View source for Carroll Shelby

{{Short description|American racing driver and automotive designer (1923{{ndash}}2012)}}{{Tone|date=December 2013}}

{{Use American English|date=July 2022}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2012}}
{{Infobox F1 driver
|name        = Carroll Shelby
|birth_name  = Carroll Hall Shelby
|image       = CarrollShelbyVIR2007.jpg
|caption     = Shelby in 2007
|nationality = <!-- before adding a nationality, see [[MOS:INFONAT]] -->
|birth_date  = {{Birth date|1923|1|11}} 
|birth_place = [[Leesburg, Texas]], U.S.
|death_date  = {{Death date and age|2012|5|10|1923|1|11}}
|death_place = [[Dallas, Texas]], U.S.
|Years       = {{F1|1958}}–{{F1|1959}}
|Team(s)     = [[Aston Martin in Formula One|Aston Martin]], non-works [[Maserati in motorsport|Maserati]]
|Races       = 8
|Championships= 0
|Wins        = 0
|Podiums     = 0
|Points      = 0
|Poles       = 0
|Fastest laps = 0
|First race  = [[1958 French Grand Prix]]
|First win   =
|Last win    = 
|Last race   = [[1959 Italian Grand Prix]]
| module3 = {{Infobox Le Mans driver|embed=yes
| Years           = [[1958 24 Hours of Le Mans|1958]]–[[1959 24 Hours of Le Mans|1959]]
| Team(s)         = David Brown Racing Dept
| Best Finish     = 1st (1959)
| Class Wins      = 1 
 }}
}}

'''Carroll Hall Shelby''' (January 11, 1923 – May 10, 2012) was an American automotive designer, [[racing driver]], and entrepreneur.

Best known as a designer for his involvement with the [[AC Cobra]] and [[Ford Mustang|Mustang]] for [[Ford Motor Company]], he also developed the [[Ford GT40]] with racing legend [[Ken Miles]], the car that won the [[24 Hours of Le Mans]] in 1966, 1967, 1968, and 1969. As of 2024, it remains the only American-built car to win at Le Mans. His and Miles's efforts were dramatized in the [[92nd Academy Awards|2019]] [[Academy Awards|Oscar]]-winning film ''[[Ford v Ferrari]]''.

As a driver, he was a co-driver in winning the [[1959 24 Hours of Le Mans]] driving an Aston Martin DBR1 with [[Roy Salvadori]]. He also won the 1960 Sports Car Club of America United States Auto Club Road Racing Sports Car Championship in 1960 by winning the round 1 race at [[Riverside International Raceway]] driving a Maserati Tipo 61 "Birdcage", and winning round 2 at [[Continental Divide Raceways]] driving a Chevrolet Scarab Mark II.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://wsrp.ic.cz/usacrrc1960.html |title=World Sports Racing Prototypes: U.S. Auto Club Road Racing Championship 1960 |website=wsrp.ic.cz |access-date=August 24, 2024 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120226065215/http://wsrp.ic.cz/usacrrc1960.html |archive-date=February 26, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.racingsportscars.com/championship/USAC%20Road%20Racing%20Championship.html |title=Racing Sports Cars: USAC Road Racing Championship 1960 |website=racingsportscars.com |access-date=August 24, 2024}}</ref>

As an entrepreneur he established [[Shelby American]] in 1962 to manufacture and market performance vehicles. His autobiography, ''[[The Carroll Shelby Story]]'', was published in 1967.<ref>{{cite magazine |url= https://www.vanityfair.com/culture/2006/07/carroll-shelby-cobra-mustang-gt-350-gt500 |title=King of the Road |last=Levine |first=Robert |date=July 15, 2006 |magazine=[[Vanity Fair (magazine)|Vanity Fair]] |issue=July 2006}}</ref>

==Early life==
Carroll Shelby was born on January 11, 1923, to Warren Hall Shelby, a rural mail carrier, and his wife, Eloise Shelby (born Lawrence), in [[Leesburg, Texas]].<ref name="carrollshelby.com">{{cite web|url= http://www.carrollshelby.com/history.html |title=The Official Carroll Shelby Website: History page |publisher=Carrollshelby.com |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20101120164702/http://carrollshelby.com/history.html |archive-date=November 20, 2010 |access-date=12 February 2013}}</ref><ref name="auto">{{cite web|title=The Life of a Legend through the Years|date= May 11, 2012|url= http://www.motortrend.com/news/carroll-shelby-life-1923-2012-timeline/|access-date=August 29, 2017}}</ref> Shelby suffered from [[heart valve]] leakage problems by age 7 and experienced several health-related complications throughout his life.<ref name="CT, Obit" >{{cite news|title=Legendary car designer Carroll Shelby dies at 89 |date=12 May 2012 |newspaper=Chicago Tribune |first1=Shav |last1=Glick |first2=Jerry |last2=Hirsch |url= https://www.chicagotribune.com/2012/05/12/legendary-car-designer-carroll-shelby-dies-at-89/}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|first=Dean V. |last=Ricci |url= http://www.saac-mcr.com/cs/legend.htm |title=Carroll Shelby – Living Legend |publisher=Shelby American Automobile Club: Motor City Region |date=July 15, 2007 |access-date=January 2, 2011}}</ref> From a young age, Shelby was fascinated with the concept of speed, which led to an interest in cars and airplanes. He moved to [[Dallas|Dallas, Texas]], at age 7 with his family, and around age 10, he rode his bicycle to dirt tracks nearby to watch races.<ref name=":0">{{cite web|last=Shelby|first=Carroll|date=Dec 10, 1997 |title=Carroll Shelby - The Lost Interview |url= https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rzq4DeTjZ1A |access-date=Oct 24, 2020 |website=Youtube}}</ref> Eager for a car of his own, at age 15, he was driving and taking care of his father's Ford.<ref name=history>{{cite web|title=Shelby American Inc. History|url= https://www.shelby.com/History |access-date=2020-10-29 |website=shelby.com}}</ref> Shelby's education as a pilot began in the military in November 1941 at the [[San Antonio Aviation Cadet Center]], later known as Lackland Air Force Base.<ref name="auto"/> Before racing and building cars, Shelby was a poultry farmer, which was a livelihood he continued until 1952.<ref name=":0" />

==Pre-racing==
Shelby honed his driving skills with his [[Willys]] automobile<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.www1967.com/index.htm |title=Woodrow Wilson High School, Dallas, Texas: Class of 1967 Home Page |publisher=www1967.com |access-date=January 2, 2011}}</ref> while attending [[Woodrow Wilson High School (Dallas, Texas)|Woodrow Wilson High School]] in [[Dallas]], Texas, graduating in 1940. He later enrolled at [[Georgia Institute of Technology|The Georgia Institute of Technology]] in the Aeronautical Engineering program. After enlisting in the [[United States Army Air Corps]], Shelby began pilot training in November 1941. He graduated with the rank of staff sergeant pilot in September 1942 at [[Ellington Field]].<ref name="Autoweek">{{cite web|url= http://www.autoweek.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20120511/CARNEWS/120519987 |archive-url= https://archive.today/20130407180018/http://www.autoweek.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20120511/CARNEWS/120519987 |url-status=dead |archive-date=7 April 2013 |title=Carroll Shelby: 1923-2012 |publisher=Autoweek |first=Pete |last=Lyons |date=15 May 2012 |access-date=12 February 2013}}</ref> In December 1942, he was commissioned as a second lieutenant after undergoing air students' training, later serving in Colorado and Texas as a flight instructor and test pilot in the [[Beechcraft AT-11 Kansan]] and [[Curtiss-Wright AT-9|Curtiss AT-9 Jeep]].<ref name=history/><ref name="Carroll Shelby">Carroll Shelby, Statements made at the Formula SAE awards ceremony in May of 1993.</ref><ref>{{cite web|url= http://airportjournals.com/carroll-shelby-from-curtiss-to-cobra/ |title=Carroll Shelby—from Curtiss to Cobra |date=June 1, 2002}}</ref> He went on to fly the [[Douglas B-18 Bolo]], the [[North American B-25 Mitchell]], the [[Douglas A-26 Invader]], and finally the [[Boeing B-29 Superfortress]] at [[Denver, Colorado]], before being discharged following [[V-J Day]].<ref name="Shelby">{{cite book |last1=Shelby |first1=Carroll |title=The Carroll Shelby Story |date=1965 |publisher=Graymalkin Media |isbn=9781631682872 |pages=15–27}}</ref>

He started his own dump truck business, worked briefly as an oil-well [[roughneck]] from 1948 to 1949, and then as a poultry farmer before going [[bankrupt]].<ref name=Shelby/>{{rp|27–31}}

==Driving career==
[[File:CarrollShelbyAtVirginiaInternationalRaceway2007.jpg|thumb|right|Shelby beside his 1957 [[Maserati 450S]] at [[Virginia International Raceway]] in 2007]]

Shelby started driving professionally at age 29.<ref name=":0" /> Starting out as an amateur, Shelby raced his friend Ed Wilkin's [[MG TC Midget|MG TC]]<ref name=r&t201208>{{cite journal|last=Egan |first=Peter |title=Carroll Shelby: An American Original |journal=Road & Track |date=August 2012 |volume=63 |issue=12 |pages=80–83}}</ref> in January 1952 at the [[Grand Prairie Armed Forces Reserve Complex|Grand Prairie Naval Air Station]] [[drag racing|drag meet]], followed by other races. Then, he raced Charles Brown's [[Cad-Allard|Cadillac-Allard]]s at [[Caddo Mills, Texas]]. At the end of 1952, Shelby won 4 races, taking home only trophies, not accepting any prize money.<ref name=Shelby/>{{rp|31–35}}

In 1953, Shelby raced Brown's Cad-Allard, followed by Roy Cherryhomes' Cad-Allard, winning 8 or 9 races. Then in 1954, he drove in the Mil Kilometros de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires, sponsored by the [[Automobile Club of Argentina]] and the [[Sports Car Club of America]]. This is where he met [[John Wyer]], [[Aston Martin]]'s team manager, who asked Shelby to drive their [[Aston Martin DBR3|DBR3]] at [[12 Hours of Sebring|Sebring]].<ref name=Shelby/>{{rp|37–47}} The DBR3 did not finish Sebring in 1954 due to a broken rear axle.

Shelby traveled to Europe in April 1954, where he raced a DBR3 for John Wyer at [[Aintree Motor Racing Circuit|Aintree]], followed by [[24 Hours of Le Mans|Le Mans]]. Teaming up with [[Graham Whitehead]], their Aston Martin took fifth at the Thousand Kilometers at [[Monza]] on 27 June. He then drove in the 3-car factory team effort at [[Silverstone Circuit|Silverstone]] on 17 July with [[Peter Collins (racing driver)|Peter Collins]] and [[Roy Salvadori]], all three cars taking the three top places. 
[[File:1958-03-28 Sebring Aston DBR1-1 Shelby.jpg|thumb|Shelby racing an Aston Martin DBR1/300 at the [[12 Hours of Sebring]] in 1958]]

In August 1954, Shelby drove with [[Donald Healey]], and his team. In an [[Austin-Healey 100#100S|Austin-Healey 100S]] and [[Austin-Healey 100#AHS100S|supercharged 100S]], they set Class D National speed records at the [[Bonneville Salt Flats]]. Shelby, Healey, Captain [[George Eyston|G.E.T. Eyston]], Mortimer Morris Goodall, and Roy Jackson-Moore set about 70 new records, with Shelby setting 17 on his own.<ref name=Shelby/>{{rp|58–60}}

Shelby was severely injured in a crash while racing an Austin-Healey in the [[Carrera Panamericana]]. Though he underwent eight months of operations, he continued to drive in 1955, winning about ten races, and a second-place showing at Sebring driving Allen Guiberson's [[Ferrari Monza]]. He then started driving Tony Paravano's Ferraris in August 1955. He won a further 30 races with the Ferrari in 1956, started driving for John Edgar, and opened Carroll Shelby Sports Cars in Dallas.<ref name=Shelby/>{{rp|60–65,68,76}}

He drove in the [[Mount Washington Hillclimb Auto Race]] in a specially prepared [[Ferrari 375]] GP roadster, to a record run of 10 minutes, 21.8 seconds on his way to victory in 1956.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.climbtotheclouds.com/history/records/ |title=Records |publisher=Climb to the Clouds |access-date=12 February 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20130204063755/http://climbtotheclouds.com/history/records/ |archive-date=February 4, 2013 |df=mdy-all}}</ref> He also set records at [[Giants Despair Hillclimb]], and raced at [[Lake Township, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania#Former Auto Racing at Brynfan Tyddyn|Brynfan Tyddyn]].<ref name=Shelby/>{{rp|77}}

He was ''[[Sports Illustrated]]'' magazine's driver of the year in 1956 and 1957.<ref name="latimes12292007">{{cite news|last=Blair |first=Sam |title=At 84, legendary Shelby keeps pedal to the metal |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |pages=C1, C6 |date=December 29, 2007 |url= https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2007-dec-29-fi-garage29-story.html |access-date=January 2, 2011}}</ref><ref name=Shelby/>{{rp|79}}

Racing John Edgar's 4.5-liter Maserati at the [[Riverside International Raceway]] in September 1957, he was involved in a crash that caused injuries requiring 72 [[surgical suture|stitches]] and [[plastic surgery]] for broken bones in his nose and cheekbones. However, he returned in November, winning with the same car at the same course, against [[Masten Gregory]] and [[Dan Gurney]].<ref name=Shelby/>{{rp|1–2,83–87}}

Shelby joined John Wyer and the Aston Martin team in Europe and drove a DBR3 at the [[Belgian Grand Prix|Belgian Sports Car Grand Prix]] on 18 May 1958, followed by a DBR1 at the [[1000 km Nürburgring|Nürburgring 1000 km]] with co-driver Salvadori. Shelby was teamed up with Salvadori at Le Mans, but Shelby came down with [[dysentery]] and had to be replaced by [[Stuart Lewis-Evans]] after a few hours into the race. Shelby then drove a [[Maserati 250F]] for Mimo Dei's [[Scuderia Centro Sud]] in 3 [[Grand Prix racing|Grand Prix races]] to gain [[Formula 1]] and [[open-wheel car]] experience, including the [[1958 Portuguese Grand Prix|Portuguese Grand Prix]]. Shelby finished the year driving John Edgar's 4.5L Maserati in the Tourist Trophy at [[Bahamas Speed Week|Nassau]].<ref name=Shelby/>{{rp|105,108–110,114}}

Shelby and Salvadori started the 1959 [[sports car racing|sports car]] season by driving the DBR1/300 at [[12 Hours of Sebring|Sebring]] in March. In June, Shelby drove [[Wolfgang Seidel]]'s Porsche in the Nürburgring 1000&nbsp;km. The highlight of his racing career came in June 1959 when he co-drove an [[Aston Martin DBR1]] (with Englishman [[Roy Salvadori]]) to victory in the [[1959 24 Hours of Le Mans]].<ref>{{cite journal|date=February 2020|title=Carroll Hall Shelby |journal=Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th Edition, 2020|via=Academic Search Complete}}</ref> In September, Shelby drove with [[Jack Fairman]] in the [[Goodwood Circuit|Goodwood]] Tourist Trophy.<ref name=Shelby/>{{rp|111,115–116,122–134}}

The 1959 Grand Prix season saw Shelby driving the [[Aston Martin DBR4]] in the [[1959 Dutch Grand Prix|Dutch Grand Prix]] in May, followed by the [[1959 British Grand Prix|British Grand Prix]] at Aintree in July. Shelby then drove in the [[1959 Portuguese Grand Prix|Portuguese Grand Prix]] in August, followed by the [[1959 Italian Grand Prix|Italian Grand Prix]] in September.<ref name=Shelby/>{{rp|119}}

Shelby finished the 1959 racing season driving [[Casner Motor Racing Division]]'s [[Maserati Tipo 61|Birdcage Maserati]] at the Nassau races in December. In January 1960, he drove Temple Buell's [[Maserati 250F]] in the [[New Zealand Grand Prix]], then Camoradi's Porsche in the Cuban Gran Premio Libertad, then their 2.9-liter Birdcage Maserati at Sebring. He won the Grand Prix at Riverside driving one of "Lucky" Cassner's Birdcage Maseratis, and then won the [[Continental Divide Raceways|Castle Rock race]] in June, driving a [[Scarab (constructor)|Scarab]]. He finished the year driving [[Max Balchowsky]]'s "Old Yeller II" in the [[Road America]], then a Birdcage Maserati in the [[Pacific Grand Prix]] and the [[Los Angeles Times Grand Prix]], which was his last race.<ref name=Shelby/>{{rp|145,155,157–158,164–169}}

According to Shelby, "...winning the Twenty-four Hours was probably the greatest thrill I ever got out of racing. I can think of plenty of other races that carry their quota of thrills for the winner, but when you win this one, it kind of gives you license to go out and tell people you're good, and that often helps get some other deals together."<ref name=Shelby/>

In 1961, Shelby, along with [[Pete Brock]], opened the Shelby School of High Performance Driving at the Riverside track.<ref name=Shelby/>

==As constructor==
{{main|Shelby American}}
[[File:Blue Cobra by Blue Pacific (cropped).JPG|thumb|1965 [[AC Cobra]] 427 ([[North&nbsp;America]])]]
Shelby's visits to "limited-production factories in Europe" caused him to realize that “America was missing a big bet, a winning bet ... the design and production of an all-purpose, all-American sports or grand touring car that you could drive to market and also race during the weekend..." In particular, Shelby's starting point was putting a 300 [[horsepower|brake horsepower]] [[V8]] on an Austin Healey type [[chassis]], so that the combination weighed less than {{convert|2600|lb|-1}}.<ref name=Shelby/>{{rp|90–93}}

After retiring from driving in October 1960 for health reasons,<ref>"Automobiles", episode about Ford Motor Company, History Channel</ref> Shelby opened a high-performance driving school and the [[Carroll Shelby International|Shelby-American]] performance equipment and customization company in the Los Angeles area. Shelby became interested in the potential of the [[AC Ace]] chassis, especially after [[Bristol Aeroplane Company]] stopped building automobile engines, and the sales with the [[Ford Zephyr engine]] were declining in September 1961. Shelby contacted Charles Hurlock of AC, who agreed to provide the chassis on credit. Dave Evans of [[Ford Motor Company]] agreed to provide {{convert|221|cuin|L|1|adj=on|abbr=off}} and {{convert|260|cuin|L|1|adj=on|abbr=off}} V8 engines with transmissions also on credit. The new car, called the Carroll Shelby Experimental or CSX0001, was marketed as the Shelby AC Cobra, then [[AC Cobra]], and eventually, the Ford Cobra. Production began in March 1962, with 75 cars sold by the end of the year. One hundred cars had been built by April 1963, the first 75 with the 260-cubic-inch engine, followed by a {{convert|289|cuin|L|1|adj=on|abbr=off}} engine. The 427 Cobra prototype was built in October 1964.<ref name=Shelby/>{{rp|172–183,190,195}}

Shelby started racing his creation in October 1962 at Riverside, with Billy Krause driving the CSX0002. Racing experience from 1963 indicated that further modifications were necessary to make the Cobra competitive with the Ferrari GT cars; in particular, the AC roadster body needed to be replaced with a lower-drag enclosed coupe body for high-speed circuits. The result was the [[Shelby Daytona]] Coupe, which took three GT class wins on the 1964 [[World Sportscar Championship]] GT circuit, including Le Mans and the Tourist Trophy at Goodwood, plus the [[Sports Car Club of America]]'s [[United States Road Racing Championship|U.S. GT Championship]]. Then in 1965, Shelby American Cobra won the [[World Sportscar Championship|International Championship for GT Manufacturers]].<ref name=Shelby/>{{rp|180,202,208–210,213–214,217,221}}

After success with the Daytona Coupe in 1964, Shelby-American became more heavily involved in Ford's [[Ford GT40|GT40]] Sports Prototype racing program, which had experienced disappointing results. Shelby made changes to running gear, particularly transmissions, to improve reliability, and designed their GT40 Mark II variant around Ford's {{convert|7.0|L|cuin|0|adj=on}} engine. In 1966, the Mark II earned Ford the overall Constructors' title in the World Sportscar Championship with their 1-2-3 finish at Le Mans. Ford was also developing a radical new prototype with a lightweight chassis based on aluminum [[Honeycomb structure|honeycomb]] panels. Shelby was brought in to finalize the development of the car after the project experienced setbacks in 1966, which included the death of driver [[Ken Miles]] in August.<ref name=stpcrk>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=8l4xAAAAIBAJ&sjid=UHQDAAAAIBAJ&pg=3679%2C4254231 |work=St. Petersburg Times |location=(Florida) |agency=UPI |title=Crash kills ace driver Ken Miles |date=August 18, 1966 |page=1C}}</ref><ref name=dbmjapdir>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=qZotAAAAIBAJ&sjid=vZ4FAAAAIBAJ&pg=3488%2C3514531 |work=Daytona Beach Morning Journal |location=(Florida) |agency=Associated Press |title=Miles dies in crash |date=August 18, 1966 |page=25}}</ref> The Mark IV was introduced for the 1967 [[12 Hours of Sebring]] and finished in first place. It was prepared for Le Mans and another record-breaking finish. Driver [[Dan Gurney]] shook and sprayed champagne on the podium and started a tradition. The Mark IV was Shelby's last prototype racer, as new limits on engine displacement for that class eliminated Ford's engines.

Shelby's early racing successes led to a joint effort of Ford and Shelby-American to produce the Mustang-based [[Shelby GT350]], starting in 1965, then the [[Shelby GT500]], starting in 1967. Shelby produced those cars through 1968, then subsequent cars with the Shelby GT brand were produced in-house by Ford.

After parting with Ford, Shelby moved on to help develop performance cars with divisions of the two other [[Big Three automobile manufacturers|Big 3]] American companies: [[Dodge]] ([[Chrysler#1925–1998: Chrysler Corporation|Chrysler]]) and [[Oldsmobile]] ([[General Motors]]).

In the intervening years, Shelby had a series of ventures start and stop relating to the production of "completion" Cobras&nbsp;— cars that were allegedly built using "leftover" parts and frames. In the 1960s, the [[FIA]] required entrants (Shelby, Ford, Ferrari, etc.) to produce at least 100 cars for [[homologated]] classes of racing. Shelby simply ordered an insufficient number of cars and skipped a large block of [[Vehicle Identification Number]]s, to create the illusion the company had imported large numbers of cars. Decades later in the 1990s, Carroll alleged that he had found the "leftover" frames, and began selling cars that were supposedly finally "completed". After it was discovered the cars were built from scratch in collaboration with McCluskey, Ltd., they were re-termed "continuation" Cobras. The cars are still built to this day, known as the current CSX4000 series of Cobras.

Shelby was inducted into the [[International Motorsports Hall of Fame]] in 1991, the [[Motorsports Hall of Fame of America]]<ref name=MSHoF>[http://www.mshf.com/hall-of-fame/inductees/carroll-shelby.html Carroll Shelby] at the [[Motorsports Hall of Fame of America]]</ref> in 1992, the Automotive Hall of Fame in 1992,<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20160319205857/http://www.automotivehalloffame.org/inductee/carroll-shelby/126/ Automotive Hall of Fame]</ref> and the [[Diecast Hall of Fame]] in 2009. He was also inducted into the [[SCCA Hall of Fame]] on March 2, 2013.<ref>{{cite web|last=Lewandowski|first=Dave|title=Notes: Rahal among five elected to SCCA Hall|url= http://www.indycar.com/en/News/2013/01/1-8-Notes-Rahal-elected-to-Hall |publisher=IndyCar|access-date=January 9, 2013 |date=January 8, 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20130112003517/http://www.indycar.com/en/News/2013/01/1-8-Notes-Rahal-elected-to-Hall |archive-date=January 12, 2013|df=mdy-all}}</ref>

In 2003, Ford Motor Co. and Carroll Shelby resumed ties and he became technical advisor to the [[Ford GT]] project. In that same year, he formed [[Carroll Shelby International|Carroll Shelby International, Inc.]], based in [[Nevada]].

==Partnership with Dodge==
Shelby began working with [[Dodge]] at the request of [[Chrysler Corporation]] chairman [[Lee Iacocca]].<ref>{{cite book|last=Davison|first=Eric|title=Snake Bit: Inside Carroll Shelby's Controversial Series 1 Sports Car |year=2004|publisher=MBI Publishing|isbn=978-0-7603-1781-5|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=jLEiLOxehRoC&q=Shelby+with+Dodge+Lee+Iacocca&pg=PA10 |access-date=January 3, 2011|page=10|quote=When Lee Iacocca became president of Chrysler, he called Shelby back to infuse some life into the bland little automobiles that were the backbone of Dodge. Between 1986 and 1989, Shelby responded with a series of Dodge cars that were blindingly fast and performed far beyond anyone's expectations.}}</ref> Iacocca had previously been responsible for bringing Shelby to the [[Ford Mustang]]. After almost a decade of tuning work, Shelby was brought on board as the "Performance Consultant" on the [[Dodge Viper]] Technical Policy Committee made up of Chrysler's executive [[Bob Lutz (businessman)|Bob Lutz]], Product Design chief Tom Gale, and Engineering Vice President [[François Castaing]].<ref name="viperteam">{{cite book|last=Young|first=Tony|title=Chrysler, Dodge, Plymouth Muscle|year=2004|publisher=BMI Publishing|isbn=978-0-7603-3204-7|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zJ9zmnozMHMC&q=Viper+team+begin+work+Jeep+Truck+Engineering+Vice+President+Francois+Castaing+and+Carroll+Shelby+as+performance+consultant&pg=PT147|access-date=May 15, 2011|page=172}}{{Dead link|date=November 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes}}</ref> Shelby's wealth of experience helped make the Viper as light and powerful as possible.<ref name="viperteam"/>

The following cars were modified by Shelby and bore his name, but sold under the Dodge [[marque]]:
*1983–1984 [[Dodge Charger (L-body)|Dodge Shelby Charger]]
*1985–1987 [[Dodge Charger (L-body)|Dodge Charger Shelby]]
*1984–1986 [[Dodge Omni (GLH)|Dodge Omni GLH]]
*1996 [[Dodge Viper|Dodge Viper RT/10 CS]] (50 units approved for production however only 19 were actually built: 18 1995/1996 RTs were built (16 white with blue stripes, 1 blue white stripes, 1 black with gold emblem on the hood and one 1997 GTS Shelby S/C (Street Competition) which was red with gold stripes.)

The following cars used Shelby-modified parts, but were not overseen by Carroll Shelby:
*1986 [[Dodge Daytona#C/S|Dodge Daytona Turbo Z C/S]]
*1987–1988 [[Dodge Daytona#Shelby|Dodge Daytona Shelby Z]]
*1988–1991 [[Dodge Daytona#C/S|Dodge Daytona C/S]]
*1989–1991 [[Dodge Daytona#Shelby|Dodge Daytona Shelby]]
*1988–1989 [[Dodge Lancer#Lancer Shelby|Dodge Lancer Shelby]]
*1989–1990 [[Dodge Shadow|Dodge Shadow Competition]]
*1991–1992 [[Dodge Spirit|Dodge Spirit R/T]]
*1992–1993 [[Dodge Daytona|Dodge Daytona IROC R/T]]
*1999–2000 [[Dodge Durango|Dodge Durango S.P. 360]]
[[File:Walter P. Chrysler Museum DSC00950 (31659223521) (cropped).jpg|thumb|1986 Shelby GLH-S on display at the [[Walter P. Chrysler Museum]]]]
The following cars were limited production vehicles and modified at Shelby's [[Whittier, California]], plant, and then sold as Shelbys:
*1986 [[Shelby GLH-S]] (based on the [[Dodge Omni (GLH)|Dodge Omni GLH]]) (500 produced)
*1987 [[Shelby GLH-S#1987|Shelby GLH-S]] (based on the [[Dodge Charger (L-body)|Dodge Charger Shelby]]) (1,000 produced)
*1987 [[Shelby Lancer]] (based on the [[Dodge Lancer]]) (800 produced, 400 with a Leather Interior/Automatic Trans. and 400 with a Cloth Interior/5 spd. Trans.)
*1987 [[Shelby CSX]] (based on the [[Dodge Shadow]]) (750 produced)
*1988 [[Shelby CSX|Shelby CSX-T]] (based on the [[Dodge Shadow]]) (1,000 produced)
*1989 [[Shelby Dakota]] (based on the [[Dodge Dakota]]) (1,500 produced)
*1989 [[Shelby CSX|Shelby CSX-VNT]] (based on the [[Dodge Shadow]]) (500 produced)

Above information citation<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.shelby-dodge.com |title=Shelby Dodges and Dodge Shelbys |publisher=Shelby-dodge.com |access-date=27 December 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20160105061715/http://www.shelby-dodge.com/ |archive-date=January 5, 2016 |df=mdy}}</ref>

==Shelby Series 1==
{{main|Shelby Series 1}}
[[File:ShelbySeries1 Silver-RedStripe.jpg|thumb|Shelby Series 1]]
Shelby unveiled the Series 1 roadster at the 1997 [[Los Angeles Auto Show]], with the intention for it to be a modern day reinterpretation of the original [[Shelby AC Cobra]]. The Series 1 used Oldsmobile's 4.0&nbsp;L ''[[Cadillac Northstar engine#L47|L47 Aurora]]'' V8, which was chosen because it was the selected engine by Indy for that year but was poorly supported by the ailing GM division. Shelby had already built an Aurora-engined sports prototype together with [[Racefab Inc.|Racefab]] in 1997, in an attempt to continue his single-make [[Shelby Can-Am|Can-Am series]].<ref name=oldsproto>{{cite web|url = https://silodrome.com/shelby-can-am/ | access-date = 2018-06-25 |title = One-of-One – The 1997 Shelby Aurora V8 Can-Am Prototype | work = Silodrome | date = May 22, 2018}}</ref>

The Series 1 is the only car ever produced by Carroll Shelby from a clean sheet of paper, and built from the ground up. All other Shelbys were re-engineered models produced by other manufacturers and then modified by Shelby.

Before manufacturing the Series 1, substantial expenses were accrued for the purpose of conducting tests and obtaining certification in order to comply with the 1999 Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards. Shelby American built a total of 249 production Series 1 cars as model year 1999 cars.

During production, Venture Corporation purchased Shelby American, Inc. The purchase included the Series 1 model, but not the rights to produce the "Continuation Series" Shelby Cobras.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.shelby-cars.com/index.htm |title=All About Buying & Selling Shelby Mustangs and Cobras |access-date=2011-01-03 |url-status=dead |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20101227050433/http://www.shelby-cars.com/index.htm |archive-date=December 27, 2010 |df=mdy}}</ref>{{Failed verification|date=January 2011}} In 2004, after a subsequent bankruptcy by Venture Corporation (unrelated to the acquisition of Shelby American), Carroll Shelby's new company, Shelby Automobiles, Inc., purchased the Series 1 assets for pennies on the dollar. Included in the asset purchase were enough components to produce several more complete Series 1s.

Because the 1999 Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards certificate had expired, and the cost to re-certify the car was prohibitive, all Series 1's produced after that date were completed as "component cars" and delivered with no engine or transmission. Those "component car" models built in 2005 are identified with a seven-digit vehicle identification number (VIN) and were designated with a CSX5000 series serial number. The original 249 were production cars with a seventeen-digit VIN.

The Series 1 was produced in both supercharged and normally aspirated versions. Supercharged cars were also outfitted by the factory with larger brakes and a heavy-duty clutch. Performance is near "supercar" category with a [[0 to 60 mph]] time at 4.1 seconds for the supercharged version.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://media.caranddriver.com/files/shelby-series-1.pdf |title=Shelby Series 1 |publisher=Car and Driver |access-date=27 December 2015}}</ref> The Series 1 had power steering, power disc brakes, factory air conditioning, power windows, and an AM/FM/CD audio system. The convertible top folded away in a compartment located behind the cockpit. Some component cars were sold as roadsters, with no convertible top.

==Ford-Shelby projects==
{{refimprove|section|date=March 2024}}
[[File:Martin Auto Museum-1965 Shelby AC Cobra-2.jpg|thumb|1965 Shelby Cobra dashboard autographed by Carroll Shelby on display in the [[Martin Auto Museum]]]]

In 2004, a new [[Ford Shelby Cobra Concept]] was shown off at U.S. car shows. Built with a retro body mimicking the 1960s [[AC Cobra|Cobras]] mixed with modern touches, it was based on the [[Ford GT]] chassis (reworked for [[Front-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout|front engine]]/[[rear wheel drive]]) and powered by a 6.4&nbsp;L [[V10 engine]] that produced 605&nbsp;hp (451&nbsp;kW). It received overwhelmingly positive press reviews{{Citation needed|date=April 2024}} and won the "Best In Show" award at the Detroit International Auto Show.

A coupe version of the Shelby Cobra roadster was introduced the following year in 2005, the [[Ford Shelby GR-1]] concept car. While sporting a completely modern design, it took inspiration from the design of the 1960s [[Shelby Daytona]]. The GR-1, like the Cobra, is based on the GT's chassis. Press reviews for the GR-1 were positive. The car was featured on the cover of ''[[Motor Trend]]'' and ''[[Car Magazine]]''. The Ford Shelby GR-1 was floated as a possibility of taking over the [[Ford GT]]'s production line after its production came to an end. Neither Shelby concept was built.

In 2005, Carroll Shelby built his very first modern Masterpiece CSM:00001 V6 Shelby Mustang CS6 and #01 V8 to prove to Ford that he could still build high-performance cars. Its V6 produced 380 hp, making it faster than Ford's 300 hp V8. Because Ford thought the CS6 would hurt Ford Mustang V8 sales, Ford told Shelby to go with the 500 hp V8 instead.{{Citation needed|date=April 2024}} Shelby first built a V8 modern version look of the Eleanor. Carroll built only one at the Shelby Factory. Later WCC built 4 as kits. Few CS6 Shelbys were also built as kits; consequently, these are among the rarest Shelbys in the world.

At the [[New York International Auto Show#2005|2005 New York International Auto Show]], Ford introduced the Shelby GT500, the first official collaboration between Shelby and Ford on a Mustang since 1971. It became available in the summer of 2006 as part of the model year 2007 lineup. It was powered by a [[supercharged]] and [[intercooled]] [[Ford Modular engine#5.4 L|Modular]] 5.4L [[V8 engine]], with four-valves-per-cylinder heads borrowed from the Ford GT, an Eaton M122 [[Roots-type supercharger]] and a power output rated by Ford at {{convert|500|hp|PS kW|0|abbr=on}} and {{convert|480|lbft|Nm|0|abbr=on}} of torque.<ref>{{cite web |title=2007 Shelby Mustang GT500 |url=http://www.automobile-catalog.com/car/2007/894200/shelby_mustang_gt500.html |access-date=July 1, 2018 |website=automobile-catalog}}</ref> It had a [[Tremec]] T-6060 6-speed [[manual transmission]], reworked [[Suspension (vehicle)|suspension]] geometry, 18-inch wheels, functional aerodynamic body kit, and a retro [[Live axle|solid rear axle]]. The GT500 started at an MSRP of $40,930 for the coupe, and $45,755 for the convertible. Although Carroll Shelby had no hands-on involvement in the design of the car, he provided Ford and SVT (Special Vehicle Team) input on what would make the car better and convinced Ford to use wider rear tires (from 255&nbsp;mm wide to 285&nbsp;mm wide).{{Citation needed|date=May 2012}}

Shelby, in cooperation with the [[Hertz Corporation]], produced 500 cars named "Shelby GT-H" in 2006, designed after the Shelby G.T.350H "Rent-a-Racer" from 1966 under a similar partnership.<ref>{{Cite web|title=2006 FORD SHELBY GT-H|url=https://performance.ford.com/enthusiasts/collector-vehicles/shelby/shelby-gt-h/2006-ford-shelby-gt-h.html|access-date=October 28, 2020|work=Ford Performance|archive-date=October 29, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201029140805/https://performance.ford.com/enthusiasts/collector-vehicles/shelby/shelby-gt-h/2006-ford-shelby-gt-h.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> This was a special-edition Ford Mustang GT, available for rental from Hertz. A Ford Racing Performance Group FR1 Power Pack increased the GT's 4.6 L V8 engine to {{convert|325|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}}. The cars included a custom Shelby hood and black and gold body styling, incorporating a gold-plated "Hertz" nameplate on both sides.

A consumer version of the Shelby GT-H was available from Shelby through Ford dealers, called the Shelby GT. There were 5,682 vehicles for 2007 and 2,300 for 2008 were built. They had the same engine as the GT-H, but more suspension, appearance, and drivetrain upgrades and were available with either manual or automatic transmission. White and black colors were available for 2007 models and grabber orange or vista blue were available for 2008. A convertible was available in 2008 also. An available upgrade from the Shelby factory in Las Vegas were a few different superchargers. It then was called a Shelby GT/SC. All Shelby GTs are shipped with the Shelby serial number (CSM) on the dashboard badge and in the engine compartment, such as 07SGT0001 or 08SGT0001.

Both Ford and [[Shelby American]] continue to use the Shelby name on high performance variants of the Mustang.

==Non-Ford projects==
In 1963 the [[Rootes Group]], manufacturer of [[Sunbeam Motor Car Company|Sunbeam]] automobiles, wanted Shelby to upgrade their [[Sunbeam Alpine|Alpine]] sports car to a more powerful version, using the Ford small-block V-8 engine, as he had done with the AC Cobra. Shelby did so and Rootes, pleased with the results, named the upgraded model the [[Sunbeam Tiger|Tiger]]. In 1967 Chrysler bought Sunbeam and decided to use their own small block engine in the vehicle. However, their engine would not fit and marketed the cars with Ford engines until the supply ran out and the model was discontinued.

In his later years, Shelby brought several lawsuits against companies making copies of the Cobra body for use on kit cars&nbsp;– ostensibly for copyright, trademark, and patent violations.{{Citation needed|date=January 2015}} Despite the litigation, the Cobra kit car industry continues to thrive.{{Citation needed|date=January 2015}}

One of the lawsuits involved the Superformance Brock Coupe, a copy of the original Shelby Daytona Coupe. The Superformance Brock Coupe was designed by [[Pete Brock]], who had also designed the original Daytona Coupe for Shelby. Shelby American sued Superformance after the company had developed and begun production of the Superformance Brock Coupe. Eventually, the litigation was settled, though the terms of the settlement have never been released to the public. As a result of the agreement between the two companies, the product is now known as the Shelby Daytona Coupe, despite being neither designed nor built by Shelby American. Nearly 150 of these new Shelby Daytona Coupes have been built as of February 2007.{{Citation needed|date=January 2015}}

In 2002, Unique Performance, a company of Farmers Branch, Texas, purchased a license from Carroll Shelby Enterprises to place his name on a series of continuation vintage vehicles. This company specialized in recreating 1960s-style Shelby Mustangs. They purchased used Mustangs and installed updated versions of the Shelby 325-horsepower 302-cubic-inch V8 engine. They also use modern five-speed manual transmissions, brakes, steering, suspension, interiors, and entertainment systems. Because Shelby's license was purchased, these cars have Shelby serial numbers.<ref>{{cite web|url=	http://www.autoblog.com/2007/09/14/muscle-cars-reborn/ |title=Muscle Cars Reborn |website=Autoblog.com}}</ref>

[[File:1967 Ford Mustang Shelby GT-500 Eleanor.jpg|thumb|right|1967 custom Fastback Mustang ''Eleanor'' from the 2000 film ''[[Gone in 60 Seconds (2000 film)|Gone in Sixty Seconds]]'']]
In October 2007, Carroll Shelby ended his licensing agreement with Unique Performance due to numerous issues of customer complaints where vehicles were not delivered. Unique Performance was subsequently raided by law enforcement for VIN irregularities and declared bankruptcy, which effectively ended the Shelby continuation "Eleanor" Mustang production.<ref>{{cite web|last=Johnson |first=Merritt |url= http://www.autoblog.com/2007/11/06/unique-performance-raided-by-local-police |title=Unique Performance raided by local police |website=Autoblog.com |date=November 6, 2007 |access-date=January 2, 2011}}</ref> Shelby was in turn sued by victims of Unique Performance for his involvement in the criminal activity,<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.streetconcepts.com/read_news.php?id=229 |title=Unique Performance victims sue Carroll Shelby |publisher=StreetConcepts.com |date=April 3, 2008 |access-date=January 2, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110716153630/http://www.streetconcepts.com/read_news.php?id=229 |archive-date=July 16, 2011 |df=mdy}}</ref>

The 2000 remake of ''Gone in 60 Seconds'' movie highlighted the star car character "[[Eleanor (automobile)|Eleanor]]," a customized 1967 Mustang. Some custom car businesses began to reproduce "Eleanor"-looking cars with the trademarked name, causing Denice Halicki to again take legal action to protect the trademark and the copyrighted Eleanor's image. In 2008, Halicki won a case against Carroll Shelby, who was also selling "Eleanor" using the trademark name and copyrighted image.<ref>{{cite press release |author=Business Wire |url= https://www.reuters.com/article/2008/11/13/idUS192963+13-Nov-2008+BW20081113 |title=Ninth Circuit Court Hands Winning Victory to Denice Halicki in Dispute with Carroll... |work=Reuters |date=2008-11-13 |access-date=27 December 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20150924135908/http://www.reuters.com/article/2008/11/13/idUS192963+13-Nov-2008+BW20081113 |archive-date=September 24, 2015 |df=mdy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.gmsr.com/news_win.cfm?id_news=1321 |title=Recent Win: Ninth Circuit reverses judgment against GMSR's clients in copyright/trademark case concerning "Eleanor" from "Gone In 60 Seconds" |publisher=Greines, Martin, Stein & Richland |date=12 November 2008 |access-date=27 December 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140729110208/http://www.gmsr.com/news_win.cfm?id_news=1321 |archive-date=July 29, 2014 |df=mdy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url= http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/driving/new_car_reviews/article6072974.ece|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20090507214907/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/driving/new_car_reviews/article6072974.ece|url-status= dead|archive-date= May 7, 2009|title=1967 Ford Mustang 'Eleanor' recreation |newspaper=The Times |date=April 9, 2009|access-date=April 9, 2009 |location=London |first=Jonny |last=Smith}}</ref>

The Scaglietti Corvette began when Gary Laughlin, a wealthy Texas oilman, and gentleman racer, had just broken the crankshaft in his Ferrari Monza. Like most Ferrari repairs, this was not going to be a cheap, simple fix. At the time, Laughlin was an active participant in the American sports car racing scene and was a close acquaintance of many of the key figures, including fellow Texan Shelby. The two had witnessed a number of V8-powered home-built specials challenge, and often defeat, the best that Europe had to offer. The idea developed that they should build a dual-purpose car based on the solid mechanicals of the Chevrolet Corvette. European-style alloy coachwork could help the chassis finally realize its potential. By chance, Laughlin owned a few Chevrolet dealerships and had a particularly valuable friend in Peter Coltrin, an automotive journalist who had gained an “in” with the influential Italians. Laughlin met with Jim Hall and Carroll Shelby to begin discussing what form their new Italian-American hybrid would take. The general consensus was that they should create a car that offered the best of both worlds – a Corvette with the distinction, performance, and style of a Ferrari, but with the power and reliability of a Chevrolet. The aim was to create a genuine high-performance GT with enough leg and headroom to meet American expectations. Once this was decided, Coltrin put Laughlin in touch with Sergio Scaglietti. With the help of Chevrolet General Manager Ed Cole, three 1959 Corvette chassis were discreetly acquired from the St. Louis Corvette plant before bodies could be fitted – one was specified with a “fuelie” and a four-speed, the others came with twin four barrels and automatics. During one of his frequent trips through Europe, Laughlin met with Sergio Scaglietti who agreed to produce a small run of bodies for the Corvette chassis. At the time, Scaglietti was busy turning out Ferrari's Tour de France and purpose-built racing cars. The Scaglietti Corvette would follow the lines of the Tour de France, albeit lines adapted to fit the Corvette's larger footprint. In an effort to impress, or perhaps, appease GM management, Laughlin specified a proper Corvette grille. The interior would be similarly hybridized with an intriguing combination of Americana – Stewart Warner gauges, T-handle parking brake, Corvette shift knob; and classic Italian GT – a purposeful crackle-finish dashboard, deeply bolstered leather seats, and elegant door hardware. 
[[File:ScagliettiCorvette.JPG|thumb|1959 [[Scaglietti]] Corvette]]
The completed car arrived in Texas in the fall of 1960, almost 18 months after the chassis had been obtained. It proved to be the only one of the three to be finished in Italy and shipped back to the United States as a complete car. When Laughlin received the car, the fit and finish were not quite what he was expecting, especially as the project had taken nearly three years from conception to completion. Enzo Ferrari would have been quite unhappy to hear that his exclusive coachbuilder was working on side projects for a group of Texans, so, to Scaglietti's credit, the car was largely a prototype and the work was executed in a shroud of secrecy. Towards the end of the project, Carroll Shelby, who by then was living in Italy, received a late-night phone call from Ed Cole. Cole had been chastised by GM management and was told to drop the project. It was poor timing. American car companies were under pressure to cut down on their high-performance and racing programs. They simply could not deal with the repercussions of a GM-backed Italian-bodied Corvette. The remaining cars were shipped to Houston in a partially completed state. Jim Hall took delivery of one. Shelby, who had helped conceive the project, ended up declining the remaining car and it was promptly sold.

==Other projects==
Shelby licensed his name to many products outside of the automotive industry. Currently, his name and other trademarks associated with him are licensed to other companies by Carroll Shelby Licensing, a subsidiary of holding company Carroll Shelby International.<ref>{{cite web |title=About Us |url=http://www.shelby.com/?topic=aboutus |website=shelby.com |access-date=March 20, 2016 |archive-date=October 4, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191004041028/http://www.shelby.com/?topic=aboutus |url-status=dead}}</ref>

Carroll Shelby's name is associated with a chili fixings kit. The kit consists of spices in several packets, which used to come in a brown paper bag, but now comes in a box.<ref name="chilibox">{{cite web |title=Products |url=https://www.carrollshelbyschili.com/products |website=www.carrollshelbyschili.com |publisher=Reilly Foods |access-date=26 November 2019}}</ref> On the side of the bag was a story related by Shelby cooking chili during his racing days. On the front of the bag was a depiction of a big western black hat, a trademark piece of clothing for Shelby. He was a founder of the [[Terlingua, Texas#Culture|Terlingua International Chili Championship]] in [[Terlingua, Texas]].<ref name="latimes12292007" /> The product has since been bought by Reily Products who have discontinued the inclusion of a separate salt packet.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Carroll Shelby's Original Texas Chili Kit 3.65 oz |url=https://reilyproducts.com/products/carroll-shelbys-original-texas-chili-3-65-oz/ |access-date=2023-01-17 |website=Reily Products |language=en-US}}</ref>

In 1967, Shelby marketed a men's grooming product, the "Carroll Shelby's Pit-Stop&nbsp;... a Real Man's Deodorant" that was promoted in car magazines.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2010/01/1967-shelby-advertising-of-pit-stop_19.html |first=Jesse |last=Bowers |date=January 19, 2010 |work=Just a Car Guy |title=1967 Carroll Shelby Advertising of Pit Stop deodorant, sad, Really sad |access-date=March 20, 2016}}</ref>

Shelby was the initial partner of [[Dan Gurney]] in establishing Gurney's All American Racers.<ref name=r&t201205>{{cite journal|last=Bornhop |first=Andrew |title=Celebrating 50 Years of Shelby|journal=Road & Track |date=May 2012 |volume=63 |issue=9 |pages=52–61}}</ref>

Donzi Marine developed the Donzi Shelby 22 GT, a {{convert|22|ft|m|0|adj=on}} speedboat based on their Classic line of boats in collaboration with Carroll Shelby.<ref>{{cite book|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=JBRzCgAAQBAJ&q=Donzi+Shelby+22+GT&pg=PT353 |title=Shelby and AC Cobra |first=Brian |last=Laban |isbn=9781785000041 |publisher=Crowood Press |year=2015 |access-date=March 20, 2016}}</ref>

Carroll Shelby produced a line of eight-spoke alloy wheels for [[Saab Automobile|Saab]] automobiles in the early to mid-1980s. They were available in gold (Goldvane), hammered silver (Silvervane) finish, and a black hammered finish. These wheels were available through Saab dealers and could be fitted to [[Saab 99]] and [[Saab 900]] models manufactured through 1987.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.saabplanet.com/a-minilite-wheels-for-saab-cars-by-carroll-shelby/ | title=A Minilite Wheels for Saab Cars by Carroll Shelby | date=February 7, 2022}}</ref>

Shelby supported a project with Rucker Performance Motorcycles to manufacture 12 Shelby motorcycles that were designed by William Rucker.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.caranddriver.com/news/shelby-series-1-titan-motorcycle-car-news |title=Shelby Series 1 Titan Motorcycle |date=July 2000 |first=Dan |last=Neil |work=Car and Driver |access-date=March 20, 2016}}</ref>

In 2008 Shelby was awarded the 2008 [[Automotive Executive of the Year Award]].

Shelby established the Carroll Shelby Children's Foundation to cover medical bills of children who have heart disease but are unable to pay for treatment.<ref name=lat20120512>{{cite news |last1=Glick |first1=Shav |title=Carroll Shelby dies at 89; cult classic car designer |url=http://articles.latimes.com/2012/may/12/local/la-me-carroll-shelby-20120512/2 |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |date=12 May 2012 |last2=Hirsch |first2=Jerry |access-date=12 February 2013 |archive-date=February 14, 2013 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20130214220717/http://articles.latimes.com/2012/may/12/local/la-me-carroll-shelby-20120512/2 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

In 2008, Shelby [https://www.autoweek.com/news/a2042436/shelby-launch-repair-tech-program-texas-college/ initiated a partnership] with the [https://www.ntcc.edu/ Northeast Texas Community College] (NTCC) [https://www.ntcc.edu/academics/programs-study/workforce/carroll-shelby-automotive-program Automotive Program]. NTCC is the [https://tacc.org/tacc/college-district-maps local community college] for Shelby’s hometown of Leesburg, Texas. He provided a significant monetary gift to [https://www.motortrend.com/news/1701-let-carroll-shelby-teach-you-to-work-on-cars/ fund scholarships] for local students interested in automotive technology and made a commitment to continue providing support. The program was renamed the Carroll Shelby Automotive Program that same year and the [https://www.shelby.com/shelbyfoundation/About-Us Carroll Shelby Foundation] continues to provide annual [https://www.cbs19.tv/article/travel/totally-east-texas/east-texan-carroll-shelbys-need-for-speed-captured-in-ford-v-ferrari-movie/501-9d2de1db-dcea-4ffa-917f-ecc2235a3f2c scholarships] and facilitate unique learning opportunities for NTCC students.

==Memoir==
Shelby wrote his memoir called ''[[The Carroll Shelby Story]]'' published in 1967 by Pocket Books. In 2019, the book was re-released by Graymalkin Media for the opening of ''[[Ford v Ferrari]]'', a 2019 American sports drama film. The memoir describes his days as a race car driver, the challenges, the victories, and the crashes — the worst of which he describes as an “explosion.” The memoir also discusses the genesis for the [[Shelby Cobra]].

==Personal life==
[[File:Shelby Terlingua08.jpg|thumb|upright|Shelby at a Terlingua event in 2008]]
Shelby was married seven times; the first and last marriages lasted 15 years before divorce proceedings.

Shelby's first wife was Jeanne Fields; they married on December 18, 1943. They had three children: Sharon Anne (born September 27, 1944), Michael Hall (born November 2, 1946), and Patrick Bert (born October 23, 1947). They divorced in February 1960.

Shelby later admitted to an extramarital affair with Jan Harrison, an actress.<ref>{{Cite book|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=06YEAwAAQBAJ&q=divorce |title=Carroll Shelby: The Authorized Biography |last=Mills |first=Rinsey |date=2012-04-26 |publisher=Motorbooks|isbn=9781610583114|language=en}}</ref> In 1962, Shelby married Harrison, but the marriage was annulled the same year.<ref>{{cite web|title=Carroll Shelby: 1923-2012 |date= May 10, 2012 |url= http://autoweek.com/article/car-news/carroll-shelby-1923-2012 |access-date=August 29, 2017}}</ref> His third marriage, to a New Zealand woman, which he entered in order to get her into the United States, lasted only a few weeks before ending in divorce. His fourth marriage, to Sandra Brandstetter, lasted a couple of years before ending in divorce.

In 1989, after 28 years of being single, Carroll married Cynthia Psaros,{{Citation needed|date=November 2018}} a former actress, beauty queen, and daughter of a retired US Marine colonel fighter pilot.{{Citation needed|date=November 2018}} During this marriage, Carroll received his long-awaited heart transplant. Their marriage lasted a few short years before ending in divorce. In the 1990s he married Helena "Lena" Dahl, a Swedish woman he had met in 1968. She died in a car accident in 1997. It was his only marriage that did not end in divorce, annulment, or separation.

Just four months after Dahl's death, Shelby married his last wife, Cleo (nee Rendell-Roberts), a British former model who drove rally cars. She was 25 years his junior. They were in the process of divorce when he died in 2012.<ref>{{cite magazine|url= https://www.vanityfair.com/culture/2006/07/carroll-shelby-cobra-mustang-gt-350-gt500|title=King of the Road |last=Levine |first=Robert |magazine=Vanity Fair|access-date=2018-08-11|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url= https://www.motorauthority.com/news/1077103_in-death-carroll-shelby-still-surrounded-by-controversy |title=In Death, Carroll Shelby Still Surrounded By Controversy |work=Motor Authority|access-date=2018-08-11|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last=Legate |first=Trevor |date=2006 |title=Cobra: The First 40 Years |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=Yc5SWgRliCwC |location=St. Paul, MN |publisher=MBI Publishing |page=240 |isbn=9780760324233}}</ref>

Shelby received a heart transplant in 1990, and a kidney transplant in 1996.<ref name=reviewjournal>{{cite web|url= https://www.reviewjournal.com/business/shelby-was-racer-automaker-heart-transplant-recipient/|title=Shelby was racer, automaker, heart transplant recipient|date=May 11, 2012 |website=reviewjournal.com |access-date=January 12, 2018}}</ref>

Shelby died on May 10, 2012, at the age of 89.<ref name=dallasnews>{{cite news|last=Box|first=Terry|title=Legendary racer, car-builder Carroll Shelby dies in Dallas at 89|url= http://bizbeatblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2012/05/legendary-racer-car-builder-ca.html |access-date=May 11, 2012 |newspaper=The Dallas Morning News |date=May 11, 2012 |url-status=dead|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20120513211231/http://bizbeatblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2012/05/legendary-racer-car-builder-ca.html |archive-date=May 13, 2012|df=mdy-all}}</ref><ref name="heraldtribune1">{{cite news |title=Legendary car designer Carroll Shelby dies |agency=Associated Press |date=11 May 2012 |url=http://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20120511/WIRE/120519909/2416/NEWS?p=1&tc=pg |access-date=12 February 2013 |archive-date=February 20, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150220004928/http://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20120511/WIRE/120519909/2416/NEWS?p=1&tc=pg |url-status=dead}}</ref> He had been suffering from a serious heart ailment for decades.<ref name="eisenstein1">{{cite web|url= http://www.thedetroitbureau.com/2012/05/carroll-shelby-dead-at-89 |first=Paul A. |last=Eisenstein|title=Carroll Shelby Dead at 89 |work=The Detroit Bureau |date=14 May 2012 |access-date=15 May 2012}}</ref>

==Racing record==
===Complete Formula One World Championship results===
([[:Template:F1 driver results legend 2|key]])
{|class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:90%"
|-
! Year
! Entrant
! Chassis
! Engine
! 1
! 2
! 3
! 4
! 5
! 6
! 7
! 8
! 9
! 10
! 11
! {{Tooltip|WDC|World Drivers' Championship}}
! [[List of Formula One World Championship points scoring systems|Pts]]
|-
|rowspan=2| [[1958 Formula One season|1958]]
! [[Scuderia Centro Sud]]
!rowspan=2| [[Maserati in motorsport|Maserati]] [[Maserati 250F|250F]]
!rowspan=2| [[Maserati in motorsport|Maserati]] 250F1 2.5 [[Straight-6|L6]]
| [[1958 Argentine Grand Prix|ARG]]
| [[1958 Monaco Grand Prix|MON]]
| [[1958 Dutch Grand Prix|NED]]
| [[1958 Indianapolis 500|500]]
| [[1958 Belgian Grand Prix|BEL]]
|style="background:#efcfff;"| [[1958 French Grand Prix|FRA]]<br/>{{small|Ret}}
|style="background:#cfcfff;"| [[1958 British Grand Prix|GBR]]<br/>{{small|9}}
| [[1958 German Grand Prix|GER]]
|
|style="background:#efcfff;"| [[1958 Italian Grand Prix|ITA]]<br/>{{small|Ret*}}
|
!rowspan=2| NC
!rowspan=2| 0<ref>no points awarded for shared drive in the 1958 Italian Grand Prix</ref>
|-
! Temple Buell
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|style="background:#cfcfff;"| [[1958 Portuguese Grand Prix|POR]]<br/>{{small|9}}
|style="background:#cfcfff;"| [[1958 Italian Grand Prix|ITA]]<br/>{{small|4*}}
| [[1958 Moroccan Grand Prix|MOR]]
|-
|[[1959 Formula One season|1959]]
! [[Aston Martin|David Brown Corporation]]
! [[Aston Martin in Formula One|Aston Martin]] [[Aston Martin DBR4/250|DBR4/250]]
! [[Aston Martin]] RB6 2.5 [[Straight-6|L6]]
| [[1959 Monaco Grand Prix|MON]]
| [[1959 Indianapolis 500|500]]
|style="background:#efcfff;"| [[1959 Dutch Grand Prix|NED]]<br/>{{small|Ret}}
| [[1959 French Grand Prix|FRA]]
|style="background:#efcfff;"| [[1959 British Grand Prix|GBR]]<br/>{{small|Ret}}
| [[1959 German Grand Prix|GER]]
|style="background:#cfcfff;"| [[1959 Portuguese Grand Prix|POR]]<br/>{{small|8}}
|style="background:#cfcfff;"| [[1959 Italian Grand Prix|ITA]]<br/>{{small|10}}
| [[1959 United States Grand Prix|USA]]
|
|
! NC
! 0
|}
<nowiki>*</nowiki> After retiring his original car, entered by Scuderia Centro Sud, Shelby took over [[Masten Gregory]]'s car, entered by Temple Buell, and finished fourth. No points were awarded for the shared drive.<ref>{{cite book | last = Lang | first = Mike | title = Grand Prix! Vol 1 | publisher = Haynes Publishing Group | date = 1981 | page = 138 | isbn = 0-85429-276-4}}</ref>

===Complete 24 Hours of Le Mans results===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:90%"
|-
! Year
! Team
! Co-Drivers
! Car
! Class
! Laps
! {{Tooltip|Pos.|Overall Position}}
! {{Tooltip|Class<br/>Pos.|Class Position}}
|-
! [[1954 24 Hours of Le Mans|1954]]
|align="left"| {{flagicon|GBR}} [[Aston Martin]] Lagonda
|align="left"| {{flagicon|BEL}} [[Paul Frère]]
|align="left"| [[Aston Martin DB3S]]
| S<br/>3.0
| 74
|colspan=2|DNF<br/>(Front axle)
|-
! [[1959 24 Hours of Le Mans|1959]]
|align="left"| {{flagicon|GBR}} [[David Brown (entrepreneur)|David Brown Racing Dept.]]
|align="left"| {{flagicon|GBR}} [[Roy Salvadori]]
|align="left"| [[Aston Martin DBR1|Aston Martin DBR1/300]]
| S<br/>3.0
| 323
|style="background:#FFFFBF;"| '''1st'''
|style="background:#FFFFBF;"| '''1st'''
|-
!colspan="8"|{{center|{{small|Source:<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.racingsportscars.com/driver/results/Carroll-Shelby-USA.html |title=All Results of Carroll Shelby |website=racingsportscars.com |access-date=July 3, 2017}}</ref>}}}}
|}

===Complete 12 Hours of Sebring results===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:90%"
|-
! Year
! Team
! Co-Drivers
! Car
! Class
! Laps
! {{Tooltip|Pos.|Overall Position}}
! {{Tooltip|Class<br/>Pos.|Class Position}}
|-
| [[1954 12 Hours of Sebring|1954]]
|align=left| {{flagicon|GBR}} [[Aston Martin|Aston Martin Ltd.]]
|align=left| {{flagicon|USA}} [[Charles Wallace (racing driver)|Charles Wallace]]
|align=left| [[Aston Martin DB3S]]
|S3.0
|77
|colspan=2|DNF<br/>(Rear end)
|-
| [[1955 12 Hours of Sebring|1955]]
|align=left| {{flagicon|USA}} Allen Guiberson
|align=left| {{flagicon|USA}} [[Phil Hill]]
|align=left| [[Ferrari Monza|Ferrari 750 Monza Spyder]]
|S3.0
|182
|style="background:#dfdfdf;"| '''2nd'''
|style="background:#ffffbf;"| '''1st'''
|-
| [[1956 12 Hours of Sebring|1956]]
|align=left| {{flagicon|GBR}} [[David Brown (entrepreneur)|David Brown & Sons, Ltd.]]
|align=left| {{flagicon|GBR}} [[Roy Salvadori]]
|align=left| [[Aston Martin DB3S]]
|S3.0
|187
| 4th
|style="background:#ffffbf;"| '''1st'''
|-
| [[1957 12 Hours of Sebring|1957]]
|align=left| {{flagicon|ITA}} [[Maserati|Maserati Company]]
|align=left| {{flagicon|GBR}} [[Roy Salvadori]]
|align=left| [[Maserati 200S|Maserati 250S]]
|S3.0
|68
|colspan=2|DSQ<br/>(Illegal refuel)
|-
| [[1958 12 Hours of Sebring|1958]]
|align=left| {{flagicon|GBR}} [[David Brown (entrepreneur)|David Brown & Sons, Ltd.]]
|align=left| {{flagicon|GBR}} [[Roy Salvadori]]
|align=left| [[Aston Martin DBR1|Aston Martin DBR1/300]]
|S3.0
|62
|colspan=2|DNF<br/>(Transmission)
|-
| [[1959 12 Hours of Sebring|1959]]
|align=left| {{flagicon|GBR}} [[David Brown (entrepreneur)|David Brown]]-[[Aston Martin]]
|align=left| {{flagicon|GBR}} [[Roy Salvadori]]
|align=left| [[Aston Martin DBR1|Aston Martin DBR1/300]]
|S3.0
|32
|colspan=2|DNF<br/>(Gear lever)
|-
| [[1960 12 Hours of Sebring|1960]]
|align=left| {{flagicon|USA}} [[Casner Motor Racing Division|Camoradi USA]]
|align=left| {{flagicon|USA}} [[Masten Gregory]]
|align=left| [[Maserati Tipo 61]]
|S3.0
|3
|colspan=2|DNF<br/>(Engine)
|}

==In popular culture==
Shelby is portrayed by [[Matt Damon]] in ''[[Ford v. Ferrari]]'', a film about the 1960s rivalry between Ford and Ferrari at the Le Mans auto race and Shelby's friendship with legendary race car driver [[Ken Miles]]. It was produced by 20th Century Fox and directed by [[James Mangold]].<ref>{{cite web|url= https://variety.com/2018/film/news/james-mangold-next-film-ford-ferrari-logan-1202687686/ |title=James Mangold to Direct Ford vs. Ferrari Film as 'Logan' Follow-Up |website=variety.com |date=February 5, 2018 |access-date=February 5, 2018}}</ref> The film began shooting in the summer of 2018 and was released in theaters on November 15, 2019. The film premiered on September 10, 2019, at the Toronto International Film Festival.

''Shelby American: The Carroll Shelby Story'' is a 2019 feature-length documentary about Shelby's life and career.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Blanco |first1=Sebastian |title=Watch Shelby American Documentary That Tells the Real Carroll Shelby Story |url= https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a29811792/shelby-american-documentary-carroll-shelby/ |work=Car and Driver |access-date=2 June 2020 |date=15 November 2019}}</ref>

Shelby features prominently in Bill Cosby's comedic story "200 M.P.H." (1968). Shelby (voiced by Cosby) convinces Cosby that, since he was an American, he should drive an "American car" – specifically, a custom-made Shelby "Cobra" that was guaranteed to go 200 M.P.H., faster than any foreign sportscar. The story takes up the entire second side of Cosby's seventh album, ''[[200 M.P.H.]]''

==See also==
{{Portal|Biography}}
*''[[The Snake and the Stallion]]''

==References==
===Inline===
{{reflist|colwidth=30em}}

===General===
*{{cite news |first=Paul |last=Dean|title=Questions have been raised over Carroll Shelby's claim he's building 43 of his classic Cobras using original chassis. Shelby says he's the victim of a business feud|newspaper=The Los Angeles Times|url= https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1993-04-15-vw-23029-story.html |date=May 15, 1993 |access-date=January 2, 2011}}

===Shelby Cobra and Ford GT Racing===
*{{cite book |last=Carroll |first=William |title=Ford Cobra Guide|year=1964 |isbn=0-87112-066-6 |publisher=Sports Car Press}} An inside look at early Cobra racing 1962 through 1963.
*{{cite book |last=Shelby |first=Carroll |title=The Cobra Story|year=1965 |publisher=Motorbooks |isbn=978-0-87938-019-9}} Shelby's story of his life and racing through 1964.
*{{cite book |last=Shelby |first=Carroll |title=[[The Carroll Shelby Story]]|year=1967 |publisher=Pocket Books}} A revised and enlarged version of "The Cobra Story," covering the Cobra's successes in 1965 and 1966, as well as including technical specifications for the 289 and 427 Cobras.
*{{cite book |last=Shoen |first=Michael L. |title=The Cobra-Ferrari Wars 1963–1965|year=1990 |publisher= Cfw Guidebooks|isbn=978-0-9625093-0-8}} Covers Cobra and Ferrari racing through 1965.
*{{cite book |last=Levine|first=Leo|title=Ford, the Dust and the Glory: A Racing History, 1901–1967|year= 2001 |publisher=Society of Automotive Engineers|isbn=978-0-7680-0663-6}} Ford racing programs through 1967.

==External links==
*[http://velocity.discovery.com/tv-shows/velocity-classics/videos/king-of-the-road-the-story-of-carroll-shelby.htm King of the Road, The Story of Carroll Shelby] a three-part documentary first aired on May 20, 2012, on Discovery World channel.
*{{Find a Grave|89989444}}

{{s-start}}
{{s-sports}}
{{succession box|title=[[List of 24 Hours of Le Mans winners|Winner of the 24 Hours of Le Mans]] |before= [[Olivier Gendebien]]<br/>[[Phil Hill]]|after= [[Olivier Gendebien]]<br/>[[Paul Frère]]|years= [[1959 24 Hours of Le Mans|1959]] |with=[[Roy Salvadori]]}}
{{s-end}}

{{Shelby American}}
{{24 Hours of Le Mans winners}}
{{Aston Martin F1}}
{{Aston Martin Racing}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Shelby, Carroll}}
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