Carroll Shelby Celebrates 85th Birthday & 1966 Le Mans Victory with Commemorative GT40

[Via AutoBlog]
By Drew Phillips



We got our first look at Shelby's 85th Commemorative GT40 back in January at the Barrett-Jackson auction in Scottsdale. It's as close as you can get to the real thing without spending millions on an original GT40 with the chassis and body nearly perfectly replicating the original. Shelby Distribution has now issued an updated press release as well as the official photos. The GT40, built by Superformance but officially badged a Shelby, celebrates both Carroll's 85th birthday as well as the dominating 1-2-3 Le Mans win in 1966. It's available in all three colors of the original race cars - Arcadian Blue, Black, and Red - as well as unique Shelby badging on the door handles, headlights, side graphics, and floor mats. No engine specs are available since each comes as a rolling chassis, but the engine bay is built to accommodate any Shelby-badged V8 crate engine. Anything but a 427ci V8 would be just plain crazy, though. Follow the jump for the press release and check out nearly fifty high resolution photos in the gallery below.


PRESS RELEASE:

In celebration of Carroll Shelby's 85TH birthday Shelby Distribution USA under license from Shelby Licensing and in partnership with Shelby Automobiles Inc. will reproduce the three dominating Shelby American GT40® race cars that accomplished one of the greatest feats in American automotive racing history into a street legal vehicle that can be driven or simply collected. These rolling chassis will receive a Shelby Automobiles Inc. MSO and will be recorded in the Shelby Registry along with the Safir GT40 Spares LLC assigned licensed mark, identification number and registry that reflects these cars as newly manufactured variants of the original GT40®.

Chassis/Body

The GT40®'s chassis is a near-exact replication of the original race car's monocoque unibody structure down to the pressed steel roof. The only departure is the use of electro-galvanized sheet steel in the construction. The chassis, at over 12,000 pounds per degree, is stiffer than any other chassis on the market, and is made of over 244 laser cut and bent or pressed parts.

Engine/Transmission

The Shelby 85th Commemorative GT40® is built to accommodate only a Shelby branded engine. The top of the line engine includes the Shelby 427FE V8.


Original Style Suspension

The Shelby 85th Commemorative GT40® features an original style fully independent suspension system utilizing an unequal length A-arm design. The coilover system utilizes H&R springs and Bilstein shocks that are fully adjustable as well as the front and rear anti-roll bars. Ride height can be changed from 4.125 to 4.75 inches.

Wheels/Tires/Brakes

Incredible braking performance is achieved through vented Wilwood super light brakes. Both front and rear brakes feature 12.75" discs and 4-piston calipers. Original style 15-inch Halibrand wheels are wrapped with high performance BFGoodrich g-Force Drag Radial tires, 225/50/15 front, 275/60/15 rear.

Interior

The interior features original style seats with rivets and 4-point racing harness seat belts. A racing style dash features Smith gauges, and the pedal box, instruments, quick-release 14-inch steering wheel, and dash accurately replicate the original.

Unique 85th Commemorative Edition GT40® Features

The MKII Shelby GT40®'s will be based on the following cars. Only 85 of each color will be issued.

Car #1, Chassis P/1015: Arcadian Blue, White Stripes/Dark Blue borders, and Dayglo Red Fender Flashes
Car #2, Chassis P/1046: Black with solid Silver Stripes and White Roundels
Car #3, Chassis P/1047 Red with solid White Stripes and Roundels

Features Include:

- Record sale into the Shelby Registry
- Shelby MSO and dash plaque
- Carroll Shelby engraved door handles
- Carroll Shelby etched left and right front headlight covers
- Roundels with 85 number decals
- Leather seating
- Hood wind diffusers
- CS GT40® numbered plaque
- CS GT40® side sill graphics
- Carroll Shelby signature floor and sill mats
- 85th Commemorative hood badge
- 85th Special Edition decal
- Available in right and left hand drive

Available Race Version

While the standard Shelby 85th Commemorative GT40® is as close to a race car as one can get to driving on the street, a race version is also available. This package comes with a roll bar, fuel cell and A/C delete.

Vehicle specifications

Wheelbase: 95"
Length: 163"
Height: 40.5"
Width: 70"
Track (f/r): 57"/56"
Ground Clearance: 4.125" – 4.75"
Curb Weight: 2400 lbs
Weight Distribution: f/r: 40/60%

About Shelby Distribution

Based in Irvine, CA, Shelby Distribution is the official distributor for Shelby continuation cars. Their product lineup includes the CSX4000 Cobra, CSX9000, and the 85th Commemorative GT40. For more information on Shelby continuation cars or to find a dealership, visit www.shelbydistributionusa.com or call 888-SHELBY-USA. The GT40® trademark is owned by Safir GT40 Spares LLC.

Shelby Heaven: Superformance Complete Replicars Open New Showroom

[Via AutoBlog]

Ford Shelby GT40
We are big fans of Superformance Complete Replicars, makers of the Cobra, Daytona Coupe, and GT40 replicas that have the blessing (and licensing agreement) of Carroll Shelby. When we heard they were opening up a new showroom in Irvine, CA, we had to go check it out ourselves. Superformance Complete Replicars have actually been in the same building for the past few years, so the location is nothing new. However, they recently decided to knock down a few walls so that they could store their beautiful and wickedly fast eye candy in something more presentable to the public. On to the photos - check out the huge gallery of photos below and pick out your dream car.


Gallery: Superformance Showroom

New One-Minute NBC Knight Rider Commercial Posted!

This one really got my heart pumping, wow. This is going to be amazing, guns, fast cars, and tons of action. About time, the old 1980's series was dry and boring anyways. Only reason people watched it was for the car, honestly. You know its true. Peace out!



UPDATE (2/12/2008; 19:00: NEW ONE-MINUTE PREVIEW ON YouTube!

New Knight Rider TV Spot on NBC

[Via Jalopnik]
Well, our good friends at Knight Rider Online have the scoop yet again on a new commercial for the new Mustang-ed up Knight Rider mini-series. The show'll be airing on the February 17th. The commercial? From what we understand, that aired last night on Conan O'Brien. The one new bit of info we're able to glean from the 30-seconds of 'stang-love is we get to see KITT's voice modulator for the first time. Oh yay. Want to see the other commercials? They're here, here and here and oh yes, here. We're going to get back to covering the Chicago Auto Show now.
[Via Knight Rider Online]


[Photos From NBC.com]

Barrett-Jackson: Shelby Cobra 427 Sold For $625,000

[Via Jalopnik]
By: Ray Wert


A Shelby Cobra 427 frame-up, concours quality restoration with a sideoiler 427 engine. 11,000 original miles. Never raced. Has the Sunburst wheels with original Blue Dot tires and a spare set of wheels and tires -- and it just sold for $625,000 at the Barrett-Jackson to some guy on the interwebs.

Barrett-Jackson: First 2008 Shelby GT500KR Goes For $550,000

[Via Jalopnik]
By: Ray Wert



The one-off glass-roofed 2008 Shelby GT500KR that's the first off the we showed you this past week, just went for a final sale price of $550,000 after bidding started at a mere $100,000. This despite a custom Fender Stratocaster with a pretty matte black case and all the money going to Edsel Ford's juvenile diabetes charity. We're a wee bit underwhelmed -- despite Dr. McDreamy driving it up to the auction block. OK, we're kidding -- nowe we're wondering what this bodes for the 2008 Dodge Challenger SRT8 #01 that'll be hitting the auction block shortly as the Muscle Car Wars continue to heat up. Maybe if they'd offered it up with Will Arnett it might've made a bigger difference. Nah, probably not. Full BJ from BJ after the jump. Oh, and you want to know who bought it? That's right -- Ron Pratte. That man loves Carroll Shelby.

For the first time in the nearly 40 years, Ford Motor Company and Shelby Automobiles are partnering to build the Shelby GT500 KR in 2008. This new model of the popular Ford Mustang represents a new chapter in the history of the Ford Mustang and the Barrett-Jackson Collector Car Auction. When unveiled at the New York Autoshow in 2007, the car became an instant classic. On January 19th, the first GT500 KR offered for sale to the public will roll across the auction block. This 540hp limited edition Mustang will be one of approximately 1,000 built and the first and only car offered with a new "segment exclusive" feature that will be unveiled during the auction. All proceeds from the sale of this car will be donated to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF). Over the last three years Ford and Barrett-Jackson have raised over $1.8 million dollars for charity through the auction of Ford Motor Company Products. This new model will give the winning bidder an opportunity to contribute to a worthy cause while making automotive history.

Carroll Shelby's Personal 1969 GT500 Coming to Barrett-Jackson Auction Block

[Via AutoBlog]
By Chris Shunk

Carroll Shelby's 1969 Shelby GT500



Carroll Shelby's personal GT500 coming to Barrett Jackson

When the GT500 KR was unveiled at New York this past spring, we pressed Ford's SVT team as to why the SVT badging was absent from their creation. Their answer was so simple and obvious that it bears repeating. A 500 HP SVT Mustang doesn't sell for $30,000 over invoice, but if you add Carroll Shelby's name to it, a killer car becomes an instant sensation. Much of the street cred Shelby currently has was earned during the 1960s, when Carroll took the Mustang from a "secretary's car" to a hot-rod pony car.

Mr. Shelby is apparently too caught up living in the present to give much thought to what he did 40 years ago, as he plans on putting his 1969 Shelby GT500 convertible up for auction in January at Barrett Jackson. The vintage hotrod, which has nearly 70,000 miles on the odometer, is sure to fetch quite a premium over an already valuable '69 owned by some lucky schlep. The great-looking collectible is powered by a 428 Cobra Jet engine and has recently undergone a restoration. If you want to get in on the bidding action, make sure to get a lean on your mortgage, or just show up rich. It's gonna fetch a bundle.

[Source: Shelby via Jalopnik]



[Via Jalopnik]

Carroll Shelby's Personal GT-500 to Be Auctioned Off

With Shelby-mania still at a fever pitch, we can imagine it's getting harder and harder for the uber-wealthy car collector to show up fellow affluent auto aficionados. Thus, we present Carroll Shelby's own 1969 Shelby GT500 convertible. Mr. Shelby apparently drove it extensively, putting nearly 69,725 miles on the 428 Cobra Jet-powered beauty. The car was recently renovated and even comes with an AM-FM stereo radio! The car goes up at the Scottsdale Barrett-Jackson event next January with no reserve, so make sure to bring a checkbook and an extra kidney.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PRESS RELEASE

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. - October 26, 2007 - Carroll Shelby will sell his 1969 GT500 convertible, which he has owned since it was new, at No Reserve during the 37th Annual Barrett-Jackson Collector Car Event on Jan. 12-20, 2008, in Scottsdale, Ariz. It is the only Ford-based Shelby Mustang that he has owned continually since it rolled off the assembly line. The historic muscle car will be showcased during the SEMA show in Las Vegas from Tuesday, Oct. 30 - Friday, Nov. 2, 2007, in the Barrett-Jackson booth (#20765), located in the "Racing and Performance" area of Central Hall at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

"Barrett-Jackson attracts the most important collector cars because it is the greatest stage in the world to buy and sell these fantastic pieces of history," said Barrett-Jackson Auction Company Chairman/CEO Craig Jackson. "Last year, we sold the only 427 Shelby Cobra built specifically for Carroll in Scottsdale and now we have the only Shelby Mustang that he's owned for the past three decades. This is an opportunity to be the second owner of a premier car and purchase it from the man himself on the weekend we celebrate his 85th birthday. This special car will also be a highlight of our SEMA display, which will be more impressive than ever this year."

One of only 246 Ford Shelby GT500 convertibles built in 1969, Mr. Shelby's personal 428 c.i.d. Cobra Jet powered car has only 69,725 miles and came originally equipped with automatic transmission, GT equipment group, white interior and top, intermittent wipers, power steering, power brakes, tilt steering, factory A/C, AM-FM stereo radio, tachometer and trip odometer.

The red convertible was recently restored under the direction of Stephen Becker, a world-renowned collector and broker of vintage Shelby Cobras, GT350s and GT500s. Becker engaged well known and respected Shelby restorer Jim Cowles at Shelby Parts & Restoration in Green Bay, Wisc., to complete a Concours rotisserie freshening of the car.

"The only other Shelby that Carroll has owned longer than this GT500 is the first Cobra, CSX2000," noted Steve Davis, President of the Barrett-Jackson Auction Company. "With its recent restoration by one of the premier shops in the country, this historical GT500 would be a monumental acquisition for any serious collector."

Another car slated for the Barrett-Jackson auction block in Scottsdale that will be featured at SEMA is the one-off 1963 Corvette "Rondine," which will be staged in the AutoWeek booth (#20715). The Pininfarina-bodied concept car was designed by Tom Tjaarda and unveiled at the 1963 Paris Auto Show. Barrett-Jackson will also sponsor the Overhaulin' Studio, where they will display three Scottsdale-bound cars in the silver lot.

"SEMA is a haven for gearheads and the industry's most influential players, making it the ideal venue to showcase our lineup for Scottsdale," added Davis. "Barrett-Jackson has taken enormous strides in the past few months to further establish our position as the world's leading producer of collector car auctions."

Down The Road: Spotted On The Streets!

Ford Mustang Shelby Cobra GT500

Ain't she a beauty... I drove past this car today at the local Ford dealership... I can't get it out of my head. It was just siting outside. I really just wanted to run up to it and hug it, maybe take a few pictures of my own.


What a car BEAST. I want it.

The $3 Million 1967 Shelby GT500 Super Snake

[Via Mustang Evolution]


With the upcoming release of the Shelby GT500 Super Snake many people will have an opportunity to put on of these limited edition Shelby’s inside their garage. It’s quite the opposite for the 1967 Shelby GT500 Super Snake as the person who wins this ebay auction for the only 1967 Shelby GT500 Super Snake ever produced will have the ultimate limited edition Mustang. The 1967 Shelby Super Snake sports a 427ci V8 with 520 horsepower, a 170 mph top speed and unique triple stripes. The ebay auction is set to end in a week.



Ebay Link HERE
1967 Shelby
Shelby GT500 Super Snake The original "one of one"

Vehicle Description

This is the original SuperSnake built in 1967 by Shelby. Shelby built two Cobra SuperSnakes and one GT500 SuperSnake. This is the GT500 SuperSnake. One of the Cobra SuperSnake's recently sold for over 5mil. Well know car with well known history. There are no other ones so if you want the best for your collection you have no others to choose from. This GT500 Is probably the king of all Shelby Mustangs. A normal GT500 has a 428 rated at 355 hp. This car was built at Shelby with a aluminum headed 427 rated at 520 hp. The same engine used in the GT40's that won LeMans. There is a movie from 1967 with Carroll Shelby and his chief engineer Fred Goodell driving this car for a Goodyear tire test and they set a record that day by going 500 miles at a average speed of 142 mph. At one point he was supposedly clocked at 170 mph. The movie can be seen at www.supersnake.org as well as a TV interview about the car with chief engineer Goodell. Featured on page 615 of the Shelby American World Registry. The idea was to build 50 of these cars but at a price of 7500.00 it was just too expensive so only one was built. A 427 Cobra could be bought for less. Many unique features such as it's trademark three stripes. The web site listed has pics of many of the unique features. I believe this is the only Shelby Mustang in 1967 painted with stripes at Shelby. The new 2008 GT500 SuperSnake uses the stripes and name based on this car. Featured in many many books and magazines over the years. Featured on Dreamcar Garage, My Classic Car etc. The video of Carroll driving it in 1967 at www.supersnake.org is well worth watching. This is not someones dolled up fake, this is the real car with plenty of real documentaion.I have a vision of the car in a museum with a large version of the 1967 video playing on a wall behind it.The buyer of the car can also have the website if he or she wishes. My hope is the car goes to a museum or someone that will continue to share it with the public.

Ford GT500KR Goes Into Production, Happy Birthday Carroll Shelby

[Via Jalopnik]



What better way to celebrate the 85th birthday of Carroll Shelby, the man responsible for some of the best American muscle (and the Omni GLH), than with the production of the mean GT500KR? A King of the Road for a King of American Muscle. Works for me. 540 horsepower and 510 ft-lbs of torque for the first 79 years and a six-speed Tremec manual tranny for the last six. Only 1,000 of these sexy beasts will be available, so expect to pay a king's ransom for the privilege.



PRESS RELEASE

FORD SHELBY GT500KR ROARS INTO PRODUCTION ON AUTOMOTIVE LEGEND'S 85TH BIRTHDAY

LAS VEGAS, Jan. 11, 2008 - Automotive legend Carroll Shelby shares his 85th birthday with a new performance standout - the 540-horsepower 2008 GT5000KR, which begins production today.

The GT500KR or "King of the Road" Mustang is the fourth limited-edition Mustang that Shelby Automobiles and Ford have brought to market since resuming their collaboration in 2001. It builds on the performance and success of the 500-horsepower Shelby GT500 - the most powerful production Mustang ever.

The new GT500KR will be available at select Ford dealerships this spring. Production is limited at 1,000 units.

"It is simply magic when Shelby and Ford team up and deliver products like the GT500KR," said Mark Fields, Ford's president, The Americas. "Collaborations like this have helped Mustang remain at the top of the sports car segment for 22 straight years - and running - and help inspire people who truly want and value performance."

Carroll Shelby, who was actively involved in the GT500KR's development, said: "My energy and passion for performance products has always been strongest when I am working with Ford. I'm always looking to up the ante when it comes to performance, and bringing back the 'King of the Road' Mustang is just what we need."



Delivering the "King of the Road"

Each Shelby GT500KR begins life as a GT500, built at AutoAlliance International Inc., in Flat Rock, Mich. From there, the cars are shipped to Shelby Automobile's facility in Las Vegas, where a Ford Racing performance pack, exhaust system and short-throw shifter are installed. The GT500KR also is fitted with body, chassis and interior components. Every GT500KR will be hand customized and delivered to each customer in an enclosed transporter, just like the legendary Ford GT.

To fine-tune the GT500KR's chassis - stiffened 50 percent to deliver increased body control - SVT engineers and Shelby put the GT500KR through a rigorous testing program developed specially for SVT products, including a 12-hour racetrack durability test. The result is a car with increased performance capability that is still comfortable to drive on the street.

The GT500KR's aerodynamics were fine-tuned to add 50 pounds of downforce over the front axle and move the center of aero pressure forward in the vehicle to improve high-speed balance and downforce under high-speed braking. A new front splitter design works with the hood and revised rear spoiler to deliver these benefits. The bottom line: the GT500KR sets new performance standards for Mustang handling and straight-line performance on the racetrack, slalom course and skidpad.

"Because the Shelby GT500 strikes a great balance between ride and handling, we knew that the GT500KR had to be even better," said Jamal Hameedi, chief engineer at Ford SVT. "We used a holistic approach, having chassis engineers work closely with the engine specialists to develop a tuning suspension that optimizes the engine enhancements."

Added Gary Davis, vice president production for Shelby Automobiles: "We aren't fixing our attention on one or two attributes, but working on the vehicle as a whole. The throttle response, power delivery, exhaust note and handling all work together to deliver a great total driving experience."

To deliver that balance, the ride height has been lowered to the optimum setting for limit handling, which equates to a 20 mm ride height reduction in the front and 15 mm in the rear.

The Shelby GT500KR team sculpted a modern interpretation of the original's bulging hood scoop, a visual indication of the extra horsepower packed beneath it. The hood is secured by a pair of stainless steel, twist-down hood pins.

To save weight, the hood borrows design elements from the ducted aluminum/carbon fiber clamshell on the Ford GT. Developed through intensive use of analytical tools including Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) and Finite Element Analysis (FEA), the design optimizes the structural properties of carbon fiber delivering panels at a wafer-thin 0.8 mm. The hood saves 15 pounds versus its aluminum counterpart in the GT500.

Unlike most traditional designs, the hood has three components: the outer panel, an integrated airflow duct which spans the entire hood and the inner panel. The duct serves three purposes: to channel supplemental fresh air into the new cold air intake, to relieve high-speed underhood pressure and to move air from the front intake and engine compartment to the rear extractors.

The Shelby GT500KR will ride on all-new Goodyear tires, which make their North American debut exclusively on this new Mustang. The Supercar F1 tire, made of a new performance compound, resulted from a special collaboration between SVT and Goodyear.

Each GT500KR model is identified by a special 40th Anniversary badge on the fenders and grille, distinctive body colored mirror caps and Shelby lettering stretching across the front of the hood and along the rear portion of the deck lid. a special Shelby VIN tag is affixed to each vehicle, mounted in the engine compartment.

The all-leather interior features Carroll Shelby signature embroidered headrests and an official Shelby CSM 40th Anniversary GT500KR dash plate mounted at the top of the center stack.

Other standard equipment includes HID headlamps, an interior ambient lighting package, wrapped and stitched instrument panel, center console and armrests, as well as an electrochromic rearview mirror. Optional equipment includes a Shaker 1000 audio system and DVD navigation system.
The GT500KR's 5.4-liter V-8 Gets the Royal Treatment

Just like its namesake, the 1968 GT500KR, the 2008 "King of the Road" packs a walloping dose of Ford performance. The Ford SVT-engineered 5.4-liter supercharged V-8 is enhanced with a Ford Racing Power Upgrade Pack that boosts horsepower to an estimated 540-hp and torque to 510 ft.-lbs. The added power comes thanks to revised ignition and throttle calibration and a cold air intake system that replaces the stock unit. The Shelby GT500KR cold air intake seal was designed in unison with the new carbon fiber hood to prevent hot engine compartment air from reaching the air intake.

Calibration modifications include advancing the ignition timing as well as re-mapping the electronic throttle settings to provide quicker throttle response for better off-line and mid-range acceleration. Increased throttle response will be met with a sharper roar from the Ford Racing-inspired exhaust system.

Power is delivered to the rear wheels through a Tremec TR6060 six-speed manual transmission and 3.73:1 rear axle ratio, compared with the GT500's 3.31:1.

To perform optimally on track and during performance driving, the Shelby GT500KR has been fitted with an elevated axle vent reservoir to prevent axle fluid expulsion. Gear selection is courtesy of an all-new Ford Racing short-throw shifter making its debut on the GT500KR. Topped with a white ball, the new shifter throws are 25 percent shorter than the unit on the GT500 providing for crisper, sharper shifts. [Source: Ford]