So I finally finished my 2013 Shelby brake install. I received these way back in June of 2013. The trouble with being a perfectionist is that I won't install anything unless it's just right. I did the rear brakes a long time ago, and they went in without a hitch. Took about a day (because I'm slow), pulled the axles, installed the bigger anchors on the axle housing, swapped the big rotors on, and boom... done.
The fronts were super easy - except that I wanted to paint them because I didn't want boring black brakes. The flat ugly gray on the stock 14" Brembos was boring, and I wasn't going to go to all the trouble to swap on new ones unless I blinged 'em up a little bit.
I went to the paint store and bought expensive automotive paint in 2000 Ford Mustang Sunburst Gold and 2011 Ford Mustang Race Red. I had the paint put in aerosol cans, and ordered custom-made Brembo logo stencils so I could paint the logos back on instead of using lame stickers. The trouble was, the first few times I tried painting the logos, the stupid cheap black spray paint I was using for the "Brembo" lettering kept peeling off or feathering at the edges when I pulled the stencils. The high quality Race Red paint was coming off perfect. After trying multiple times to get red logos with black lettering, I gave up and went with all red lettering. I'm actually really pleased with how it came out. I sprayed eight coats of clear on it too, which toned down the gold a little bit, and made it kind of similar to factory Brembo gold.
Here's the completed calipers after reassembly.
This is how I started off this morning...
The factory 14" 4-piston Brembos were looking a little sad, oxidized a bit from the wheel cleaner my detailer uses.
I pulled everything off, and installed the tiny new heat shields, which essentially just protect the tie rod end from the heat of the rotor.
Here's a bigger shot of everything pulled off. My old calipers are hanging on a bunjee cord.
All my old brakes piled up on the floor.
This is the GIANT 15", 32-pound rotor installed, and my new caliper hanging from a bunjee cord.
Couple pics of the new brakes installed.
After I finished the install, my buddy Richard came by to help bleed them real quick. The kit from Ford even came with some new motorcraft fluid - it's a really nice complete kit. Here's what everything looks like with the wheels back on and the car on the ground.
...and the whole car with the fancy new brakes. I really like them!
Other than buying some 2-piece rotors, I can't think of much more that I'd like to do to the outside of the car. I'll probably clean up and paint the rear brake anchors and calipers a dark mineral gray at some point for a clean look, but that's minor. I really happy with the way the car looks now, and I'm really glad I stuck with the gold calipers despite all the haters. I could've done Race Red on the calipers with white lettering, but I didn't want them to blend - I wanted them to stick out. I like this color, and don't think it's over the top.
Paul.
The fronts were super easy - except that I wanted to paint them because I didn't want boring black brakes. The flat ugly gray on the stock 14" Brembos was boring, and I wasn't going to go to all the trouble to swap on new ones unless I blinged 'em up a little bit.
I went to the paint store and bought expensive automotive paint in 2000 Ford Mustang Sunburst Gold and 2011 Ford Mustang Race Red. I had the paint put in aerosol cans, and ordered custom-made Brembo logo stencils so I could paint the logos back on instead of using lame stickers. The trouble was, the first few times I tried painting the logos, the stupid cheap black spray paint I was using for the "Brembo" lettering kept peeling off or feathering at the edges when I pulled the stencils. The high quality Race Red paint was coming off perfect. After trying multiple times to get red logos with black lettering, I gave up and went with all red lettering. I'm actually really pleased with how it came out. I sprayed eight coats of clear on it too, which toned down the gold a little bit, and made it kind of similar to factory Brembo gold.Here's the completed calipers after reassembly.
This is how I started off this morning...
The factory 14" 4-piston Brembos were looking a little sad, oxidized a bit from the wheel cleaner my detailer uses.
I pulled everything off, and installed the tiny new heat shields, which essentially just protect the tie rod end from the heat of the rotor.
Here's a bigger shot of everything pulled off. My old calipers are hanging on a bunjee cord.
All my old brakes piled up on the floor.
This is the GIANT 15", 32-pound rotor installed, and my new caliper hanging from a bunjee cord.
Couple pics of the new brakes installed.
After I finished the install, my buddy Richard came by to help bleed them real quick. The kit from Ford even came with some new motorcraft fluid - it's a really nice complete kit. Here's what everything looks like with the wheels back on and the car on the ground.
...and the whole car with the fancy new brakes. I really like them!
Other than buying some 2-piece rotors, I can't think of much more that I'd like to do to the outside of the car. I'll probably clean up and paint the rear brake anchors and calipers a dark mineral gray at some point for a clean look, but that's minor. I really happy with the way the car looks now, and I'm really glad I stuck with the gold calipers despite all the haters. I could've done Race Red on the calipers with white lettering, but I didn't want them to blend - I wanted them to stick out. I like this color, and don't think it's over the top.
Paul.
