2009 Shelby GT500 Convertible

wxo · Post by **wxo** » Tue Jan 31, 2023 7:55 am

"A touch of class"

Basement Paul · Post by **Basement Paul** » Sat Mar 25, 2023 9:21 pm

Finally got my plates and frame in and got them installed today. I have new belts, shocks, and rear upper control arm bushings that need installed. I'll have to pick at those. And sooner than later I'm going to order new Michelin Pilot Sport tires for it as I can't bring myself to put the crappy Goodyear OEM spec tires back on it. Nothing but terrible reviews on those.

-BP

Basement Paul · Post by **Basement Paul** » Tue Apr 04, 2023 8:13 am

On Sunday morning I thought I'd tackle an easy-ish project by replacing the belts on the Shelby. There are two of them and they are basically stacked, so the accessory pulley (alternator, crank, water pump, P/S) is on the outside, and the blower belt on the inside (supercharger, A/C, crank) which is a very wide belt. This was about a two hour job when you do it the first time. It's another scenario where being skinny and not having meat hooks for hands helps. The job doesn't require any major disassembly, just some patience to get the outside belt off, and the removal of the tensioner to get the inside belt off. The problem is most of the job is done blindly, with a lot of getting up top and laying underneath to complete the task. There was a mirror and a bungee involved for reinstalling the tensioner too. But I persevered. I'm glad I did it too as the old belts seemed a lot older than their 14 years would suggest. A scenario where sitting too long took it's toll on them IMO.

It's funny, if you look at the old belts carefully, you can basically see where they formed to the pulleys when they were sitting for several years.

Sunday late afternoon I mustered up the gumption to wash it for the first time too. I'm glad I did because it looks SO much better.

-BP

Basement Paul · Post by **Basement Paul** » Mon Apr 24, 2023 8:00 am

Over the weekend the Shelby got new Michelin Pilot Sport tires in the factory size. While I had them off I decided to tackle the rear wheel hop problem (hopefully). The upper control arm (there's only on) although low mileage, had two bushings that are dry and cracking. Being a convertible and a GT500, this is a tougher job than a stock Mustang, but I was able to get the control arm removed. I attempted to remove the bushing, but gave up after not too long and just decided to get a new control arm with a new bushing already installed.
The bushing on the pumpkin is also press out, but LMR offers a urethane bushing to go in it's place reusing the steel sleeve that the existing bushing is in. You drill out the rubber all around the steel sleeve, then just attack what's left of the rubber with a wire wheel. I believe it's this urethane bushing that will do the most to help fix the wheel hop. I don't want urethane up on the body as I don't want to listen to the clunking. This isn't a race car, it's a cruiser, so quiet and smooth is more important.
I also replace the rear shocks with new Motorcraft ones. The shocks were buried pretty well, especially on the passenger's side with the factory subwoofer in the way.
I'm hoping the new softer tires and all these upgrades will cure the hop, or at least make it a lot less violent where I could put some power down in first gear without rattling my teeth.

-BP

Basement Paul · Post by **Basement Paul** » Mon May 01, 2023 7:42 am

A couple evenings last week and late Saturday afternoon, I was able to finally get the new upper control arm and the bushing on the axle housing installed. The one on the axle was really a struggle to get the rubber out and pound the urethane one in. LMR's video just says to "tap" the bushing into the sleeve with a hammer. I pounded on it for almost an hour and a half with a four pound hammer (the biggest I could fit in that area). This doesn't include the time I spent drilling the rubber bushing out, and then burning it down with a tiny wire wheel. But at the end of the day, I win. Everything is back in place and I can happily say, at least on the street, that the wheel hopping is gone and I can actually use first gear under full throttle now. Between the bushings, rear shocks, and the new tires, the car rides SO much better, and is noticeably quieter inside too.

So now, I think really all I plan to do is a quick wax job, and I'm ready to cruise this summer. I will certainly take it to the drags, and might try a top down autocross too.

-BP

Basement Paul · Post by **Basement Paul** » Fri Jun 30, 2023 11:53 am

Been driving this thing with regularity and enjoying it quite a bit. It helps that my wife likes it. I put this one on the scales too, and it also had about 5/8 tank of fuel in it. It's pretty well balanced left to right, and I expect with me in it would be dead on balls 50/50. Front to back, notsomuch. With an iron block, it's pretty nose heavy (55.7/44.3). This is with the top down, so with it up would be even worse. And as expected, it's a porker, at 4024 lbs by itself. I think in 2011 the GT500s went to an aluminum block and did some other things to cut weight.

-BP

MostMint · Post by **MostMint** » Fri Jun 30, 2023 2:10 pm

My Impala SS came in under 3900 and according to what I see online so does the V6 Challenger. Porker is right- but it has the horsepower to move it all so no worries!