Carroll Shelby

[Stefano]

O.K. Tom I'll move the thread to the least obtrusive forum?

I don't disagree so much other than I would describe Shelby as a true enthusiast. I would agree that he always seemed miffed by the trailer queens and Thoroughbred show cars as he couldn't understand the logic behind a car which would not be used as it was intended to be used.

I also agree that he was/is involved with numerous other projects such as helping his friend Lee Iacoca resurrect Chrysler's performance image, the Viper project, his continuation Mustang GT350s and Cobras, The Oldsmobile Shelby, all the current parts and engine packages currently available through Shelby American as well as his work with major Charities, just to mention a few.

I certainly don't mean to speak for the man as he can speak for himself, just my humble observations and I appreciate the dialogue on the subject.

[tom406]

I think my "rats a**" [img]/ubbthreads/images/icons/mad.gif[/img] statement set too harsh a tone for this dialogue. He's obviously a true enthusiast - he's raced cars (driven and run teams), built performance cars in 4 different decades, and untold other automotive accomplishments that I can only dream about. I'm a fan of just about all the cars (except that Olds Series One, just kind of an dumpy car, IMHO).

But its only the last 5 or 10 years that he's really made himself available to the (nostalgic) media and the fans of his '60's legacy. Prior to that, interviews and appearances seemed few and far between, and he always was more interested in what he was doing at that time. My thought is as he slowed down, he made a decision to embrace his past and his fans a little more, and to use his "celebrity" to work for him, and accomplish a few more things (still a do-er, until that borrowed heart quits beating).

Rock stars from the 60's, Star Trek actors, etc., were always the same way. None of them wanted to be pigeonholed by their defining period in history when they still had 20 more years to do their thing.