Carroll Shelby - the life path of a great racer and designer

2024 Author: Henry Conors | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-12 02:40

Ford Mustang GT-350 and GT-500 strikes with its magnificence. Many films have been made about the creation and designers of this memorable vehicle. Carroll Shelby is a legendary man who in many ways defined an entire era of life in America.

Biography

Carroll Hall Shelby was born on January 11, 1923 in Leesburg. He became world famous after creating versions of Ford cars. At one time he founded a company that is still operating today. She specializes in the sale of modified Ford cars, and is also engaged in tuning.

Carroll's father was a rural postman, and his mother was a housewife. As a child, Shelby spent a lot of time lying in bed, as he was diagnosed with heart valve problems at the age of seven. Only by the age of fourteen did he alth improve. Shelby later says he outgrew his he alth issues.

Carroll Shelby: personal life

The famous designer married more than once and has several children.

List of Carroll Shelby's wives and children:

• Jeanne Fields. He married her on December 18, 1943. A year after the marriage, their first child was born -girl Sharon Ann. The couple also had two more sons - Michael Hall and Patrick Burt. After seventeen years of marriage, the couple decided to divorce.
• Cleo Patricia Margarita became the second wife of Carroll Shelby on September 3, 1997. He lived with her until his death. They did not have common children.

Carroll Shelby: life before racing

Immediately after graduating from school, the future world famous racer was drafted into the army. While still attending middle school, Shelby practiced driving skills in his first Willys car. In the United States Army, Carroll got into aviation and even participated in World War II as a flight instructor and test pilot.

After the end of the war, Shelby tried to do different businesses, not shying away from anything. Tried to raise chickens and sell oil. Yet his true passion was racing.

Profession of racer

At first, Carroll played in tournaments as an amateur. The beginning of his career coincided with the birth of the racing championships in the United States. For the first time he legally got behind the wheel of a car in competitions at the age of twenty-nine. And two years later he received the status of a professional Carroll Shelby. A career as a racing driver was easy for him to build, as this is exactly what he always dreamed of doing. In one of the interviews, he said that it was just luck, he was lucky to be in the right place at the right time.

In the near future, teams such as Aston Martin, Maserati, wanted to be their pilotCarroll Shelby. His photos were regularly published in magazines, and one of them gave him the title of "Best Racer".

In America, the championships were not paid, as they were considered amateur. Therefore, Carroll began to participate in European. Together with his partner Roy S altvadori, in 1959 he won first place in the twenty-four hour race in an Aston Martin car. And from 1958 to 1959 he was a member of Formula 1.

During his life, Shelby set about sixteen American and international records. He also participated in eight world championships and several commercial.

In December 1960, the final race of Carroll Shelby's career took place. To participate in it, his choice was on the brand of car "Maserati". He finished fifth in the race. However, Carroll Shelby won the championship of the year and retired with a victory in his hands.

Profession designer

At the age of 37, Shelby's he alth deteriorated. Carroll could no longer afford to race. However, he could not give up the main love of his life - cars.

Returning to America, he organized a driving school and the Shelby-American company. Having received permission, he took up the transportation of English racing cars manufactured by AC Motors. At his company, he changed the original engine to a Ford engine and presented to the public a new car for American motorists - Shelby (or Shelby Conra).

AfterAfter a successful partnership, Ford entrusted Carroll Shelby to improve one of its models. "Mustang", which is beautiful in everything, did not have a sporty image. This was the task set before Shelby, with which he successfully coped. At a purpose-built factory in the suburbs of Los Angeles, about two hundred Shelby GT 350s were produced per month, subsequently participating in competitions with success.

After the completion of cooperation with Ford, Carroll Shelby took part in the development of other car brands, namely Dodge, Chrysler and Oldsmobile. This period of time marked the end of the era of muscle cars. Therefore, Shelby began to work on the creation of a light but powerful car. And the unsurpassed Dodge Viper is born. This car is still relevant and does not leave anyone indifferent.

In 2003, Carroll Shelby reconnects with Ford. At the same time, he founded his company. For Ford, he provided technical advice on the Ford GT project.

Death

In 1994, Shelby underwent a heart transplant. A couple of years later, the kidney was replaced. The donor was his son. And despite all the deterioration of his he alth, he remained the same excellent racer and philanthropist.

Carroll Shelby passed away on May 10, 2012 in Dallas. With the death of this man, an entire era in the automotive industry ended. Firms foundedCarroll Shelby, are functioning perfectly today, releasing many models designed by the great designer.