Consummate Mustang enthusiast Michael Raburn teams up with Classic Design Concepts to create a custom Shelby GT500 that stands out above the rest
Many Mustang enthusiasts dream of owning a GT500, but not many are able to make it a reality. Those that have certainly pay a price – upwards of ten to twenty thousand dollars over msrp. So when Dean Sellers Ford in Troy, MI offered Michael Raburn a GT500 for sticker, there wasn’t anything he could do except buy it. “They offered it to me for sticker since I was a previous customer. I had to do it,” says Raburn, who has been a passionate Mustang enthusiast since he was a teenager. Fox bodies, a 2003 Mach 1, and a 2000 Bullitt have all been part of his stable prior to the GT500, which joins an 1989 Coupe and a 1967 Fastback currently in the garage. Raburn is also deeply entrenched in the Mustang community, owning enthusiast web site StangNet.com, and has developed numerous friends and business relationships throughout the years. His recent purchase of the GT500 has turned into his latest project car for the web site.
Classic Design Concepts played an integral role in the build up of the car. Raburn has had a relationship with the company since 2000, and he knew that they would be able to bring to reality what he had in mind. “They have done several projects for us in the past. I knew that if my car was in their hands, it would be safe. They are really the only people I know that could pull off what I had envisioned for this project.” And what a job they did – Raburn’s GT500 features several custom pieces that can’t be found on any other Shelby in the world. From the custom glassback roof to the rear spoiler to the lower front grille, the bodywork on the car blends seamlessly to create a car that serves to enhance the positive aspects of the design without completely taking away the OEM look. Additional CDC components include c-pillar louvered scoops and sequential taillights and mirrors.
The exterior is further enhanced with custom painted blue stripes that replace the factory vinyl that came with the car. A closer look reveals that the front spoiler, rear valence, and rearview mirrors are painted as well. Even the strut tower brace under the hood is painted to match! Rounding off the list of exterior modifications is a custom front lower grille that incorporates the factory fog lights, leaving a space for functional ducts that feed cool air to the brakes. Raburn also managed to secure a set of HID headlights that are optional on 2008 Mustang models.
The inside of the GT500 features much of the same - subtle modifications that are well thought out and full of detail. Being an audio buff, Raburn wanted a sound system that would truly be top notch. “We knew on a project of this magnitude, we needed the ultimate sound system,” said Raburn. “We have been long time lovers of Rockford Fosgate products so we contacted them on this project and asked what solutions they had to offer.” As luck would have it, Rockford Fosgate was developing a system specifically for the Mustang at the time, and they made a deal with Raburn to let him use the system in exchange for testing the feasibility of the package. Like the rest of the car, the system improves upon the factory setup without going overboard and maintaining an OEM appearance. Raburn described the setup in detail: “The factory head unit was left untouched. We used line level converters at the head unit to send front and rear outputs to the trunk. The front output is fed into a Rockford T400-2 amplifier to power two 8-inch subs in the front doors. Then a throughput from the T400-2 is passed to the Power1000 amp to feed midranges and highs to the front 6.5-inch component speakers and tweeters located in the doors and front A-pillars. We then fed the rear output to the Power1000 which then feeds midranges and highs to two rear deck mounted P162 6.5-inch component speakers. The low range is then taken from the rear output and fed to a Punch 12-inch sub woofer from the Power100 amp in a custom enclosure in the trunk. A custom rack was made to hold the T400 amp and an enclosure for the Power100 amp is from Rockford Fosgate - all part of the package they are working on for the Mustang. Power is fed to the amps from a 1 gauge wire feeding off the battery located under the hood. Amplifier adjustments of DB Gain and the Subwoofer cutoff frequency are located in the center console.”
With the GT500 being the most powerful Mustang ever produced, Raburn has limited performance upgrades to a minimum. A C&L mass air system and tune feed additional air to the engine, while a catted H-pipe from Mustang Racing Technologies and a Magnaflow Cat-Back Exhaust System help keep the flow going on the other end.
The suspension has only limited upgrades as well, with the only modification being a Steeda Adjustable Suspension System. Wheels and tires are also upgraded to 19-inch CCW SP20 Wheels with BFGoodrich g-Force T/A KDW Tires.
While Raburn’s project is done (for now at least), that doesn’t mean the car will sit idly by. He has already shown the vehicle at the All Ford Nationals in Carlisle, PA, the Ford Performance and Shelby Meet in Tulsa, OK, and at Mustang Week in Myrtle Beach, SC. The car will also be displaying at SEMA in November. A few more performance upgrades are also planned, including a new pulley and a different tune, but nothing further to preserve the drivability of the car. For more information on the car and to hear about the latest updated, visit www.stangnet.com.
 The overall design works well and relies on subtle design cues |  The rear view shows the lowered stance from the Steeda coilover suspension system |  Other design cues include custom side stripes as well as CCW SP20 19-inch wheels |
 The rear view shows off the tips from the Magnaflow cat-back exhaust system |  Classic Design Concepts provided the custom rear spoiler, and the rear valence is painted to match the rest of the car |  A good view of the Classic Design Concepts louvered window scoops |
 Underneath the hood is a painted strut tower brace and a C&L mass air system |  The start button is sourced from the Ford GT |  The Rockford Fosgate sound system packs a serious punch |
 The system utilizes a Rockford Fosgate T400-2 amplifier and a Power 1000 amp |  6.5-inch speakers fit in the stock location and look and perform much better! |  The Punch 12-inch subwoofer fits snuggly in the trunk |
