rumor control--has SAAC lost its use of Shelby name?

[DAVID GAGNARD]

Doug;

CS has only been to 1/2 of the annual SAAC conventions that I have attended!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The times he was there, I only got a very short glimpse of him as he was not in good health, his presence did not make any difference to me in that regard........

I go to see the cars, run on the track, and see old friends (some I only see this one time a year), and make new friends!!!!!! mainly the last two reasons.............

David

[RACER X #99]

The last time I saw CS at the convention was at LRP a bunch of years ago. He drove to the back of the paddock(where we were parked) which was empty at the time and JM and I heard him arguing with his wife about something. We also heard him crying about all them GD replicas and especially ERA at that time. He was overheard saying I should get into the replica business and fix their asses. Well I'll be damned if he didn't do what he said he was gonna do.

I would not be looking for CS at any SAAC convention in the near future.

[Jamo]

Yup...there's always rumors that he's gonna show, but it rarely happens.

[DougD]

I guess I've just been lucky as he's been to all the conventions I've attended.

No, I certainly don't expect him to show at any future SAAC events.

I guess for me the decision to attend will lie with the site chosen. I'd prefer an historic track vs a site chosen first for it's hotels and second for the track. I was a little concerned a couple of years ago when SAAC indicated they were trying to pick a single site and hold the convention there year after year. I really like moving it around the country so I can visit different tracks. And the rolling show that is the open track provides the best music one can hear - a GT40 at full song down the main straight at any track......

I'll be watching this SAAC/Shelby feud with interest. Hope the enthusiast doesn't suffer in the end. Seems like the two parties share similar goals and would be better off working together than butting heads for members.

SAAC and the SVTOA will presumably continue to hold events together - maybe the SVTOA will provide the new blood SAAC needs to survive.

[bret a ewing]

Mmmm, just watched "Christmas Vacation".

Tell Cousin Eddie you really want him to show up.

[Madmiles442]

I wonder where all this will be when the Old Man kicks.
Are his next-of-kin as friggin litigious as he is?

One thing's for sure - this sucks. It's just painful to see such a rift within a hobby that brings SO many people years of joy. And no, it doesn't effect me directly, but just splatters a little mud on the posters on the wall and the autograph on the glove box....


_

[SFM5S159]

I guess a little OT here, but I had three or four Shelby meetings over the years and he was pretty damn cordial. The first was at LRP at the last SAAC meet there. My brothers and I were up way too early and in the paddock and lo and behold up comes a white town car I think, and it's Carroll Shelby driving around early morning. He stopped and we talked for a few minutes and he moved on. It was pretty cool. He signed a hat of mine at the fall Auburn auction a few years ago-no charge. Another time he posed for a few pics in CSX3002 with a friends of mine who brought the car to the SACC meet in Nashville. So first hand, he's always been friendly where I've crossed his path.

My support is with SAAC. I would like them to continue what they have done and maybe with this wake up call improve and update the club, website, services etc. I will say that Pardee and Matthews have always been there with rapid fire answers for me when I have called or written.

I'll be at SAAC-33 with my '65 ready to race. I may be at the tail , but I'll be out there!!!
MC

[Excaliber]

You know, when you consider the BIG picture (USA) were a pretty small group of enthusiasts. Team Shelby, in conjunction with FORD, is looking for a much bigger slice of the entire USA population to sell product to, in that regard, the voices here are miniscule. I'm sure they've 'worked the numbers' and pissing off a few enthusiasts is OK when you stand to gain so many more 'newbies' along the way. It was mentioned on another site that the 'package' you recieve when joining Team Shelby is not yet complete, guess that means Ford logos instead of Shelby logos for now, whatever...

I suspect Team Shelby will thrive, prosper and grow MUCH bigger than SAAC could have ever hoped for, I think it's gonna be HUGE, thats reality as I see it. SAAC will diminish along the way and with time. And there aint nothing we can do about it in the long run.

What made this a 'water shed' event for me personally, and has soured me BIG TIME on Shelby, was the way they treated SAAC along the way. There was no call for that, even Amy B. was unaware of the dastardly deeds taking place behind her back. For the time being I'm referring to MY ERA as an AC replica, at least for now I really want to remove myself from being associated with Shelby.

[shelby racer]

Originally Posted by Excaliber

You know, when you consider the BIG picture (USA) were a pretty small group of enthusiasts. Team Shelby, in conjunction with FORD, is looking for a much bigger slice of the entire USA population to sell product to, in that regard, the voices here are miniscule. I'm sure they've 'worked the numbers' and pissing off a few enthusiasts is OK when you stand to gain so many more 'newbies' along the way. It was mentioned on another site that the 'package' you recieve when joining Team Shelby is not yet complete, guess that means Ford logos instead of Shelby logos for now, whatever...

I suspect Team Shelby will thrive, prosper and grow MUCH bigger than SAAC could have ever hoped for, I think it's gonna be HUGE, thats reality as I see it. SAAC will diminish along the way and with time. And there aint nothing we can do about it in the long run.

What made this a 'water shed' event for me personally, and has soured me BIG TIME on Shelby, was the way they treated SAAC along the way. There was no call for that, even Amy B. was unaware of the dastardly deeds taking place behind her back. For the time being I'm referring to MY ERA as an AC replica, at least for now I really want to remove myself from being associated with Shelby.

You are right. It is the same reason enthusiasts don't get to participate in focus groups - even if it is a performance model (or at least so said some one from Ford). Life will go on as it always has for the vast majority of us. It is just sad (IMO) that apparently the people who are making the decisions and who ultimately interact with us the most really don't care about us. More qudos to Amy for being willing to talk to us since she ends up taking the heat for things for which she is not responsible.

As far as my Team Shelby package being incomplete and to be corrected late (which would have been absolutely fine with me), no it is complete as far as they are concerned. If you want what you were promised, or anything else for that matter - that will cost extra. Funny, I seem to remember some statement from Team Shelby that it was form to better serve the enthusiasts needs.

IMHO it is not if mistakes are made occasionally, it is all in how they are handled. It is not about swag, it is about attitude.

[John McMahon]

Ernie,

I have been soured on Carroll Shelby ever since SAAC 25 when I saw him pull up to all the Cobra replicas in a golf cart and tell his cronies to start snapping pictures of all his Cobra badges on the ERAs at the event. It was to be used in preparation for his suit against ERA.

I lost all respect for the man, here folks are paying $25 each to get into the event that was celebrating his successes, waiting in line to pay for the privilege of owning his signature and what is he doing? Using those very same fans as fodder for one of his lawsuits.

My bubble was burst then and it has only gotten worse.

I still enjoy the conventions, but only for the cars.

[CSX 4027]

[quote=John McMahon]Ernie,

My bubble was burst then and it has only gotten worse.

That's your whole problem...
Still play'n with bubbles

[fsstnotch]

Originally Posted by Excaliber

You know, when you consider the BIG picture (USA) were a pretty small group of enthusiasts. Team Shelby, in conjunction with FORD, is looking for a much bigger slice of the entire USA population to sell product to, in that regard, the voices here are miniscule. I'm sure they've 'worked the numbers' and pissing off a few enthusiasts is OK when you stand to gain so many more 'newbies' along the way. It was mentioned on another site that the 'package' you recieve when joining Team Shelby is not yet complete, guess that means Ford logos instead of Shelby logos for now, whatever...

I suspect Team Shelby will thrive, prosper and grow MUCH bigger than SAAC could have ever hoped for, I think it's gonna be HUGE, thats reality as I see it. SAAC will diminish along the way and with time. And there aint nothing we can do about it in the long run.

What made this a 'water shed' event for me personally, and has soured me BIG TIME on Shelby, was the way they treated SAAC along the way. There was no call for that, even Amy B. was unaware of the dastardly deeds taking place behind her back. For the time being I'm referring to MY ERA as an AC replica, at least for now I really want to remove myself from being associated with Shelby.

You are exactly right Ernie! And that is because the club is geared toward the mustang crowd... in particular, the newer mustangs. If you want the proof... just look a the mag! Of the 164 pages, I think I counted 56 pages that did not have a NEW style shelby on them. That's less than 1/3!

[csx700?]

shelby racer
did you happen to buy your cobra from "newport"?

[shelby racer]

Originally Posted by csx700?

shelby racer
did you happen to buy your cobra from "newport"?

I got my cobra from XKs unlimited in San Luis Obispo who never could tell me anything during the two years it took to build me car (luckily Gary P could), charged me more for shipping / delivery than was originally calculated, did not inspect the car before delivery (as shown by the disconnected fuel fill hose that I found the first day I had the car plus other things like telling me about parts that had been known to fail in the front suspension and had been upgraded in later cars but did tell me that mine had them which was discovered and replaced when I took the car back to Vegas for the frame work / rebuild) and did not include or install parts that were originally promised (with NO disclaimers regarding "specifications may change" until after the car was delivered). I have heard worse stories but those are mainly from people who had their dealer finish / build their car for them. They were the largest volume dealer for Shelby when I got my car. Needless to say they do NOT get my reccomendation.

[FFRCobraMike]

I just got a letter from SAAC describing this issue. It seems he not only wants to revoke use of his name, but all icons and designations refering to cobra, shelby, 427 S/C, 289 cobra, and all the emblems. He also wants all the documentation compiled by SAAC of the years. Why don't some of you Lawyers out there volunteer your time to fight this instead of sitting on the sidelines?

Mike

[saltytri]

Sure. Right after we slit our wrists.

[CSX 4039]

Originally Posted by FFRCobraMike

I just got a letter from SAAC describing this issue. It seems he not only wants to revoke use of his name, but all icons and designations refering to cobra, shelby, 427 S/C, 289 cobra, and all the emblems. He also wants all the documentation compiled by SAAC of the years. Why don't some of you Lawyers out there volunteer your time to fight this instead of sitting on the sidelines?

Mike

As a taxpayer, I have supported the government of this country for longer than Shelby supported SAAC. Now, I want it all back, too.
Didn't SAAC start after Shelby had sold the rights to all those names to Ford, but before he made the effort to get them back? In other words, SAAC had the rights to them after he gave them up. If you throw something away, and someone comes along and picks it up out of the trash, can you then sue them to get it back??
Typical of the legal system in this country.

[Jamo]

Originally Posted by FFRCobraMike

I just got a letter from SAAC describing this issue. It seems he not only wants to revoke use of his name, but all icons and designations refering to cobra, shelby, 427 S/C, 289 cobra, and all the emblems. He also wants all the documentation compiled by SAAC of the years. Why don't some of you Lawyers out there volunteer your time to fight this instead of sitting on the sidelines?

Mike

You're assuming we give a sh!t.

[saltytri]

Originally Posted by Jamo

You're assuming we give a sh!t.

I care a lot more about my wrists.

[CSX 4039]

Originally Posted by Jamo

You're assuming we give a sh!t.

I'm sure Nedsel, Kopec, and the others, to whom you owe your hobby and this website are really feeling great right now. I'm sure something like that (even in jest) really lifted their spirits.