Carroll Shelby dead...breaking news

[peewee]

Yep, sad news indeed. But let's keep it in perspective. We'll all eventually get dead, and Mr. Shelby had a much longer and much more accomplished life than most of us will. I like the term, "Celebrate a life," more so than "Mourn a death." That's just my own philosophy.

[The Outsider]

Even though there are many "hero" Bangshifters who have made it clear that they do not want my contributions to this community (or my sometimes poor spelling of "cubicle"), I'm temporarily putting that aside in memoriam of the seminal legacy of Carroll Shelby.

Yesterday I quickly dashed off the following on the blog when I first learned about Mr. Shelby's demise:

"I am breaking my self-imposed "Bangshift blackout" in mourning over this towering figure in high-performance motoring.

Certainly, we could focus on Mr. Shelby's well-publicized faults. But that's a topic for other days. Today we have lost a giant. The man who established the blueprint for the American tuner car industry. The man who did more than most to meld hot rodding into internationally-competitive sports cars and racing.

Certainly, Shelby wasn't the first to propose stuffing a crude V8 sedan engine into a lightweight foreign roadster. But as the proliferation of kit car "Cobras" bears out, his hot rod sports car continues to be the most influential vehicle of that type.

Certainly, Shelby wasn't the first to bring a race car to the streets. But Shelby's transformation of a low-performance "secretary's car" into the legendary G.T. 350 was a seminal event in the evolution of Detroit performance onto smaller Pony Car platforms. Without the G.T. 350 and the closely-related, championship-winning Shelby-ized SCCA Trans-Am notchback Mustangs, there likely wouldn't have been exciting competitors like Z/28 Camaro and AAR 'Cudas.

[T]he patterns set by Shelby have been imitated and improved on by many others, including Roush and Saleen. In fact, one could credibly argue that Shelby is the grandfather of the aftermarket American tuner car.

Shelby built a legendary team that saved a floundering Ford GT program. Shelby's organizational skills led to America capturing the World Sports Car Championship, Trans-Am Championships, and two of the four American-powered overall wins at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Mr. Shelby was the tip of the spear for Ford’s legendary "Total Performance" campaign.

The roster of drivers who have competed in a Shelby works vehicle would make a great hall of fame in itself. From drag racing to endurance racing, Shelby team and customer cars have been winners.

Shelby's spirit, ethos and charisma also inspired teams to develop a new breed of smaller, lighter and more fuel efficient sport compacts in the 1980s, as well as the brutal Dodge Viper. A decade and a half later, Shelby inspired SVT engineers to create a new generation of Shelby Mustangs. And his revived tuning operation has built some of the highest performing tuner cars in American history.

Shelby's fight for life also inspired many. As the longest living heart transplant recipient, Mr. Shelby truly exemplified a zest for living, a keen eye for details and trends, and a racer’s sensibilities about vehicle dynamics. Shelby defied many of the stereotypes about the elderly.

Godspeed, Mr. Shelby. You will be missed." http://bangshift.com/blog/carroll-sh...n-is-dead.html

****
Now having thought about it for a few hours, (and admittedly shedding a tear or two as I took a drive in honor of Mr. Shelby), I can summon a more personal reflection.

I strongly suspect that if it wasn't for the Mr. Shelby, there wouldn't be a Mustang as we know it. Shelby influenced a young Edsel Ford II, one of a new generation of influential champions inside Ford who later helped bring Mustang out of its 1970s doldrums into the great 5.0 era.

And if it wasn't for what Ford learned with the Shelby Mustangs of the 1960s, and the desire to recapture some of that "halo," there likely never would have been an SVO Mustang.

And if there wasn't an SVO Mustang, a broke, young, NASCAR-loving seminary student would have never sat in one at an auto show, and then bought a new one a couple of years later. Yes, but for the SVO, I probably wouldn't have enjoyed my almost thirty year loyalty to Ford.

I proudly looked at the Shelby snake on the side of my SVT Cobra many years later as a homage to the Ford-Shelby legacy. Even though it wasn't a "real" Shelby, I felt that it allowed me to participate in a small way in that great heritage.

Even though Shelby spent many years at odds with Ford and outside of the Ford family, many of us believed it was inevitable that Shelby would return some day. In my only pilgrimage to the Shelby factory (during the Series One build-out), I could tell that messing around with Oldsmobile V8s and kit cars wasn't satisfying and probably wouldn't be the end. At least that's what we hoped and prayed.

When Edsel Ford II and others at Ford mended fences with Mr. Shelby as part of the new Ford GT program for Ford's centennial, a rekindled era began. It was amazing that the indomitable spirit of an octogenarian could be so inspirational.

The only times I was ever in Mr.Shelby's presence were at Ford events. Once, his driver stopped his golf cart and I snapped a photo of Mr. Shelby with my grandson -- a photo I will always treasure. I also had the honor of hearing Mr. Shelby speak about his exploits, career and future plans. I thought "if only I can be as engaged and focused when I'm in my eighties."

Even Ford's latest "halo" cars -- the Boss 302 and the new 650+ h.p. Shelby GT-500 were subject to Mr. Shelby's feedback. And the Shelby "Code Red" and GT1000 projects are a testimony that Mr. Shelby never lost his desire to "push the envelope" of what a dual-purpose performance car should be.

Now he's gone. It was inevitable because we're all appointed to die someday. When I sat in my Mustang yesterday afternoon, I was overcome with how much Mr. Shelby had influenced it. Although I usually don't turn on the foglights (unless there is fog), I turned them on in a small silent tribute to the man whose 1967 Shelby Mustangs had inspired them.

I won't speculate as to what Shelby's up to now. Perhaps some of us are comforted in envisioning that Shelby and Ken Miles are scheming to take on Zora Arkus-Duntov and Enzo Ferrari in some sort of celestial competition (even though we know the reality is likely not so). But for those of us who have enjoyed the colossal life's work of Mr. Shelby, he will always live on in our memories.

[TheSilverBuick]

That's the great writing of the Speedy we love Seriously, nice job.

[Deaf Bob]

That's the great writing of the Speedy we love Seriously, nice job.

Whew... Nice piece...

[66Fury3]

Well said Speedzzter.blogspot Carroll was diagnosed with a serious heart condition in 1959 that forced him to quit racing. He was not expected to live with his condition for more than a few years..... Shelby had a heart transplant in 1990 and a kidney transplant in 1996, he said he was granted 30+ years as he had more cars to design.... God speed Carroll....

[Huskinhano]

Had the pleasure to meet him once and get a bunch of autographed stuff. Never thought he would die. RIP

[TC]

Sadly my friend Bob that built the Indy Car motors passed away recently to........

Pullinsi, Robert
56, of Phoenix, AZ passed away on April 14, 2012. Bob Pullinsi left this earth too soon on April 14. He was a caring father, loyal friend and proud grandpa. Bob was always involved in the automotive and racing industry and at the height of his career, was president of RPM Engines, which built Indy Car Racing engines. He was talented not only building cars but could also fix anything. He made many friends because of his great sense of humor and caring nature. Bob will truly be missed and remembered for this. He leaves behind two sons, Ryan Pullinsi and stepson, Antone Cascketta, a granddaughter, Alexandrea Peyton Loper, his parents, Phil and Patricia Pullinsi, and a brother, Phil Pullinsi. Services will be held at Shadow Mountain Mortuary, 2350 E Greenway Rd. Monday, May 14 at 1 PM and the Celebration of his Life will follow at his favorite bar, Catch 22 on 32nd St. and Union Hills Dr.

[Orange95Z]

Sadly my friend Bob that built the Indy Car motors passed away recently to........

And that has to do with Carroll Shelby how?

[TC]

And that has to do with Carroll Shelby how?

Just another automotive great in recent years to leave us........Bob may be nothing to you, but for the people that knew him, he was every bit a Carrol Shelby if not more.........Put it this way if it wasn't for guys like Bob, there wouldn't be guys like DG........ He was there in the pioneer days of performance EFI working at Arizona Speed and Marine........

[oldsman496]

Mr. Speedy has produced some of the most entertaining and enjoyable reading of all the contributers on this forum...imo

Don't let the bullying name callers give you a moments pause. they are just judgemental people who never grew out of those high school mentalities. That was a very nice synopsis of Mr. Shelby's career. He will be truly missed.