Update by Tim Suddard to the
Shelby GT350 project car
Oct 15, 2013
On our last track test and road rally, we wished we could have a bit less understeer.
Cobra Automotive makes a template kit to make the “Sheby drop” a relatively simple job.
The front corners need to be removed. Then, new holes are drilled below the original ones to mount the upper front control arms. The template is then used to strengthen the mounting surface. You can weld it in, too, but we chose not to.
Our final story on our Shelby project is about upgrading the handling. During our recent track testing and again on the Going to the Sun Rally, we wished that we could have a bit less understeer. We wanted to be able to bring the tail around with the throttle, as you can with a Mustang race car.
While too much oversteer is treacherous, a little is a lot of fun and a way to make a car faster through the corners. To this end, we performed the Shelby upper control arm drop. This modification moves the upper control arms down and thus lowers the car about a quarter of an inch, while also increasing negative camber and lowering the roll center.
All Shelbys received this modification at first, but to reduce costs, this modification was not performed on 1967 models like ours.
We used a kit from Cobra Automotive to help us with this modification. Dimensions and instructions for this modification are readily available on the Internet, in old books and magazine articles, but Cobra’s kit includes steel templates, the correct hardened drill bits and complete instructions.
We’ll cover the modification in more detail in the January issue of Classic Motorsports. Get your subscription at: http://classicmotorsports.net/subscribe
Bottom line: Our Shelby now has much better turn in, rotation and cornering. We love this car.
View all comments on the CMS forums
You'll need to log in to post.
