The Archive: 1989 Shelby CSX--C/D Apr 1989

[TurboMinivan]

[VDub2625]

$16k for that? That's it? A Jetta GLI 16v Wolfsburg Edition was $17k in the same year, and not nearly as special.

[VWRulez]

look = meh
performance = awesome

[JustinCSVT]

Quote, originally posted by VDub2625 »

$16k for that? That's it? A Jetta GLI 16v Wolfsburg Edition was $17k in the same year, and not nearly as special.

What's new?

[BOOSTAHOLIC]

88 csx-t most appealing..

[Slowkums]

Had no idea vnt's were around back then.

[velocidub]

Very cool car. Love the Chrysler 2.2 Turbo Thanks for the scan.

I wonder how many of the 500 built still exist?

[HerrGolf]

Quote, originally posted by VDub2625 »

$16k for that? That's it? A Jetta GLI 16v Wolfsburg Edition was $17k in the same year, and not nearly as special.

If special means retarded, that is...

[xdre]

Quote, originally posted by HerrGolf »

If special means retarded, that is...

What's retarded about a turbo hot hatch?

[anon_az]

I still miss my ol' number #212 Thanks for the scan Turbominivan!

[HerrGolf]

It's a Shadow/Sundance. Bleaugh...

Anyway, it was just a quip, not fully serious. Why was Shelby hotting up all those K-cars/Omnis? What drew him toward Chrysler's offerings and not someone else's? A Shelby Neon would've been awesome if his interest in Chrysler endured through the '90s.

[anon_az]

Quote, originally posted by BOOSTAHOLIC »

88 csx-t most appealing..

No way! It was just a normal Turbo Shadow with a nice appearance package. I do like the white on silver - a lot - but the 89 is the cream of the crop when it comes to the CSXs.

I don't get how everyone balks at the looks though, what about a MKII looks so great that people drool over, but the clean lines of a P-body turn people off?


Modified by anon_az at 12:15 PM 9-30-2009

[anon_az]

Quote, originally posted by HerrGolf »

It's a Shadow/Sundance. Bleaugh... What drew him toward Chrysler's offerings and not someone else's?

Probably Lee Iacocca since he was at Ford when Shelby was churning out GT350s and GT500's Also, Shelby seemed to want to experiment with turbo motors, something Chrysler was producing more of in the US than anyone else at the time. They were cheap, handled decently and were par-for-course when it came to interior quality as far as the domestics were concerned.

[G-rocco]

Very cool. Thatnks for the read

[rice is burning]

Quote, originally posted by VDub2625 »

$16k for that? That's it? A Jetta GLI 16v Wolfsburg Edition was $17k in the same year, and not nearly as special.

A base Sundance/Shadow was a sub $10k car, so $17k was a pretty hefty price for 1989. You're talking Mustang GT, maybe IROC-Z territory.

[anon_az]

Quote, originally posted by rice is burning »

A base Sundance/Shadow was a sub $10k car, so $17k was a pretty hefty price for 1989. You're talking Mustang GT, maybe IROC-Z territory.

True, there definitely was a price for the exclusivity. These didn't fly off the lots, by any means.

[VDub2625]

Was the Sundance/Shadow a Jetta competitor? Or would it compete closer with the Fox?

EDIT: VW seemed to think that the Spirit competed closer with the Jetta, according to this. But the Spirit is classed as a midsize, with the Shadow as a compact. Then again, there's the Aries and 600 too... Eh, they're all the same thing


Modified by VDub2625 at 6:03 PM 9-30-2009

[anon_az]

Oh, oh, two things I forgot about this car pictured in the article :

1 - The front grille is a one piece unit (one piece from under the headlights and between the headlights) The production unit was two pieces, with a Sundance lower trim piece combined with the Shelby-specific "hollow" grille

2 - You'll see there's no third brake light on the trunk. Production cars had a (second) third brake light installed on the trunk lid with the interior / original third brake light disconnected / non-functioning. I guess the feds thought the rear wing blocked too much of the original third brake light.

[anon_az]

Quote, originally posted by VDub2625 »

Was the Sundance/Shadow a Jetta competitor? Or would it compete closer with the Fox? EDIT: VW seemed to think that the Spirit competed closer with the Jetta, according to this. But the Spirit is classed as a midsize, with the Shadow as a compact. Then again, there's the Aries and 600 too... Eh, they're all the same thing

I guess the Fox would be the best comparison... Maybe it could be said the Shadow 4 door competed with the Jetta. The Omni / Horizon competed with the Rabbit (the hell you say!) and the Spirit was supposed to be a Taurus / midsize competitor, despite its size. In hindsight, I'd say the Spirit competed with the more boring side of the Jetta Even the R/T was a pretty pedestrian in the corners and in the interior.

[Jrod511]

I've got to bump this and ask about 2 technologies mentioned and see where they are at now; variable nozzle turbos and composite wheels to see where they have gone.

I know VNT's became standard on late model 911 Turbos; I was surprised to learn Honda made a small displacement V6 with a VNT for ONE year only for their home market. What else has a VNT?

I haven't heard much of composite wheels though; would like to learn more.

[bustedbucket]

Not sure about the wheels(Price? Or that people simply don't want composite wheels?), but i think that vnt turbos are viewed as not being worth the cost and the advantages nowadays are lessened by superior turbo and engine technology. I seem to recall begi having a vnt kit(twin?) for the 911 that put out some very impressive numbers for the boost level though.

About this shelby: I'm curious as to why it's so heavy. 2840LBS isn't a tank by any means, but i wouldn't think a car that size of that era would be so heavy! I'd have guessed 4-500LBs lighter.