Those who are into cool cars know what Steve McQueen was all about. He was an absolute legend on and off the Silver Screen as well as an inspiration for those looking to take on their own path in life at full speed. To pay homage to Mr. McQueen’s rich legacy within today’s car culture, Steeda, a well-known manufacturer in the Ford parts and performance industry has created their own signature line of limited McQueen Racing Bullitt edition Mustangs.
Just as you’d expect, these vehicles are works of art in their own right, but to get things moving in the realm of the ultra-exclusive, Steeda worked directly with an important collector to create this specialty one-off Shelby GT500 that is truly a sight to see.
The Collector
When Darroll Myers, a well-known, heavy-hitter in the performance Ford supercar world approached Steeda to collaborate on a special one-of-one GT500 the wheels started moving—quickly. Joe Day, Vice President of Operations at Steeda Performance Vehicles, commented; “when we first started working with Mr. Myers, we did not know him from any other customer. We have since built an amazing working relationship with him, and the ideas that we have cooked up together have been filled with nothing but pure performance excitement.”
The Foundation
Since Steeda already offers their exclusive yet limited McQueen Racing Bullitt edition Mustangs, there was no problem taking things further with Darroll Myers’ Shelby GT500, which was already coming in as a golden ticket car outfitted with a highly desirable carbon fiber track pack that included specialty wheels, a rear high wing and other killer accessories.
Going above and beyond is what Steeda specializes in, as the only limitations of any given project is the imagination of the car owner. The 5.2L engine was outfitted with a Kenne Bell supercharger, long tube headers, as well as a host of other impressive upgrades that have come together to produce 925HP to the rear wheels. Now, that number wouldn’t mean much to Steeda unless they were able to properly harness that power with a capable suspension system.
Squat & Go!
Steeda has built their reputation on their suspension components over the years, and when building this GT500, they worked their magic around the factory Ford springs and MagneRide shocks. Steeda’s own front and rear swaybars were added, as was their rear IRS subframe brace, 10-piece bushing support system and alignment kit, as well as adjustable differential urethane bushing insert system, and full length ultralite jacking rails among other components that allow the car to take full advantage of the engine’s power. The current suspension configuration allows the car to properly hook up and work with the 925 ponies, not against them.
Rolling Hard
With the GT500 already equipped with the impossible-to-get 20x11 carbon fiber square stance wheels (they’re only available in the carbon fiber track pack), the plan was to leave those in place, obviously, and search out a set of tires that would only improve upon the car’s beastly prowess.
Naturally, Steeda looked to Nitto tires to provide the rubber at all four corners. A pair of 315/35R20 NT555 G2 tires took residence up front, while matching sized NT555 RII D.O.T.-compliant drag radials were positioned at the rear. This combination is proven to enhance both street and race driving with complementing tread patterns and sizing that work together to boost the agility of a modern performance vehicle like this one.
The Steeda Difference
This brand does not believe in upgrading or changing out components in vain. If factory components perform at a high level of reliability, Steeda leaves well enough alone and goes with whatever works best for the bottom line. This approach is used on their limited production vehicles, as well as their one-off custom creations. “We aren’t in the business of adding parts blindly,” added Joe Day. “We are more interested in seeing real performance gains and taking handling to the next level whether or not that is achieved with our own branded parts or not.”
A True One-Off Car
Darroll Myers’ Steeda-built GT500 is a true 1/1 serialized and registered McQueen Racing vehicle. This car was custom tailored to meet his high standards, and boy, does it ever deliver. From exclusive high-end parts and accessories, to the special McQueen Green powdercoat finish made to the car’s suspension components, K members and interior cage (these parts are normally coated in gray or blue), this is the epitome of what a rare Ford supercar looks like.
