-
Period: to
Lifetime of Carroll Shelby
The long life of Carroll Shelby -
He begins Air Force Training.
Begins training at Lackland Air Force Base near San Antonio TX. As a flight instructor, he did not leave the U.S. during WWll. -
Marrage
Carroll Shelby marries Jeanne fields. -
First race
Carroll drives his first race, a quarter mile drag meet, driving a hot rod fitted with a flathead Ford. -
First Road Race
At Norman, Oklahoma, Carroll drives in his first road race behind the wheel of a MG-TC. He won again against the faster Jaguar XK 120s. -
Shelby School of High Performance Driving
Shelby opens the Shelby School of High Performance Driving at Riverside Raceway. -
Finds a source of chassis for his own cars.
After learning that AC Cars in England has lost its source for engines for its two-seater, Shelby asks the company keep building the chassis for a special Shelby sports car to be powered by an American V8. -
AC Cars show interest in the idea and Shelby finds a Ford V8
AC Cars show interest in Shelby's idea. Shelby learns about Ford's new 221ci small-block and contacts Ford explaining his need for a V8. -
The first body is delivered and the car is built.
The first roadster body is air freighted to Shelby's shop in Southern California. A four-speed is installed in the chassis, and Shelby and friend Dean Moon test drive the new Cobra. -
Shelby American is founded and starts production
Shelby-American begins operations -
Display and commitment
The first Cobra, CSX 2000, is painted pearlescent yellow and sent to the New York Auto Show for the Ford display. Dealers take interest and begin ordering. Shelby-American commits to building its new Cobra. -
Test drives and built for competition
Shelby promotes his Cobra by offering test drives to the automotive press. CSX 2000 is repainted a different color each time a different magazine test drives it, giving the appearance of many cars in production. CSX 2002 is air freighted to Los Angeles and built into the first competition Cobra. -
First Race for the Cobra
Shelby-American enters the Cobra in its first race, but breaks a rear hub and does not finish. -
Beating the competition
Dave MacDonald and Ken Miles drive Cobras to first and second place beating the Corvette Stingrays. -
First American car to win a FIA race
Dan Gurney wins at Bridgehampton in a Cobra to become the first American driver to win an FIA race in an American car. -
Cobra wins the USRRC
The Cobra wins the United States Road Racing Championship. -
Beating Ferrari's
At Sebring in the prototype class, Cobras for the first time beat Ferrari GTOs. -
Ford wants Shelby's help
Ford asks Shelby to develop a high-performance Mustang fastback. -
First Shelby and Ford cars are built
The first '65 Shelby Mustang GT350 race and street cars are built. -
Ford gives the GT-40 project to Shelby-American
Shelby-American begins its move to Los Angeles International Airport facility. Ford turns its GT-40 project over to Shelby-American. -
Ford gives the GT-40 project to Shelby-American
Shelby-American begins its move to Los Angeles International Airport facility. Ford turns its GT-40 project over to Shelby-American. -
Shelby Racing closes
Shelby Automotive Racing Company closes. -
Ford end racing agreement with Shelby
Ford ends its racing agreement with Shelby. -
Shelby goes to South Africa
Carroll Shelby takes a leave of absence spends time in South Africa. -
Chili?
Shelby and the members of the World Chili Cook offs create the International Chili Society. -
International Chili
Shelby creates his own Chili Powder and markets it internationally "Carroll Shelby's Original Texas Brand Chili Preparation-little brown packets of flour and spices promising to "shake the meanness out of the most ornery, leather-mouthed chili-head that ever was born." -
Teamwork with Dodge
Carroll Shelby teams up again with Lee Iacocca and Chrysler to create the Dodge products. -
First reveals
Prototype Dodge Shelby Chargers are built and displayed. -
Sells the chili to Kraft
Carroll sells the Carroll Shelby Chili Mix to Kraft -
The Viper is thought
Shelby envisions and begins prototype work on a Dodge sports car, which later becomes the "Viper." -
The Viper visits the DAS
The Viper is first shown at the Detroit Automobile Show. -
Heart transplant
Shelby receives a heart transplant. -
Starts a charity
Shelby starts the Carroll Shelby Heart Fund to help finance organ transplants children in need. -
Inducted into the International Motor Sports Hall of Fame
Shelby inducted into International Motor Sports Hall of Fame. -
Creates his own car
Shelby designs and manufactures the Shelby Series 1 sports car. -
Most significant car of the last 50 years
Shelby Cobra CSX2000 named Motor Trend magazine's most significant car of the last 50 years. Remake of the movie Gone in 60 Seconds uses a modified '67 Shelby GT500 look-alike as the automotive star, "Eleanor." -
New Ford Shelby car introduced
Ford Shelby GR-1 concept introduced -
GT500 Intruduced
Shelby GT500 introduced at New York International Auto Show -
The first 2007 GT500 is auctioned for $600,000
The First 2007 Ford Shelby GT 500 was auctioned at the Barrett-Jackson Car Auction and raised $600,000 for the Carroll Shelby Foundation. -
CSX3015 is sold for $5 million
CSX3015 Shelby Super Snake was sold for a record breaking $5 Million at the Barrett-Jackson Auction -
Creation ofShelby Performance Parts Company
Shelby Automobiles announces the creation of Shelby Performance Parts Company -
Birthday Paryt
Carroll Shelby celebrates his 85th Birthday with 800 of his closest friends at the Las Vegas Shelby Bash Shelby American introduces the 2008 Shelby KR. -
Lifetime achievment
Carroll Shelby was presented with the lifetime achievement award as the Automotive Executive of the Year in Detroit. -
Another award
Carroll Shelby Honored with Lifetime Achievement Award. Automotive News, presented the 2011 Keith Crain/Automotive News. Lifetime Achievement Award to Carroll Shelby at the Washington Auto Show in Washington, D.C. -
Death
Carroll Hall Shelby, a man whose vision for performance transformed the automobile industry, died at age 89, in Dallas TX.