"TTU Baker" Featured RPM Member's Ride
Chase Baker's 2008 Shelby GT500
Info & Photos provided by Chase Baker

A little background, Chase has always been a huge Mustang fan.  When he was just 14, his father went out looking for him a new car and after much searching, fell in love with a 2001 Laser Red GT convertible that he purchased and kept for many years.  It was that car that really drew him into really having a fascination for american muscle, and the Ford Mustang in specific. 

After a few years of working diligently and saving, Chase was able to get himself into a 2006 Torch Red GT Coupe.  He really enjoyed the car, but it was always a search for more and more power.  After the '06 GT, he traded cars constantly in a search for something bigger and better.  After going through a C5 as well as a C6 Corvette, Chase then had the opportunity to come back to the Mustang community in the form of a GT500.  Unfortunately at the time, the cost was just too great for him to rationalize, so he ended up purchasing an '08 Challenger SRT8.  It wasn't until March of this year that Chase found a GT500 that was within his price range.  After working with a great dealer, Classic Motor Cars of Lubbock, TX, he was actually able to get into a 2008 Alloy Shelby Mustang GT500 with only 1400 miles on it.  Chase knew he had to jump on the offer, being it was his favorite Mustang color (Alloy) and knowing that only 314 GT500 coupes were made in the color in 2008.  The car was loaded with all options excluding navigation. 



Within the first week of owning the car, Chase had already caught the mod fever.  Starting with darker tint around the entire car was the first step.  Soon afterward, he worked with a muffler shop in the area to craft a muffler-delete exhaust setup for a more aggressive tone.  After this, a set of rear quarter window louvers were ordered from American Muscle to add a bit of styling to the car.



Finally, it was time to get into performance.  Chase established a relationship with an absolutely incredible performance shop called Boost Performance in Amarillo, TX.  After working on getting a good power package setup, they decided on:

C&L Cold Air Intake
2.6" Metco Supercharger Pulley
Metco Auxiliary Idler Kit
NGK TR6 Spark Plugs
Custom DiabloSport Tune

Even though the weather conditions were far from optimal (100+ degree weather), the Shelby still managed to put down 517 horsepower at the rear wheels.



Just a few weeks later, he had all the satin silver stripes on the car removed and replaced with matte black striping.  This was due to the less-than-stellar strength the stock striping exhibited, as well as give the car a more aggressive look. 



Naturally, this is all that has been done to the car at this point due to the fact he's only owned it for a few months.  Nonetheless, his plans for the car are much more extensive, its just a matter of getting there.



In the future, Chase plans on sitting the car on black FR500 wheels (rear wheels widened) and Mickey Thompson street radials.  As far as suspension, he's currently eyeballing the Eibach Pro-Kit Springs and Tokico D-Spec Shocks and Struts.  In terms of drivetrain, he is looking at a Shelby Performance Short Throw Shifter kit.

In terms of performance, Chase currently has his sights set on an Innovator's West 10% Overdrive Pulley, as well as doing a full 3" Magnaflow exhaust setup with American Racing headers.



For Chase and his GT500, this is just the beginning of many, many more things to come!

Specs:

2008 Shelby Mustang GT500
Alloy Clearcoat Metallic
4000 miles
517rwhp / 529 ft/lbs

C&L Cold Air Intake, 2.6" Metco Supercharger Pulley, Metco Auxiliary Idler Kit, NGK TR6 Spark Plugs, Custom DiabloSport Tune by Boost Performance, Custom Muffler-Delete Exhaust, Quarter Window Louvers, Custom Matte Black GT500 Striping