I can't speak for Carroll Shelby but I am glad the replica industry for Cobras took off since without it Carroll Shelby never would have re-started SAI and continued production of Shelby Cobras again providing a renewed opportunity for a new generation to own a genuine Shelby Cobra.
For that I am thankful.
As to the OP I think the replica industry owes more thanks to CS then he to them. Without him and what he created and accomplished the industry never would have existed to begin with and been able to copy a car from which they made millions and prospered. Carroll had already made his millions.