More Than a Pretty Face

The Shelby/WCC ’Stang certainly is a pretty face, but its beauty runs more than skin deep. All 25 of the limited-edition Mustangs are built using the same template, which means power-hungry owners will be satisfied with its 500-plus hp. The three-valve-per-cylinder 4.6-liter OHC engine in its stock Mustang GT form develops a potent 300 hp; the additional 200-plus hp for the Shelby/WCC Mustang comes from boost. This boost is provided by a Vortech supercharger and is controlled with a re-mapped factory computer. Exhaust gases pass through Gibson Performance Exhaust headers and a cat-back dual-exhaust system, which also provides the engine a distinctive growl worthy of the Shelby name.

Under the Hood: A Performance Powerhouse

Under the custom hood, the K&N air filter, polished Vortech supercharger, polished intercooler and Optima Yellow-Top battery stand out immediately. Except for the obviously non-OEM polished components, the WCC team did such a good job under the hood that it looks as if it could have just rolled off the Ford assembly line. The hood is a quality lightweight unit, with full underside bracing, a wire-mesh vent and a single scoop for air redirection.

Braking, Handling, and Suspension Upgrades

Additional performance enhancements logically focus on braking and handling, where color-matched Brembo four-piston calipers were installed, along with 14-inch cross-drilled rotors in the front and color-matched factory calipers in the rear. Wrapped around the high-performance brakes is a set 22×10-inch Shelby/West Coast Customs-branded Lexani wheels with Pirelli PZero Nero tires—265/30ZR22s in the rear and 245/30ZR22s in the front—to make the car behave as if it were Velcro stuck to the ground. The meaty tires fill the fenderwells thanks to high-performance Eibach springs that drop the ’Stang 1-1/2 inches lower in the front and rear. The springs combine with improved sway bars and shocks to help flatten the cornering.

A Custom Look Inside and Out

The outside of the Shelby/WCC Mustang is fitted with a custom body kit consisting of front and rear bumpers, rocker panels, fender moldings, rear spoiler, side scoops and hood. The new front fascia incorporates a custom black mesh grille with four OEM foglights integrated into the upper and lower openings. WCC’s painters draped the Mustang in a custom-mixed Burple Blue with ghosted silver racing stripes and smoked taillight lenses. In the back, the factory fuel door is replaced with a racing-inspired door, complete with the distinctive Shelby/WCC Cobra logo. Matching emblems are also seen on the wheels and front fenders on the outside and on the steering wheel and dash, and they are also embroidered into the headrests and floor mats on the inside.

Interior Overhaul with High-Tech Entertainment

Just about everything is customized inside the Shelby/WCC Mustang. Of course, high marks go to West Coast Customs for an outstanding audio/video system with components from Sony and WCC by Orion. The heart of the system is the Sony MEX-R5 DVD/CD receiver and a 7-inch Directed Electronics LCD monitor that are smoothly integrated into a custom-molded dash panel that replaces the factory panel, radio and A/C controls. To accommodate the screen and head unit, the crew relocated the A/C controls to the center console below the armrest lid. The passenger side of the dash features a numbered plaque with the likeness of signatures from Carroll Shelby and Ryan Friedlinghaus displayed just above the glovebox.

Next-Level Cabin Comfort and Sound

If you have a chance to sit in one of the 25 Shelby/WCC Mustangs, you will be treated to a unique experience thanks to the two-tone black and brushed-silver seat upholstery on the OEM rear seat and the Road Wire front buckets. But the interior customization does not stop there; WCC also installed a black suede headliner and custom floor mats.

Premium Audio That Packs a Punch

Each door holds an 8-inch WCC mid-bass woofer with a custom grille and WCC logo. The doors also house a 5.25-inch two-way component system mounted behind the factory speaker grilles. In the rear, listeners are treated to a pair of WCC 6.5-inch two-way component speakers installed in the rear deck. The passive crossovers for all the speakers are installed on the bottom side of the rear deck inside the trunk alongside a small two-channel Orion amplifier that powers the mid-bass drivers. In the trunk is a pair of WCC by Orion amplifiers and three WCC by Orion 10-inch subwoofers. The amplifier on the left of the trunk is a 1200D mono amp dedicated to running the 10-inch subs that are installed in a custom enclosure molded into the spare-tire well. On the passenger side is a 400.4 four-channel amplifier that powers the Mustang’s front and rear component systems. The trunk-mounted components feature color-matched accents highlighted by blue accent lighting.

Built to Burn Rubber with Shelby’s Seal of Approval

In his bold put-up or shut-up style, West Coast Customs owner and CEO Ryan Friedlinghaus put Sean Mahaney behind the wheel to show us what the Shelby/WCC Mustang can do. Since this is Friedlinghaus’ personal Mustang and No. 1 of the 25 in the production sequence, Friedlinghaus had no misgivings in allowing Mahaney to thrash on the ’Stang time after time for our burnout photographs. The Shelby/West Coast Customs Limited-Edition Ford Mustang is very much the real deal and has all the power it needs to roast the 22-inch Pirelli PZeros at will. Carroll Shelby himself put his stamp of approval on the car, saying, “We built this car for performance and style. It’s got the bark of the old muscle cars and the look of a new sports car. It’s one of the best projects I’ve been a part of.” That’s a high compliment from the man himself.