My First Ford: Make it a 2018 Shelby GT350R

I'm a car guy from way back, and if you've read any of my prior blog posts, you'll know I have a penchant for import cars (except for my all-American Jeep Wrangler). So this car is a bit of a departure for me, but it speaks or itself.  This week, the newest occupant of Dave's Garage is a new 2018 Shelby GT350R.

I've been taking my Porsche Cayman S to the track for years, and have had track and road time in everything from a Skip Barber Formula car to a Porsche Carrera and from a McLaren MP4-12C to vintage cars like my Datsun 2000 Roadster. When the Shelby GT350R came out, I was intrigued, as it was reported that the company had benchmarked  the car against the track-ready king-of-the-hill: the almighty Porsche GT3.  I was skeptical about the Shelby claims, I'll admit, but the positive reports kept coming in and then a friend of mine got one. This was a guy who has had lots of amazing cars like AMG, McLaren, Porsche, Ferrari, and who hits the track with a Formula Mazda open-wheel race car as well as his GT350R.  When he told me "You gotta try this car, it's fantastic!", how could I say no? I test drove his car and I was hooked.

I ordered the car in March from a dealer that could get me an allocation for a new 2018, ordered as I pleased (Many thanks to Mike Storkan and the whole team at Bill Brandt Ford !!). My intent was to have the car in its basic, stripped mode, as the Shelby engineers intended, with no A/C, no NAV, no back-up camera. I noticed that the majority of used GT350Rs out there typically had the optional "electronics package" added. So I figured my car would be unusual now (and into the future) if I avoided that option. But alas, my timing was off. It turns out that my car was slotted for production in May, 2018. A new federal law as of May 1, 2018 requires that all cars delivered in the USA now have a back-up camera. The Ford people let me know I'd be required to take the electronics package option, as that was the only way to have the back-up camera included.  Oh well, I thought, at least I won't get so dang overheated driving the car to the track on summer days (have you ever been to Thunderhill Raceway on a 100 degree July day??). I'll admit, I do like the back-up camera.

My initial reaction to the car is that it is very solid, and feels smaller than it looks.  There are a number of really nice track-focused functions and apps on the car, and a few selectable gauges that I didn't expect but really appreciate, like cylinder-head temperature, transmission oil and rear-axle temperature. And the car makes those amazing noises you've heard about.  Wonderful bark from that flat-plane crank V8 as you run through the RPM range and lots of burble and pop on downshift blips and deceleration. The selectable suspension damper mode is simple and definitely makes a difference in ride feel, and the steering feel is digitally adjustable, along with other things I'll figure out as I get more time with the car.  For my first 100 miles, 

I am extremely impressed with the throttle response, suspension feedback, the turn-in feel, and the overall quality of the car. I think it may the absolute performance bargain champ available (admittedly, I have not driven the 2018 Corvette Z06, which has an MSRP of about $10,000 more than the Shelby). Also, I love the Recaro seats and was extremely pleased with the beautiful metallic paint in what Shelby/Ford calls "Orange Fury".  Well named, and I just wish it showed up as spectacular in photos as it does in the California sunshine.

Well, the car is home now, settled into the garage with the other "Skittles / M&M" colored cars. It certainly cuts an imposing figure, and once the break-in miles are done, I'll be sure to report back on how its track manners stack up to its look and initial feel.

Aston Martin Vinyl Wrap: Cool Yellow

I've waxed poetic here in my blog and with friends about how much I love my 2007 Aston Martin V8 Vantage. Having purchased it new in late 2006, I've now had it for 11.5 years and I suppose I just needed a minor change after all these years. I love the original color, Tungsten Silver, as it was one of the colors I had fallen in love with when I saw the Vantage concept car and the big brother car, the Vanquish, in that great metallic silver.  But, as anyone who knows me can tell you, I love colorful cars, and I am a fan of vinyl wraps. So, it was only inevitable that after 11-plus years of ownership that I would find a bright color I wanted to try on the Vantage.

For several years, I have also been trolling Craigslist, Autotrader, various car forums, and Bringatrailer.com for the perfect Speed Yellow Porsche 911. I just haven't found one that has caused me to jump into another P-Car, so the great epiphany came recently when I realized that I just needed to make the Vantage into my go-to bright yellow coupe. I looked at the 2005 Geneva Car Show Vantage in "Cool Yellow" and the 2006 Vantage N24 race car in "Rose Yellow" for inspiration.

I relied on the guys at Vinyl Styles in San Carlos, CA, as they have done a couple really good vinyl wraps for me on other cars. Lyle is the owner there and he suggested the perfect gloss yellow product with what he assured me was "great depth and gloss", so that the vinyl wrap would look as close to a paint job as possible.  Well, he was right, and I am very happy with the outcome.  The car looks great, sits nicely alongside the other colorful cars in the garage, and the yellow has depth and gloss and makes the car look absolutely new.  Just please don't waive me down and yell "Taxi!!", because this car is too old for Uber.

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