Carroll Shelby Tribute thread. Be a part of it.

[computerworks]

no...it's still open for tribute posts and positive anecdotes

[Bill Bess]

OK, I have said a few not so nice things here on the web site regarding Shelby's law suit and that stuff,but I know thats just business.

I do want to say why I love these little cars more that anyother set of wheels.
Back in 1965, I was working in the Hollywood, Ca. area, for a utility company..basically digging ditches..and was standing on a major street "flagging traffic". This task was better than digging because it was easy, got to check out the girls and all the cool cars of the day. While standing there, I heard the loud rumbling sound..I knew it to be a Ford product coming down the street, because I'm a Ford lover. I saw this little car (Cobra) coming fast, making way too much noise and looking "Oh So Cool".
The Cobra stopped next to me in the traffic, the windshield was vibrating as if it might just rattle off the car..the entire car was shaking...WOW! I was hooked from that moment on. The Cobra took off, burning a little rubber and sliding a bid sideways...bad to the bone..WOW!
Anyway, that night my wife and I went to Shelby's show room to check out these little sports cars..WOW! One with a 289 engine $7500.00, with a 427, $10,000..well, couldn't afford either one..my wife just said "No way- you got babies at home".

Well, here I am today, still can't afford a real Shelby but my replica is just fine and I'm having the time of my life.

Bill

[02roush]

I named my daughter Shelby Rose.

[twobjshelbys]

I first heard Bill Cosby's 200MPH in 1968 just after he put out the LP.

I've wanted one since. I've looked over the years at clones, but decided that nothing but a real Shelby Cobra would do.

In December of 2007 while looking at the Barrett Jackson car list I saw the splash for the Barrett Jackson Shelby GT cars. I bought two. My wife asked me why I didn't get a Cobra (it would have cost less) but I was on a mission. I explained it to here. This last January, my wife and I donated one of those convertibles (sequential VIN numbers) with the proceeds to the Carroll Shelby Children's Foundation.

The day before the auction of our car, which netted $72K, I bought CSX4005LA.

Did I say I'm jazzed?

[bigmike]

I saw my first cobra in a Ford dealership when I was in high school, with a still-wet driver's license, and never relented until I one of my own, albeit a replica (38 years later). A random thought: what if ol' Shel had not gathered together the likes of Ken Miles, Phil Remington, Pete Brock, and the Peat brothers to create all of these wonderful things? Would this be Club MG?
THANKS MR. SHELBY!!!
Big Mike

[ceswert]

My first contact with a Shelby was riding in a 1968 GT350 convertible, 4-speed, with a fellow high school buddy in 1968. His dad owned a car leasing business so we delivered it to a customer. To this day the two words that have stuck with me to describe that car are beautiful and Nasty. Those hypo's were and are real nasty. Again in 1968 my uncle threw me the keys to his 1967 GT500. He told me to take it for a spin. This Wimbledom white, blue striped, 4 speed beast had a 427 SO. I believe this was a dealer option instead of the 428 CJ. I was so excited and nervous, I couldn't drive the car worth a darn. I purchased a 1969 black jade GT350, 4-speed in 1983 for $8k. I sold it in 1984 for $8.5k. Needed the money...divorce court. I am now happily remarried and am the proud owner of a 1965 black LA Exotic, 408W stroker and a 2007 Wimbledom white GT500, super snake, 427. Carroll Shelby will always be a major automotive influence in my life and in my kid's lives. It's such a rush to get nasty in a Shelby!

[pcoghlan]

I grew up in Surbiton, just south west of London and about 5 miles from Thames Ditton where the AC Cobra originated. I used to walk past the factory many years ago as a kid.

I applaud Carroll Shelby's involvement in combining the AC with the Ford powerplant. Without his actions the Cobra would never have been what it became. I wish credit was equally being applied to others that made the Cobra what it became but cannot take away what Shelby achieved.I do regret his decisions apropos AC's involvement but as they say, that is all water under the bridge.

[mdross1]

The first time I ever saw a Cobra and read about it in Car and Driver mag 1965,I was forever hooked.I tried everything under the sun to afford one.Then wanted to know all there was to know about Carrol Shelby.Over the years I have owned many muscle cars,hot bikes (Harleys) etc,but have always wanted a Cobra.Of course they got more and more unaffordable.So the only way I was ever going to realize my dream was build one,and I did.Spared no expense to get exactly what I wanted and I did.With that,to Mr Shelby thank you!! for putting together such an incredible driving experience.The look alone of the 427 Cobra is almost enough,then fire one up and feel it pound the ground.No sane person walking this earth could resisit wanting one.Mike Ross 1965 CMC 460,Tremec TKO, 9", with knockoff replica wheels,and belly exhaust(out the back)

[open roads]

I have a daughter named Shelby as well.

I'm moved by his personal story as much as his cars. I went from organ donor to non(when I got married and had children) to organ donor again because of him.

I'm in Vegas today. I hope to find him in town and offer a gift to the foundation that bears his name.

My best to you all.

[tmareina]

I was VERY close to buying a NEW 427 S/C back in 1967...had, as I can recollect, about 37 miles on the odometer, was solid red with 2 - 4's on a 427 side oiler. All for the HUGE price tag of $7,400.00 and change including tax & license. I was 20 years old and had a good job (the fact that gas was 24 cents a gallon for premium) was not the issue. I got cold feet and didn't buy it...I kick myself regularly for not pulling the trigger at the time...but hey...hindsight is 20-20. I was drawn to the car by Carrol's racing legacy and finally, in 2005 with retirement fast approaching I bought a replica of the car I coveted all those years. The wait was well worth it and I rationalize the origonal non-purchase to I probably would have killed myself in the car had I bought it at 20.

Thanks Carrol for your perseverance and success that have made all of us a little richer in happiness over the years.

Tom

[Dans65]

I was in 3rd grade when we moved to our new townhome and our neighbor had 2 Mustang coupes, a white 1969 and a light green 1971. They were not the top of the line muscle cars, but had spunk. I got a ride in the '69 one day and I was inside the seat of the passenger side when the Mr. Tom floored the pedal...Holy cow! They make these cars fast!? This is when I got into cars in more detail.

Then later on, I was in 7th grade, back in the mid 70's, when I met my friend Zak. His mother was a divorcee and she inherit the ownership of a 1970 MACH 1, the ugliest green that could ever be painted on a car. But it was the coolest car and fastest Mustang I ever got a ride in. And that's when I found out about 'BULLITT' with Steve McQueen, and I had to have a 68 Mustang Fastback. And then the pictures came out with the Shelby Mustangs, The Cobras 260-427s... Oh God, there was no end to what I'm learning here! I kept asking questions, and even more pictures, magazines, books came out of the closet. And then more and more movies were being discovered with Mustangs in 'em.

Back in the early eighties, I finally found my 1968 GT fastback Mustang, an original 390 4spd, highland green monster...Except... It was dark metalic blue, a grenaded 428 motor, a torino 4spd tranny, 4.11 gears, half put together and selling for 2k...Was it worth it, you darn tooten it was. I found a 428 police interceptor motor for 400 bucks, the right trans, and kept the 4.11s. Then I sold it 3 years later for less after afew mishaps.

Then, by the year 2004/5, another friend, co-worker bought a FFR (Sorry Mr. Shelby it's not yours) built his own and I fell in love with d'em cars all over again. One day I was teetering whether to continue my resto/mod on a 1986 Mustang GT or do I build one of my own...I think you folks can figure that one out! He let me drive his car back home from a car show (2 hour drive) and that put me over to get one.

Thank you Mr. Shelby for the legendary historical time you create and the band of drivers and designers and prospector that followed or guided your steps. Thank you for fixing the Mustang into something more special. Thank you for not going with Chevrolet! Thank you for kicking some boote' in LeMans! Thank you for saving AC Cars and putting that 260/289/427/428 into the most popular cars ever built. Thanks for helping me to go FORD and not Chevy! If I went Chevy, my brother and I would never of have any competition to say who was faster! His '68 Camaro or my '68 Mustang! We know who was faster, huh!!?

Thank you for starting this thread!

[Don]

AACA Tribute to Carroll Shelby:

AACA MUSUEM: EVENTS: February 11, 2011 - April 24, 2011
Hershey PA

The exhibition will feature approximately 18 cars representing the manufacturers and body styles that chronicle Shelby’s history as a sports car manufacturer and performance tuner.

http://www.aacamuseum.org/

[JWilly]

I was in high school (I graduated in 1965) about the time Carroll Shelby was wreaking havoc in the car world. I grew up poor as a snake in the rural South and the only exposure I had to the Cobra was through magazines (e.g., Motor Trend, Hot Rod). BTW, I still have the copies of those mags that contain the Cobra road tests. There was no one anywhere near me that had a Cobra. In fact, I saw my first original Cobra, just a few years ago. But I spent hours reading and re-reading those articles. I thought the Cobra was, without a doubt, the coolest car ever made. As an adult, there would be occasional conversations in which the exploits of the Shelby Cobra was the topic but I had pretty much given up on ever even seeing one, much less owning anything that resembled a Cobra. When I was in my 50’s, I attended a car show that had a SPF replica on display. This was the first I knew of replica Cobras. At that show, they let me sit in the car and I was hooked. A few years later I purchased an SPF. Later, I decided I wanted something that had Carroll Shelby’s name on it and purchased a CSX 4000/6000 series car. Now, I am ready to retire. I worried for years that since I had no hobby, how can I make my retirement fun and meaningful? These cars are a part of the answer to that question. Even though I do not have and cannot afford an original Cobra, the Shelby Cobra has enriched my life in ways I never could have imagined. I have dozens of friends and have had innumerable great times I would not have had without these cars. I am really glad Carroll Shelby produced the coolest car ever made.

[boxhead]

To say thanks, My own personal love for these cars started in approx 1980, I was all of 10 or 11 years old and I was with my Stepfather at a boat yard.
This all black 427 sc replica (I am assuming it wasa replica) Cobra was sitting in the carpark, my stepfather knew cars (he raced through the 70's and 80's) and he told me what it was.
I made him hang around in the carpark so I could look at it some more, and by luck the owner arrived, he started it up and drove away, the look and the sound never left me.
I made a promise to myself that day that I would own one one day and I also promised myself that I would not own any other V8 cars until I had my Cobra.
Well, I managed to keep that promise and owned plenty of fast 4's and a couple of modified 6's, but never an 8.
A few years after this, I heard Bill Cosby's 200mph, this only served as a reminder of whatI wanted.

I knew all along I would never get a genuine one.

After many years of working and honestly getting no closer to fulfilling this dream, it was time to move location so I could earn more money to get one.
That move happened in 2002, and within 12 monthes I had saved the money to purchase my kit.
The years of saving and building have been fantastic, and with the car now being registered fo 12 months, I can add that owning and driving one has been fantastic. There really is no beter thing to make me smile than sliding behind the wheel and going for a drive.

So thank you Mr Shelby for making me smile.

[Don]

From AutoWeek.com

" Carroll Shelby honored with Keith Crain achievement award "

" Famed car designer Carroll Shelby received the 2011 Keith Crain/Automotive News Lifetime Achievement Award on Thursday evening during the Washington auto show.

The award is given annually to an individual who has made a significant contribution to the auto industry.

"I accept this award with all of the humility a person could have," Shelby said.

Shelby created the Shelby Cobra and has inspired designs for American sports cars for decades.

"If ever there was an icon in our industry, Carroll Shelby is it," said Keith Crain, AutoWeek and Automotive News editor-in-chief. "He has been the driving force behind putting power and performance in great American cars and thereby representing our industry throughout the world, both on the racetrack and the highway."

The two previous winners were auto-safety pioneer Ralph Nader and U.S. Rep. John Dingell, D-Mich. "

[Don]

HD Theater TV Special: America's Greatest Race Car: The History of the Shelby Cobra Daytona Coupe Racecar, .............

http://dhd.discovery.com/tv-schedule...338.128157.0.0

[Don]

In progress......

" The Antique Automobile Club of America's museum in Hershey, Pa., has just opened a retrospective of Carroll Shelby's long life and the long line of cars he's created The exhibition was born out of a local Shelby meet at the museum last fall, which drew 125 cars, says Dan Reiter, longtime Shelby American Automobile Club member and Shelby racer who helped round up the cars "


http://www.autoweek.com/article/2011...CTOR/110309926

[rodneym]

I’d like to say that I saw my first Cobra as a 7 year old kid. But these cars lived and died (figuratively speaking, of course) before I was born. I would also like to say that I’m a Cobra fan because my dad had one, but…..well, he was a GM man. Ford was his dad’s car. Chevy was for the younger generation. After all, Fangio raced Chevys (in Argentina) when my dad was a little kid. No Ford Blue in my blood. And when my dad was finished climbing the brand ladder with GM, he indulged in a couple Alfas, one of which was a 1975 red Montreal. I can still remember him arriving home for the first time. Che macchina!
As a teenager I spent a fair amount of time reading about Ferraris and Maseratis. I built models of them as best I could and even attempted to crunch some numbers on a real one (let’s see, if I stay single and forgo a house, I might be able to afford a 288 GTO!). I won’t bore anyone with my 20’s and 30’s but later in life I found myself with something I had never had before, ‘disposable income’. Alas! A used 550 Maranello? A gently used Maserati GranSport? Still pretty steep. I found the Lotus Elise more fun anyway. Then in my journey I discovered Cobras and the replica market (whew). After test driving and renting those cars (and more), I drove a Superformance Cobra with a Supercharged Roush. Wow. Needless to say, the entire experience put the other cars to shame. The sound, raw power, wind and timeless shape!
After I dealt with the dirty ‘R’ word, I came across the history of a man whose name I had known mostly for being on Dodge hatchbacks in the 80’s. I admired the audacity of a man from humble beginnings, taking on the biggest name in racing, and winning! It reminds me of what people can do when they put their minds to it, how piss and vinegar can cause more drive than anything, and what national pride used to look like. We sit down at our keyboards and bicker about the details but Carroll Shelby did it! He’s the real deal. I’m in awe of him. And if I ever meet him I’m going to tell him how thankful I am for his efforts.

[littlewave]

Built my first plastic model car(snap together) at the age of 8... it was a Cobra!! Now i'm building a real one!

Thanks Carroll.

[WallyB]

I grew up in El Segundo and attended Imperial street elementary in 1965-66. I looked and lusted at the marvels parked outside Shelby American from the hill on Imperial Ave. I used to stop by the Shelby showroom at Main and Grand and schmooze the ladies at the counter for some snake decals! I'm currently building a Hi Tech replica using their frame and body with everything else purchased from Shelby American in Las Vegas. It's been the time of my life getting to know so many people in the Cobra world and cultivating knowledge and parts from all these great folks!

Thank you Carroll Shelby for your incredible accomplishments and perseverance! I'd love to buy you a toddy or two at the Harbor Room sometime.