Raising the Bar: Bob Ramser's 2017 Ford Mustang Shelby GT350

Set apart by its unique flat-plane crankshaft, the 5.2L Voodoo V8 nestled between the frame rails of Bob Ramser’s 2017 Shelby GT350 was celebrated for its free-revving nature and exotic soundtrack. Off the assembly line, the naturally aspirated powerplant breathes in air at approximately 1 bar—that is, standard atmospheric pressure. 

But for Bob, a little extra pressure was exactly what this pony needed to reach its full potential.

Bob is a Mustang man through-and-through. “I wanted one since I was sixteen,” he says. “I grew up around them. It was a dream of mine to get one.” After decades of waiting, he started big with a 2014 Roush, then upped the ante with this GT350. In true enthusiast fashion, Bob couldn’t leave them alone. They needed improvement, and word on the street led him to The Snake Pit and its founder, Clint Chaney. 

Bob describes The Snake Pit as “a place where we can work on our cars that kind of morphed into its own business.” The Snake Pit crew specializes in improving and customizing late-model Ford muscle: exactly the kind of talent Bob needed to take his Shelby to the next level. “The first thing we did was lower it on a set of Ford Performance springs,” he recalls, “We did a BMR K-member, vertical links, and cradle bushing lockout kit. Between all that and the wheels, everyone completely fell in love with the car.”  

A shakedown run on the famous 318-turn, 11-mile Tail of the Dragon in Tennessee was all it took to convince Bob to raise the bar, both figuratively and literally. “We took the car to the Tail of the Dragon and had a lot of fun with it down there,” says Bob. “And that got us thinking, ‘Hey, this thing handles so well, but it would be a completely different beast if we put a blower on it.’ So that winter, we put a blower on it. Now it not only handles, but it’s got the power to back it up.”

Head over to our blog, OnAllCylinders.com, to learn all about how this Ford was transformed from factory to ferocious! And don't miss the video tour featuring Bob, his high-performance Shelby, and the team at The Snake Pit!

Photography By: Todd Biss Productions
Art Direction By: Kate Wolfram
Story By: Dominic Righetti

FAST SPECS

Engine and Transmission
Power/Torque: 780 whp @ 8,066 rpm, 562 ft.-lbs @ 5,762 rpm
Engine: L&M Engines custom camshafts, ARP fasteners, Boundary Racing Pumps oil pump gears and crank sprocket, JLT oil separator
Induction and Fuel System: Whipple Gen 3 2.9L supercharger, 10-rib pulley kit, 132mm throttle body, and cold air intake; Injector Dynamics 1050 injectors, JMS fuel pump booster
Exhaust: Stainless Works long-tube headers and 3" Redline Series active exhaust
Transmission: TREMEC TR-3160, Mantic triple-disc clutch, Drive Shaft Shop carbon fiber driveshaft, MGW short-throw shifter, BilletWorkz shift knob

Chassis
Suspension and Steering: BMR K-member, vertical links, jacking rails, and cradle bushing lockout kit; Watson Racing 4-point roll bar, Ford Performance lowering springs
Wheels and Tires: Signature SV303S wheels (20" x 11" front, 20" x 11 1/2" rear), Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires (295/30R20 front, 315/30R20 rear)

Exterior/Interior
Body: Trufiber wicker bill rear spoiler extension
Seats: Watson Racing rear seat delete
Dashboard: Trufiber carbon fiber dash, Beith Performance steering wheel

Special Thanks To:
My wife Kimmy and my son Reed; Team Snake Pit: Clint Chaney, Bill Coleman, Greg Hildebrand, Tom Habbyshaw, Jerry Jana, and Joe Ramey; Terrance Williams at Signature Wheel