RIP Carrol Shelby!

[twitchyfinger]

For the numerous auto sports fans here...

Auto legend Carroll Shelby died Thursday night at Baylor Hospital in Dallas at the age of 89.

Read more: http://www.autoweek.com/article/20120511/CARNEWS/120519987#ixzz1uamWHgVU

https://sphotos.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/550953_333393670065018_140190442718676_805817_1737 934165_n.jpg

[Tinelement]

Wow.

Hell of a guy.

He will be missed!

[zteknik]

He was a genius!!
Lived a full life
May he rest in peace.

[birddog]

Huh, that's too bad. A real American legend

[Zundfolge]

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-O8ng04j21Qk/TeLNJHVJgjI/AAAAAAAAAGE/JXdY4AzqXmQ/s400/ani-us-flag-half-staff-waving-01-1.gif

[stevelkinevil]

RIP Mr. Shelby. A motorsports legend and a great old fashioned American success story. He will be sorely missed.

[spleify]

Oh man, sad day.

May he rest in piece

[mbl]

Very sorry to hear this news. I just saw it on a news site.

If anyone is in the boulder / Niwot area the Cobra museum is well worth the $5 admin fee. Some really nice Cobra's, GT 40's and even a Ferrari.

[trlcavscout]

Very sad, I have a couple buddies that worked for him in Vegas. A legend has passed.

[Ah Pook]

That's sad. Another good one gone.

http://images.hemmings.com/wp-content/uploads//2012/03/SIA-Cobra_lede.jpg

[DD977GM2]

RIP Great guy.

[twitchyfinger]

http://stylecrave.frsucrave.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/1965-shelby-daytona-cobra-coupe-csx2601.jpg


By 1963 Carroll Shelby’s new Cobra had established its supremacy on the short road courses of America, but Shelby and Ford shared a more ambitious goal: to beat Ferrari on the world stage and become the first American team to win the coveted F.I.A. (Federation Internationale de l’Automobile) World Manufacturers Championship for GT cars.

An experimental coupe body designed by Pete Brock was built on an existing Cobra chassis, immediately increasing its top speed by 25 mph; the new car won the GT class at its first race, the 1964 Daytona Continental, prompting Shelby to adopt the name.

Building on that initial success and another class win at Sebring in March 1964, another Daytona Coupe was built in Modena, Italy at Carozzeria Grand Sport, which would go on to build the rest of the six Coupes. The first two Daytonas then competed in Europe, winning important victories at Le Mans and Goodwood. The ’64 Monza Coppa Inter-Europa, which the Daytonas were almost certain to win, was cancelled by race officials. Team Shelby thus narrowly missed winning the 1964 Championship, prompting Shelby to famously declare, “Next year, Ferrari’s ass is mine!”

In February 1965 the season began once again at Daytona. Shelby entered four coupes, among them the recently completed CSX2601. Driven by Bob Johnson and Tom Payne as #12, it retired in the eighth hour with a blown engine, but another Coupe would win the GT class and finish second overall, the best yet for a Daytona in a race open to prototypes. Shelby would then have his revenge at Monza where, on April 25, Bob Bondurant and Allan Grant took 2601 to 8th overall and first in GT. A 2nd and 1st in GT followed at Spa and the Nurburgring respectively, while the Le Mans 24 Hours in June proved disastrous for the entire Ford contingent.

While the Ford GT40s regrouped after Le Mans, Shelby’s dedicated crew of drivers and mechanics, some of whom had devoted their lives to the effort for more than three years, readied the Daytonas for the 12 Heures du Reims, the World Championship within their grasp. Ferrari was there with seven prototypes and a trio of GTOs but Team Shelby was not to be denied and, on July 4th, 1965, Bob Bondurant drove this Shelby Daytona Cobra Coupe, CSX2601, across the finish line at the 12 Heures du Reims in France to secure the F.I.A. Championship.

Bondurant drove 2601 one last time at Sicily’s Coppa di Enna, taking 3rd overall and first in GT. After being shipped back to Los Angeles, the car was then leased to Paramount Pictures for use in the Howard Hawkes cult classic movie “Redline 7000”, then purchased by Bondurant, who sold it in 1969.

Against the most feared force in international motor racing, the Cobra Daytonas gave Carroll Shelby and the United States its first World Manufacturers Championship. Now fully restored and wearing its famous Reims livery, CSX2601 survives with its five brethren as one of the most famous Cobras of all, with the best competition record of all the Daytona Coupes, together which embody the American competitive spirit of victory against overwhelming odds.

[00tec]

R.I.P
My crappy cell phone pic of Cobra prototype #1 as seen at SEMA last year.
http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p302/mchl_wood/Droid/IMG_20111103_134918.jpg

[Cman]

RIP Mr. Shelby

[Twinscrewed05gt]

The man was a true innovator, and ahead of his time in many respects.

RIP.

[Delfuego]

That man truly could build a car and will be missed! Love live MOPAR!!!!

[Musashi]

RIP fast man
One day I will have a 427 Cobra

[twitchyfinger]

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[Big Wall]

Rip

[Ronin13]

Now that's someone who is deserving of actual mourning (Whitney, not so much). RIP Mr. Shelby, gear heads everywhere will always remember the great things you did for the automotive world! [Cry]

[ben4372]

Did you get permission from Shelby Inc. to start this thread? Great car guy, better businessman.

[Socoar]

RIP, He was the master of his domain.

[hghclsswhitetrsh]

Hell of a mind in the car industry.

[airborneranger]

RIP to a true genius.

[GoldFinger]

We should all paint a white stripe down the middle of our heads and wear it for a day.

RIP.

[2008f450]

R.I.P. to a true car guy. I am having some of his chili tommorow in his honor.

[Larry Ashcraft]

RIP Mr. Shelby.


Love live MOPAR!!!
You do realize Shelby's cars were Ford powered, right?

[asmo]

All the true talent keeps dying (Porsche, now Shelby). Everything now is designed by committee and its fricking ugly (except the new Audi S5 which is gorgeous).

[rockhound]

this is probably the only celeb of any kind that I would give a damn about their death.

RIP mr shebly,

[Mazin]

RIP, a lot of weeping from Pony owners all over.

[JoeT]

Did you get permission from Shelby Inc. to start this thread? Great car guy, better businessman.


There's more truth in this statement than many know....he had many a dollar spent in lawyer's salaries

As a boy of about 12 I saw my first cobra in person, and that was all it took to make a car guy. I've been chasing the dream since. Having owned a gt350 in the late 80's...and currently a cobra replica. . . and some day (soon, I hope) a GT40

he was a visionary in the motorsports, and he helped a lot of people with his foundation . the industry will miss him

[stewart]

Wow. Sad day
RIP

[funkymonkey1111]

sad day. I've always wanted a cobra. I still don't think there's a better looking car out there

[dogduster]

Owned several of his cars and looking to buy a new one. Even met the man a couple of times. He will be missed.

[Slapps74]

This is a real loss to the automotive world.
RIP

[geo351]

all the shelby named car owners just got a lil bump in their investment.
Carol was a true pioneer in the industry, met him in gainsville at big daddies museum, great guy, Carol and big daddy had a great convo with us!!
He will be sorely missed, Gods Speed Carol, grab a gear and fly!!

Little Rush,
Wind in my hair, shifting and driftin, mechanical music, adrenilin surge,
well weathered leather,hot metal and oil, the sent of country air,sunlight on chrome the blur of the land scape, every nerve aware!!!
one of the best car verses ever!!
Rev on the red line comes to mind also

[jmg8550]

He was in my opinion the greatest car builder of all time. Back in the day he put that European trash in their place.

[GhostRider]

wow, great man!! R.I.P.