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Carroll Shelby, legendary car builder and racing champion, dies at age 89
Yahoo ^ | 11 May 2012 | Justin Hyde

Posted on 05/11/2012 3:04:56 PM PDT by shove_it

Carroll Shelby, an international automotive icon who rose from a bed-ridden childhood in Texas to build one of the most iconic sports cars ever and become a world-champion racer died Thursday at the age of 89 after a lengthy illness. His cars will live forever.

A winner at Le Mans in 1959, a driver in everything from Formula 1 to the Bonneville Salt Flats, Shelby's lasting impact will be the cars he built, namely the Shelby Cobra 427 that beat Ferrari in Europe and his variations of the Ford Mustang that he was involved with from the 1960s through his death.

Throughout his career, Shelby battled and overcame his physical limitations, from racing crashes to a congenital heart defect that required several surgeries and eventually a heart transplant in 1990.

Born Jan. 11, 1923, in Leesburg, Texas, Shelby was the son of a rural mail carrier. After being confined to bed for much of his first several years, his heart grew strong enough for Shelby to take an interest in cars. During World War II, Shelby served as a flying instructor, and wrote letters to his fiancée by putting them in flying boots he'd drop on her farm.

Married with children after the war, Shelby began a racing career that quickly rose to international acclaim. After rushing to the track for his early races wearing the same bib overalls he wore at his chicken farm, the look became his trademark. Sports Illustrated named him driver of the year in 1956, and Shelby won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1959.

[...]

(Excerpt) Read more at autos.yahoo.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society
KEYWORDS: automakers; obituary; shelby
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1 posted on 05/11/2012 3:04:59 PM PDT by shove_it
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To: shove_it

Man I know we are all getting older, but I sure am seeing a lot of the people that influenced me in my youth, passing away. Shelby was one of them. Some people you just wish they would live forever.


2 posted on 05/11/2012 3:09:46 PM PDT by WILLIALAL
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To: shove_it; Admin Moderator

Sorry y’all for the dupe post. I searched but spelled his name wrong.


3 posted on 05/11/2012 3:10:51 PM PDT by shove_it (just undo it)
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To: shove_it

Sad day. Rest In Peace Mr. Shelby.


4 posted on 05/11/2012 3:13:19 PM PDT by ColdOne (I miss my poochie... Tasha 2000~3/14/11 0bie don' t eat my dog!)
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To: shove_it

I’ve never owned anything with the Shelby name on it but I’ve always wanted to... From a lifelong admirer, RIP Carrol.


5 posted on 05/11/2012 3:14:27 PM PDT by Afterguard
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To: shove_it

Rest In Peace to a true champion and nice guy.


6 posted on 05/11/2012 3:15:14 PM PDT by mkjessup (Romney is to conservatism what Helen Thomas is to a high fashion model walkway.)
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To: shove_it

Condolences to Carroll Shelby’s family and friends.

There was a Shelby Lancer in our family for some time. Very nice car.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shelby_Lancer


7 posted on 05/11/2012 3:18:19 PM PDT by PGalt (R.I.P. Eric)
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To: shove_it

RIP one of my heroes. I trust you and Enzo will have much to talk about!


8 posted on 05/11/2012 3:20:29 PM PDT by the invisib1e hand
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To: shove_it

RIP, Mr Shelby.


9 posted on 05/11/2012 3:31:19 PM PDT by Carriage Hill (((.)))
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To: shove_it

RIP!

Looks like chili one of the next few days.

One of the next icons to pass will probably be Craig Breedlove. Has to be well into his 70’s and last I heard not in the best of health.


10 posted on 05/11/2012 4:33:54 PM PDT by prisoner6 (Right Wing Nuts bolt the Constitution together as the loose screws of the Left fall out!)
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To: shove_it
At the age of 54, I actually managed to try to drive one of those Cobras out of a gas station on Route 66 in Tijeras, NM.

The launch was difficult; it was a very careful balance between a spinout and a stall.

I stalled it the first 3 times. Adding to the embarassment was the fact that it had a pneumatic starter, so you had to wait for the compressor to build up enough pressure to start the engine.

On the 4th try, I decided to just let it go and try to steer it while feathering the throttle on takeoff.

All I can say is Holy Crap! The shift to 2nd gear was seconds later at about 70 MPH.

11 posted on 05/11/2012 4:40:19 PM PDT by elkfersupper ( Member of the Original Defiant Class)
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To: elkfersupper
I've been around long enough to have test-driven a 289 Cobra that was on a used car lot. Yeah, not buying it is one of those memories that stings after all these years.

I'm still tempted to build a replica (heck, I have most of the powertrain pieces stashed around the garage).

12 posted on 05/11/2012 4:47:55 PM PDT by Charles Martel (Endeavor to persevere...)
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To: elkfersupper
Attaboy, sounds like fun!
13 posted on 05/11/2012 5:00:45 PM PDT by shove_it (just undo it)
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To: Afterguard
I’ve never owned anything with the Shelby name on it but I’ve always wanted to... From a lifelong admirer, RIP Carrol.

The are a lot of low mileage used Shelby GT500's on the market. Two years ago, I purchased a 2008 with 1800 miles on the odometer.

14 posted on 05/11/2012 5:19:59 PM PDT by SVTCobra03 (You can never have enough friends, horsepower or ammunition.)
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To: shove_it

RIP Mr. Shelby. May your compression ratio always be high.


15 posted on 05/11/2012 5:37:25 PM PDT by Candor7 (Obama fascist info....http://www.americanthinker.com/2009/05/barack_obama_the_quintessentia_1.html)
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To: SVTCobra03; Afterguard
Driving the crap out of a SVT Raptor right now.

The legacy lives on.

16 posted on 05/11/2012 6:10:50 PM PDT by elkfersupper ( Member of the Original Defiant Class)
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To: shove_it

http://www.thecoralsnake.com/History9.HTML

My husband restores Shelbys professionally.
Met Mr.Shelby several times at the SAAC Conventions.
Above website has pics of one of our cars, a 68 GT-500. Our other one is a 69 GT-350 black in driver condition. Orange one is not being driven yet, but is retired from judged shows. Went to the Chicago invitational last November. Pic at website of that recent show.

RIP Mr.Shelby


17 posted on 05/11/2012 6:37:35 PM PDT by TheConservativeParty ("War." Andrew Breitbart)
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To: TheConservativeParty
Magnificent cars your husband brings back to life, very interesting website, thanks for posting it. I noted the references to the paint finish codes which reminded me that my mother worked at the Ditzler/PPG plant in Detroit from the mid 1940s until she retired in the mid 60s. She was the first woman to achieve a management position, as Lab Office Manager, in the entire Ditzler/PPG organization. As I recall, it was quite a radical move in those days that required high level approval in the corporation.
18 posted on 05/11/2012 7:14:54 PM PDT by shove_it (just undo it)
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To: elkfersupper
Driving the crap out of a SVT Raptor right now.

I hate you. :)

19 posted on 05/11/2012 7:33:08 PM PDT by SVTCobra03 (You can never have enough friends, horsepower or ammunition.)
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To: shove_it
Photobucket
20 posted on 05/11/2012 8:18:37 PM PDT by doc11355
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