Ford Shelby and its creator

2024 Author: Erin Ralphs | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-19 11:42

In 1961, current race car driver, 1959 Le Mans champion Carroll Shelby, suggested that the British firm "AC" use a V8 engine from Ford in their Cobra cars. Namely, this event is marked with the birth of the legendary sports car Ford Shelby Cobra. The British car magnates gave their consent to the assembly, which immediately began in Caroll's own workshop.

After one year, the engineers decide to replace the engine, and equip the car with a new 4.7-liter "monster". The Shelby Cobra ceases production in 1966 at 1,140 vehicles.

In 1965, for his offspring Ford Shelby, Caroll Shelby uses the chassis of the Ford Mustang. The first prototype was named Shelby 350GT. It was further modified into the more serious Shelby 500GT, which was in production until 1970.

The history of Shelby's relationship with the auto giant Ford has evolved in the best possible way, especially for Caroll. The result of close cooperation was the Ford GT40, and most importantly, for the past two years, Shelby has been able to assemble cars at a factory price.your partner.

To legitimize his activities, Caroll creates his own car company, Shelby American. The company is only engaged in "pumping" existing cars, for which it falls under a hail of criticism from reputable auto experts. But this city is drowning in a sea of positive reviews for the Ford Shelby 500GT and, of course, the Cobra.

Caroll Shelby, having heart problems, gave up motor racing back in 1959, but the passion for motorsport did not die out in his veins. With financial backing from Ford and Goodyear, the Shelby team has won three SCCA races since 1963.

Despite the huge popularity, in 1970, the love for muscle cars, including the Ford Shelby, began to decline sharply. And in the same year, the production of legendary cars was completely curtailed. But the world will forever remember two legendary cars, which to this day amaze with their power and beauty, about which I would like to say a few words separately.

Ford Shelby GT350. Produced from 1965 to 1970. Despite the fact that this car was a Mustang upgrade, most car enthusiasts call it a real Shelby.

The engineers of the mini-company managed to assemble a car that surpassed the Corvette in all respects, which at that time dominated all the country's auto races. During the assembly, the power increased from 306 to 400 hp. In production, many innovations were applied to achieve the cherished goal.

GT500 - Ford Shelby, 1967-1970

The GT500, the new car, is very different from the Mustang. This "monster" gets a new engine with reduced revs but insanely high torque. The working volumes of the engines were 7 and 6.4 liters and had a power of about 400 hp. An interesting fact is that in order to calm the insurers, Shelby and his partners went to the trick and deliberately underestimated the power ratings of the new engines to 355 and 335 hp, respectively. And the roof of the car was reinforced with special beams to protect the driver and passenger during a rollover.

In 1968, the last variation of the model was released, called the GT500KR. This car was designed for customers who prefer not only powerful, but also luxurious cars. The new model had air conditioning and even an automatic four-speed gearbox. The windows were already tinted. The dimensions have also grown. In this regard, the mass of the new supercar reached almost 1.7 tons.

In the next two years, the popularity of the model, like the entire class of muscle cars in America, began to wane. And, as we already know, in early 1970 the project was curtailed.

The further history of Caroll Shelby is marked by symbiosis with companies such as Chrysler and Dodge. But that's another story.