Carroll Shelby passes away
 

There are several other posts but one belongs in the Shelby American forum.

Dallas – May 11, 2012 – Carroll Shelby International, Inc., (OTC: CSBI.PK) announced today that Carroll Hall Shelby, a man whose vision for performance transformed the automobile industry, has died at age 89. Mr. Shelby passed away yesterday at Baylor Hospital in Dallas. The cause of death was not disclosed.



Born on Jan. 11, 1923, Carroll Shelby was one of America’s greatest success stories. Championship-winning racecar driver, “flying sergeant” wartime pilot, philanthropist, entrepreneur, car manufacturer and racing team owner, he embodied the ingenuity, tenacity and grit to overcome any obstacle. He is perhaps the only person to have worked at a visible level with all three major American automobile manufacturers.

Carroll Shelby founded Carroll Shelby International, a publicly held corporation involved in many industries. His licensing arm has agreements with industry giants, such as Mattel, Sony, Ford Motor Company and Electronic Arts. His car company, Shelby American, has a thriving parts business as well as a line of muscle cars including the Shelby GT500 Super Snake, Shelby GT350 and Shelby GTS. The Las Vegas-based company also manufactures a limited number of the 1960s Shelby 289 “street,” 289 FIA, 427 S/C and Daytona Coupe Cobras.



Shelby considered his greatest achievement to be the establishment of the Carroll Shelby Foundation™. Created in 1992 while Shelby was waiting for a heart transplant, the charity is dedicated to providing medical assistance for those in need, including children, educational opportunities for young people through automotive and other training programs and benefitting the Carroll Shelby Automotive Foundation.



Shelby remained active in the management of each of his companies and the Foundation until his death, even though he endured both heart and kidney transplants in the last two decades of his life.



“We are all deeply saddened, and feel a tremendous sense of loss for Carroll’s family, ourselves and the entire automotive industry,” said Joe Conway, president of Carroll Shelby International, Inc. and board member. “There has been no one like Carroll Shelby and never will be. However, we promised Carroll we would carry on, and he put the team, the products and the vision in place to do just that.”



Shelby is survived by his three children Patrick, Michael and Sharon, his sister Anne Shelby Ellison of Fort Worth and his wife Cleo. Funeral plans are not currently available. Donations to the Carroll Shelby Foundation are encouraged in lieu of flowers. Information about the Carroll Shelby Foundation is available at The Carroll Shelby Foundation.



About Shelby American, Inc.

Founded by legend Carroll Shelby, Shelby American manufactures and markets performance vehicles and related products. Now a subsidiary of Carroll Shelby International, Inc., the company manufactures authentic continuation Cobras, including the 427 S/C, 289 FIA and 289 street car component vehicles. The company offers the GT350, GT500 Super Snake and GTS post-title packages for the current generation Ford Mustang. For more information, visit Shelby American Inc..



About Carroll Shelby Licensing

Automotive manufacturer and entrepreneur Carroll Shelby is one of the most famous and successful high performance visionaries in the world, and he has spent the last 50 years establishing and protecting his name, trademarks and car design rights. He founded Carroll Shelby Licensing Inc., which has the exclusive right to license the Shelby trademarks and vehicle design rights for some of the most famous muscle cars and high-performance vehicles. CSL also holds trademark rights for Shelby-branded apparel, accessories and collectibles. For more information about the company or licensing opportunities, call (310) 914-1843, or fax (310) 538-8189 or write to Carroll Shelby Licensing, Inc., 19021 S Figueroa St., Gardena, CA, 90248, or visit Carroll Shelby - An American Icon, Carroll Shelby Licensing, Inc. or Carroll Shelby International, Inc..



About The Carroll Shelby Foundation

The Carroll Shelby Foundation was created by legendary racer and automotive manufacturer Carroll Shelby. Headquartered in Gardena, Calif., the Foundation is dedicated to providing medical assistance for those in need, including children, educational opportunities for young people through automotive and other training programs and benefitting the Shelby Automotive Foundation. For more information visit CarrollShelbyFoundation.org.



Safe Harbor Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995

This release may contain forward-looking statements involving risks and uncertainties that may cause actual future events or results to differ materially and adversely from those described in the forward-looking statements. CSI disclaims any obligation to revise or update any forward- looking statement that may be made from time to time by or on its behalf.

Timeline of Carrol Shelby's life from Motor Trend

Carroll Shelby's life, 1923-2012 Timeline - Motor Trend

It's a sad day. I think I'll take the Cobra for a drive tonight.

He lived a full and wonderful life! Rest in Peace Mr Shelby!

Hard to imagine what the automotive world would have been like over the past 50 years without Mr. Shelby. Just like Chris stated earlier, he lived a full and wonderful life! God bless him and his family.

A rest well deserved.

A sad day indeed.

We have lost a genius belonging to the same generation and having the same philosophy that Bill Lear (the father of the Learjet : the first private jet flying faster than airline jets) applied during his life. Thanks to them who made our life happier and exciting.

A very sad day. He did live a long and storied life and I wish him peace and his family and friends the very best. He is the root of all of us coming together here at CC, and I am thankful for the friendships Mr. Shelby has facilitated for me and others here.

Some thoughts about Carroll from my perspective:

• I regret not meeting the man
• The threads of his life and efforts span far and wide to touch many across the world
• He, through his racing history, built such a following of enthusiasts world wide….clubcobra.com is one such example of this.
• His cars are the most replicated in history.
• The passion that he had built a legend and inspired an industry
• Just a couple of months ago, in the name of Shelby, many Cobra owners gathered as a dying wish for a woman in hospice….Her wish was to grant her husband, with prostate cancer, his wish, which was to drive in a Shelby. ~30 cobras and many enthusiasts showed to grant that wish and it wouldn’t have happened if not for the legend….Carroll Shelby
• The friendships we’ve gained because of Shelby will endure a lifetime for each involved - this, in my opinion is his greatest achievement.

Hello All,

Sad news and we all know that it quit being about the cars many years ago and has been and always will be about the friendships we have formed through the years.

We all owe this life a death and Carroll Shelby lived his life well.

Tony R.

Shel
 

It was an honor to have known the man personally.

A hell of a character who will live a long life in the memory of all who love his work.

What more could you want?

RIP Carrol. You will be missed.

Jim

Very sad day indeed. We lost an Icon in the industry. Gods speed to the Shelby family...

RIP Brother...

E

Larger than life, he has left an amazing legacy. RIP.

R.i.p.

Howdy,


+1 MILLION!

Paul

We all, more than most, owe Carroll Shelby a lot. No one can doubt his driving abilities or his drive for life. He wasn't a saint. None of us are. But he made a splash during his life that was noticed by billions and his waves will be felt for generations.

A true American icon. Given his health issues and all, having made it as long and as well as he did is to be celebrated. Love him or not, he gave us and the automotive world the richness of his legacy and career. We are all the better for it. Rest in peace Carroll. You will be remembered and missed.