Shocker: Shelby GT500 Is Really An Old Toyota Crown
Read the full story on Backfire News
What might look like a Shelby GT500 is in fact an old, crappy Toyota underneath. This is the handiwork of YouTube channel NHET TV. The group of Vietnamese fabricators has generated quite the reputation for taking old Toyotas, which are plentiful in the communist nation, using the chassis, powertrain, and drivetrain, then building over that the body of something far more exotic.In fact, in Vietnam a Shelby GT500 would be quite exotic, almost on the same level as a Ferrari SF90 or Lamborghini Huracan. To watch these guys get excited about building one of their own is a lot of fun, even if they don't nail every detail of the super pony car.
They work with what they have on hand, creating a body structure by welding together a metal cage, using hard plastic sheets filled with holes to make a more solid structure. Then they mix up their own clay, caking it onto the framework and plastic before shaping and smoothing the stuff to look more like a production vehicle.
From there they add a fiberglass structure over the top of the clay, then once that cures they scrape out all the heavy clay. The team handmakes quite a few components, which is interesting to watch. Once the 'Shelby' is painted and everything put together, it looks surprisingly good considering what these guys had to work with.
Nobody who's familiar with the GT500 is going to be fooled by this. In fact, it gives us some uncanny valley vibes. But it's still an impressive effort, all things considered.
What's amazing is instead of having a real Shelby GT500 on hand, they seem to be working off a toy version of the S550 generation. Trying to scale that up and get the body to fit properly on the Crown's chassis is no small feat, so we can overlook some details they didn't quite nail.
If you enjoyed this, you should check out the Koenigsegg Jesko NHET TV fabricated in a similar fashion, complete with the dihedral doors. It's quite the feat and shows they have some crazy skills.
Image via NHET TV/YouTube
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Edmunds
4 hours ago
- Edmunds
The Toyota 4Runner, Land Cruiser and Tacoma Turned Hell's Revenge Into a Piece of Cake
Three Toyota off-roaders vs. one challenging trail Despite being fairly new to off-roading, I was able to safely traverse all the obstacles and different terrains I encountered in all three Toyotas I drove. The Land Cruiser and the 4Runner TRD Off-Road Premium are the two vehicles that can be pitted directly against each other. Both vehicles are SUVs and ride on Toyota's TNGA-F platform with the same suspension setup and hybrid powertrain. I also drove the Tacoma TRD Pro, which bears many similarities to its siblings but in truck form. Hell's Revenge hits you with a stunning challenge right off the bat: a narrow uphill path — also called a fin — that welcomes you at the trailhead. From the parking lot, the hill looks intimidating, but once you initiate the climb, you instantly begin to enjoy the ride and appreciate your surroundings. Every obstacle we encountered shouldn't be taken lightly because the consequences can be severe. Soon after descending, we came across uneven ground with rocks and boulders on both sides and a narrow path that served as the ideal route to avoid damage. All three trucks put their suspension systems to work and wheeled through this without any fuss. As we kept motoring along, we came across boulders and steep hills we had to carefully climb to reach higher points and continue. The Toyotas once again got up and over with ease. The Land Cruiser's 32-degree approach angle came in handy in these instances because it avoided hitting most obstacles altogether. The 4Runner's significantly lower approach angle — 19 degrees — was noticeable as I tapped the front skid plate more than once. Departure angles on all three vehicles were sufficient, but one thing that irked me was the rear mud flaps on the Land Cruiser. Every single time we had a steep descent and came to flat ground, the mud flaps would make contact. Of course, those can be removed, and I highly suggest you do so if you plan on taking it off-roading. The Tacoma is longer than its SUV siblings, but it still managed to get through tight spaces and turns with the only issue being the trailer hitch that kept scraping on steep drops.
Motor 1
4 hours ago
- Motor 1
This Might Be the New Toyota FJ Cruiser
It's been almost two years since Toyota teased the shadowy silhouette of a small, boxy SUV during the Land Cruiser 250's debut. There have since been a handful of hints that the automaker is still developing that smaller off-roader, but now we potentially have our best look yet. This might be the new Toyota FJ Cruiser. The lone design image comes from a filing at the patent office in the Philippines . Toyota filed for the patent way back in January 2024, but Top Gear Philippines only recently stumbled upon the design. It looks very similar to the shadowy silhouette teased in 2023. The rear looks awkward from the provided angle, and the D-pillar appears massive compared to the rest of the vehicle, which would create equally huge blind spots. The rear bumper cladding also looks a bit too chunky at the back, but it does seem to have a spare tire mounted on the liftgate, alluding to its ruggedness. The vehicle looks plain in these patent images, admittedly, likely representing the base version. There are no fog lights and no roof racks. The wheels also look quite small for something supposedly suited for Moab. But the teaser (that we lightened in Photoshop) shows an appealing-looking addition to the Toyota lineup nonetheless. Shortly after Toyota teased its small off-roader, the automaker filed a trademark for the Land Cruiser FJ name . There's still a lot of mystery surrounding the vehicle, which is likely to borrow styling cues from the Compact Cruiser EV concept. However, a report suggested the SUV would feature gasoline and hybrid engines instead. All these hints will hopefully add up to something incredible. We don't doubt there's a market for a smaller off-roader with some of the kit and capability of the larger Land Cruiser . Check Out More Toyota News: The Toyota Supra Won't Stay Dead For Long Toyota Considering Small Pickup for the US to Rival Maverick Get the best news, reviews, columns, and more delivered straight to your inbox, daily. back Sign up For more information, read our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use . Source: World Intellectual Property Organization via Top Gear Philippines Share this Story Facebook X LinkedIn Flipboard Reddit WhatsApp E-Mail Got a tip for us? Email: tips@ Join the conversation ( )
Motor Trend
5 hours ago
- Motor Trend
New, 8th-Gen Toyota Celica In Development, and It Might Get an Engine
The renderings of a revived Toyota Celica sprinkled across the internet don't have the coupe's look quite right, according to Toyota executives. But they're not denying that work continues on a new vehicle that would bring back the storied Celica name. If you're scratching your head, it's because you might not have been born when Toyota last offered a sporty two-door Celica coupe, which went out of production in 2006 at the end of the seventh-generation model's run (pictured at top). 0:00 / 0:00 'Bottom line is we are working on a product that could theoretically go by the Celica name If we can figure out how to pull it off and it gets approved,' says Toyota senior vice president of Product Planning and Strategy for Toyota North America Cooper Ericksen. But all the AI renderings to date are wrong and fake, he added in an interview with MotorTrend. What is not fake is that development continues on a would-be Celica. Prototypes and ideas have been shown to dealers. Mules are running around testing powertrains. Last November an executive in Japan, at a fan event at Rally Japan, told the crowd Toyota was making the Celica. But the North American executives have not been told that officially. And it is possible that a new Celica has been approved for sale in Japan first. Celica Name Has Cache 'We'll see if it gets finally approved,' said David Christ, general manager of the Toyota Division for TMNA. 'Obviously the brand name has a lot of good history in the U.S. We'd love to have more offerings that are fun to drive.' 'People are talking about it,' Ericksen says. 'It's a pretty advanced development.' Toyota has development prototypes running around, testing future powertrains for GR products and yes, there is a running mule for a future Celica. Asked if the Celica would have some degree of electrification—after all, Honda's revived Prelude coupe, a natural competitor for a new Celica, is a hybrid—the product planner said Toyota has unique powertrains for many different purposes. 'Akio [Toyoda, chairman of Toyota Motor Corp.] has said when it comes to specialized GR performance products, it is very difficult to replicate that emotional driving feel out on track with something other than traditional ICE (internal combustion engine). So, while there could be a motor in a future Celica, 'I'm not closing the door to a vehicle that is ultra lightweight, that has a super advanced system but is still a traditional ICE. It could be something that does not have an electric drive.' Ericksen does not know when we will see the Celica, in part because it is a global product and is not being developed in North America. 'It's a big wait and see. I'm just hopeful that we can get something.' So are we. It'd be yet another push in a sporty new direction for Toyota, which has been steadily upping the dynamic game of its mainstream Camry sedan while bringing out hot stuff like the turbocharged, all-wheel-drive GR Corolla hatchback, keeping the GR86 sports car alive, and hinting that there will be a next-generation Supra.
