Shelby Raptor- 575 HP Debut today

[Maxx2893]

Hey guys, I'm new to this game (modern wheelin') so be gentle...I grew up with a dad who owned a CJ-6 and belonged to the Santa Maria (CA) 4 wheelers and spent most summer holidays (memorial day, july 4th & labor day) in the Pismo Dunes with more trips than I can count on fireroads and trails all over the Sierra Mountain range of CA. I owned my own '67 Chevy Shortbed/fleetside C-10 4x4 (283, 3 on the tree) in my late 20's but just got back into a four-by when I bought my 2011 F-150 4x4 King Ranch, that I promptly traded in on my 2012 F-150 Raptor (I know, STOOPID move that cost me $20K). I went in to talk about buying a Raptor, walked past a KR being prepped for sale and fell in love with the 2-tone interior. Anyway....

Having said that, I *really* like the Shelby (beadlock) wheels vs. the Ford Racing version and knowing Shelby, realize they don't make their own stuff but likely have someone making proprietary wheels for them (ala, the Alcoa Dura-bright GT500KR and Super Snake wheels).

Now I see someone saying they know the wheel. And who makes it. But like I said, I'M NEW to this so the name means jack to me.

My basic question is, who/what/where can I find these wheels?

As far as my perspective of the Shelby Raptor;

Personally, for once I don't think Shelby is way out of line with the Raptor (price wise). I *DO* with the Focus and I *DO* with the Super Snake but I think $17K plus some change isn't *that* bad for what you get (relative to the Roush and I have not seen the Hennesey).

I am a little confused in that Shelby offers a Whipple 2.9L (polished in the brochure, not clear if that's included or extra) vs the Roush RS2300 TVS, and I'm a BIG Roush fan! But Shelby is getting considerably less HP out of a lager capacity SC...Which tells *me* there is WAY more potential with the Shelby vs. the Roush offering. The bottom end is why I suspect Shelby stopped at the HP level they did. Roush, being a "Ford Dealer" can offer the OE 3/36 factory warranty intact whereas I don't believe Shelby can.

As far as the comment "$18K for a supercharger" is concerned: That's one of my biggest critiques of the Super Snake. They literally unbolt the OEM Eaton and bolt on a FRPP TVS, Whipple or Kenne Bell where with the Raptor, it's not just a matter of unbolting one and bolting on another. It's a whole lot more work and material. It needs a new intake manifold, adding the Intercooler heat exchanger, radiator, pump, SC drive pulley/s, etc. etc. etc. That's VERY labor intensive (something *most* guys wouldn't attempt to do in their driveway) vs. a few hours to bolt on a bigger SC as with the Super Snake (along with a aftermarket suspension and hood).

My point is, I am NOT one of the "fan boys" you see running around trying to firmly affix my lips to the buttocks of Carroll Shelby or Shelby American (or an associate/employee thereof) and I still think it's a 'decent' deal. In fact, I was so un-enthused with Shelby's business practice of not allowing anything but a BLACK stripe on the SS in 2010 and earlier (I bought a Kona Blue car with a WHITE stripe for a reason...BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT I WANTED) that I literally said '****-off' and more or less built my own 'Super Snake' (sans the hood, and plus a whole bunch more, for CONSIDERABLY less than a Super Snake that has less mods). Sorry, I went off on a tangent with my usual and typical rant again;

Anyway, back to the Raptor:

They (Shelby American) give you a VERY nice looking interior package vs Roush emblazoned headrests. I figure that's worth about $4K if you had to go out and get one done yourself.

They give you a lager capacity Whipple 2.9L SC vs the Roush 2.3L SC.

Vent-mounted gauges (still trying to find out just what gaugeS they add).

Exhaust: Borla vs. Roush. I like the Roush myself but I've seen people here that prefer the Borla (both are GREAT companies IMO). It's kind of like Ford vs. Chevy.

I do agree with the graphics gripes, to a point. They are a *little* overboard for me (but not TOO OB for me) and frankly after paying what I paid for my factory Side/Hood graphics I'd hate to lose them for the Shelby version. I'd like it if Shelby allowed a "stripe delete" (like Roush does) and let me keep my OEM graphics, like Roush will. The "Roush Off-Road" bed sticker would be plenty enough for me (albeit saying "Shelby Off-Road" instead of Roush) vs. the 3 offerings they provide now, and removing my factory graphics.

I'm not sure if the rear window banner is included on the SR or not, I have that question posted on the Team Shelby forum right now. I'd love to see Shelby add a Shelby Windshield banner to all of their cars...Like Roush (and Saleen, and, and, and....) does.

The fender vent logo....Ehhhhh, I could live without that but at least it's not cheesy.

And again, I *really* like those wheels. I'm still trying to find out if you get to keep your stock/OE wheels or if Shelby keeps them, or charges a core charge if you want them (they started keeping the take-off parts with the 2012+ Super Snake upfits). That could dramatically affect the "price perspective" of the Shelby, losing a set of new or near new Wheels and Tires.

All in all, I think Shelby is right in line (competitive) with Roush, comparatively speaking. And like I said, I haven't seen a Hennesy but someone on TS mentioned another company (three letters, I think the first was "R") and I don't know who that is or what it is either.

What's the biggest beef with the Shelby Raptor here on FRF? It doesn't appear, from this thread that there is one major issue but rather a few smaller ones, amongst different people.

I swore I wouldn't drop a bunch of money on my Raptor and now here I am thinking hard about getting one (Shelby OR Roush).


Enough from me,

Phill Pollard

Welcome! If you look hard at the small print, Shelby keeps all takeoffs. Also the wheels are Methods. I represent Rock and Roll Offroad on this forum and we can get those wheels for you with a method center cap instead of Shelby.

 

[DubbsFaris]

I am a member on Team Shelby and caught some flack from several people and the Shelby folks as well. The Shelby is a over priced SC raptor with some bling. Nothing special they missed the chance but the idiots who buy anything with "Shelby's" name on it will flock to it like flies on poo poo.!!

Here was your post on TS-
The truck is getting beaten up pretty good on the Raptor Forums... It is a lot to pay for stickers... This will be a fan boy truck for the people who like the street queens. This is not for the hard core off road folks. Mark my words after the initial fan boy buyers that will be slow. There are better people offering better products for a lot less money. Why would you want a dead mans name on the vehicle who had nothing to do with it???? Shelby missed the make by going the easy way to quick profit with the SC!! What idiots---NO person runs off road in the ugy with a SC motor---again Street Queen Poser Vehicle..

Yeah, I cant imagine why the folks on Team Shelby took offense to your post Boss. A Supercharger doesnt give any offroading value- you are right there. BUT- when people Supercharge their raptors here in the mod section, I dont see any of those criticisms directed at them. And while we are at it, how many miles do you have on your Raptor- and how many miles did you honestly put on it while Offroading? I track my Shelbys A LOT. That said, only 1% of my miles are track miles, and if you get to have your raptor SC'ed and its giving you some fun 99% of the time when you are on roads, its not that bad, is it?

 

[Maxx2893]

To the dead man's name on something comment, Ehh I have Ford on the front and back of my truck.

 

[Boss Hoss]

Yeah, I cant imagine why the folks on Team Shelby took offense to your post Boss. A Supercharger doesnt give any offroading value- you are right there. BUT- when people Supercharge their raptors here in the mod section, I dont see any of those criticisms directed at them. And while we are at it, how many miles do you have on your Raptor- and how many miles did you honestly put on it while Offroading? I track my Shelbys A LOT. That said, only 1% of my miles are track miles, and if you get to have your raptor SC'ed and its giving you some fun 99% of the time when you are on roads, its not that bad, is it?

Yeah, I cant imagine why the folks on Team Shelby took offense to your post Boss. A Supercharger doesnt give any offroading value- you are right there. BUT- when people Supercharge their raptors here in the mod section, I dont see any of those criticisms directed at them. Shelby wanted a Cash Cow Raptor imho—nothing added to what was already out there except pretty boy seats, and enough stickers to keep 3M in business for years. Had the chance to partner with someone who what the hell they were doing as it related to the performance of the Raptor and they missed the boat 100%. Not one fricking thing innovative about what Shelby is doing to the Raptor! Shelby is turning over in his grave because his former company is blatantly ******* out his name worse that it was just before he died[/U][/U].


[/U]
And while we are at it, how many miles do you have on your Raptor- and how many miles did you honestly put on it while Offroading? I track my Shelbys A LOT. That said, only 1% of my miles are track miles, and if you get to have your raptor SC'ed and its giving you some fun 99% of the time when you are on roads, its not that bad, is it?

Well you might have done a little research before you asked this question-I have 48k and change on my 11 with the mods I have it helps me get around on the ranch in NM and here. Would venture to say that not many others here use the Raptor save my buddy from OK that makes his cows mad for a work truck at the ranch. When I go to the ranch at least every month (just the one in NM) it 9 miles on ugly roads (oil field boom they are not paved) before I even get there. This is remote Eddy County the ranch ends 600 yards from the Texas border where the closest town is Carlsbad that has a gas station. I can absolutely assure you that I spend orders of magnitude more miles off of the pavement a year than you do on the track.

When I am at the ranch I do not have a big motor home to retire to if my “car breaks down” I am screwed so that is one reason I did not run my vehicle at TRR last year and will not this year (may drive the Jeep out there). I have to do this stuff by necessity not Just for fun. In fact, since you did ask I just got this a couple of weeks ago and we did the mods Thursday and Friday.



A lot of the areas are just too tough for the Raptor that I have to go because of the width and WB of the big boy. LOVE my Raptor and got tired of having to be so careful about H/C and turning in very ugly brush that scratches the hell out of paint and plastic. Oh yes, this is why I keep fresh Carnauba Wax on mine and it is clean BEFORE I get there for protection! It is well known you are not a guy who likes to work on the appearance of his vehicles and not everyone is physically able to do that but I am and do. I do not know if your Raptor if you still have it, has ever even been off road but if you have had counting my wife’s 24 4wd vehicles and have driven them off road all of your life then you have a little different perspective.

Bottom line, Shelby ****** out the Raptor for the quick buck no one who knows anything about what the Raptor is will argue that point. They had a great opportunity to partner with someone who knew what the hell to do to make it a real Special Vehicle not a pimped out Mall Cruiser.

 

[DubbsFaris]

Still have my Raptor, and I drive mine on a 6000 acre ranch all the time outside of Gillette TX in the middle of the Eagle Ford oil projects going on...county roads just like yours...

Im not doing the Shelby package on mine either, as I daily drive it, and even my work is usually not on pavement as I am a road contractor, and the only days we have smooth roads to drive on are the last few days out of months of work. My truck looks like new still with nearly 60k miles in just over 16 months...so not sure where you get I dont care about its appearance. Once again, It isnt a personal attack Boss, just pointing out that the 95% of Raptor owners out there dont drive offroad a lot, and that by some idiot's logic, it makes more sense to make a package for them and not the few that would only bitch about what they didnt do or how much it would cost anyway.

You dont like it- I get it and you are free to have that opinion- just dont know that they need to be called idiots for offering up a package that has already gathered over 50 deposits in under a week. Seems like they got what they were shooting for to me. Doesnt Outlaw offer a package you are looking for? Seems to me that Shelby not having any experience in offroading and partnering up with an additional vendor would simply cut into margins and be a total flop. Ive seen a couple articles and stories on modded raptors, and none of those were off road conversions. You gotta come here to FRF to look at those badass builds.

I really dont feel like I have treated you with any lack of respect, so I can only expect that you dont have a problem with me stating my opinion.

MY first vehicle was a 4X4, and have been offroading my whole life. A Raptor is a cool truck that has quite a bit more capability than any other turn key truck for most offroading...but as you point out yourself, you wouldnt dare use it for true offroading for the very reasons you point out. I agree 100%. I have other vehicles, beaters, etc. for that.

I bought mine because I NEEDED a truck and I respect the SVT brand and support them. Its the coolest truck ever made. But it doesnt have a single attribute about it that makes it superior to a modded offroad vehicle of your choice for less money. It is cool because it is an offroad capable truck you can daily drive, but once you start changing every single part out to make it a true offroad vehicle, you just lost its ability to be a good and comfortable daily driver.

 

[Boss Hoss]

Still have my Raptor, and I drive mine on a 6000 acre ranch all the time outside of Gillette TX in the middle of the Eagle Ford oil projects going on...county roads just like yours...

Im not doing the Shelby package on mine either, as I daily drive it, and even my work is usually not on pavement as I am a road contractor, and the only days we have smooth roads to drive on are the last few days out of months of work. My truck looks like new still with nearly 60k miles in just over 16 months...so not sure where you get I dont care about its appearance. Once again, It isnt a personal attack Boss, just pointing out that the 95% of Raptor owners out there dont drive offroad a lot, and that by some idiot's logic, it makes more sense to make a package for them and not the few that would only bitch about what they didnt do or how much it would cost anyway.

I bought mine because I NEEDED a truck and I respect the SVT brand and support them. Its the coolest truck ever made. But it doesnt have a single attribute about it that makes it superior to a modded offroad vehicle of your choice for less money. It is cool because it is an offroad capable truck you can daily drive, but once you start changing every single part out to make it a true offroad vehicle, you just lost its ability to be a good and comfortable daily driver.

You are on a thread here as not liking to wax your vehicles and use the once every 5 year product. That is all. Where I spend hours going into every spot on the vehicle.
You dont like it- I get it and you are free to have that opinion- just dont know that they need to be called idiots for offering up a package that has already gathered over 50 deposits in under a week. Seems like they got what they were shooting for to me. Doesnt Outlaw offer a package you are looking for? Seems to me that Shelby not having any experience in offroading and partnering up with an additional vendor would simply cut into margins and be a total flop. Ive seen a couple articles and stories on modded raptors, and none of those were off road conversions. You gotta come here to FRF to look at those badass builds.

I really dont feel like I have treated you with any lack of respect, so I can only expect that you dont have a problem with me stating my opinion.

No not in the least sorry if it came across like that--you have made my point for me--Shelby Fan Boys will be lining up like flies on poo poo for this truck. Shelby was an innovator---this vehicle is a cheap rip off of his name. To be true to the mission of this truck there can be no S/C period end of discussion. Could go on about, heads possibly, cam hell yes, headers, lightning style exhaust, and other possible engine internal upgrades. Have not even discussed the suspension yet!

What is next for Shelby?? Maybe some toilet paper lol---"Let our High Performance true to Carroll Shelby's Heritage Toilet Paper help you get rid of that ugly “racing stripe” in the back of your pants"! HAHAHA--don't care who you are that is funny!!

Your last statement makes my point more eloquently that I could ever hope to. I am not talking about changing every part. A few simple mods like they do to the Mustang for example. Nothing special about the Cobra---anyone can get the parts and do it. Shelby is about supposed innovation and the truck they have covered in stickers is about as innovative as a Johnny Popper would be at a tractor show today. Shelby must have something to build while going to the new Mustang body style..

Common sense tells you what this is about—high profit and little work. Living off of the old man’s name will eventually come to a halt especially after all of the old men who really think the Shelby name is special trade their Shelby Cars and Trucks for Lark Carts. Time will tell.

Where the ranch in NM is much different than Texas is that there is only 1 county road...... The rest is BLM land our is the only privately land for many miles north, east and west. The Texas border starts 600 yards to the south. The oil companies tear up the land/roads if you want to call them that. Hate driving in that but it is what it is. Sink Holes are what the big unseen problem is---even when 4 generations ago the ranch was one of the biggest in the county sink holes killed horses and people... Don't want them to eat the Raptor lol!

 

[DubbsFaris]

I would just like to clear one misconception- Shelby actually was alive as this product was in development and did approve of it. Anyone that truly knew Carroll would know that he was very much an opportunist who had no problem making money on something if he could whether or not it pissed off a forum, a club, or even Ford Motor Company. I consider myself lucky to have known the man in his life, and I have no problem whatsoever if his company namesake can still manage to make some money.

Much of what is an attempt to protect the heritage of Shelby is nothing more than a large group of Shelby owners that would like nothing more than for Shelby to quit building, close its doors and not ever sell another product again. Why? So THEIR possessions would have more value. Its hypocracy on the largest scale, and makes ZERO business sense. Shelby doesnt make money off every car that goes across an auction block in a private sale. So it makes about as much sense for them to quit offering new builds as it does for you to quit your job and hope you have already made enough money to last your lifetime. It also doesnt make sense for them to build a dozen really expensive offroad conversions for 60k, and for a company like outlaw to come out the next month and do a better one for less money since they have less overhead, more experience, and much more seat time in Raptors where they can make production adjustments on the fly. It doesnt get any simpler than that. Forums are full of marketing geniuses, but I assure you the time that went into this build was deliberate, carefully planned and studied, and made the most bottom line sense for what the goal here was- to make money. Anyone that has a problem with a company being fiscally responsible is either not a business owner, a really bad business owner, or a democrat.

 

[Boss Hoss]

I would just like to clear one misconception- Shelby actually was alive as this product was in development and did approve of it. Anyone that truly knew Carroll would know that he was very much an opportunist who had no problem making money on something if he could whether or not it pissed off a forum, a club, or even Ford Motor Company. I consider myself lucky to have known the man in his life, and I have no problem whatsoever if his company namesake can still manage to make some money.

Much of what is an attempt to protect the heritage of Shelby is nothing more than a large group of Shelby owners that would like nothing more than for Shelby to quit building, close its doors and not ever sell another product again. Why? So THEIR possessions would have more value. Its hypocracy on the largest scale, and makes ZERO business sense. Shelby doesnt make money off every car that goes across an auction block in a private sale. So it makes about as much sense for them to quit offering new builds as it does for you to quit your job and hope you have already made enough money to last your lifetime. It also doesnt make sense for them to build a dozen really expensive offroad conversions for 60k, and for a company like outlaw to come out the next month and do a better one for less money since they have less overhead, more experience, and much more seat time in Raptors where they can make production adjustments on the fly. It doesnt get any simpler than that. Forums are full of marketing geniuses, but I assure you the time that went into this build was deliberate, carefully planned and studied, and made the most bottom line sense for what the goal here was- to make money. Anyone that has a problem with a company being fiscally responsible is either not a business owner, a really bad business owner, or a democrat.

The long and short of it is that you are the biggest Shelby Fan here and they can do no wrong. To say that this project had the old man planning and then coming out the last year of production for this body style is not real bright on his part.
You and I will just have to agree to disagree on this specific vehicle. My view is diametrically opposed to yours as will be most of the people on this forum who KNOW what is out there and WHEN it was put on the market. I love stickers as much as anyone but jezzzzz talk about a pimp mobile.

We do agree that Shelby was smart to market this with the old mans name on the dash in the finest of plastic because as a great business man said:
“There's a sucker born every minute.”
― P.T. Barnum

 

[DubbsFaris]

Lets just say that what I will say on a public forum, and what people get from me in private are often not exactly parallel.

Dont know if you are aware of this, but Shelby made an F-150 Supersnake with many of the same upgrades back in 2009.

.....available on F-150s from 2006-2008 ( I think )

So, at least they got the build out one year earlier this time around.

 

[sportscars]

I know shelby isn't known for offroading, but that doesn't say to me that they should focus on horsepower and stickers, that says to me they should stay away from an offroad truck. Just my two cents, not worth a whole lot, but that's the way I feel.

I dont think this is an "OFFROAD" truck. This is an on-road truck that is somewhat more capable of going off road than a regular truck.

The man is dead and had nothing to do with this. This is not is good value at all and I know you are a big Shelby guy but this one is for the posers / street queen boys with too much money period end of story.

Shelby as usual is going for the easy money----could have made the truck 500 hp the real way. S/C is the easy way to do things and it works to a certain extent on the street-----case in point the new Z28. THAT is going to eat up the Cobra in a nice Texas summer romp on the track of your choice....

Guess Shelby should have gone after the "hard" money huh? And to your point of working on the street: Thats where 95% of Raptor use occurs (the same with GT500, GT350, Z28, ZR1, etc) If you buy a Shelby to actually make a RACE CAR or RACE TRUCK out of it then you are a bigger fool than buying a Shelby Raptor. I'll wager that 96% of all Raptors sold are registered, titled and legal for use on paved streets. Shelby never intended to build a tropy truck. They were aiming for the existing Shelby owner who wanted to add a truck to the stable. They are only making 100 and already have about 50 deposits so I think they acheived what they wanted - a lot of publicity and getting the Shelby name to a new group and market. And before you even say it, like the old adage states, "there is no such thing as bad publicity" More people have viewed their webiste and mentioned their name in the last week than in the last year.

No not in the least sorry if it came across like that--you have made my point for me--Shelby Fan Boys will be lining up like flies on poo poo for this truck. Shelby was an innovator---this vehicle is a cheap rip off of his name. To be true to the mission of this truck there can be no S/C period end of discussion. Could go on about, heads possibly, cam hell yes, headers, lightning style exhaust, and other possible engine internal upgrades. Have not even discussed the suspension yet!

Your last statement makes my point more eloquently that I could ever hope to. I am not talking about changing every part. A few simple mods like they do to the Mustang for example. Nothing special about the Cobra---anyone can get the parts and do it. Shelby is about supposed innovation and the truck they have covered in stickers is about as innovative as a Johnny Popper would be at a tractor show today. Shelby must have something to build while going to the new Mustang body style..

Common sense tells you what this is about—high profit and little work. Living off of the old man’s name will eventually come to a halt especially after all of the old men who really think the Shelby name is special trade their Shelby Cars and Trucks for Lark Carts. Time will tell.

Shelby hasn't changed a cam, pistons or heads on a car since I dont know when. Everything with a Shelby name on it either comes directly from Ford or from Ford Racing (with a few exceptions i.e. the 1000). You are absolutely correct that anyone can get the parts and do it (IF they have the time and skill) but some people want the Shelby name on their vehicle. I want a Ford but is it REALLY better than a Chevy? Probably not in terms of reliability or resale, but Ford "connects" with me for some reason. Same with Shelby. This is AMERICA and people can hate on whoever and whatever they want. Hating on them for making the easiest profit with the littlest work makes you sound like an Obama fan

Disclaimer - I am a Shelby fan although I don't drink the Kool-aid. I hope they sell out of everything they can - whether I like it or not - just because I want them to succeed. Every once and a while they come out with something absolutely phenomenal and I dont want to lose that possibility. That said, with the current economy and our government spending I doubt Shelby will be around in the same way it is now in another 5 years.