Shelby interview in Road & Track

[Maurice Johnson]

Back in the 50's my history teacher always reminded us that the history books are always written by the battle winners. "Methinks yon Shel is about reversing the rule"
William Snakespeare

[Joe Wicked]

I am not an expert by any means, and I am not just trying to stir the pot, but I thought that Ford and Shelby had nothing to do with starting SAAC? Now he is claiming it was Edsel Fords idea and he was a part from the beginning?

[Mark IV]

Originally Posted by Joe Wicked

I am not an expert by any means, and I am not just trying to stir the pot, but I thought that Ford and Shelby had nothing to do with starting SAAC? Now he is claiming it was Edsel Fords idea and he was a part from the beginning?

Edsel Ford was invited to become an "advisory board" member as were many other ford "celebrities", i.e Gurney, Bondurant, etc. EF was/is an enthusiast, but was not involved in starting SAAC.

[Joe Wicked]

Originally Posted by Mark IV

Edsel Ford was invited to become an "advisory board" member as were many other ford "celebrities", i.e Gurney, Bondurant, etc. EF was/is an enthusiast, but was not involved in starting SAAC.

So it is yet another attempted re-write of history. The bad thing is many people, myself included had I not found this site last year, will read that and take it for the truth. Shelby is the man after all. His accomplishments speak for themselves, so why would he need to make it up? Sooner or later all these magazines will have to print the other side of the story. I would bet that he will claim failing memory/getting things confused if/when it ever comes to light that what he is spewing is false. I find it sad that in the end, his legacy will be that he was more of a snake than his car's namesake.

[A-Snake]

Originally Posted by Mark IV

Edsel Ford was invited to become an "advisory board" member as were many other ford "celebrities", i.e Gurney, Bondurant, etc. EF was/is an enthusiast, but was not involved in starting SAAC.

Actually Edsel Ford's name does not appear on the Advisory board until the October/November 1977 issue of The Marque, about 1 1/2 years after SAAC was formed.
The rest of the names at that time on the advisory board included:
CS, Bondurant, Don Roberts, Allen Grant, Dick Smith, Al Dowd, Hal Keck, Ed Leslie, Dan Gurney, Pete Brock, Chuck Cantwell, Lew Spencer, Phil Remington, Tom Payne. Payne was also added at the same time as Edsel Ford.

[RedCSX1]

Originally Posted by A-Snake

Actually Edsel Ford's name does not appear on the Advisory board until the October/November 1977 issue of The Marque, about 1 1/2 years after SAAC was formed.
The rest of the names at that time on the advisory board included:
CS, Bondurant, Don Roberts, Allen Grant, Dick Smith, Al Dowd, Hal Keck, Ed Leslie, Dan Gurney, Pete Brock, Chuck Cantwell, Lew Spencer, Phil Remington, Tom Payne. Payne was also added at the same time as Edsel Ford.

As time went on most of these people mentioned seam to fall off the band wagon however I did see a few of them at the SAAC National conventions here and there. The Marque was a good publication its too bad that it went away. One of my gripes about SAAC was that the benefit of the publication they had offered was no longer available and the newsletter "snake bite" was a joke.

[DMXF]

Originally Posted by Mark IV

Edsel Ford was invited to become an "advisory board" member as were many other ford "celebrities", i.e Gurney, Bondurant, etc. EF was/is an enthusiast, but was not involved in starting SAAC.

Shelby may have been referring to Edsel Ford having perhaps been involved with one of the primary precursor clubs to SAAC (remember, SAAC really started as a "roll up" of several pre-existing clubs). Someone may know the exact dates off the top of their head, but it seems like SAAC didn't exist as SAAC until about '75 or '76 (?)

[Juggernaut]

I'm learning more & more about CS as time goes by. I know my opinion of him has changed over the last five years or so.

Like Joe Wicked mentioned, in the end, he'll be leaving behind a somewhat negative legacy. To me, he seems to a very bitter person.

Just my 2 cents.

[Joe Wicked]

As an uneducated enthusiast, I saw the continuation Cobras as a rank above all the rest out there. I was in awe of CS, I thought of him as a genius car builder. Now, knowing more about the man behind the legend, I don't really have a desire to get a CSX, just because it is a CSX. I think I can find the same or better quality and enjoyment elsewhere for less money. Having the CS name tied to it no longer makes it worth more to me. I know I am just one, but I believe this will be the trend. I don't think it will be right away though. He still has enough PR to keep the magazines bent to his side.

[Mark IV]

Originally Posted by Dcmgt

Shelby may have been referring to Edsel Ford having perhaps been involved with one of the primary precursor clubs to SAAC (remember, SAAC really started as a "roll up" of several pre-existing clubs). Someone may know the exact dates off the top of their head, but it seems like SAAC didn't exist as SAAC until about '75 or '76 (?)

Edsel was NOT involved in the Shelby Owners Association nor the Shelby Owners of America or the Cobra Club.

[mtml427]

Wow! After reading that article I feel sorry for Shelby. One would think that at his age he wouldn't be so greedy and self asborbed.

[VE4MM]

Originally Posted by mtml427

Wow! After reading that article I feel sorry for Shelby. One would think that at his age he wouldn't be so greedy and self asborbed.

Well spoken sir!

MM

[Wayne Maybury]

"Later we gave a license agreement to a group to run it, and it turned from a non-profit to a multimillion-dollar for-profit organization. Under the agreement, they were supposed to get approvals and provide financial and other reports but they constantly refused to do so and went on selling millions of dollars' worth of merchandise."

Wow, that makes it sounds like SAAC will be a Fortune 500 organization soon.

Wayne