Top 6 Significant Shelbys

[GLHS0136]

Not sure if this was posted somewhere already, but here's a brief article by Road & Track recognizing the GLHS as one of Carroll's most significant cars. The GLHS is in good company among the GT350/500, Daytona, Cobra and Series 1.

 

Robert

 

http://www.roadandtrack.com/go/car-culture/six-significant-shelbys-1399667433

[QuickSilverShelby]

There were correct on their first four picks but they really missed the mark on the GLHS (sorry GLHS0136) and the Series 1. Carroll Shelby is and always will be associated with Ford. Throwing a Dodge and Chevy product in there is sacrilege (jmho). Sure the GLHS and the Series 1 are both significant but in terms of "legendary" or "important" to the Shelby heritage, they are way, way down the list of what is significant/important/valuable. I can quickly think of 10 cars that should be in position # 5 and #6 on that list way ahead of the GLHS and the Series 1.

 

QSS

[GLHS0136]

No worries QSS. I have had and still do own Fords, GM and Dodge. I do not get hung up on brands other than these are all Shelbys and they were all great performers in their classes in their own day and time that were unmatched. Remember, the GLHS could rival supercars in its day as could a Supercharged Series 1 when a leading magazine covered it as one of the worlds fastest production cars during a supercar shootout that only a 911 Turbo could match.

[ITHERTZ66]

When labeling a certain model as "significant" I wonder what the criteria for significance or importance includes? Without Ford, Shelby would not be famous. That being said the 65 GT350, Cobra and Daytona coupe are as significant as they come. They were winners, and they had a winning TEAM. Ford gave CS virtually unlimited financial resources to build cars and a team that would win championships. CS and his team made history with these cars and this is what made his name legendary. However, the book on CS would have ended right there if it wasn't for the 66 GT350H that put America behind the driver's seat of a Shelby and bank rolled the company into infamy. Hertz helped again in 2006 by rebooting the Shelby/Ford partnership building the first Shelby Mustang in over 35 years!! If that isn't significant, I don't know what is.

[rare_ram]

It is ignorant to discount the effect that the GHLS had. At a time when hotrodding had left the building Lee Iaccoca got his friend to pump up Dodge and they beat the old GT350s in every way, ask Hot Rod Magazine. Shelby had his hand in many more street Dodges than Fords. I think history will show the Turbo Dodge cars have there place in auto history. When I got into cars the restored Model As and Ts where all that mattered and the muscle cars where disposable trash. I too love all cars, not so much non-American, but big 3 and have owned all brands. I was the one years ago that contacted Amy to get this section set up for the Mopar guys when this site was still a Mustang site and was being converted to Team Shelby. She assured me that us TD guys where a welcome part of Shelby history and I think we are.

[QuickSilverShelby]

It is ignorant to discount the effect that the GHLS had.

I just don't think the GLHS is in the top 6 "legendary" or "important" cars that Carroll had his hand in. Sure the GLHS is important, maybe top 20 important but definitely not the top 6. Yes I've been called worse than ignorant but that's just my cruddy ole opinion on the GLHS.

 

QSS

[rare_ram]

Well, Carroll always had a soft spot for the 86 GHLS. I'm a crusty old man too and I get crap from the young Honda boys at work for driving Turbo Mopars. But all I say is SHELBY.

[glhs0075]

It's all a matter of personal perspective. For me, the GLHS is easily The most siginifcant Shelby vehicle, with places 2 through 6 being filled in by the Omni GLH, Dodge Shelby Charger, CSX-VNT, Dakota, and Lancer.

[rare_ram]

I'm very proud to have a piece of Shelby 80s history.

[glhs0075]

Me too Robert. I have a tendancy to jest or be sarcastic about it, but in reality I think the Shelbys of the 80's are just as significant as the Shelbys of the 60's. I am extremely proud that I am lucky enough to be the caretaker to two Whittier cars. 80's Shelbys are tons of fun and great value. They raced in SCCA and IMSA, they should not be underestimated or forgotten.

[QuickSilverShelby]

It's all a matter of personal perspective. For me, the GLHS is easily The most siginifcant Shelby vehicle, with places 2 through 6 being filled in by the Omni GLH, Dodge Shelby Charger, CSX-VNT, Dakota, and Lancer.

I feel the love.

 

QSS

[GLHS0136]

Its all good guys Our cars all have the same DNA, and those not listed in the article are certainly significant. Save the sibling rivalry for the track .

[Larry T]

All Shelby's are great but the GT-H program ranks right up there with the 80's Shelby cars for a rebirth of the Shelby brand.

[johnnyBquick]

I was a Shelby Mustang lover. Then came the first GLHS on the cover of the 1986 April HotRod magazine. Thought Shelby had sold out.

But then I read the article. It made me go drive one to compare. WOW! I was sold instantly. Looked for 6 months to find one, bought one

with 1,091 miles on it in 1991. Still have it. Still will whip a GT350. Still a blast to drive.

 

Without the Mopar based Shelby cars, well, life would not have gone on for Shelby cars.

[Wayne in NJ]

I understand CS had a modified '86 GLHs (400 HP±?) he was still driving. (Face it, as much as I like Shelby Mustangs, I simply don't have the $$$. So thankfully, I can be a part of Shelby heritage at 1/10± the cost)!

[speedrx]

I don't see the GLHS as a top 6 significant Shelby, there are a lot more like the 289 Cobra, Shelby Super Snake, 67 GT500, Dragonsnake, GT350H, etc. A quick look at demand and auction prices will let you know which vehicles are considered more important and collectible.

[nemiro]

LAte to this thread, but my opinion on this is that like them or not, without the 80's Shelbys, there likely would not be present day Shelbys. That in itself makes the 80's cars significant, and the GLHS is by far the most significant of those. One also has to admit that the 80's Shelbys had a lot more in common with the 60's Shelbys than the Ford brand has with the modern cars. HOW? Simple, the 60's cars were accessible to the blue collar car enthusiast. The 80's cars were, too. From Series 1 onwards, that simply isn't true (for the most part) anymore. Not necessarily a bad thing, but for those looking for the branding link between the 60's cars and the modern cars, that is almost a more flimsy argument than the original thought process that brought about the 60's cars. Some of the late model cars are within striking distance of the price (and performance) of the brands that Carroll was directly competing with in the 60's.

 

BTW, these published lists are always just someone's opinion, much like mine is here.

[GLHS0136]

Neil, off the subject, but was that photo of your CSX-T taken in 1998 at Shelby's Grand opening event? Looks like when we all lined up to go out to drive the Nascar Oval.

[windham3]

We may always be considered the "red-headed step children", but my car is numbered and was built in Carroll's Whittier, CA factory. I'm proud as hell to own it.

 

 

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[86glhs76]

^{Being a Muscle car guy first, owning a 65 Mustang as a first car, 72 340 Rally Challenger as a second and building and racing them years later I can tell you that except for the Cobras the early Mustangs sucked. The 65 GT 350 ran 15.7 and the GT500KR ran 14.85, both behind the GLHS's even at the drag strip. The 289 heads have TINY PORTS, unreal tiny. The 289 needed serious work to run, today you throw the stock heads in the trash and buy real ones. The KR was a heavy pig, Shelby liked building that the same as he liked building the Lancer, not at all. My 70 Challenger as a base model R/T came with a 335 HP 383, then a 375, 390 and 425 engines above that as an option. The KR had a 335 HP 428 lol. So from a Muscle car stand point they really were not impressive.}

 

^{The Cobras, great cars and fast. No question.}

 

^{New Mod shop cars, that are not actually a Shelby manufactured car like the GLHS or early KR. They are also really great cars.}

 

^{Shelby was great out side the US in road racing. In the US people drag raced and Nascar raced, which they had their rears handed to them by the Hemi's. So they really made a big impact really in Europe on road courses. On the street, people drag raced and the Mustangs are turds, I can't get them to drag my GLHS with an older Mustang Shelby.... So not a big impact here with the older cars. Cobra with its racing in Europe did great but who noticed road racing in the US in the 60s? Anyone?}

 

^{Then in the 80s people still wanted a v8. It wasn't till the mid to late 90s that compacts came into their own really as popular. Today most under 30 want a 4 banger, turbo and handling. The Shelby Dodges DESTROYED people at Willow in anything even remotely in their class. The 90s imports didn't have a chance either. It wasn't until the Evo and the STi came to the US that any compact could show them a race. To days youth that love compacts the Shelby Dodge is the muscle car of that generation which is very influential to Americans in the US. About the only people watching Lemans in the 60s drove a 35 second quarter mile MG.... The "idea" that the 65 GT 350 was fast because it could spin a rock hard 3" wide tread is also laughable and anyone that has ever run these cars knows better.... Even Shelby himself before death still loved to drive his personal GLHS that he took the decals off claiming his would stay with a Super Snake to 150 MPH. He was also a poor country boy that loved racing, not a rich guy poser with his big money Shelby show car today. Even to the end he loved the Shelby Dodge group for the cheap speed they have. My self I don't mind the Chevy and Ford Shelbys, the one that turns my stomach is the Toyota. But like Ford with the GT40, they were just a bunch of clowns that couldn't make the car work right so they had to pay Shelby to come deal with it. I suspect he did it as that car never came to the US...}

[ratrace427]

I was using google search and ran across this topic. It has been a year since someone has posted here but this thread caught my eye and I joined team Shelby because of it.

 

I have a theory on the popularity/value topic of older Shelby vehicles. I attend many car shows with my 86 GLHS and I have noticed a hatred for my car by the older crowd and a extreme love by the younger. Lets call the age split somewhere around 40. If you are older than 40 you think the Dodges are complete rubbish and if you are under 40 you think they are way cool. Gosh...it is really interesting to do this research. Anyways, the "whats hot and desirable" changes all the time as generations and cultures change. The value of a car is important to many car owners because it signifies the coolness by desirability.

 

If I had all the money in the world a Shelby mustang would be lower on my list to buy. I am under 40 so I fit into this category. Being under 40 I also fit into the category of not having much money for cars. I have a family to think about right now. When I get the kids out of the house and have the extra money for cars, I will be buying what is cool to me now but cant afford. About the time this happens for me it will also happen for all the other car lovers of my age group. This will make the desirable cars to us demand more. Its just like the Delorean and Supra. I have seen their values go up steady over the past ten years.

 

So...Lets see where the value of all 60s cars go when all the over 40s have left us for a better place. I could be wrong but how many of us want to purchase a 1930s-40s vehicle?

 

All you over 40s need to take a ride in a Shelby dodge and experience what its like to "unleash a barn full of demons" as it was said in one of the many magazine articles I have read. Then get in line to buy one while you can.

 

Oh and be ready to sell what is viewed by the youth as an antiquated fuel guzzling antique before the value drops. As a owner of a 1960s ride I think we still have some time.

 

Im excited to check out more topics on this forum. I didn't know it was here.

[Jimmy Sak]

I was using google search and ran across this topic. It has been a year since someone has posted here but this thread caught my eye and I joined team Shelby because of it.

 

I have a theory on the popularity/value topic of older Shelby vehicles. I attend many car shows with my 86 GLHS and I have noticed a hatred for my car by the older crowd and a extreme love by the younger. Lets call the age split somewhere around 40. If you are older than 40 you think the Dodges are complete rubbish and if you are under 40 you think they are way cool. Gosh...it is really interesting to do this research. Anyways, the "whats hot and desirable" changes all the time as generations and cultures change. The value of a car is important to many car owners because it signifies the coolness by desirability.

 

If I had all the money in the world a Shelby mustang would be lower on my list to buy. I am under 40 so I fit into this category. Being under 40 I also fit into the category of not having much money for cars. I have a family to think about right now. When I get the kids out of the house and have the extra money for cars, I will be buying what is cool to me now but cant afford. About the time this happens for me it will also happen for all the other car lovers of my age group. This will make the desirable cars to us demand more. Its just like the Delorean and Supra. I have seen their values go up steady over the past ten years.

 

So...Lets see where the value of all 60s cars go when all the over 40s have left us for a better place. I could be wrong but how many of us want to purchase a 1930s-40s vehicle?

 

All you over 40s need to take a ride in a Shelby dodge and experience what its like to "unleash a barn full of demons" as it was said in one of the many magazine articles I have read. Then get in line to buy one while you can.

 

Oh and be ready to sell what is viewed by the youth as an antiquated fuel guzzling antique before the value drops. As a owner of a 1960s ride I think we still have some time.

 

Im excited to check out more topics on this forum. I didn't know it was here.

 

They are awesome machines, and talk about bang for your buck!!!! I was talking with Scott Black a month or so ago, and I always knew Carroll loved the GLHS, but I did not know he owned 3 of them.

 

Haters are gonna hate, but if they haven't tried it, they are missing out.