October DealsAmazon USOctober deal check: compare before you payAmazon US: current deals, useful picks and tech finds.Check DealsWindows FixRecommendedWindows errors stealing your time? Find the fix fastScan stability, cleanup and performance issues.Fix NowOctober DealsAmazon USDeal season is back - check today's better picksAmazon US: current deals, useful picks and tech finds.See Picks×
Skip to content
CarCodyAdvertise
Service recordThe Garage

1987 Dodge Daytona Shelby Z: The 1980s Turbo Coupe and Its Shelby Connection

The 1987 Daytona Shelby Z paired an intercooled Turbo II with chassis hardware linked to the 1986 Turbo Z C/S. Here’s what the Shelby connection really means.
Entry454 Date Time4 min MechanicCarCody Team
Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

The 1987 Dodge Daytona Shelby Z was a front-wheel-drive turbo coupe with an intercooled 2.2-liter Turbo II, 174 horsepower and 200 lb-ft of torque. Its chassis story reaches back to the 1986 Daytona Turbo Z C/S, which carried a Carroll Shelby handling package. But the name needs a qualification: Shelby-associated engineering does not mean Carroll Shelby personally oversaw every later Shelby Z.

What was the Dodge Daytona Shelby Z?

The Daytona was a front-wheel-drive coupe introduced in 1983 on a modified K-Car platform, according to MotorTrend’s retrospective. The 1987 Shelby Z was a performance trim distinguished by its intercooled Turbo II engine and sport-oriented chassis equipment.

It belonged to a wider Shelby–Dodge collaboration. Shelby American dates its Dodge-era work to 1982–1989 and says Lee Iacocca enlisted Carroll Shelby to help build Dodge’s performance image after Iacocca moved to Chrysler. The company describes turbocharging as a recurring part of that effort and counts 22 Shelby Dodge or Dodge Shelby models across the broader program—not 22 Daytona versions and not a Shelby Z production total. See Shelby American’s history.

How was the 1987 Shelby Z related to the 1986 Turbo Z C/S?

The two trims are related, but they are not the same model designation or a single unchanged car. MotorTrend describes the 1986 Daytona Turbo Z C/S as a Turbo Z fitted with a Carroll Shelby handling package. Its chassis upgrades included larger anti-roll bars, four-wheel disc brakes, improved struts and wider Goodyear Eagle Gatorback tires. MotorTrend says those features carried into the 1987 Shelby Z.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.
#1 Best Overall
Sale
MPC 1988 Dodge Shelby Daytona 1:25 Scale Model Kit
  • 1:25 scale, skill level 2, paint & glue required
  • 154 parts
  • Molded in white, clear, transparent red, and some chrome-plated parts
  • Black vinyl tires
  • Metal axle

The C/S label therefore identifies a Shelby-associated handling package on the 1986 Turbo Z. The later Shelby Z was a named trim centered on the intercooled Turbo II. MotorTrend specifically says Carroll Shelby had nothing else to do with the Shelby Z cars, so the badge and engineering lineage should not be presented as proof that he personally tuned or supervised each one.

What did the Shelby Z’s Turbo II deliver?

For the 1987 Shelby Z, MotorTrend reports a Garrett T3 turbocharger, 174 hp and 200 lb-ft of torque, with an approximate vehicle weight of 2,800 pounds. Its account gives period 0–60 mph estimates ranging from 7.5 to 8.5 seconds depending on the test; that spread is not a definitive factory acceleration claim.

Rank #2
Sale
MPC - 1986 Dodge Shelby Charger (MPC987)
  • Family of brands includes Auto World 1:64 scale electric slot racers and racing sets; AMT, MPC, and Polar Lights model kits
  • Round 2 and its creative team are dedicated to producing detailed, quality playable, and collectible items that appeal to the young and the young at heart
  • The most innovative modeling company in the industry. We engineer and produce a variety of kits from classic cars to giant space ships
  • Our die-cast models are next level – when it comes to detail we are the best in the collectible business
  • Model Kits AMT/MPC/POL/HL

Dodge’s 1988 Daytona brochure, reproduced by XR793, lists the Shelby Z’s 2.2-liter intercooled Turbo II at 174 hp at 5,200 rpm and 200 lb-ft at 2,400 rpm, paired with a high-capacity five-speed close-ratio manual overdrive transmission. Those are 1988 brochure specifications, not figures to assume for every Daytona year. The brochure reproduction is at the 1988 Dodge Daytona brochure.

1986 Turbo Z C/S and 1987 Shelby Z compared

Model year and trim Engine and output Transmission Chassis details
1986 Daytona Turbo Z C/S MotorTrend identifies the Turbo Z and its Shelby handling package; the reviewed account does not state output figures for this comparison. Not stated in MotorTrend’s cited account. Larger anti-roll bars, four-wheel disc brakes, improved struts and wider Goodyear Eagle Gatorback tires, according to MotorTrend.
1987 Daytona Shelby Z Intercooled 2.2-liter Turbo II; 174 hp and 200 lb-ft, as reported by MotorTrend. The reproduced 1987 Dodge brochure names a five-speed manual transaxle for the Shelby Z; its PDF content was not fully retrievable for further detail. MotorTrend says the C/S chassis features carried into the Shelby Z.
1988 Daytona Shelby Z Dodge’s brochure lists the 2.2-liter intercooled Turbo II at 174 hp at 5,200 rpm and 200 lb-ft at 2,400 rpm. High-capacity five-speed close-ratio manual overdrive, per the brochure. Not stated in the cited brochure specifications.

The 1987 brochure reproduction is available at XR793. Because its PDF content was not fully retrievable, it supports only the specific transmission detail noted above; the comparison does not infer additional specifications from it.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.
Rank #3
Jada Toys Fast & Furious Dom's Dodge Charger Daytona DIE-CAST Car, 1: 24 Scale Red (97060)
  • Opening hood, doors, trunk
  • Detailed interior
  • Exterior styling directly from the movie
  • Die Cast Replica

Is the Daytona Shelby Z rare?

It is a distinctive period performance Daytona, but a reliable production total for the Shelby Z itself is not established by the cited material. Do not use the broader count of 22 Shelby Dodge or Dodge Shelby models as a Daytona production figure, or substitute total Daytona production for Shelby Z production.

Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Support on Ko-Fi

What to check when identifying or restoring one

Start with model year and trim rather than relying on a Shelby badge or a single shared feature. The distinction between a 1986 Turbo Z C/S and a 1987 Shelby Z matters for identifying the original package and comparing specifications.

Quick Recap

SaleBestseller No. 1
MPC 1988 Dodge Shelby Daytona 1:25 Scale Model Kit
MPC 1988 Dodge Shelby Daytona 1:25 Scale Model Kit
1:25 scale, skill level 2, paint & glue required; 154 parts; Molded in white, clear, transparent red, and some chrome-plated parts
$30.99
SaleBestseller No. 2
MPC - 1986 Dodge Shelby Charger (MPC987)
MPC - 1986 Dodge Shelby Charger (MPC987)
Model Kits AMT/MPC/POL/HL
$32.49
Bestseller No. 3
Jada Toys Fast & Furious Dom's Dodge Charger Daytona DIE-CAST Car, 1: 24 Scale Red (97060)
Jada Toys Fast & Furious Dom's Dodge Charger Daytona DIE-CAST Car, 1: 24 Scale Red (97060)
Opening hood, doors, trunk; Detailed interior; Exterior styling directly from the movie; Die Cast Replica
$31.19
Best Value
1965 Cobra Daytona Coupe #98 Blue Metallic with White Stripes 1/18 Diecast Model Car by Shelby Collectibles SC130
  • Brand new box. Real rubber tires. Has steerable wheels. Officially licensed product. Opening hood, doors and trunk. Made of diecast with some plastic parts. Detailed interior, exterior, engine compartment. Dimensions approximately L-9.25, W-4, H-2.5 inches.
  • Confirm the model year and exact trim designation using vehicle documentation and year-specific references.
  • Compare the engine description and transmission against the relevant year’s brochure. The 1988 brochure specifies the intercooled Turbo II and five-speed close-ratio manual overdrive.
  • For the C/S and Shelby Z chassis relationship, use MotorTrend’s description of the handling package and its carryover to the Shelby Z rather than assuming every Daytona Turbo had those parts.
  • A Turbo Dodge parts reference lists year-specific Dodge parts-guide references, including 1987 and 1988, along with a Chrysler 2.2/2.5 engine assembly guide. Check that a specific guide covers Shelby Z trim before relying on it for restoration.

Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.

More from the Garage

  1. Entry001Date09 OCT 26Time3 minWhich Brake Pad Should You Buy From RockAuto or Elsewhere?Section: Blog
  2. Entry002Date09 OCT 26Time5 minThe Pros and Cons of Touchless Car Wash SystemsSection: Blog
  3. Entry003Date09 OCT 26Time3 minCan a Trickle Charger or Battery Tender Properly Charge a Car Battery?Section: Blog

Thanks for visiting Carcody

Carcody.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.co

Recommended PC Tool
Recommended PC Tool
PC Slower Than It Used to Be?Free scan - under a minute
Outdated Drivers Are Slowing You DownFree scan - exact matches

Two free Windows tools

One Free Minute Could Fix That PC

Before you go - each of these free tools takes about a minute and tackles what quietly slows a Windows PC down.

Special offer. View Outbyte info, uninstall instructions, EULA, and Privacy Policy.