Carroll Shelby - His Impact On The Muscle Car Community

by Andrea L. Algar
Motorheads Performance

Carroll Shelby is without doubt one of the all-time great contributors to American car history. What he has done to inspire and thrill a generations of enthusiasts can't be counted on one hand. He's so much more than the great Shelby Cobra, the Viper or the mark he made in racing with the Ford GT40 among another accomplishments.


Carroll Hall Shelby
1923 - 2012 
Texas-born race driver,
automotive designer and builder.
Photo Credit: ALMS
(American Le Mans Series)

"I love horsepower," Carroll Shelby was often heard to say.

"It doesn't matter whether you are a Ford fan, a Chevy man or a Mopar guy," Guy Algar comments, "there isn't anyone I know who doesn't admire and respect what Carroll Shelby has done for performance lovers around the world. He had natural talents for building cars and creating raw power that few can ever hope to rival. He truly is a legend in our industry and he will be missed."

His passions certainly transcended the labels we attach to the cars we love, and for him, it was all about his love of high-performance. He worked for Ford, Chrysler and even with Oldsmobile. All he new was his love for building horsepower.

What people who knew him remember is, despite his tremendous drive, his sense of humor and down-home style endeared him to all.

THE SHELBY CARS:

• CSX 2000 (the first Cobra)
• 427 Cobra Roadster
• Cobra Daytona Coupe
• Shelby GT500
• Ford GT40 Mark IV
• Chrysler Omni GLH, Shelby Charger, Lancer & Shadow
• Dodge Viper
• Shelby Cobra Concept Car
• GR-1 Coupe
• Shelby 1000
• Shelby Series 1

Where on earth do you begin in telling his story! Well, best at the beginning most would say. Carroll Shelby was born in Leesburg, Texas. He joined the Air Corps, training at what was then the San Antonio Aviation Cadet Center (now Lackland AFB) and becomes a pilot and flight instructor. (It is rumored that he kept in touch with his fiancee by dropping love letters over her family farm.) Following WWII, Shelby went into business raising chickens - an endeavor that didn't work out well for him when his second batch of chickens died of disease. While farming, Shelby began dabbling in racing. By 1954 he captured the attention of John Wyer, team manager of the Aston Marton team who offered Shelby the chance to co-drive one of their cars at Sebring. He didn't finish that race, but in 1959, Shelby and Ray Salvadori drove to victory at Le Mans. (It is said that the farming bib overalls he wore when going to the track direct from the farm for him a lot of attention and he made this his trademark look.) In 1960 he won the USAC driving championship.

It is said that by this time Shelby had developed a real "need for speed", and was passionate about racing. Although he was no longer able to race following a diagnosis of angina, he kept in the game by becoming a Goodyear Racing tire distributor, opening a high-performance driving school. In 1961 when an British car company lost it's engine supplier, Shelby's dream of building his own car started to take root. The entire story is long and complex, and I can't possibly do service by trying to condense it. But, still, the story of how he pulled together several failing companies to create the first Cobra from his Southern California shop in 1962. According to several stories I've read, Shelby had a dream about what to name the car and when he woke up he wrote down the name and went back to sleep. In an interview that Shelby did in 1993, he recalled, "Next morning when I looked at the name 'Cobra,' I knew it was right."

Shelby's lightweight Cobra's began to quickly dominate a the race tracks, and this brought Ford to take notice. In 1964 Ford and Shelby began their collaboration, and in 1965 the first Shelby Mustang GT350 was produced for both street and track. Ford wanted a high-performance Mustang that would rival the Corvette. His 427 Cobra Roadster made racing history with wins all over the world. Also in 1965, Shelby joined Henry Ford II in his efforts to de-thrown Ferrari's hold on European sports car racing with development of the Ford GT40. Henry Ford II, who ran Ford Motor at the time had tried to buy Ferrari, but was rejected by Enzo Ferrari. As reported by James R. Healey in USA Today's 05-11-12 article covering Shelby's death, "Enraged and offended, Henry Ford vowed to 'kick Ferrari's ass,' and Shelby was his big boot at Le Mans." The Ford GT40 that Shelby helped to develop won the 24 hour Le Mans in 1966, with an historic American 1-2-3 finish that ended Ferrari's total domination of sport car racing.

As the muscle car era came to an end in the 1970's, Shelby's agreement with Ford did as well. After several years with independent ventures such as marketing his chili mix and starting the Shelby-American Automobile Club, in 1982 Shelby joined Chrysler in 1982 when his old Ford friend Lee Iaccoca expressed interest in making cars together. There, Shelby enhanced performance on several models including the Omni GLH, Charger, Lancer and Shadow, and of course, his great contributions to the creation of the Dodge Viper.

When Iaccoca left Chrysler, so did Shelby. He teamed up with John Rock, who was general manager for Oldsmobile, and had plans to build a sports car there. The venture was cut short when then general manager John Rock was fired. While all this was happening, as well as further heart problems, Shelby somehow found the time to found the Carroll Shelby Children's Foundation which was established to help fund organ transplants for children.

By 2004, Shelby was back with Ford, and produced 2004's shelby Cobra Concept Car and 2005's GR-1 Coupe, as well as different Mustang models, some that he produced out of his own Las Vegas factory.

CARROLL SHELBY TIMELINE:

• 1923 born January 11 in Leesburg, Texas
• 1941 became Pilot & Flight Instructor
• 1952 ran his first race in an MG TC
• 1954 drives his first Le Mans in a DB3S
• 1960 diagnosed with angina which ended his racing
• 1962 the Cobra is born, appearing at the New York Auto Show
• 1965 first Shelby Mustang GT350 & 427 Cobra
• 1965 Shelby takes over Ford's GT40 project
• 1967 Ford GT40 Mark IV wins Le Mans in 1-2-3 finish
• 1970 Shelby ends racing agreement with Ford
• 1982 Shelby contracts with Chrysler to create performance Dodge cars
• 1984 Dodge unveils the Omni GLH (for Goes Like Hell)
• 1987 Shelby begins work on the Dodge Viper RT/10
• 1991 Carroll Shelby drives new Dodge Viper as pace car in Indy 500
• 1992 first year Dodge Viper
• 1997 first Shelby Series 1
• 2002 Shelby acts as consultant to Ford's GT (modeled after the GT 40)
• 2005 Ford Shelby GT500 debuts
• 2012 50th Anniversary debuts the Shelby 1000
• May 10, 2012 Carroll Shelby passes away at age 89

John Fleming, President & CEO of Ford of Europe remarked at a 40 year anniversary event, "Ford made motorsport history at the 1966 Le Mans 24-hour race. That event was a momentous result for Ford Motor Company, and history has shown that it has become one of the most important chapters in the saga of the world's most famous endurance race. This year, at the Le Mans Classic 2006, today's Ford is saluting the heroes and unsung heroes of that day, and the incredible legacy of a car that captured the imagination of generations of enthusiasts – the Ford GT40."

Shelby was twice named Sports Illustrated "Driver of the Year". He was a race car driver, car builder, a team manager, entrepreneur, charity founder, businessman, husband, father, and an inspiration to generations of car enthusiasts. He was deservedly inaugurated into the Automotive Hall of Fame as well as into the International MotorSports Hall of Fame. In 2007 MotorTrend named him one of the 50 most important people in the auto industry.

Shelby Tribute Edition on sale now!

You won't want to miss out on MotorTrend's special collector's edition "Shelby: A Tribute To An American Original" - an entire magazine edition (132 pages) devoted to Carroll Shelby's life and his contributions to the auto industry. This issue is on sale now. Run out this weekend and purchase your copy!

There's no doubt that Carroll Shelby made a tremendous impact on the muscle car community. His creation of cars powerful enough to race (and win) that were made available to American enthusiasts have fueled the dreams of young men for more than 50 years. His legend truly lives on in those of us who hold on to these pieces of history, restore them and care for them.

Have a Shelby yourself? Share your story with us!

REFERENCES:

American Le Mans Series - Remembering Carroll Shelby (with photo credits for photo used above)

CarolShelby.com - Carroll Shelby (official site)

cscf.org - About Carroll Shelby

DallasNews.com - Carroll Shelby buried in private ceremony in East Texas
Edmunds.com - Carroll Shelby Dies at 89
FoxNews.com - American racing legend Carroll Shelby dead at 89
FoxNews.com - Carroll Shelby to be buried after family ends dispute over remains
Hot Rod Magazine - 50th Anniversary - Carroll Shelby, Hot Rodder
Howstuffworks.com - Carroll Shelby: Mustang Magic
MotorTrend.com - 2007 Power List
USAToday's "Drive-On" - Auto Legend Carroll Shelby, Father of Cobra, Dies, by James R. Healey

RESOURCES:
Carroll Shelby Enterprises - Western Racing Tire Distributor
Carroll Shelby International - Manufacturing & Marketing of Performance Vehicles
Carroll Shelby Merchandise - Official Licensed Shelby Merchandise
cscf.org - The Carroll Shelby Foundation
Classic Car News - Aftermath of the Great Auctions - Monterey Car Week
Classic Car News - Dyno Wars Competition for Ford & Mustang Motorheads
Classic Car News - You Could Win One of Carroll Shelby's Own Cars!
Facebook - Carroll Shelby Foundation
Facebook - Carroll Shelby Museum
Shelby American, Inc. - The New Shelby's

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Andrea L. Algar is co-owner of a classic car performance and restoration design shop in Leesville, Texas. Motorheads Performance specializes in repairs, maintenance, performance upgrades and restorative work on cars and trucks from the 1920’s through 1970’s. Her husband, Guy Algar, is a Mechanical Engineer with over 25 years experience. He holds 5 ASE Certifications from the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence and has been working on old cars and trucks for over 37 years. Together they share their passion for old cars and trucks with other enthusiasts from around the country.

Check out this week's video on the right sidebar...a video of Carroll Shelby's first Cobra.