I looked at my copy of the questions and paraphrased the rest of the question, "OK, so what have you to say to them?"
Shelby gave his support to the people at Unique Performance in Texas who build the continuation Shelbys. "They're building a good product. And I felt, knowing Doug Hasty, that I would let them put my name on them. But that doesn't mean they're the same as the originals I built in the '60s. You could call them continuations if you want to. But that doesn't mean they are the same or they will bring the same money as the originals do. I mean, Doug's team spends a lot of money bringing these vehicles up to modern technology and so forth. So I'm not ashamed of what they're doing down there and I don't know what the damn controversy is. But there will always be somebody who gripes about everything. That seems to be what makes the world go 'round now. Everybody's got a different opinion on every subject. Do I personally like it? Yes, I like the car or I wouldn't have licensed it."
With that question put to rest, Shelby looked down at his paper and read our next lines.
"You recently partnered with Ford again. How does that feel?"
He looked up and gave his answer, this time without getting perturbed. His voice was calm, but assertive. He enunciated his words.
"Well, that's where I'm going to finish up. Ford is family, and Bill and Edsel Ford are people who make it a family. I'm happy to be back there. And that's where I'll wind up."
The next question focused on the new Ford GT and the Cobra concept, which may become production. Our paper listed the Ford GT as the "GT40," which lit Shelby's fire again.
"There has never been a GT40. The GT40 name was a figment of the English press just like the AC Cobra was. There was never an AC Cobra. It was a Shelby with a little AC, then Cobra. And the English press decided to call it an AC Cobra. I guess they felt like it was an English car, but it was a hybrid car that was built by a lot of people from a lot of countries. England always seems to be able to stick their moniker on anything that's built over there. But, the GT40 was never called that. I was there the day we put the deal together and it was always called a Ford GT. So, this GT40 crap that's been going around-some Englishman said it was 40 inches high, so that's what they started calling it. That was never the official name and it never will be."
"But with the return of the Ford GT and possibly the Cobra, which we've seen in concept form, and possibly the Shelby Mustang, is this like reliving the '60s?"
"Shelby Mustang? Don't say I'm going to come out with it. Say the rumors are very strong there will be a Shelby Mustang." At this early date, Ford had not announced for sure there would be a new Shelby Mustang.
"But, is it like reliving the '60s?"
"Yep, it's like reliving the '60s. It went away for 35 years and nobody except the enthusiasts gave a hoot, until the Ford family brought back the things that were accomplished by our little company and Ford in the '60s. It seemed like it went away for 40 years. And now, thank God the people who put it together are getting the recognition. Not for me, Carroll Shelby, but for the people at Ford and Shelby American who made it all happen."
We got his slant. To Shelby, the rebirth of the legends is not for him, but for the people who made it happen. He's happy they're getting the recognition they deserve. I complimented Shelby on a good answer. He'd spoken like a world champion athlete thanking his teammates after winning a playoff game.
This time, we beat Shelby to the sheet of paper with the next question. "Can you tell us anything else you're working on with Ford?"
"We're talking with Ford about the things we want to work with them with. We're talking about the Cobra, and we're talking about several other projects. I'll let Ford announce that."