Dave Despain on Assignment - The Shelby Legend

[lamaluv]

Originally Posted by Buzz

In no way do I disparage Ol' Shel or downplay his accomplishments. As I said - he's way larger than life by any man's standards and a formidable achiever in many more ways than one. I suppose in light of all that the man has earned the right to remember his own story the way he sees it and to have it told in a way that pleases him. Not many folks in the automotive world as enduring and accomplished as Mr. Shelby.

Well said Buzz--- Love him or hate him I think all should respect his accomplishments in the auto world. If it wouldn't have been for him none of us would be enjoying our love affair with our Cobras.

Dick

[PJS50]

Originally Posted by lamaluv

Well said Buzz--- Love him or hate him I think all should respect his accomplishments in the auto world. If it wouldn't have been for him none of us would be enjoying our love affair with our Cobras.

Dick

Come on guys, the old chicken farmer is now, and always was a "whore" who would rob-cheat-steal anything he had to to make a name for HIMSELF (to heck with all the people who he used to get the REAL work done; ask Peter Brock about that!)...

As somebody else here said, you don't see him extolling the vitrues of the car we all love because there is no CASH in it for old "Shel", plain and simple...

Living in the NW Detroit area close to where a lot of Big 3 auto-execs live, I'll never forget the time a few years ago when I was sitting outside a local bank in my SPF and an older, very tall gray-haired gentleman came over to talk to me. First he asked if my car was real, then the conversation shifted to what an A-hole Carrol Shelby REALLY is and how he used and abused everyone he worked with back in the day to make a name for himself in the auto-world... This guy sounded like he himself was somebody that Shelby took a big dump on and left as refuse by the side of the road afterwards. I told him that I essentially agreed with him and he said "Good, I'm glad you're smart enough to realize the truth", and he walked away... I never asked him his name, and I've always wondered since then exactly who that old guy might have been (somebody famous?), but he sure had a good grasp on who Carrol Shelby REALLY is....

In my opinion, they wasted a good heart on a piece of trash when they gave CS the transplant...

[flipscobra]

I watched it and was disappointed too, I didn't buy 1 because it won at Lemans or because it beat Ferrari, I bought it because it looks an sounds like the baddest thing on the Street, I live close to Savannah Ga an today I went to the Ferrari races they are having on Hutchinson Island, and not a one of the Ferrari guys spoke, I was wearing a Cobra hat. Getting back to the show, when Dave was telling about his first ride in a 427 Cobra an how that guy became his hero, an he was going to take ole CS for a ride I thought he was going to take him in his 427 Cobra. But instead they rode in a Mustang really teed me off, yeah Shelby did not give Peter Brock any credit at all on the Daytona Coupe, he is a user of people, love the 427 Cobra but have no use for Shelby