Shelby Lonestar
By the end of the ’60s, Shelby had decided to build the successor to the Cobra 289 and Cobra 427 models. But he didn’t settle for a restyled version or an improved old model. Rather than that, he constructed a new car with a mid-mounted V8 engine, racing suspension, and 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 a bit lighter than the standard GT40. The car initially had the name Shelby Cobra III. Still, soon after Shelby declared that the prototype had been built in England, Ford executives reacted by stating that they owned the rights to the “Cobra” nameplate, forbidding Carroll to use it (via Gentleman Racer).
Ford didn’t want to build another Cobra, so Shelby was on his own and renamed “Lonestar” after his home state of Texas. Only one Shelby Lonestar was ever completed in 1968. Due to name problems and financial problems when Ford didn’t want to support the project, a single Lonestar remains the sole example.