The Complete Book of Shelby Cars

[Shadowjake]

Just found this book online and it is pretty cool. Thought I'd share.


The Complete Book of Shelby Automobiles (http://books.google.com/books?id=AG_qCEWfMFsC&lpg=PA209&ots=k5mDv6IIvI&dq=stock%20intercooler%20inlet%20shelby%20dodge&pg=PA11#v=onepage&q&f=true)

[30 PSI SHADOW]

nice but its not even close to being complete as we know...

[cordes]

nice but its not even close to being complete as we know...

Agreed. That was pretty cool, but I'm more than a little disappointed.

[168glhs1986]

I'm a huge Shelby Fan but the book is far from "complete"

[88CSX-T]

I didn't look too closely, but is there anything about the 1980's Shelby's in there?

[glhs0075]

There is a short chapter about the Dodge era in it. Better than nothing!

[88CSX-T]

:mecry: Are our cars not worthy Shelby's? :mecry:

[PentastarBooster]

I have the book and I like it overall, but was also very disappointed at the brief coverage of the Shelby Dodge vehicles. It is very detailed about Carroll Shelby himself, and the history and development of the Cobras, Cobra Daytonas, and Shelby Mustangs. However, "Section III" of the book, covering the Shelby Dodge vehicles, is very sparse and incomplete in my opinion. It only runs 14 pages out of the 257 total pages in the book, and this includes several pages on the Dodge Viper and a page on the 1989 Shelby-Dodge Can Am cars. Just 8 pages cover the front-wheel-drive Shelby Dodges and the Shelby Dakota truck. Much of these 8 pages are taken up by pictures and advertisements of the vehicles. While it is briefly mentioned, there is no picture of the 1988 CSX-T. I would have at least expected a Thrifty Car Rental advertisement featuring the car to be included. There is also no mention of the 1999 Shelby SP 360 Durango (admittedly an obscure Shelby Dodge, but after all, the book is named The Complete Book of Shelby Automobiles). Much more detailed information could have been included from such sources as interviews with former employees of Shelby Automobiles Inc., articles and pictures from Shelby Times (the short-lived magazine that was published by Shelby in the mid-1980's), and information from other automotive magazine reviews and articles on the Shelby Dodges.

However, the author is very accurate about the information and specifications of the Shelby Dodge vehicles that are included (to the best of my knowledge). He also correctly differentiates between the numbered Whittier-produced Shelbys and the Shelby-inspired Chrysler-produced Shelbys. The author also has a complementary, respectful, and class attitude toward the Shelby Dodge cars, which I appreciate. Some quotes that illustrate this include (when referencing a picture of a 1987 GLHS): "An incredibly well-preserved 1987 Charger GLHS. Most are not this lucky and were driven hard, put away wet, and eventually wrecked or discarded. Thankfully, there is a reasonably large following for these pocket rockets now, and many are being saved and loved as as the pieces of Shelby history they are." Another great quote is: "Taken out of context, many may find the Shelby name affixed to these cars somewhat of a joke, a marketing scam if you will. But in actuality, these were cars built with significant input from Shelby and very true to the principles that the Shelby American company of the 1960s was built on- adding affordable performance into otherwise boring production cars. The Shelby Dodges introduced a whole generation to the Shelby legend and, along with way, gave Chrysler's performance division back the image it so desperately needed in the dark days of the K-Cars." While I don't agree with the author that period of the K-Cars were "dark days", his overall attitude toward the Shelby Dodge vehicles is refreshing positive and enlightened.

[Reaper1]

Any mention of the Shelby Viper? Those are very rare as well, but they DO exist! There's a guy that goes to Carlisle that has a Shelby Durango SP360 that tows a Shelby Viper, both are the same badge number!

[PentastarBooster]

Any mention of the Shelby Viper? Those are very rare as well, but they DO exist! There's a guy that goes to Carlisle that has a Shelby Durango SP360 that tows a Shelby Viper, both are the same badge number!


There is a 3-page chapter (half of which is pictures) that covers Carroll Shelby's involvement with the development of the Viper. The initial Viper concept car was first introduced at the 1989 North American Auto Show, and he was there promoting it. He was also involved in the corporate proposal, approval, and development of the Viper. There isn't a reference to a "Shelby Viper", however. There are several press kit pictures of a prototype Viper that was the Pace Car for the 1991 Indianapolis 500. Carroll was the Pace Car driver. The book refers to the Viper as the "modern Cobra".

I did a quick search on Google for "Shelby Viper", and found there were a small number of Vipers that were specially modified by a company called "Fitzgerald Motorsports", which was authorized by Carroll Shelby (the owner was said to be a good friend of Carroll Shelby). It was named the Viper R/T10 CS, also known as the "Shelby Viper". For more information, including a scanned brochure about the car, see this link: http://www.shelbyforums.com/forums/shelby-dodge/5589-i-understand-there-were-about-50-a.html

[Reaper1]

The red coupe is 1-of-1. From what I understand it *may* have once been owned by Lars Ulrich (Metallica's drummer).

[PentastarBooster]

I found an additional article about the Viper RT/10 CS cars: Viper RT/10CS (http://clubs.hemmings.com/clubsites/shelby-dodge/viper-rt_10cs.html)

[Reaper1]

That article has the red one I was talking about! SWEET!

[ShelGame]

I think the subtitle says it all - 'Cobras, Mustangs and Super Snakes'...

[contraption22]

The red coupe is 1-of-1. From what I understand it *may* have once been owned by Lars Ulrich (Metallica's drummer).

That's the one that was at SDAC Hagerstown.