over its entire operating range as well as under different environmental conditions. Hameedi tells Autoblog that the new aluminum block engine should be able to survive "at least" as much maximum power in modified form as the iron block equivalent. Also aiding breathing is a larger exhaust system with 2.75 inch header pipes like those on the new 5.0-liter in the Mustang GT. Out of the box, the new powerplant delivers 10 more horsepower bringing the tally up to 550 hp with the same peak torque of 510 pound-feet. Eighty percent of that torque is available everywhere between 1,750 rpm and 6,250 rpm.



For 2011, Hameedi tells us "We're at the top of the power heap, we're the fastest accelerating vehicle, so this really wasn't about going any faster in a straight line. This was about improving the weight distribution and handling of the vehicle." The new engine contributed to a 120 pound overall weight reduction with most of that coming off the front axle. Most of the rest of the weight loss came from new lighter weight wheels that are part of the SVT Performance Package. The front wheels that come with the Performance Package remain 19 inches in diameter but are 4.7 pounds lighter. The rears grow to 20 inches but are still 2.8 pounds lighter. Cutting unsprung mass is never a bad thing when it comes to both ride quality and handling. Along with the extra rear grip provided by the larger Performance Package wheels and tires, SVT has added a 3.73:1 rear axle ratio.

The 2011 GT500 is three seconds faster around a certain un-named northern California racetrack.

Like other 2011 Mustangs, the GT500 gets a new electric power assist steering (EPAS) system that Hameedi describes as "extremely precise." At parking lot speeds, he describes the steering effort as Lincoln-like but it rapidly builds up as you drive more aggressively and it supposedly has excellent on-center feel, something that is often tough to achieve with EPAS. We'll have to wait a few more months to find out just how precise that is since we won't get to drive the car until Spring.

Getting any high-powered car to accelerate, stop or turn is highly dependent on the adhesion between the tire and the road surface, especially when it's wet. SVT has adopted the latest generation Goodyear F1 supercar tires for the 2011 GT500, which Hameedi says are "a major step" beyond the previous version in both wet and dry grip. With the reduced mass on the front axle, SVT has also modified the spring and damper rates on both base and Performance Package models. The latter version gets 20.5-percent stiffer front springs and 9.5-percent tighter rears that also bring the front end 11 millimeters closer to the road and the rear 8 mm lower.



One of the main criticisms of the Mustang convertible ever since the S197 debuted for 2005 (actually ever since pretty much forever) is a lack of structural integrity. Because of that flexibility, the 2010 model GT500 convertible was actually considered more of a cruiser model and was thus tuned more for ride comfort than handling. Thus the old convertible was only available with 18-inch wheels. For 2011, SVT took the lead on developing an upgraded body structure for the convertibles that should help keep the corners of the car from moving relative to each other. The effort was successful enough that the changes are being implemented across the board on all 2011 Mustang convertibles. The 2011 GT500 convertible also gets bumped up to the 19-inch wheels and offers handling that is supposedly much closer to the coupe without degrading the ride comfort.

For those who want the sun to shine but still want the extra stiffness of the coupe, the GT500 is now available with the glass roof that has been available on regular Mustangs for the past two years.



Regardless of the roof type, Hameedi tells us that the GT500 has "a very different driving experience driving an '11 from a '10, they're much more nimble, they feel more alive, the steering is quicker." The straight-line acceleration was improved by about 1/10th of second, but overall drivability and handling are said to be vastly improved. The upgrades are far more apparent on a road course than they are at the drag strip. According to SVT spokesman Patrick Hespen, the 2011 GT500 model is three seconds a lap faster than the 2010 around a certain un-named 2.3-mile-long, northern California racetrack that happens to play host to a big historic racing event every August. Closer to home at Grattan raceway in west Michigan, the 2011 GT500 is also about 2.5-3 seconds a lap faster. Given the relatively modest power increase, those are some big numbers.

The Performance Package also gets some modest visual differentiators including narrower racing stripes down the center of the body along with the new wheel design. Inside the car, the shift knob on the Performance Package model lacks the stripes found on the base model.



While most GT500 drivers are unlikely to be too concerned about fuel efficiency, it is a political and commercial reality that Ford does have to deal with. The EPA rated the 2010 GT500 at 14 mpg city and 22 mpg highway and slapped a $1,000 gas guzzler tax on the hood. The addition of EPAS, reduced mass and reduced friction all helped to improve the 2011 GT500's EPA numbers to 15 and 23 mpg and cleared the GT500 of the dreaded guzzler label.

[Source: Autoblog]

Shelby unveils 2011 GT350 Mustang at Barrett-Jackson

Coinciding with the 45th anniversary of the original 1965 Shelby GT350, Shelby American unveiled an all new GT350 Mustang at the opening night gala of the Barrett-Jackson auction in Scottsdale, AZ. Presented in concept form, the new GT350 features a supercharged version of the brand new 5.0-liter V8 engine in the 2011 Mustang as well as performance upgrades from Ford Racing, Borla, Cragar, Baer and more.

Unlike the GT500, the GT350 will be a post-title upgrade available from Shelby. Customers can have their 2011 Mustangs shipped directly to Shelby's Las Vegas facility to be converted or they can deliver the car themselves. Once in the hands of Shelby, each Mustang is fitted with a Ford Racing supercharger good for approximately 500 horsepower, a Ford Racing suspension system, Baer brakes front and rear, Borla exhaust system, Cragar wheels, and more. For the exterior, Shelby fits a new front fascia, front splitter, functional hood scoop tail light trim, rear deck lid filler panel and a rear fascia with center exhaust exit. White with Guardsman Blue racing stripes will be the only available color combination, which isn't such a bad thing.

Of course, all of that comes at a price. Shelby lists the GT350's MSRP at $33,995, which doesn't sound that bad until you realize it doesn't include the base car. With the 2011 Mustang GT coming in at just over $30,000, the total price of the GT350 will actually exceed that of the GT500. Does something similar to the Shelby GT built the last few years make more sense? Perhaps, but we're sure Shelby will find quite a few buyers anyway.

[Source: Shelby American]

2009 Shelby Cobra Daytona Coupe MKII CSX9000 - Details, Photo, Price

Ford will release new supercar 2010 - Ford Shelby GT500

Supercar Ford GT500 is mechanically an evolution of the previous model.Ford used the current-gen Bullitt model as the starting point for the 2010 Mustang GT, the lessons learned from developing the limited edition GT500 KR fed directly into the latest Shelby-badged variant. Output of the supercharged 5.4L V8 has now been cranked up to 540 hp and 510 lb-ft of torque, and the handling is claimed to be better than before.

Compare with the old GT500, this new supercar model gets more aggressive styling, particularly in the nose, and reprises many of the same detail elements. The horizontally mirrored trapezoidal shape of the grille in the upper and lower front fascia is meant to echo the oval shape of the Shelby Cobras of the '60s. The upper grille is tilted forward at a steeper angle than the GT and the grille surround is separated entirely from the hood. The hood of the GT500 still has a functional air extractor allowing some of the massive heat generated by the blown V8 to escape.

The engine for this supercar is still a twin cam 5.4L V8 with a supercharger. The updates bump output from from 500 hp at 6,000 rpm to 540 hp at 6,200 rpm. Twisting force also goes from 480 lb-ft at 4,500 rpm to 510 lb-ft at the same peak speed. The iron block from the F-150 was used with the top end of the GT engine, which pushed the car's weight up over 3,900 lbs.

The top two ratios in the new GT500's gearbox have been made numerically lower. The clutch plates for supercar GT500 have been increased in diameter from 215 mm to 250 mm. All that torque flows from the Tremec 6-speed gearbox through a limited slip differential with a 3.55:1 final drive ratio. The 2010 GT500 gets 17% stiffer springs at the front axle and 7% stiffer at the rear axle.