Carroll Shelby Tribute thread. Be a part of it.

[speedar]

A great man who did so much in each of his lifetimes. His driving career his race management career, his car development and sales career and his charity career. I we could achieve as much as he did in just one of his pursuits! But in all he was tirelessly a gentleman He will be missed for sure but will always be imortal

[cemugur]

I was flicking trough my fathers old picture when I saw my first cobra shot taken by a Polaroid camera. I came across to a stunning white car with blue stripes, I was only six at the time and remember asking my dad 'what is this car?' He replied 'son that is what one can name it a 'legend'. There it was, I consider myself lucky to get hooked up to Cobra even at that age. Mr Shellby, only a ledeng could have done what you have achieved, your name will live forever in the hearths of your many enthusiast fans. May you Rest In Peace.

[cjsammut]

Similar to many of these replies, i was introduced to the Shelby name as a very young boy as my dad's aspirations of building his own Cobra slowly developed. I used to sit in the garage and watch him building his timber buck when i was about 7 years of age (1982). Looking through the numerous magazines and books he had and a 'Contemporary' brochure he was sent, instilled my own desire to own such a car. Tough, muscular, classical - it has all of the qualities you want in a car. As the years went by and his circumstances changed, his dream began to fade and eventually was out of reach. I was slowly ageing and was eternally Cobra mad. It became my ultimate life goal to own what my father never could. Through hard work at school, getting a good job and never forgetting my goal, i realised our combined dream in 2007 when i took possession of my Superformance Mk III. Im proud to own a genuine Shelby signed glovebox door which is rarely fitted to my car. I look at the enormous amount of Shelby items out there in the world and i hope he was proud of the cult following he had, the people he affected and the lives he changed. He was a dream creator in many people worldwide, and for that, i thank him.

Chris Sammut (Australia)

[JWilly]

True visionaries always make a difference in our world...He certainly added a lot of joy to the lives of people like you and me.

RIP CS.

[krkucin]

I must have been 10 or 11 years old the first time I saw a Cobra. I would ride my bicycle around the small tourist town I grew up in and take pictures of cool cars I saw on the street. The first Cobra was a 1963, CSX2052. Owned by a local guy where I lived, I would go and bug him every time I saw him out in his garage tinkering with it. On occasion, he would ask if I wanted to go for a ride, and I would always reply with a huge grin on my face, YES! We would head up the frontage road at a high rate of speed with that ROAR that just makes your skin tingle. This gent had many other very cool cars, but nothing as cool as the Cobra. Those experiences solidified my "car guy" passion, and from that point on I have always wanted a Cobra. There were many other cars that I loved and wanted, and I have had a handful of great cars, but none as great as the Cobra. Of course as time went on and prices went up, the ability for me to afford a "real" Cobra went right out the side curtain. I now have a Superformance Cobra with a 427 side oiler, and it brings me back to the days of being a 10 year old every time I take it out. If it was not for Carroll Shelby and his crazy ideas, we would not be able to share these great stories here. So.... Here is to Carroll Shelby! Thanks for changing all of our lives for the better.

[Bernica]

Carrol,

My Dad introduced me to you when I was around 10 years old back in the 60's. You gave me a ride in your Cobra at LAX that I never forgot. It took me 40+ more years of dreaming until I could figure out how to own one of your cars. Thank you for all that you have done and how you have touched all of our lives. Once you are a "Shelby Guy", you are in for life, and I than you for that! God Bless.

-Michael

[rkm]

I would like to propose that we save May 10th of every year as "Drive your Cobra/Shelby day".
Carroll said many times that these cars were never intended to be static displays. They are made to be driven!

What more fitting way can we honor his memory.

Thank you Carroll for the impact you made on all our lives. We will never forget you.

Kim

[gsharapa]

Saw my first Shelby in 1966 at a Ford dealer in Chicago (Jack Loftus Ford) with 2 years to go for driver's license. Those cars just grew on me from there and just knew I had to have a few. Went to work for Ford Motor Company out of College and played with many Shelby's over the years. 6 Cobra replicas over the last 17 years and still love those little sports cars. Thank You Carroll for the inspiration as you have made the Blue Oval Shine the past 50 Years! God Bless and R.I.P.

[Renlady]

Originally Posted by rkm

I would like to propose that we save May 10th of every year as "Drive your Cobra/Shelby day".
Carroll said many times that these cars were never intended to be static displays. They are made to be driven!

What more fitting way can we honor his memory.

Thank you Carroll for the impact you made on all our lives. We will never forget you.

Kim

I am all for this and will ask that Drive Your Cobra/Shelby Day be added to our club's calendars and I'll be adding it to our Facebook group. Great idea!

[Larry Slagel]

So, the Lord has called on "the king of horsepower." I'm guessing GOD has ol Shel building HIM a new chariot!! Rest easy, Shel, you have certainly earned it. We have all been blessed by having him around a little longer through his transplant. His legacy will be around for sometime.

[yellow cobra]

A wonderful man who will be missed by all Cobra enthusiasts, especially at Goodwood which is holding a 50th anniversary with a unique one-model race at the Revival meeting. This will be a tribute not only to the Cobra but also to Carroll.

He will be remembered for this iconic Anglo-American sports car which still turns heads after 50 years.

[cobrarkc]

Carroll left a legacy larger than life and changed the automotive world forever!
R.I.P.

[WillisT]

R.I.P.

Thanks,
Will

[ALF]

Carroll did not only change the automotive world. He also changed my life!

I bought my dream car with an age of 24 years. It was a replica with a V6 engine, but it was perfect for me (and my wallet) at that time. I’m now 40 years old and own another Cobra. This makes a lot of fun at the sunny days at the Swiss alps.

But the possibility to meet Carroll personally in 2006 and getting a former Shelby Employee as a friend was much more I had thought before. It is always like being a kid when listening to the stories of the time were race drivers were heroes and their cars were miracles.

Carroll I thank you from the bottom of my heart for all of the great moments a had and will have because of you.
R.I.P

[Clois Harlan]

As a teenager I went with my dad to pick out our new family car in 1966. On our trek to find the right sedan we went into a dealer in downtown Tulsa called Doenges Bros Ford. When we walked into the showroom there it was; a 1965 Selby Cobra. It was love from first sight for me. A memory and a promise I kept to myself until my children were grown, educated, and married.

Finally, in 1999 I bought my first Cobra and with the help of all of those on this site (past and present) I managed to get it built in record time. Picked up as a Stage III roller on January 8, 2000 I had the car completely assembled, engine built, painted, titled, and taged by mid April 2000. I thought I was one stud muffin back then and mine was the most original of all the kit cars out there. Truth is it was a nice replica of an original and I was very proud of my efforts.

Thank you Carroll Shelby for planting the seed so many years ago of Cobra ownership albeit a replica of your creation. I still have my first Cobra and it has had several transformations (from a 302 with a Edelbrock 650 and a T5 tranny to a 427/ 550 hp with a Quick Fuel 950 Carb and a toploader and a set of racing Hoosier slicks). I love my Cobra and plan on keeping it and passing it on to someone else someday. My Cobra has opened so many doors for me professionally and personally. Friendships I have made over the past 13 years have proved to be some of the most enduring and worthy I have ever had. There is a bond that is made from Cobra ownership that is enhanced once you venture out on a track with your Cobra. Cobra owners that also track their cobra's will literally give you the shirt off their back if you need it to get your Cobra going.

Thanks again Mr. Shelby for enhancing my life and causing my wife so much frustration (my wife finally understands and it only took about 8 years).

Clois Harlan

[Inertia]

A note to Saint Peter,
That person blasting past you at warp speed was Mr Carroll Shelby.
Do not be concerned you missed him. He is quick. Just 'google' Shelby Cobra and you will understand.
God bless you Carroll Shelby. May you rest in peace.

Steve
Australia

[Got the Bug]

Saw this on Motor Trend. Some good stories about Carroll Shelby by C. Van Tune.

Shelby Stories: Personal Remembrances about a Larger-Than-Life Legend
Written by: C. Van Tune

Shelby Stories: Personal Remembrances about a Larger-Than-Life Legend - Motor Trend Blog

When he woke up after the heart transplant, the doctor told him that the donor was a 38-year-old African American man who keeled over from a stroke at a Las Vegas craps table. Without missing a beat, Shelby said, “I hope you gave me his dork too.”

[Wicked Quick]

All of us here at Wicked Quick are deeply saddened by the passing of Carroll Shelby. He was our inspiration, and has been the object of our obsession for the past several years as we worked to create a whole apparel collection inspired by the man and his accomplishments.

The Founder & CEO of Wicked Quick was lucky enough to have met Carroll in person several times over the last year. He put together a really nice tribute to Carroll on our website, recounting the last time they met at the Shelby office in Gardena, CA.

You can read it here.

Our hearts go out to his friends and family - and to all of you Shelby fans. Hang in there!