Carroll Shelby same old story

[RACER X #99]

Anybody remember May 1992, Shelby finds original Cobra frames in storage and starts building Cobras all over again?

Anybody remember Shelby at the LRP SAAC convention having his cronies taking pictures of ERA replicas? Anybody remember him refusing to sign ERA dashboards?

Anybody remember Shelby threatening to build his own replica Cobras because the replica builders refused to make a donation to his "heart fund" for every car sold?

I can only assume Shelby saw all the money SAAC was collecting at it's convention and wanted a piece of the action.

Some things never change, if the other kids won't let you share in their sand box you build your own sand box and put in all the toys with your name on them (no sharing required).

RD

[petercory]

Amen!!!!!!!

[RedBarchetta]

I often wonder how much of this is Shelby the man versus the various 'handlers' he must have around him (family members, attorneys, advisors, etc.)? I'm sure at his ripe old age he's just enjoying the heck out of all the attention he is receiving with the revival of the Shelby Mustangs, etc. But the business side of Shelby, Inc. has been and continues to be a train wreck with respect to how it treats the true enthusiasts. Just my humble opinion, and that's worth about $0.02 (on a good day).

[BDHE]

Originally Posted by RedBarchetta

I often wonder how much of this is Shelby the man versus the various 'handlers' he must have around him (family members, attorneys, advisors, etc.)? I'm sure at his ripe old age he's just enjoying the heck out of all the attention he is receiving with the revival of the Shelby Mustangs, etc. But the business side of Shelby, Inc. has been and continues to be a train wreck with respect to how it treats the true enthusiasts. Just my humble opinion, and that's worth about $0.02 (on a good day).

Red;

I'm betting that it's Shelby Corporate that has their panties in a bunch over issues where they're not getting what they think is the appropriate "con$ideration".

I just can't believe Mr. Shelby, at his age, could really give a damn about some of these things.

[DougD]

Racer X #99

"I can only assume Shelby saw all the money SAAC was collecting at it's convention and wanted a piece of the action."

I was told that SAAC received the Miller Motorsports facility in Utah at no cost this past convention. We didn't see any reduction in the registration fees, though. There has been a growing discontent within the long term members of SAAC that will probably now come to a head. If the new Team Shelby provides a superior place for all to gather, SAAC will see a drop in their much-touted membership renewal rate. When you're the only game in town, you can make the rules. When there's an alternative, you are held to a different standard. Competition improves the breed, and I for one am glad those guys have some competition. They've lost touch with the membership.

[Igofastr]

DougD,

I don't disagree with what you've said. But I would point out that CS is not about "competition, or improving the breed." He's about increasing revenues.

[Buzz]

Copied from the other thread. Shelby is a businessman - an entrepreneur - what else do you expect the man to do but maximize his business revenues within legal limitations? What would YOU have done differently? Really - I would love to hear the answers to that question.

The only thing in life that will never change is change itself. This is just another change beyond the control of those not directly involved in the business itself and we just have to accept it (or not) and move on. When I read all the ongoing griping and derision about Enzo and Shelby doin' what they gotta do to protect and control the offsprings of THEIR business ventures I have to wonder what else the hue-and-criers expect them to do and what exactly they themselves would do differently if they were (un?) lucky enough to have walked in those men's shoes. When I hear people lamenting that it's all about the money or profit, I have to wonder how many (non charitable) businesses are not about profit and how many of the lamenters have ever invested their own money, creativity and time into THEIR OWN product or business venture and what their feelings about profit and brand ownership would be if they had. Wouldn't life be sweet if Shelby was the Mother Theresa of all philanthropists who lived his life solely so that anyone who loves Cobras and Shelby automobiles could have one on his dime or profit freely from the fruits of his labours ? Wouldn't life be sweet if gas was $.05 a gallon and sex strengthened your immune system and lobster had no cholesterol and ... and ... ?

[DougD]

Igofastr
I agree. It's been easy of late to bash the old man. He seems to just keep giving us reasons to disagree with him. But I think it's relevant to point out that SAAC isn't innocent in all this. The desire to increase revenues goes both ways. SAAC is no longer a club, and hasn't been for years. It's a business run by men who don't answer to the members.

[CBattaglia]

This CS issue is new to me and I dont know the history. Im troubled that so many people are mad at the creator of our dream cars.

Seems to me its his name and his product. He should have had control of it the entire time. Of all people why is it that CS shouldnt profit from his product/name? He created these cars, everyon else is piggybacking. Its like giving Royalties to song writers.

The man single handedly took out Ferrari and made vettes look like box trucks!

I see a lot of knowledgable people here that are upset. I am definately missing something. Help me understand.

[Igofastr]

Originally Posted by DougD

Igofastr
I agree. It's been easy of late to bash the old man. He seems to just keep giving us reasons to disagree with him. But I think it's relevant to point out that SAAC isn't innocent in all this. The desire to increase revenues goes both ways. SAAC is no longer a club, and hasn't been for years. It's a business run by men who don't answer to the members.

DougD,

Your point about SAAC is certainly not without merrit. It's a shame that the two entities weren't able to work this out without CS completely withdrawing his endorcement of the "club." Despite all of it's problems, SAAC, and more specifically its membership, has done more to keep interest in these cars alive than any other entity. Including CS, himself.

It should be interesting to see what comes out in the wash a few years down the road.

[Maricopa]

The man single handedly took out Ferrari and made vettes look like box trucks!

Riiiiight. No help from AC, Ford, Remington, Miles, Brock, McDonald, et all. Just good 'ol Shel.

[Frank Messina]

Maybe I'm alone on this but it almost seems like no matter which way CS turns or what he does he winds up being attacked, bashed, and otherwise villified, good bad or otherwise. I don't get it..... really. Everybody knows what happens when you try to clone a Ferrari in the USA, but that hardly draws a murmer. Personally I am thankful that an audacious driver with a bad heart had the vision and gumption to invest 6 or so years of an uncertain life into creating an automotive legacy that nobody could have predicted. I am further thankful that by whatever good fortune or cosmic intervention, I own a Cobra built by my hands and enjoyed by the seat of my pants beyond words. Sometimes you get the impression that folks have the notion that after he finished up with Ford Shelby should have just gone away. How about this, how about if he had croaked before he had a chance to hatch the whole Cobra idea? None of this would exist today! Maybe everybody would be over pi$$ing on Enzo's headstone instead. Be thankful, not spiteful.
Frank
Frank

[Historybuff]

While this thread has many legitimate criticisms of The Old Man
you hafta admire a guy who, at an age when many of us are sitting at the nursing home trying to keep a rocking chair upright,he's in the thick of it trying to make sure that his estate has something to offer to his children, grand children and maybe even great grandchildren.
His biggest mistake was selling the name Cobra for a dollar.
His second biggest one was not patenting the shape of the 289 & 427 Cobra (he's still willing to fight that battle)
But at least now, despite those mistakes decades earlier, he's coming out swinging against those that want to constrict in any way his use of the Shelby and Cobra names. These are marketable entities and why shouldn't he--who went deep into hock in 1961 creating the first Cobra--still be No. 1 in line to collect from those who want to profit from those iconic names?
In a way he's in the same category as the James Dean family. Dean was a movie star who died before any of his 3 movies came out but his family, 50 some years later, still collects all kinds of royalties for James Dean-connected movies, coffee mugs etc. Same with the Elvis trust. So you can see why Shelby, while still on this earth, wants to lassoo his rope 'round as much of what he sees is his territory, so there will be something to pass on to his heirs.

All that being said, I hope the new entity shows the same respect for funding historical research that SAAC did because, without SAAC doing all that spadework during the years that the name Shelby was almost forgotten, the Shelby name wouldn't be worth so much now...

[427SnakeSC]

Originally Posted by CBattaglia

This CS issue is new to me and I dont know the history. Im troubled that so many people are mad at the creator of our dream cars.

Seems to me its his name and his product. He should have had control of it the entire time. Of all people why is it that CS shouldnt profit from his product/name? He created these cars, everyon else is piggybacking. Its like giving Royalties to song writers.

The man single handedly took out Ferrari and made vettes look like box trucks!
I see a lot of knowledgable people here that are upset. I am definately missing something. Help me understand.

I agree with you!

[Excaliber]

Single handedly (is that a 'real' word)?

Yeah, I think thats a valid statement. Same thing as saying a football coach 'single handedly' turned around a team and won the Super Bowl. Well DUH, it was the players. But it was the COACH who picked them and formed them into the 'team' they became! When it comes to leadership and attracting the right players, Shelby is right up there with the best of them.

[bdeutsch]

In my profession (silicon manufacturing), Intellectual Property (IP) is guarded and valued beyond what most of of would consider as being reasonable, yet it is necessary to protect our significant investment in the end product.

Another example that comes to mind that perhaps illustrates the point better is music and video. If a piece of music is written and produced by an artist, is s/he entitled to compensation whenever that music is played or purchased? From my perspective (and only my perspective for this discussion), the answer is yes. Also recognize that there are other opinions on this.

So, at least from my perspective, whether Mr. Shelby personally needs the revenue or not, is not the issue. If the products being sold use any IP initially developed by him or his various companies, he or his legal representatives have the right to protect it. While any of us may not think this is right, it is fundamentally his or his companies IP to share or not share as he deems appropriate.

[Sal Gerace]

I don't blame Shelby for cutting in on people making money off of his name like they have done for so many years. I am not referring to SAAC. SAAC has kept the hobby legitamate for a lot of years and I appreciate everything that they have done for the hobby.

[Igofastr]

I think most of you are missing the point entirely. It is NOT about intellectual property, copyrights, trade dress, or any of the such. It IS about being a "Johnny come lately" (yes, he was absent from the picture for a good 20 years) that is suddenly trying to recoup decades of perceived lost revenue by ticking off the very people he hopes to have as future customers.

Protecting your "property rights" is one thing. But is alienating potential customers in the process always the best business decision? I guess time will tell.

[andy0935]

In 1977 or 1978? Shelby was honorary judge at the Palo Alto Ca. Concourse. Shelbys were the featured marque. Afterward, he dropped by the local club's pool party at a member's home. My wife and I had our pictures made with him standing beside our 1968 Shelby Convertible(Original Owner). He sat outside the house and answered questions about his views at that time about the future of cars of similar type. He certainly didn't forsee whats happening today. At that time he had recently moved back from Africa, and apparently out of touch with the auto industry and no affiliations(sort of in limbo it seemed.) He was quite friendly and approachable(an all around nice guy). Much younger then and pre heart transplant. Over the years since, at various venues I have heard him and other members of his team express amazement and appreciation and acknowledment that the club was the major reason the name and Marque was kept current in the minds older and newer generations alike. He has also seemed to get crankier and more cantankerous. This is just an observation on my part and after all his health problems understandable. I am very sorry that after all the club has done(no doubt a major factor in his success today) he has decided to part ways. Hopefully, this will be reconsidered and that both parties have learned something

[kris-kincaid]

How dare you give a black eye to box trucks!! Everybody knows Vettes did and do look like Impala's!!

Originally Posted by CBattaglia

The man single handedly took out Ferrari and made vettes look like box trucks!