...+1 to what everyone has already said.One heck of an automotive engineer.He definitely made his marks on the automotive industry so many times in so many ways.Makes any of those of his worth that much more,way more.Even the ones that he personally "signed".....oh man..one can only imagine.LT
Godspeed, Carroll. Another great mind and excellent enthusiast headed to the great racetrack in the sky.
The day I spent at VIR with him at a Shelby club meet, with my 89 CSX-VNT, is still one of the best "car days" I've ever had. Hard to believe that was 11 years ago...makes me want to go out and put brakes on the car right now, so I can take it for a drive.
I am not awestruck by someone who is considered famous, they are just people. With that said Mr. Shelby is one of three people who I would love to have a conversation with.
He led a very interesting life and if you are not familiar with it then consider looking up his story. Colorful is an understatement.
And "famous" didn't apply. He was, truly, just a good ol' boy from Texas who liked fast cars, and the people who liked them.
Carroll was a bucket of spare parts himself for years - transplants, implants, removals - but he was still a great guy. That day in VIR was about 110 in the pits. He was running around in full nomex, all day, just having a blast. Glad that's the way I get to remember meeting him (that, and him looking at the turbocharger under my car's hood, calling over one of his engineers, and asking them "we didn't put THAT in there, did we?" - he knew right away I'd upgraded, asked me where I got it, and AFAIK...bought one of them for his own car from my supplier!)
Nobody ever remembers my beloved Turbo Dodge cars...86 Omni GLHS, 87 Charger GLHS and 87 CSX, 88 CSX-T, 89 CSX-VNT and 89 Dakota pickup - actual Shelby cars built in Whittier California, with MSO's (manufacturer statement of origin) from Shelby Automobiles.
Not to mention the 16v turbo engine he pioneered with the Lotus 16v head, but only Dodge used (his proposed '90 CSX 16v never saw daylight), in the Spirit R/T and Daytona IROC R/T. IIRC when he and I talked in '01, his "daily" car was an 86 GLHS that he converted to his original 16v engine (his prototypes used Cosworth heads), with a VNT turbo.
And yes, the 89 CSX-VNT still holds the title for first production use of a VNT turbocharger (variable nozzle turbo), which is now common in diesels and many other cars (also known as "variable geometry" or "variable vane" turbos)...and it is STILL the only production car to have a fiberglass composite road wheel.
Low unsprung weight, anyone?
My '89, in the old garage (crappy lighting, had to brighten the photo). Hood is "incorrect" - stock, they had flat hoods (which I still have), but I like the bulge hood better
RIP Carroll Shelby. My favorite car of all time is the 427 Cobra. I would love to have one, but doubt that will happen. Like Rat, I had a Chrysler Shelby, the'85 GLH Turbo. I loved that car. By today's standard, it did not have all that much horsepower, but weighing a mere 2100lbs, it could out run many cars of the day. Unfortunately it stopped better than the many too, including an Electra 225 behind me. So I only had it for a year and half. I test drove a Charger GLHS, but did not get it.
Friday night, I was taking care of a graduation party, had already reconned the pop and mama of the party... 'Charlie" was from "Joisey", as he responded to not having a local accent...
As I was serving the table, he said "Didja hear that Carroll Shelby died? Do you know who Carroll Shelby is?"
This caught me totally off guard, for 1/2 a second.
We had a great understanding, and he had a great party for his grandson who just graduated.
My grade school best buddy had a dad who appreciated Fords, dad had a green GT500 in the basement garage. Chris had a canary yellow convertible T-bird he drove to school and back, until he totalled it on a wet road our senior year.
They don't make cars, or friends, like that anymore.
One of my childhood heroes. Still is. I took an interest in him when I was 9 back in 65 after my Dad bought a Shelby GT350. Wish that one was still around.....