Cobra Drifter
Carbon Driven™
Ever since the 2013 GT500 unveiling I went to downtown LA and got to see Shelby in person I was wanting to get one but not being able to secure an order allocation left me Shelbyless lol.
Low and behold the idea came (not sure if first but dont care) to me to get that front end look on my 09 Shelby.
Lots of researching, saving, slowly buying parts from Ford I was able to get it started awhile ago. Here are my highlights and I will reveal my completed 2014 SEMA Show project very soon.
Now a couple of guys have completed theirs going from a 08 GT to a 13 GT500 and the other from a 2010 GT to a 13 GT I believe but for a full conversion I consider it from 05-09 to the 10-14.
This conversion isnt as easy as changing a bumper cover. The radiator core support needs to be removed and the 13 welded in. There is no way around this unless you want to super half ass it and have out of alignment parts with no solution but to redo it and change the core support. All the brackets, headlights, grills and behind the scenes supporting parts need to be obtained and installed from the core support to the bumper cover.
Biggest problem is that the 13 fenders dont align with the 05-09 door profiles. Solution? Make a transitional fender out of a 05-09 and of a 13/14 (although you could get the GT500 10-12 also) and fab them together with a nice flow to them for an oem look.
No one has done them yet (to my knowledge) in carbon so I'm making mine in carbon fiber as I had 05-09 carbon fiber ones and really hated to lose that. I was the first one to do the inverted paint job on a carbon fiber fender too. I say if your gonna do something, do it right and go all out!
I have several major custom modifications also mixed in for sema so that's why it took me such a long time to get it all going and getting the cash.
Now the good stuff: Pictures!!!
Starting out with my original purchase 2009 Shelby GT500 (added bags, wheels and lots of carbon):
My 13 gt500 core support:
I picked up a full oem take off from a 13 GT500 for a great price:
Side by side comparison (note the 09 GT500 bumper has the cf splitter still on otherwise it would be even shorter)
The oem stock grills:
Bare bumper ready for sanding and installation:
Low and behold the idea came (not sure if first but dont care) to me to get that front end look on my 09 Shelby.
Lots of researching, saving, slowly buying parts from Ford I was able to get it started awhile ago. Here are my highlights and I will reveal my completed 2014 SEMA Show project very soon.
Now a couple of guys have completed theirs going from a 08 GT to a 13 GT500 and the other from a 2010 GT to a 13 GT I believe but for a full conversion I consider it from 05-09 to the 10-14.
This conversion isnt as easy as changing a bumper cover. The radiator core support needs to be removed and the 13 welded in. There is no way around this unless you want to super half ass it and have out of alignment parts with no solution but to redo it and change the core support. All the brackets, headlights, grills and behind the scenes supporting parts need to be obtained and installed from the core support to the bumper cover.
Biggest problem is that the 13 fenders dont align with the 05-09 door profiles. Solution? Make a transitional fender out of a 05-09 and of a 13/14 (although you could get the GT500 10-12 also) and fab them together with a nice flow to them for an oem look.
No one has done them yet (to my knowledge) in carbon so I'm making mine in carbon fiber as I had 05-09 carbon fiber ones and really hated to lose that. I was the first one to do the inverted paint job on a carbon fiber fender too. I say if your gonna do something, do it right and go all out!
I have several major custom modifications also mixed in for sema so that's why it took me such a long time to get it all going and getting the cash.
Now the good stuff: Pictures!!!
Starting out with my original purchase 2009 Shelby GT500 (added bags, wheels and lots of carbon):
My 13 gt500 core support:
I picked up a full oem take off from a 13 GT500 for a great price:
Side by side comparison (note the 09 GT500 bumper has the cf splitter still on otherwise it would be even shorter)
The oem stock grills:
Bare bumper ready for sanding and installation:
