Have you met Carroll Shelby?

Randall,

I'd met Carroll several dozen times over the years, the first time while I was maybe 8 or 9 (I'm pushing 50 next year), can't exactly remember the venue, but I do remember he left a lasting impression Fast forward to when I was 14 and bumped into him again at an airport in the west. The rest of the venues were all at SAAC or various race or auction events throughout the years....Again, he always left a favorable lasting impression B)

Ornery, cantankerous, with a tell it like it is attitude (when he was younger ). He will be missed by all.


Bill S.

 

The last time I spoke with Carroll Shelby was last year at the Rolex Reunion at Laguna Seca in the paddock. The attached pictures (if it works) are from that meeting. He signed the back of my name badge. I'm also the current VP of Norcal Region SAAC.

 

Saw him at SAAC11. My wife got his autograph while going up the elevator with him. He was going up to the lounge on top of the hotel.
Met him at the Indiana SAAC Spring Fling the year he drove the Viper pace car. A Indy decored Dodge min van showed up in the middle of the show. Out pops Carroll. They let him sit under a canope to sigh autographs of stuff. When the line went down, he stood up and said "let's go sign some cars". And he did. Including my 67 GT 350. He was happy to talk photos with every car owner.
And I saw him at SAAC 29, riding through the pits checking out all the Shelbys and other high performance cars. He was sure a car guy.

 

SAAC 29 - He signed my radio delete plate -

 

I have met Carroll Shelby quit a few times. Thanks to Carroll, I started a New Business January 1, 1999, MUSTANG F/X. After working with one of his Attorney's for almost 2 Years, Contracts were signed and I began production on the "Tribute Edition Shelby" Mustangs. My goal was to get the "SHELBY" Name back on the Mustang where it belonged and hopefully to get Carroll Shelby building Shelby Mustangs again. I've met with Carroll (and Cleo) several times at SAAC & MCA Shows over the years. He was always nice and happy to answer any questions I had. I will always remember Him as a Good Friend and Business Partner.

David Hawkins

 

My wife and I were in Fl. in March of 1998 or 99, when Carroll was the honored guest of the mer. benz club. I had taken the sun visor down with us, and he signed it on the golf course . At the time he was in a golf cart with his wife, who I think came from England. I think she had a large house, & number of english collectable cars. I still have the sun visor in my 68 --500 . Carroll and his wife were very nice people to talk to. My wife was inpressed .---S.

 

I met Carroll Shelby in an elevator at a Dearborn convention (SAAC-8?). I thanked him for creating the fun cars we all so love to drive. I also had him sign my owners manual in the days before he started charging for the signature. I think it might have been the same convention.

 

I met him twice. The first time was at Willow Springs where he signed 6s081's glovebox, and the second was at one of his birthday bashes at the Petersen Museum. Both times he was very gracious and in no rush to move on. I always remembered he was very approachable and willing to spend time talking about the cars we love.

Jay

 

Does getting his autograph at a SAAC event in Charlotte count?

 

I met him at Mid-Ohio during track day for the SAAC convention, the year that had the show in Michigan and the track event in Ohio. Strange event, I think it was SAAC 15?

 

It was in Detroit as he was setting up a Shelby display in the Sixties at Cobo Hall

Can't remember if it was '65 or '66, but I was walking along the street some miles away from Cobo Hall convention center , minding my own business, when a brunette in a red 427 Cobra with white side pipes came ripping around the corner in a two wheel drift and pulled up to me and asked me"You --which way is Cobo Hall?" I said I'd tell her if she gave me a ride there and I got in and strapped myself in and she floored it, going North on the John C. Lodge xway and I shouted out it was the other way and she exited and re-entered the freeway going South and shot downtown and we got the right exit and pulled up and there was Cobo Hall. I went inside with her and she introduced me to Shelby, who was in a suit, and Phil Remington and Ak Miller, referring all questions to them. Of course I didn't have any questions, I hadn't expected to meet them, but anyway Shelby was friendly, and modest in demeanor. I'd like to know what happened to that hard-drivin' gal, Pat Merone...I think I remember her a little bit more than Shelby...

 

I was fortunate to meet Mr. Shelby on several occasions ....

The first time was at SAAC 29 (Michigan International Speedway). I had gotten in line to have my owners manuals and my copy of The Cobra Story signed. Mr. Shelby identified my manuals as originals and promptly asked if I owned the Shelbys that matched these manuals. When I said I did, he wanted to know if they were here (at SAAC 29). I said only one was. Mr. Shelby said he would be by to see it later, and he did .... he cruised up in a golf cart and got out to look at all the Shelbys lined up in the show and shine area. If you opened the door of your car, Mr. Shelby sat behind the wheel for a few moments and talked about the cars or the old days. I wish I had offered him the keys. It was a wonderful day ....

 

First time I met him was in 2008 in Terlingua, Texas. He was there will Bill Neale, Bob Bondurant and Tom Yeager as well as the staff from SAI, He was so laid back and he was in a great mood the whole weekend. My brother and I even had dinner with him and his staff one night.

Met him several more times since then and it was always a crapshoot as to how he felt and acted. I sat behind him at the bash last year and he was NOT a happy camper.

http://i232.photobucket.com/albums/ee147/sportscars2001/Terlingua%202008/CSdinner1.jpg

 

Met him at SAAC-25

Maybe he was not amused to see me, but I behaved, really!

Later that evening he threw his watch into the audience at the banquet, because they did not instantly bid on it (it was meant to be raffled off for the good case. Maybe he just had a bad day.

 

Ann and I first got to met Carroll and Cleo at "Saac Does Vegas" Feb, 2004. We were watching the open track sessions when Carroll rode up in the "shelby" golf cart. Got photos of Ann with Carroll there at the track. Later during the event had him sign a visor off of #225 and we spent 15 minutes talking with Cleo, while Carroll signed more autographs. Sure wished our car was at the event, after I saw Carroll taking photos with other owners cars. I thought that would just be the ultimate. Did have a chance to show him pictures of #225 though and He was pleased.

Jump ahead to July 3th, 2005 , SAAC-30 in Riverside, CA. This time we had our car at the event, but hadn't been able ask Carroll for a photo. Carroll had been to all the events all weekend, and rumors were that he was wore out and wouldn't attend on sunday There went our chance to get a photo with the car. We were walking through the car show voting, when a Cadillac showed up slowly cruising up and down the aisles. I told Ann how I disliked the idea of someone driving down through all the rows of Shelby cars. "Who would let this car in here?" As the car got closer, we realized it was Carroll and Cleo, cruising the car show. The car stopped to talk with another person who asked for an autograph, which Carroll signed, while we talked with Cleo. When he was done signing, I asked if it would be possible to get a photo of him with our car. He begged off, saying "I better not, if I start, I may never get out of here." I replied "we understand, that's fine. Have a good afternoon." As he drove off, he asked "Which car is it?", and I replied "the purple 68 350". Ann and I started walking back toward our car which was a couple of rows away, lamenting how close we had come to getting "the" photo. A few minutes after arriving at our car, suddenly the Caddy rolled up and Carroll jumped out and said "Let's take it quick!" So we got our photo of Carroll with #225. We even got Cleo in one of the photos with Carroll and our car. As Cleo was getting back into the car, she told Ann "I just love the color" (the lady has good taste!) We won our class that day too, but the real trophy was our photo of Carroll with the car.

It was mentioned in someone elses post that "Carroll was simply a car guy". I can't agree more! Why else would he be idling around the show field looking at Shelby cars? It isn't like he hadn't seen them hundreds of times before.
Happy memories!
Ray and Ann

 

Correction to my previous post.
After reviewing photos, Carroll was driving a Lincoln, not a Caddy! Phew! that would have been hard to explain to FORD..

 

Four of us attended 'SAAC Does Vegas' in about 2000. There was a evening dinner at Race Rock Cafe which Mr. Shelby attended. He made a point to visit every table during the course of the evening and spoke to each of us. He was gracious and seemed to really appreciated that everyone was there. The next day was at SAI and we each had an opportunity to have something signed by him. Really created a great memory for all of us.

 

I met Carroll at the concourse de elegance at Stanford.
There was a meet and greet. I asked him to sign my Shelby shirt.
He signed the front patch but did not like it because you could not see it very well
so he spun me around and signed the back. Very personable person that
seemed interested in everyone he talked to.