When Carroll Shelby learned of the large number of vehicles that car enthusiasts Steve Volk and brothers Bill and Dave Murray had collected, he suggested putting together a museum. And so in 1996, they did.
With over 40 cars, the Shelby American Collection houses the most significant collection of Shelby American race cars and memorabilia ever assembled.... from factory 289 and 427 racing Cobras to GT 350R's and GT40's. Many of these original vehicles have been restored to their pristine condition. One mustang, for example, was rescued in 1991 from an open-air shed in Mexico where it had languished for over 16 years. There are also many prototypes, trophies, items from the drivers and crew, artwork and other car-related things of interest.
Throughout his driving career, Carroll Shelby (1923 - 2012) nurtured the idea of developing an American sports car to compete with Europe's best. He had raced the finest foreign sports cars available and was convinced he could design a car to match them.
When a heart problem forced him to give up being a driver in 1959, he began pursing that dream. The result was the Cobra, which combined a lightweight British chassis with a powerful American V-8 engine. These were some of the fastest production cars ever made. The 427 Cobra could go from zero to 100 miles per hour and back to zero in 13.8 seconds! The Cobras began racing in earnest in 1963, winning American and eventually international competitions. Shelby also created the Shelby GT 350 and GT 500 Mustangs.
An overview of the museum in the large warehouse
A looping video of a race filled the large room with the roar of car engines.
A wall of history
This ivy-green metallic 1966 Shelby Mustang GT350S is the only one of its kind. It is a prototype and the only one at the time to be painted a color other than Wimbledon White.
In 1963 when the Ford Motor Company decided to get into sports car racing, they thought it would be easier to just buy Ferrari rather than have to build their own cars. But Enzo Ferrari declined their proposal. So, unable to join them, Ford decided to beat them. On April 1, 1964, the first Ford GT 40 was introduced... but it had massive problems. In 1965, Shelby joined the team and turned things around. This Mk IV Racing Coupe J-7 was built in 1967. While this specific vehicle didn't win (it was crashed while being driven by Mario Andretti when a front brake locked up), Ford did end up beating Ferrari... twice.
The CSX 2137 Factory Team Cobra LeMans Roadster has over 40 modifications from the standard Cobra. In September 1963, it was the first American car driven by an American driver to win the FIA World Sportscar Championship (the world series for sports car racing from 1953 to 1992).
In 1964, Shelby worked with the Rootes Group of England to build the Sunbeam Tiger prototype. This B9470035 Tiger is one of seven competition cars built for international rallies. Of the five that exist today, four are in England. This one was imported in the late 1990's and restored.
This 1963 Falcon Sedan Delivery served as an all purpose vehicle for Shelby American Inc. It can also bee seen in the movie "Killers" (1964) starring Ronald Regan.
The 1964 CSX 2537 289 Roadster was sold as one of two "Slalom Snakes" built for autocross or high performance street driving. Its price at the time: $5,995.
Only 50 2012 Mustang Cobra Jets (the big car in the back!) were produced. The asking price: $91,990... with an optional graphics package ($1,995) and an optional Supercharger upgrade ($9,995).
Considered the rarest of all Cobras, this 1964 CSX 2345 is the only FIA Roadster of 5 built to survive intact. It is completely unrestored and is the sole remaining original-condition example of a Cobra Team car of any type.... and it still runs strong!
This was sport of men. ...
... Women were merely a means to sell a vehicle...
... and its accessories.
This feature came standard on many of the racing cars. It was a quick way to shut off the entire electrical system, to help prevent fires or explosions.
A gas cap
Half a windshield... because the passenger probably doesn't really want to clearly see what's about to happen!
Leather straps hold down the hood.
Ooooh... what does the red button do!?
From certain angles, these cars look really angry!
Uh... buddy, that's an axe you're holding. I'm not a mechanic but I don't think that's one of the standard tools for fixing an engine.
Wow! A woman doing more than just posing!
A collection of items from Shelby's garage
There were several display cases filled with all sorts of wonderful things...
... such as Shelby's famous chili mix or Pit Stop - "A real man's deodorant."
Many small models, complete with a miniature race car driver figurine...
... and an action photographer!
We circled the museum a few times. It was hard to absorb all the information and stories! But with a entry price of only $5, it would be easy to come back for another visit.
A little AC Bristol had pulled up next to us to also visit the museum.
