Carroll Shelby Tribute thread. Be a part of it.

[littlewave]

" That engine had about as much compression as a Monday morning beer fart" Something I herd Carroll say on a TV interview...Laugh my a$$ off. What a cool cool man and life. RIP CARROLL

[tdc]

He was a true surviver and a Legend.
I'm glad he was the best part of our generation.
As far back as I can remember, his name was always there,
giving speed records, respect and wholesome humor
to Americans and the world.
Rest in Peace Mr. Carroll Shelby. You will be sorely missed.

[FIA Mike]

Shel Rest in Peace.

[csx4017]

I just drove over to LAX to get as close to the old hangers and laid down a strip for CS. My condolences to Cleo and his family..........CSX4017

[Scotty C]

When I was in my teens I carried around a tattered picture of a cobra in my wallet . I dreamt of owning one all the time. In 2005 the dream was realized. Thank you so much for creating a car that I have loved ever since I could see over the steering wheel. God speed vs your speed......ahh......what a race it will be.

[PeteF]

I just finished a great ride in the Cobra today, with a black headband wrapped around the roll bar, in memory of Carroll Shelby. I was hooked on Cobras since they first came out, and had the pleasure of meeting CS in the autograph line at SAAC 3 in Pasadena in 1978. They say that " life is a journey between two eternities, so make the most of it". Shelby certainly made the most of it, not only for his generation, but for so many more to come. Thank you Mr. Shelby, RIP.

[leroy17]

Christmas 1984, I was 14 and 'Santa' bought me a book... Muscle Cars of America. Flicking through the pages which I was completly enjoying as I have always loved cars and motorsport, there was a four page spread about cobras. From this exact moment on I was hooked....... whilst so many other cars came and went in life.... I still remember how looking at those four pages made me feel about a certain car...... the Shelby Cobra.

A few years later there was a animated Def Leopard film clip with a cobra in it... must have watched it 100's of time until the video tape broke.

No matter what new, fast, exotic, refined or outragous vehicles were developed and released, is was the vision which Carroll Shelby had produced in the cobra that had me bitten.

Your factory in Vegas has drawn me to travel from Australia 6 times in the last eight years to see the legends which you created, the legends which have inspired so many, the legends which make many men feel like little boys again and I know there will be more visits to come in the future.

I am pleased just to own a replica, I does not worry me that its not a real one..... but thank you for showing that a noisy, hot, cramped, unforgiving car is what many many dreams are of.

Cheers mate.

[kniteridr60]

I was born in 1960. Lived in Granada Hills, suburb of LA, until ''69. In '67 my dad bought a brand new, off-the-showroom floor, candy-apple red, fastback mustang with a 390. I really liked that car even as a 7 year old. I remember back then hearing about the mystery cobra. It was an instant icon. I never saw one on the street but somehow knew they were amazing cars. I'm sure it was because my dad talked a little about the world champion cobra that beat Ferrari and the GT350 which was making local hash out of 'vetts back then. I think all the Ford hoopla motivated him to buy the '67 fastback. It didn't hurt that the Bullitt movie came out shortly thereafter. Believe it or not, my dad had his own drag race with a '68 charger. Nothing as dramatic as Bullitt but after a quarter mile or so it was a dead heat. During the race I was sitting on the fiberglass fold down on the back seat. No seat belt, no protection. Just a clear view out the side and front windows. What a blast! From that day forward my all time favorite was the GT500. Anyway, I am truly fortunate to have experienced some of the mystique back in the day and am fortunate to have a cobra today. I got Shelby to sign the glove box last February. Didn't mind paying for it at all. As I've learned more about "the man" I have been truly amazed by his passion. He probably had more passion in his left pinky than I'll ever have. Though he is gone his cars WILL live forever.

[madmaxx]

First time I saw a Cobra and knew I had to have one was when I was watching the movie romancing the stone, cobra was in the movie for about 5 seconds, talk about love at first sight. On horsepower tv they got it right, the host said there is always a question of what a muscle car is and isnt but nobody argued about what the Cobra is. There is not a more unique recognized car in the world. Thanks again Mr. Shelby!

[Legless]

I had a quick glance at this thread yesterday and realised it was growing faster than I could read which is a huge testament to Shelby’s respect.
Unlike many on this forum I don’t recall when I was first smitten with the AC Cobra, it just seems to have always been there. I’ve never met the man and never expected to meet him but every day when I look in my garage and see my testament to Shelby’s ingenuity, I’ll remember him RIP.

[BMK]

CS Rest in Peace - or race down that highway without any restrictions with the wind behind you.

I watched you sit in 95f sun for over 4 hours signing glove boxes, air cleaner tops, T shirts and countless pieces of owners memorabilia.

It was five years ago at SAAC at Fontana Raceway. The line was over 100 yards long and you worked your way through it tirelessly with both enthusiasm and respect for the many fans that had something to say to you.

I later found out that this was a common thing as you raised money for our charity.

It was a real privalege to have met you.

Bernie

[nmayes]

Mr Shelby Rest in Peace, your influence has been felt by many. The muscle car industry would never have been what it is today with out you.

[Renlady]

My journey to my Cobra was an odd one. I've been a closet car geek for years, but it's more that I know what I like, but I'm not able to rattle off all the specs (after learning that this frightened the boys rather than getting them to like me). And I never, ever, thought I would own more than a traditional sedan or truck. But that was before.

I can't remember when I first saw a Cobra, but I'm always looking for them now. But the obsession really started at the Chicago Auto Show over 5, maybe 6, years ago. The local Superformance dealership had a display there, with a light blue with dark blue striped one in pride of place above all the others (my perfect color combination). Nothing else caught my eye that day and I walked in circles to constantly come back to it. For more than 3 years, if you asked me what I wanted, asked me to guess what you saw that day, asked me any question in general, and my answer would have been "Shelby Cobra?". It was driving my husband crazy. Take me to any other car show, have me test drive any other beautiful performance car available, and I would shrug and say, "yep, it's a car". I was addicted. Then one random day, my husband had gone to the dealership for a tune-up clinic, only to find a Superformance MKIII sitting in the elevator, waiting to be put on display. Needless to say, one test drive and I wouldn't let it go. My hands shook uncontrollably while writing the check, while the smile on my face couldn't be removed by anything.

There is just something about a Cobra. For me, it has it all. The classic look, the curves, the feel, the sound of the roaring engine. It was love at first sight. I love driving it any chance I get. I have now learned more about the history of the car and of Carroll Shelby, and am learning to recognize the slight differences between the different types.

I do have two regrets. I regret I never got to meet Carroll Shelby in person. And I regret that I never took the time or trusted any delivery company to safely ship my dashboard to Carroll to sign. And I am deeply sorry I will no longer get the chance to do either of these.

I too will tie a black ribbon to my roll bar and remember the man and the history of these cars while I enjoy the freedom of the open road. RIP Mr. Shelby and thank you for these awesome vehicles.

And thank you to this forum for letting me share my story.
Kate

[speedar]

A great man who did so much in each of his lifetimes. His driving career his race management career, his car development and sales career and his charity career. I we could achieve as much as he did in just one of his pursuits! But in all he was tirelessly a gentleman He will be missed for sure but will always be imortal

[cemugur]

I was flicking trough my fathers old picture when I saw my first cobra shot taken by a Polaroid camera. I came across to a stunning white car with blue stripes, I was only six at the time and remember asking my dad 'what is this car?' He replied 'son that is what one can name it a 'legend'. There it was, I consider myself lucky to get hooked up to Cobra even at that age. Mr Shellby, only a ledeng could have done what you have achieved, your name will live forever in the hearths of your many enthusiast fans. May you Rest In Peace.

[cjsammut]

Similar to many of these replies, i was introduced to the Shelby name as a very young boy as my dad's aspirations of building his own Cobra slowly developed. I used to sit in the garage and watch him building his timber buck when i was about 7 years of age (1982). Looking through the numerous magazines and books he had and a 'Contemporary' brochure he was sent, instilled my own desire to own such a car. Tough, muscular, classical - it has all of the qualities you want in a car. As the years went by and his circumstances changed, his dream began to fade and eventually was out of reach. I was slowly ageing and was eternally Cobra mad. It became my ultimate life goal to own what my father never could. Through hard work at school, getting a good job and never forgetting my goal, i realised our combined dream in 2007 when i took possession of my Superformance Mk III. Im proud to own a genuine Shelby signed glovebox door which is rarely fitted to my car. I look at the enormous amount of Shelby items out there in the world and i hope he was proud of the cult following he had, the people he affected and the lives he changed. He was a dream creator in many people worldwide, and for that, i thank him.

Chris Sammut (Australia)

[JWilly]

True visionaries always make a difference in our world...He certainly added a lot of joy to the lives of people like you and me.

RIP CS.

[krkucin]

I must have been 10 or 11 years old the first time I saw a Cobra. I would ride my bicycle around the small tourist town I grew up in and take pictures of cool cars I saw on the street. The first Cobra was a 1963, CSX2052. Owned by a local guy where I lived, I would go and bug him every time I saw him out in his garage tinkering with it. On occasion, he would ask if I wanted to go for a ride, and I would always reply with a huge grin on my face, YES! We would head up the frontage road at a high rate of speed with that ROAR that just makes your skin tingle. This gent had many other very cool cars, but nothing as cool as the Cobra. Those experiences solidified my "car guy" passion, and from that point on I have always wanted a Cobra. There were many other cars that I loved and wanted, and I have had a handful of great cars, but none as great as the Cobra. Of course as time went on and prices went up, the ability for me to afford a "real" Cobra went right out the side curtain. I now have a Superformance Cobra with a 427 side oiler, and it brings me back to the days of being a 10 year old every time I take it out. If it was not for Carroll Shelby and his crazy ideas, we would not be able to share these great stories here. So.... Here is to Carroll Shelby! Thanks for changing all of our lives for the better.

[Bernica]

Carrol,

My Dad introduced me to you when I was around 10 years old back in the 60's. You gave me a ride in your Cobra at LAX that I never forgot. It took me 40+ more years of dreaming until I could figure out how to own one of your cars. Thank you for all that you have done and how you have touched all of our lives. Once you are a "Shelby Guy", you are in for life, and I than you for that! God Bless.

-Michael

[4Ever FE]

I went out 'n' fired up THe Torino this morning. There's no mistaking the sound of a 427 FE s/o w/solid lifters. And, no mistaking the Cobra on the fenders.