Is a GT350 Supercharged? Here Is a Quick Guide to Shelby GT350 and Models You Can Find
Is a GT350 supercharged? Read on to find out more. Ever since the Ford Mustang was released in 1965, the series has been one of the most popular lines of vehicles you can find. Even today, Mustangs are highly appreciated, and there are numerous different versions of this model.
The idea behind the original Mustang was quite simple — to create an affordable yet stylish car. Soon, other companies followed suit, and it wasn’t long before legendary cars like Camaro and Challenger were introduced as well.
All that leads us to one question — is it possible to upgrade an already incredible car? And the answer is yes! This is where Shelby comes to light. Shelby is an upgraded version of the Ford Mustang, and it was a name used for high-performance versions of Mustang. The name comes from Shelby American, the company behind the first series of Shelby Mustang.
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Is GT350 Supercharged by Default?
Not every Shelby is supercharged. To fully understand this question, we need to take a look at the history of this type of Mustang. The first series of GT350 came out in 1965 and 1966. These were the lightest models, and they were nicknamed Cobra.
At the same time, we also had GT350s, GT350, GT350r, Hertz models, and many others. Each year brought a couple of upgrades and changes. The first generation of Shelby Mustangs covers the period from 1965 to 1970. The models between 1965 and 1967 were manufactured by Shelby American, while vehicles from 1968 to 1970 were designed by Ford.
- The first generation of Shelby Mustangs was between 1965 and 1970.
- The second generation of Shelby Mustangs was between 2005 and 2009 (S-197 I).
- The second part came out between 2011 and 2014 (S-197 II).
- The third generation of Shelby Mustangs started in 2015, and they are manufactured to this day.
As you can see, there was a huge gap between 1970 and 2005, and there were no Shelby models available on the market. The revival of this vehicle and name was in line with the fifth generation of Mustangs, and the design was rather similar to those models.
So, the question still remains — are GT350 supercharged by default? The answer is both yes and no. In 1966, the Paxton supercharger was optional for buyers, which means that the blower wasn’t the default option on the vehicles.
| Model | Year | Supercharger |
|---|---|---|
| Shelby GT350s | 1966 | Paxton |
| Cobra GT350 | 1967 and 1968 | Paxton |
| Shelby GT350 | 2011 | Ford Racing |
| Shelby GT350 | 2012 | Whipple |
| Shelby GT350 | 2013 | Optional |
In the majority of vehicles, a supercharger was non-existent or optional. In the past couple of years, though, Ford started installing blowers as default, but only for a few models.
Mustangs Are Popular for a Reason
There is a reason why Mustangs have taken over the world. This pony car is affordable, stylish, and more than reliable. Everyone in the world has heard of the Mustang, and there are so many different models to choose from.
In our case, the GT350 series is significantly cheaper compared to the GT500. And while the performance is slightly lower, it’s nothing you can’t improve with a supercharger. Needless to say, there are numerous other models in the series like CS6/8, GT-H, GT, Terlingua, Super Snake, and many others.
Does the GT350 Have a Supercharger? What Is the Stock Engine?
As we could have seen before, there are three generations of Shelby GT350. Each series had a different engine, and the biggest difference is between the first and second generation due to the gap in production.
Furthermore, within the same series, there have been a couple of different models and designs, which is why it is essential to know the type of engine and model before you go searching for the supercharger.
We also mentioned before that you don’t get a supercharger quite often in your vehicle, and if you want to get one, you need to know the type of engine in your car. There is also a guide we’ve put together on how to supercharge a Mustang.
| 1965-1966 | 4.7L Windsor K-Code V8 | 271 horsepower |
|---|---|---|
| 1967 | 4.7L Windsor V8 | 306 horsepower |
| 1968 | 4.9L Windsor V8 | 250 horsepower |
| 1969-1970 | 5.8L Windsor V8 | 315 horsepower |
| 2011 | 5.0L Coyote V8 | 430 horsepower |
| 2013 | 5.0L Coyote V8 | 430, 450, 525, or 624 hp |
| 2015 | 5.2L Voodoo V8 | 525 horsepower |
| 2019 | 5.2L Voodoo V8 | 526 horsepower |
Each new series of GT350 offered something a bit different. In essence, the three generations of GT350 Mustangs are Windsor, Coyote, and Voodoo, and this is one of the most important things to know when thinking about superchargers.
Keep in mind that the version from 2013 offers a supercharger already, which is why there are several versions available going up to 624 horsepower. The most powerful version of GT350 is already supercharged. That is why there is a significant difference compared to the previous model with the same engine.
Is the GT350R Supercharged?
We briefly mentioned GT350R before, so let’s take a closer look at this version of Shelby.
The first series of GT350R was quite limited, and only 34 models were built in 1965. It was a race-spec model of Mustang, and they were designed specifically for competitive purposes.
Since it is highly unlikely that you will find one of the original models, the next one on the list is from 2015. Once again, this was a limited version of GT350, and it was designed to compete with Porsche 911 GT3 and Chevrolet Camaro Z28. (Fun fact: the model with serial number #001 was sold for $1,000,000!)
We’ve put together an article about the 2015 Mustang GT supercharger, which includes how much horsepower you could expect from a supercharger on a stock engine, the installation process and more!
Similarly, Ford designed GT350R-C, another model designed specifically for racing. That means that the cars had roll-over protection, bars, and other things useless for everyday drivers.
The last version of GT350R came out in 2019, and it was the model with 526 horsepower. So, is the GT350R supercharged? The answer is no. GT350R models are not supercharged, but you can do it if you feel like it. Keep in mind that the newer series of Mustangs are not cheap, and adding a blower will only increase the price.
If you are wondering what this vehicle can achieve when upgraded, suffice it to say that it is possible to reach 920 horsepower by adding a supercharger!
Are Superchargers Expensive?
The price of the blower mostly depends on the model you want to buy. Whipple superchargers are generally a bit pricier, but they will be significantly cheaper than buying a new car.
Keep in mind that even though the Ford Mustang is affordable, you will still need to pay 60 or 70 thousand for a new model. So adding $8,000 to the mix won’t make as much of a difference. However, the change in performance will be more than noticeable.
What Are Shelby GT350 Supercharged Models You Can Find?
The list of vehicles that are already supercharged is quite limited. The truth is, Ford usually offered superchargers for the GT500 series, and there aren’t many models that arrive with an installed blower.
- 1966 GT350s, with Paxton supercharger
- 1968 Cobra, with Paxton supercharger
- 2011 Shelby GT350 with Ford Racing supercharger
- 2012 Shelby GT350 with Whipple supercharger
- 2013 Shelby GT350 with 624 horsepower
- 2013 Prototype Demonstrator with 624 horsepower
Other models of Mustangs like Cobra, Super Snake, or GT500 had blowers more often. But, that doesn’t mean that you are out of options. In the past couple of years, Hennessey Performance started offering supercharged vehicles. The company now offers GT350 and GT350R models, and you can buy one of these if that’s something you’d be interested in. The company offers superchargers only, but if you are looking to install a blower by yourself, you can pick any model you like.
One of the things we should mention is that Ford announced that it would stop producing Ford Mustang Shelby GT350 and GT350R models with naturally aspirated V8 engines and manual transmission in favor of GT500 models. That means that there is a high chance that these models will remain the only ones you can find that offer a supercharger as a stock part.
Is the Mustang GT350 Supercharged? How Do You Find Out?
So, what happens if you own a car already, and you are not sure whether it is supercharged? If this is the case, you are faced with two options:
- Discover it by yourself
- Take your car to the service and ask
The first method will require some knowledge, but it is not nearly as complex as you might have imagined. Probably the first thing you should do is check your car and see if there are decals or stickers on it. If your car is supercharged, there is a high chance that it will be written somewhere on the vehicle.
If there are no stickers on the hood or on the body of your Mustang, you can also check the engine. Having a supercharger will increase not only the power of the engine, but the price of the entire vehicle, so blowers can be quite prominent.
Naturally, it is possible that there are no signs of superchargers, which means that you’ll need to proceed to the next step — examining the engine. Since the hood is already opened, you can check if there is a supercharger inside. Some people might not be aware of how superchargers look, but all is not lost.
The majority of superchargers on the street are stock, which means that all you need to do is research your car and see if they are sold with a supercharger. Needless to say, if all of this sounds tiring to you, just take your car to the local service, and they will be able to tell you whether the supercharger is inside or not.
Is the GT350 Supercharged Already? If Not, How to Install One?
That leads us to the next step. Let’s say you own a GT350, and it is the model without a supercharger. You might want to install one, which means that you will have similar options as in the previous step.
The easiest thing to do is buy a blower you like (and the one that fits the engine) and leave it to professionals to complete the installation. Of course, some people love playing with the engine, and they might be tempted to try and install the blower by themselves.
That is not a bad idea, especially if you have experience with cars. Our recommendation would be to go for a supercharger kit since you will receive all the necessary parts needed for the installation. It will save you a lot of time, and you won’t need to search for the parts elsewhere. Furthermore, if you don’t replace parts suggested by the manufacturer of the blower, you will risk damaging the device and causing additional problems to your vehicle.
The smartest thing to do is to follow the instructions and use whatever the designer recommended in the instruction manual. Installing a supercharger can take between 10 and 12 hours, and it all depends on your previous experience. With a supercharger kit, the only other thing you will need is tools to complete the installation.
Why Is the Shelby GT350 Supercharged an Excellent Idea?
It is the simplest way to improve the performance of your vehicle. You have nothing to lose by installing one, and you will get a significant increase in horsepower and torque. Some models offer more than a 70% increase in performance, and since we are talking about Mustang GT350, the difference will be incredible.
Keep in mind that engines in Mustangs are already powerful, and installing a good blower will help you transform your car into a beast. We already mentioned that it is possible to go over 900 hp with a supercharger, and it can be so much fun.
The best thing about blowers is that they don’t require any permanent modifications. As a result, even if you get bored of the blower, you can easily remove it. Whether you have a 2020 Ford Mustang Shelby, the older model, or anything in between, getting a supercharger is the easiest way to boost the engine and feel like you bought a brand new car.
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