"Carroll Shelby Speaks Out" Article

[rdorman]

Carrolls words and actions speak for them selves.

"I just want to make sure that anyone buying one of these knock-off kits knows that they are not buying a Shelby Cobra, or anything close to a legitimate replica of what we built in the 1960s," says Shelby.

Legitimate: being exactly as purposed : neither spurious nor false
Replica: a copy exact in all details

"Like many of these kit car builders, Factory Five takes a bunch of used or recycled parts and surrounds it with a Cobra body. It's a classic example of the old expression 'You can't tell a book by its cover.' I'm doing everything I can to make sure that no one buying one of these kits thinks they are getting anything close to the quality, safety, and protection my team worked so hard to perfect when we raced the Cobras to the World Championship, and built a small number for use on public streets."

Recycled: to make ready for reuse

As Shelby told Kirkham, "Nobody is as good at making the cars as you are, but nobody is as good at selling them as Carroll Shelby."

Which is it Carroll? Can nobody get close to the ‘quality, safety, and protection’ or not?

"You can't steal from me and I want to protect the public from thinking that I'm associated with any of these counterfeit kits on the market," he says. "And this isn't the end. I'm going to keep going until my second heart gives out, but I want to warn everyone - my heart is only 45 years old."

Counterfeit: made in imitation of something else with intent to deceive

From Shelby official web sight:
“…..decided that this would be a good time for him to clone his own Cobra”.

Clone: one that appears to be a copy of an original form

SAAC regognizes Shelbys ‘clones’ as genuine (built from pieces largely from the ‘illegitimate replica’ makers) Shelby Cobras. But NOT originals.

Here is a funny one:
Finally, Ford's counterfeit claims are difficult to justify in light of its continuing endorsement of SPF's rolling chassis. Even after filing a complaint against SPF, a 2002 Ford racing parts catalog features the "Superformance Cobra Kit Car," complete with Ford engine. The caption reads "PUT A FORD IN YOUR FORD."

Carroll on the ‘rights’ of others! Lets not forget this one:
“Ford obtained the trademark from legendary automotive icon Carroll Shelby as part of a sponsorship agreement in 1965, when he raced in the World Manufacturers Series.”
“Mr. Shelby restarted manufacturing the cars in the 1990s after a long litigation with Ford. Among his claims was that Ford abandoned the rights to the name and, to lesser extent, the design.”

Pot calling the kettle black………….

Having your cake and eating it to:
“Late last August, U.S. District Court Judge Rya Zobel in Boston dismissed Shelby's suit, saying he had failed to "present any evidence that consumers associate the Cobra design with Shelby, and Shelby alone." The dismissal apparently has no effect on agreements Shelby has negotiated with other Cobra kit-car-makers.”

The information out there like this goes on and on. I met a person that claims to be a life long friend of Carroll Shelby who stays in contact to this day. I asked him what he thought was behind all of these suits. He said, and I quote “It is all about money, nothing else”. So defend him, bash him, make your own choice. If I had stock in him I would have dumped it like one who would seem to be his protégé, Martha Stewart.