Shelby Classic Cars

Superformance is known to create some classic builds that are priced like crazy, but the company has gone generous with one of their builds – the 1962 MKII Shelby 289 Slab Side. Superformance has donated the car to Petersen Automotive Museum for its upcoming digital gala that’s set to take place on September 26. The car is officially licensed by Shelby and built aesthetically and dimensionally correct to the original289 Cobras of the early 1960s. The only difference here is that the Superformance builds have modern-day mods complementing the classic styling. Isn’t that a win-win situation?

Carroll Shelby started making cars in the early 1960s by dropping V-8 engines in AC Ace bodies imported from Britain, and it took just a couple years of him to become a performance icon in the United States. A few years before he started working with Ford to produce some of the greatest Mustangs ever built, Shelby began to race his Cobras. Although highly competitive, the roadster wasn’t fast enough on Le Mans’ 3.7-mile Mulsanne Straight, so Shelby wanted a different Cobra that could beat the Ferrari 250 GTO. That’s how the Shelby Daytona Coupe was born in 1964.

In 1965, Ford won the World Manufacturer’s Title in the GT ranks with the Cobra Daytona Coupe. But you wouldn’t have found the aerodynamic Kamm-tailed endurance racer on almost any bedroom wall around that time. Instead, everyone was hooked on Shelby’s new roadster - the Cobra 427. Sporting the ’side-oiler’ big block 7.0-liter V-8 good for at least 500 ponies, the revised Cobra was five inches wider than the AC Ace-based examples before it, handled slightly better due to an all-new chassis with independent suspension, and was one of the fastest cars you could register in 1965. With a 0-60 mph time of four seconds flat and tires that would go alight at the lightest depressing of the gas pedal, the 427 was unruly but that’s what made it a legend.

Think about what American cars you have loved throughout your life. It’s almost certain that the Cobra 427 was (or still is) in amongst your favorites. With rounded, flared arches, a gaping mouth and a scoop on the hood, and a pair of racing stripes traversing the (usually) blue paintwork, the baddest Cobra found its place in the history books from the moment it entered production. It was as loud as a pack of lions - if lions were ever to attack in packs - and more unruly than a teenager who’s going through a phase that’s "totally not a phase". The first 50 cars made were Competition or Semi/Competition-spec while the other 260 copies built until late ’67 were tuned to be more street-oriented, although even this can be considered a stretch. That’s why probably no other car can boast with such a wide variety of replicas quite like the Cobra and, naturally, most try to copy the look of the Cobra 427.

One of the most iconic American cars of all time, the Shelby Cobra, came to be in 1962 when Carroll Shelby combined Ford-made V-8 engines with British-designed AC Ace bodies. Although the Ace was fairly old and close to discontinuation in 1962, it’s lightweight structure helped Shelby create one of the greatest American sports cars. Built until 1968 in various road-legal and race-spec configurations, the Cobra reached its performance peak when the Super Snake was launched in 1966. Called the "Cobra to end all Cobras," the Super Snake is the rarest of the bunch, and it still holds the title for the most expensive American car sold at auction.

"When I built this dual supercharged 427 Cobra in 1966, I wanted it to be the fastest, meanest car on the road," Shelby told Barrett-Jackson in 2007 when the roadster was auctioned for its record price. "Forty years later, it will still kick the tail of just about anything in the world. It’s the fastest street legal Cobra I’ve ever owned."

Let’s find out more about this tremendous classic in the review below.

Continue reading to learn more about the Shelby Cobra 427 Super Snake.

Carroll Shelby’s very own 1966 Shelby GT350H Fastback Hertz Rent-a-Racer is going up for sale at the Bonhams auction in Scottsdale, Arizona. As if 1966 G350H Fastbacks aren’t rare enough by themselves, the provenance behind this model is on another level because of its association with the man who created the Shelby brand, to begin with. If you’re looking for the chance to own this one-of-a-kind model, you’ll need to be in top form at the Barrett-Jackson auction later this month. By all accounts, this car is not going to come cheap.

If you ask any car enthusiast the name of the person who has been the most influential to the automotive world, nine times out of ten you’ll get the answer “Carroll Shelby.” And, rightfully so – Carroll Shelby had an amazing automotive legacy. And, that legacy all started out with the car you see here: a 1962 Shelby Cobra CSX 2000. While all early Cobras are special in their own right, this one is excessively special because it was the first Cobra built. Ever. It came to be at the hands of Carroll Shelby and a few other people in a small garage in California.

There’s a lot more to this specific Cobra, though. See, this Cobra was built by Carroll Shelby and was owned solely by him. Furthermore, there is a funny story behind it. When the car was complete, it was shown at a number of different venues used by the motoring press and used for testing and development. The funny part is that Shelby had the world convinced that Cobra production was running at full force when in fact the CSX 2000 was the only Cobra at the time. To pull this off, the car was repainted prior to most appearances to give the illusion that there was more than just one for the first seven months of its existence.

With that said, this specific Cobra is ready to go home with a new owner and is being auctioned off by RM Sotheby’s in Monterey in August of 2016. It is being offered by the Carroll Hall Shelby Trust and, as such, should come with proof of authenticity. The car isn’t exactly in the best condition it has ever been in – there is definitely wear here and there. But, that is a part of the car’s history. So, let’s take a good look at it before it goes under the hammer in a couple of months.

Update 08-21-2016: This gorgeous car just broke the record for an American car sold at Auction. Check out the Prices section below for all the details.

Keep reading for our full review of this very special Cobra

Caroll Shelby cherished one dream while racing in Europe and North and South America throughout the 1950s; building the world’s fastest sports car. By 1956 he had already come up with a name for his car, it would be called the Cobra. Soon after his 1959 victory at the 24 Hours of LeMans for Aston Martin, Shelby was struck by heart problems. Reluctant to do so, he was forced to give up racing as a driver. This lifestyle setback turned out for the best, however, as Shelby had the opportunity to pursue his Cobra-building dreams.

A few years earlier and on the other side of the globe, John Tojeiro designed a small sports car, which sold under the AC Ace name. The open-top car was a simple tube-frame chassis with a Bristol 2.0-liter inline six-cylinder engine derived from the BMW M328 engine. The lightweight combination made the Ace a moderately successful racer. However, its success was jeopardized when BMW began phasing out the 2.0-liter. Other engines were tested, including American V-8s, but the AC Ace’s future seemed dim. So dim in fact, Tojeiro decided to end production of the car.

That’s when Shelby heard about the AC Ace and its lightweight design. He immediately contacted AC, along with his long-time associates at Ford Motor Company. He convinced AC to continue constructing the Ace and Ford to supply special versions of its Fairlane engine for installation in the AC chassis. Shelby and his team of engineers and builders shoehorned the V-8 into an AC at Shelby’s Venice, California shop. Of course, these early AC Ace cars were the roadsters that became known as the Shelby AC Cobra. The cars enjoyed a successful racing career, but could never outrun Enzo Ferrari, Shelby’s longtime Le Means rival, and his Ferrari 250 GTO.

That’s where the Shelby Daytona Coupe comes in. Shelby had Pete Brock design a more aerodynamic body for the AC Ace – one that would allow for higher top speeds at Le Mans’ Mulsanne Straight. The design worked, allowing the coupe to hit 190 mph. The car’s debut race would be the 1964 Daytona Continental 2000 at the famed Daytona international Speedway in Florida.

Continue reading for the full review

By 1968, the Ford Mustang had already become one of the most popular cars in the United States. Affordable, available in three different body styles and with a bevy of inline-six and V-8 engines, Ford’s pony was enjoying tremendous success. The arrival of the beefed-up Shelby Mustang and its many versions only made things better, but Ford and Carroll Shelby felt the pony could become even more impressive. Their dream came true in April 1968, when a brand-new version of the 428 Police Interceptor engine was fitted with improved-breathing heads and larger exhaust manifolds, giving birth to the 428 Cobra Jet. The mill quickly found its way into the Shelby GT500, which became the GT500 KR or "King of the Road". Officially rated at 335 horsepower, but actually powered by no less than 400 ponies and 440 pound-feet of torque, the King gained iconic status almost immediately.

The moniker was discontinued for the 1969 model year, only a few months before Carroll Shelby terminated his agreement with Ford. The GT500 KR nameplate returned exactly 40 years later on the fifth-generation Mustang, this time adorning a 540-horsepower muscle car that was motivated by a 5.4-liter V-8. After all of these years, the first-generation GT500 KR is as formidable as it’s always been, but its statute and value have grown considerably in the eyes of muscle-car aficionados and collectors alike.

Updated 07/23/2014: A very rare Mustang GT 500 KR is being offered by RK Motors Charlotte for a price of $189,900. Click past the jump for more details.

Click past the jump to read more about the 1968 Shelby GT500 KR

The late-1960s Shelby G.T.500 was one of the most desirable cars available in its era and has now become one of the rarest mustangs. The rarest G.T.500 of them all is a 1967 convertible model, due to the fact that there was only one example ever made. This example went straight to Carroll Shelby himself and no other examples ever existed.

Well, the folks over at Classic Recreations, who are known for their classic Ford Mustang projects, are now making it possible for you to own a drop top 1967 G.T.500 at a fraction of the price that Shelby’s model would fetch.

Granted, this model is no true G.T.500, but it’ll certainly turn heads, especially once you lay into it and let its engine do the talking. There are two models of this G.T.500 available, the tamer 545 model and the wild 900S model.

So what does this recreation of the single-most rare Shelby Mustang G.T.500 have to offer you, and is it a fair bargain?

Click past the jump to read our full review and see what’s in store with this recreated G.T.500.

To say we absolutely love every Shelby Cobra to death is an understatement. This also breeds a little hatred in our hearts for those that take a hacksaw to them and start modifying stuff. However, here are some modifications to Shelby Cobras that we can stomach and some that we completely fall in love with at first sight. Magnis Jinstrand’s modified Shelby Cobra just happens to fall squarely in the latter classification…

This beautiful example of automotive genius boasts a disgustingly sexy 6.0-liter Mercedes V-12 with an equally disgusting loud-mouthed supercharger strapped to its intake. There’s no information on the power pushed out by this mean machine, but judging by the above video, we would have to estimate it to be in the 700-horsepower range.

The exposed supercharger really just does it for us. Not only does it look awesome, but it is about the only whining that I can say I want to hear while driving a car. This blower obliges by providing plenty of it in audible goodness.

We are unsure what other modifications this Cobra has on it and we are also unsure if this is actually a real AC Cobra or not. Chances are that it’s a kit car sitting on a custom chassis, especially given how well it handles. Regardless of its authenticity, it is still one sexy beast. We will update you if we happen to come up with any of the vehicle’s specs. Until then, crank your speakers up and enjoy.

The name Carroll Shelby spans across three makes – Ford, Chrysler, and Dodge – and is arguably the most recognized name by any true automotive buff. Unfortunately, we lost this remarkable man just weeks ago following a fight with pneumonia, but he is far from forgotten.

This past Wednesday, Peterson Automotive Museum in Los Angeles decided that it was time to give Mr. Shelby a proper send off. Unlike many folks, a moment of silence just wouldn’t be a good fit for a man notorious for filling the streets with cars boasting awesome-sounding exhaust systems and cams that lobe so hard it feels like the earth is moving.

In lieu of the typical moment of silence, PAM chose to honor Mr. Shelby with a “Moment of Noise” at precisely 6:55 p.m. PST on May 30th. Over 1,200 cars bearing the “Shelby” name showed up at PAM to let their pistons and dual exhaust give this legend a proper send off. But it was not all about the noise, as there was a series of speakers that followed the roaring of these Shelby-designed machines in an event named “Carroll Shelby a Life Remembered,” which Jay Leno hosted.

The event was not limited to just L.A., as Shelby cars around the world fired up and paid tribute to this great man. Fortunately, the wide world web has come in handy again, as a plethora of videos of the various synchronized revving around the world have popped up online and we have them for you. There is also an awesome tribute done up by the folks at Forza Motorsport of all Mr. Shelby’s creations running side-by-side around a track.

In all, it was a spectacular showing and our hats go off to the participants and to the man that made this all possible, Mr. Carroll Shelby…

Click past the jump to see the other four videos.

The 2013 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 is powered by a 5.8 liter V-8 engine with 662 HP, making it the most powerful, factory made Mustang ever. That being said, the classic Mustang is still better and many car enthusiasts prefer it over any other model, no matter how powerful that other model may be. In a situation like this - let’s face it, there aren’t many classic models ready to be scooped up - many tuners will try to convert existing models into the legendary 1969 models. Retrobuilt is one of those tuners that has a big passion for the 1969 Shelby GT500 and is ready to make one at all costs.

Their new retro package is based on a 2005 Mustang Convertible, but customers can bring in any Mustang from 2005 up to 2012, including the GT500. If the customer has the nerve to retro-fit their new Mustang, then this conversion is for them. It includes new fiberglass body panels; retro chrome trim, door handles, and taillight covers; custom HID headlights; vinyl striping; and a Shelby wheel and tire package. For clients with a racing spirit, Retrobuilt is also offering a supercharger system, Baer brakes, and a lowered suspension.

The name Carroll Shelby may not be quite as familiar to new automotive enthusiasts as it is for older generations, but his creations are no stranger to anyone that follows and loves performance automobiles. Mr. Shelby was not only a genius when it came to building high-performance American muscle, but he was also an accomplished racecar driver.

Carroll managed to parlay his racing roots into a partnership with Ford that spanned over 50 years. However, that partnership almost never happened, as his first choice in partners was Chevrolet. Imagine that, a “Shelby Camaro” or “Shelby Corvette,” it just doesn’t quite sound as good as "Shelby Mustang,” does it?

Carroll Shelby lived a full life, as he graced this world with 89 years of his presence and nearly 60 of those years he was providing us gearheads with examples of his automotive skill, be it winning races or designing hot rods. Carroll Shelby will be missed dearly by everyone in the automotive world, but we are not here to mourn the passing of this legend. Nope, we feel that the right way to send off this legend is by celebrating his long and legendary life.

Click past the jump to read the complete life history of Mr. Carroll Shelby