Arguably the best known American automotive legend of the second half of the 20th century, Carroll Shelby was many things to many people. Driver. Builder. Trailblazer. Husband. Father. Grandfather. To the automotive world though, he was known simply as “Shelby.” And so it is with heavy hearts that we report that Carroll Shelby has died at the age of 89.
Whenever a well-known gearhead dies, whole communities and car clubs mourn their passing. These days such passings seem all too common, as many of the men who helped push automotive performance into the mainstream are well past retirement age. Yet that hasn’t stopped these trendsetters, like Shelby, from continuing their work on amazing performance cars.
Born in the small Texas town of Leesburg, one of Shelby’s first driving experiences was as a pilot and trainer in World War II aircraft. After the war, like many G.I.’s, Shelby entered into the racing world, competing for a number of teams and brands, among them British companies like Allard and Aston Martin.
It was Shelby’s experience with small English cars that would lead to his most famous creation; the Shelby Cobra. By taking an AC Cobra and stuffing a Ford 289 V8 engine into the lightweight chassis (though Shelby’s first choice was Chevrolet), Carroll Shelby helped create an automotive legend that was a powerful and nimble performer. The Shelby Cobra would be sold in limited numbers during the 1960’s, and today such cars are worth hundreds of thousands of dollars. The Shelby Cobra is also the most imitated car on the planet, with dozens of different kit car companies popping up to reproduce it.
We would be remiss if we didn’t mention Shelby’s other efforts, most famously the Shelby GT350 and GT500 Mustangs. The late 1960’s were Shelby’s heyday, though come the 1970’s Shelby withdrew from production cars and focused on smaller scale projects. The Shelby name did not reappear on a production car until Dodge tapped him to help improve the performance on their turbocharged Charger compact and Dakota mid-sized pickup. Shelby also attempted to build his own supercars, the most recent one being the Shelby 1000, a 1,000 horsepower GT500 that will go down as one of the last cars Shelby himself had a hand in building.
At 89 years old, Shelby was no spring chicken, though this wasn’t his first health scare. Over twenty years ago Shelby received a heart transplant, leading him to found the Carroll Shelby Children’s Foundation. In recent months it has been rumored that Shelby was in a coma, and he was forced to miss the 50th anniversary of his most famous creation, the Cobra.
Shelby working with Editor Mark Gearhart at Baer Brakes in 2007.
Shelby’s passing isn’t just a loss to the Ford family, but the entire American auto industry. Shelby’s vehicles not only pushed the envelope on performance, but inspired competitors to step up their game. This was especially true in recent years, as Ford brought Shelby back into the fold with the new generation of GT500 Mustangs. With the 2013 Shelby GT500 making over 660 horsepower, and the recent debut of the Shelby 1000, at least Shelby went out on a high note.
Shelby’s influence on the American car industry cannot be understated, and in more than one way he was a truly larger-than-life figure. At auction, cars bearing his mark bring hundreds of thousands of dollars, and his name recognition among gearheads is second to none. What his passing means for Ford’s own plans to carry on using the Shelby GT500 name, we don’t know, but his legend is not like to fade anytime soon.
Today the motoring world lost one of the last legends of an incredible era. Carroll Shelby, you will be missed.
Ok..this guy is clearly lost…Who brings a Mustang (even an extremely nice one) to an All Chevy Show:
Listen to this Chevy:
Two more to listen too:
And although there were a lot more entries for this show I’m going to end this series with one that brought back a lot of memories. This wasn’t a 1966 like my very first car, but it was pretty closed. Look over this Impala.
Sometimes a comments turns into a post. Here is another good history piece from Bill.
“My native Louisville, KY was home to a LARGE International Harvester plant in the 1960s and 1970s, so I have a fondness for their trucks. In my neighborhood growing up, the argument for best pick wasn’t Chevy vs Ford, but rather International vs Ford (both were built-in Louisville).
Little known fact about the Louisville International Plant: it was licensed by Chrysler Corp to build 318 engine blocks at the foundry. Yep, there were many 318 V8s in Scouts and International Pick Ups, and Volares and Aspens for that matter, with the “IH” cast into the 318 block.
Another tidbit; the Louisville IH plant built CUB CADET riding lawnmowers and tractors.
I got to visit the IH foundry once when the FBI and ATF was bringing in confiscated firearms to be melted into 318 engine blocks. My uncle worked as a Federal Penitentiary guard, and I got to ride along and watch thousands of handguns go by conveyor (heavily guarded) into the smelters. The guys joked with me that once one gun was loaded and the bullets went off as they neared the smelter door.
Kind of sad that International Pick Ups and Scouts are forgotten today. They sure were great products.”
Thanks Bill. All my trips to Louisville, I never heard of the IH plant there. But what I can tell you is that you are correct, they were great products. How do I know, I owned a 1970 International Scout, in all places Germany. I purchased the truck from another airman headed back to the states.
This isn’t the one I owned, but similar with two exceptions. It was green and with a white removal top and HUGE MUD tires.
This truck was a 4 wheel drive, indestructible, piece of U.S. Iron. The huge tires I had on it, made it sound like a tank driving through the narrow streets of the small Germany towns I frequented. indestructible and unstoppable. Only three things happened to it while I owned it.
One was reverse light switch went out, that’s trouble with the tough vehicle inspection for cars in Germany. I installed a switch and convinced the inspection technician that the truck tires were too big and that I need to drive it up on the ramps. While sitting there he conducted the inspection and when he had me toss it in to reverse, I pulled the switch on simultaneously – Passed!! The second was a door hinge on the driver’s side. The pin sheared in half which required it to be drilled out…and that was a chore at the airbase machine shop…that was real U.S. steel at it’s finest. I did get through it and replaced the pin with the largest allen wrench could find. The final thing that went wrong was I blew a u-joint on a back German road. No problem. Climbed under pull the drive shaft out, tossed it in the back and locked the front hubs. I drove it in “front wheel drive” mode untill I sold/traded it for a Camaro. (HEY COME ON!!! A CAMARO IN ON THE AUTOBAHN…THAT’S A DREAM FOLKS!!!!)
I have fond memories of that Scout!!! OH..yes..it had the 318!!!
Do you like VW‘s? Then you’ll love to visit http://bandwagen.wordpress.com. This is a great looking bug!!! I’m glad he didn’t turn it into a drag car.
This blue Cal-look beetle was in my life for twenty two years. I purchased it with a friend back in 1988 with the intention of building a drag-car to enter the recently formed VWDRC. The basic plan was to weld up the doors, cut off the roof, fit a roll-cage and run a more or less stock 1600 engine on methanol and nitros oxide… this was back in a time when you could pick up as many used and running engines as you wanted, for around £50 each! The car only cost us £100 so we figured as long as we got a few quarter-mile runs out of each engine before they blew, it would be fairly inexpensive but fast fun!
As you’ve probably guessed from the pictures, the plans changed drastically when my friend lost interest in the bug. Thank god he hadn’t got around to hacking the roof off! I bought his share in the car and decided to use it as the basis for a Cal-look project. Over the next couple of years I started collecting parts and in 1990 it went into the body shop to fit the early panels, some de-chroming and a respray in Ford electric blue.
Once painted, I rented a small, two-car barn on a local farm with another friend who was also working on a project beetle. The bug slowly came together over the following eight years. I’d work on it when time and money allowed which wasn’t too often – I was in my 20s and money was tight so there were usually other things that had to take priority, like paying the mortgage and food!
After a final push it was all together and driving in 1998 and I made it along to the Stonor Park VW show that year. Things have been updated and changed over the years including the addition of the 4″ narrowed beam in 2009 which was just before I decided to sell it. This beetle only covered 8,500 mile in the 22 years that I owned it which must be some kind of record! It’s still fairly local to me and owned by a friend of the guy who bought my ’72 Bay-window camper, but as they say, that’s another story…
Body:
Pre-67 front and rear valances, early wings and lights (US-Spec fronts containing orange indicators)
Long-bonnet and glass W-decklid.
Cal-look window rubbers.
De-chromed with smoothed/hidden catches on front and back lids.
Grey tinted one-piece door glass and matching rear side glass.
Stainless-steel blade bumpers.
Bodywork and paint by Paulespury coachworks in 1990 (still looks great!)
Running gear: New front suspension set-up fitted by Sayed @ Batts VWs in 2008 comprising of:
4″ narrowed and adjustable front beam, custom built by Gavin @ Trailer Queen Restos CB Dropped spindles
New KYB Front shocks
Long-travel ball joints
Rear…
Adjustable Koni shocks.
New IRS gaiters
Type 3 IRS Gearbox
UVA Adjustable rear spring plates.
Copper brake pipes fitted throughout
Standard drums and disks re-drilled to Porsche 5-stud (VW 4stud fitment still retained as well)
Wheels & Tyres:
Fully-polished early Porsche fuchs, 5.5×15 fronts and spare with 185/55R15 Continentals
Original deep 6×15 rears with 185/65R15 Nankangs
Engine:
Built by Sayed @ Batts VWs and fitted in Feb 2000 (only done 6K miles!)
1641cc fully balanced.
Twin 36 IDF webber carbs with hex-bar linkage.
Engle 110 Cam.
040 Cylinder heads.
Hi-volume oil pump.
Remote oil filter with braided lines.
009 Distributor and Bosch blue coil
Polished, louvered stainless firewall.
Engine tinware painted electric blue.
Interior:
Grey vinyl/velour high-back sports with matching side panels and rear seat. Grey carpets.
Grey cloth headlining. Short-throw T gearshift. Custom painted speedo. Grey sports steering wheel. Fire extinguisher. 80s Pioneer cassette player with 4x speakers on custom rear parcel shelf. Auto-watch Alarm & immobiliser. Billet dash knobs and door handles/window winders and buttons. Additional oil temp gauge.
Well another reader (long time reader) has gone where few dare to tread. Yes I’m talking a Ford car guy, a Thunderbird owner and former owner of a very cool Mercury Cougar wagon, is now a proud owner of a 1990 C4 Corvette!!!!
It’s a great looking Steve!!!!!!
Steve’s White C4
It’s in great shape and I am liking the wheels!!!
I’m sharing this Steve!!!!
Tim,
As a Ford guy I guess I’ve come over to the dark side.
I bought a 1990 standard Corvette with all the sporty stuff. Seats, suspension and all the electronic gizmos.
Super well cared for condition with all maintenance history since new. I does have a worn right muffler cushion.
Last evening was my first ride ever in a Corvette and of course I was driving. Rides rougher than a cob on a rough road as expected. It also makes all the cool dual exhaust music. Two tops, one glass and more switches and gauges than I’ve ever seen before. No deterioration of the interior or paint so it must have been garaged. It also has a fine sounding Bose system which was standard I think. I did find a 1/8″ chip on the drivers front fender.
Yup, I’m on the dark side and was wooed by the devil himself to get me in a Chevy….. We have some streets in various stages of reverting to dirt here. Some very rough streets. The right muffle mount is collapsed (rubber) so it rattles. Roof panel does not rattle at all.
It’s in quite good condition for 22 years old. No interior or exterior work required.
It runs sooooo good. I think it may have never been driven in the rain. Underneath looks new, no tarnishing of the aluminum suspension bits.
The PO provided replacement “dew wipes” for the doors and a new power antenna that’s to replace the one that is stuck up. Please don’t tell me I have to remove the rear fascia to replace the antenna. LOL.
I did manage to scare myself a bit last Saturday. I’m not used to a posi-trac rear end…Ha Ha. Just a little sideways. It sure accelerates quicker than expected for only 245 horses. I’m averaging high 17’s around town which actually is unexpected. I guess the trick is 345 lbft or torque……..”
Thanks for sharing your Vette Steve…..NOW LETS TALK ABOUT SOME MODs!!!
I find the interaction between automakers an interesting topic to investigate. Either out of just pure collaboration, strategic partnership or partial complete ownership the results of these relationship produce some cars that were awe-inspiring and some that were “what the ‘H’ were they thinking??!!! This car falls somewhere in between. The U.S., U.K., Japan and Italy intermix I found very interesting.
The Chrysler TC as jointly developed with Maserati and became available in late-1989 with only some 7,300 units manufactured in Milan, Italy when production ended in 1991. Lee Iacocca‘s friendship with the late Alejandro De Tomaso whilst at Ford, which had led to the development of the De Tomaso Pantera. With Iacocca in the 1980’s now heading Chrysler and De Tomaso now the owner of the legendary Maserati brand, the two men decided to create a sports car between the two companies which became the TC by Maserati with Chrysler having become an investor in Maserati at that time. The engine was assembled by Maserati and has a Maserati-branded cast valve cover with the 200HP 16-valve 2.2 L ‘Maserati’ engine’s cylinder head being cast in the UK at the iconic Cosworth plant and then finished in Milan by Maserati. The ‘Maserati’ engine used a specially-made 2.2 block, upgraded crankshaft and rods. A Japanese turbo-charger was used. The rest of the engine used common Turbo II parts manufactured in the USA. The special wheels were made in Italy by Formula One supplier Fondmetal.
The TC featured a removable hardtop with port holes or opera windows as they were referred to and a manually operated cloth lined soft top that was available in either tan or black. For the 1989 model year, interior leather colors were either ginger or bordeaux. Exterior colors were only available in yellow, red or cabinet. The TC’s dash, door panels, seats, armrest, and rear facia panels were all covered in hand-stitched Italian leather. Inside door jambs were finished with stainless steel panels and sill plates. The convertible boot over which the hardtop rests is a body color keyed metal panel. A special interior storage compartment came with an umbrella, tool kit, and small spare tire that allowed the use of the full-sized trunk even with the top down. Standard equipment included a 10-speaker AM/FM cassette stereo, power windows, 6-way power seats, power door and trunk locks, map lights, puddle lamps, cruise control, and tilt steering wheel. Total production for each model year was 7,300 cars with only 3,764 built-in 1989 and with extraordinary base prices starting at $33,000 in 1989 and rising to $37,000 in the last year of production only three years later in 1991. The TC was sold by only 300 selected Chrysler dealers.
The TC
89 TC – look familiar? Take a look at the LeBaron below.
The LeBaron – same shape and front end. Even the honeycomb wheels.
The question is – the TC a Maserati design or Chrysler design?
In my opinion the real watering down of the brand occurred in the 80’s under the ownership of de Tomaso, with the launch of Biturbo (and all the models based off of it) and the Chrysler TC by Maserati. TrollHater 5pts. Its possible. Look at how watered …
Anonymous said… I’ve only seen these in grandma yellow. Wikipedia sez it was available in yellow, red or cabernet. Which means…yellow, red or red. Go figure. February 2, 2014 at 6:44 PM · Tony Piff said… bah. i know ben …
Long before Fiat took the reins at Chrysler, the Chrysler TC by Maserati was a shining example of Italo-American industrial cooperation. Easily the finest luxury car of its time — perhaps even the entire 20th century — it is now …
Steve’s White C4
It’s in great shape and I am liking the wheels!!!
