Classic Muscle Cars That Made Carroll Shelby A Legend

Vukasin Herbez May 18, 2023

Shelby Lonestar

By the end of the ’60s, Shelby decided he needed to build a successor to Cobra 289 and Cobra 427. But he didn’t settle for just a restyled version or an improved old model. Rather than that, he constructed a new car with a mid-mounted V8 engine and racing suspension to provide performance on a whole new level. Shelby took the modified GT40 platform, along with the engine and transmission, and designed a different body that was even lighter than the standard GT40 (via Gentleman Racer).

Initially, they called the car the Shelby Cobra III. But soon after that, Shelby declared they had built the prototype in England. So, the Ford executives said they owned the rights to the “Cobra” nameplate, forbidding Carroll to use it. And because Ford didn’t want to build another Cobra, Shelby was on his own. He decided to rename the car the “Lonestar” after his home state of Texas. They only completed one Shelby Lonestar in 1968. But due to the name and lack of Ford’s financial backing, that one Lonestar remained a sole example. For decades, enthusiasts thought it was gone.

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Toyota 2000GT SCCA by Shelby American

Only a few people know that Shelby was one of the people behind Toyota’s racing success in the SCCA championship in the late ’60s. Toyota presented this car in 1967, turning the eyes of the car world to a small company from war-torn Japan. All the big car magazines of the period praised the ride and driving dynamics of the Toyota 2000GT. Despite getting only 150 HP from the high-revving 2.0-liter six-cylinder, the 2000 GT offered decent performance and almost racecar-like handling (via Robb Report).

Despite the performance and construction, it is evident that the 2000 GT wasn’t a race car and that it would take a magician to make it work. Shelby was that magician, and with his team of experts, he made the 2000GT one of the most accomplished cars in the series.

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Dodge Omni GLH

For the better part of the ’70s, Shelby stayed away from the automotive business. The muscle car era was gone, Ford closed its racing program, and it looked like Carroll was out of work. He concentrated on some other ventures, including his famous chili products. However, when Lee Iacocca, his old pal from Ford, took over Chrysler, Shelby got an invitation to return to the performance game. But this time, it was under new circumstances. While Europe embraced the hot hatch class, developing it further in the mid-’80s, America seemed uninterested. The Golf GTI sold well in the States. But the domestic manufacturers didn’t produce any models that could be considered hot hatches (via Hemmings).

But then Shelby teamed up with Dodge and introduced his version of the compact Omni model. They called it the Omni GLH, and it was a proper hot hatch. It was also one of the best affordable performance models money could buy in those days. Shelby took the 2.2-liter four-cylinder and added a turbocharger to produce a total output of 175 HP. Its 0 to 60 mph acceleration time of less than seven seconds was impressive and highly competitive for the day. But the best thing about this car is the name GLH, which means “Goes like Hell.” Shelby and Dodge produced an improved version they called the GLHS. That stood for “Goes Like Hell S’more.” They made just 500 of those models.

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Dodge Shelby Charger

Those L-Body Chargers they built in the ’80s were forgettable cars that were less popular and fast. But when Carroll Shelby, who was involved with Chrysler at the time, introduced the Shelby Charger, the car finally gained some respect (via Car and Driver).

But Shelby’s recipe was simple. He turbocharged an existing 2.2-liter four-cylinder to deliver 175 HP. He then equipped it with a close-ratio five-speed manual gearbox. Also, he stiffened the suspension and improved the braking. All those changes turned the boring regular Charger into the Shelby Charger with a vivid performance. And it could outrun most production muscle cars of the period. They sold the Shelby Charger along with the regular models in the Dodge dealerships. However, Shelby bought the last 1,000 of them, turning them into the Charger GHLS. It’s similar to the Shelby Omni GHLS with the same engine and platform.

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Shelby Dakota

The Dakota was a compact pickup truck from Dodge sold between 1987 and 1996, which was dependable, tough-looking, and came with a wide arrange of engines and trim levels. But Dodge wanted more, and in the late ’80s, the company conceived a performance version created by legendary Carroll Shelby, who was working with Chrysler Corporation at the moment (via Hemmings).

Shelby took the regular production Dakota and installed a 5.2-liter V8 engine with 175 HP. Even though the power output was relatively small, the Dakota was light and had lots of torque which meant that this compact truck had some convincing performance. Shelby also dressed up Dakota with special paint, trim, roll bar, and wheels, which made this little truck stand on the streets. However, the price of over $15,000 was too much for most buyers, and in the end, Dodge managed to sell only 1475 of them.

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Dodge Viper RT/10

The original Viper in the early ’90s showed what happens when talented individuals with clear goals want to make the perfect car. Chrysler enjoyed solid sales and wanted a model to celebrate their success. They also wanted a car to connect them with their muscle car roots from the ’60s and ’70s. But they wanted a car with more power, refinement, and performance to show that a light but powerful roadster was still attractive. Thanks to their influence, the team soon gathered over 80 engineers and designers, officially starting Project Viper. In 1989, they revealed the Dodge Viper concept at the Detroit Motor Show. Automotive fans went crazy over the aggressive but elegant lines with a prototype V10 engine (via Car and Driver).

The public’s reaction was so overwhelming that Chrysler chairman Lee Iacocca rushed the car into production. They wanted it to be ready for its 1992 release and pace car duty at the legendary Indianapolis 500. Under the hood was an 8.0-liter fully aluminum V10 with 400 HP and 465 lb.-ft of torque. The performance secured the Viper’s place as one of the most powerful new models on the market. With a price of just over $50,000 and 0 to 60 mph times of 4.6 seconds, the Viper beat those European exotic machines.

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Shelby Series 1

After the success of the Viper, Carroll decided to return to the sports car manufacturing business, but with a new project. His idea was to introduce a retro-styled car. It would be a power roadster with sharper handling, more direct driving dynamics, and a modern drivetrain. The idea materialized in the form of the Shelby Series 1. It was a world-class sports convertible and the only vehicle Shelby ever built from the ground up (via Motor Trend).

Its low silhouette and design went back to the mid-’60s. However, everything was new under the body, including the Oldsmobile 4.0-liter V8 engine delivering 320 HP. Since the car was light, the performance was impressive. Accelerating from 0 to 60 mph took approximately four seconds. And that was fantastic for the late ’90s. Unfortunately, U.S. regulations regarding car manufacturing forbade Shelby from producing the Series 1 as a regular model. They only allowed him to build it as a kit car, which he refused. Due to limited availability and high price, they only made about 250 until 2005.

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