# RIP Carol Shelby **URL:** \ **Category:** General Discussion\ **Created:** [May 12, 2012, 1:49am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/rip-carol-shelby/72377 "2012-05-12T01:49:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![GSragtop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/7c8e57/32.png) [@GSragtop](https://community.cartalk.com/u/GSragtop)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2012, 1:49am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/rip-carol-shelby/72377/1 "2012-05-12T01:49:44Z")
For those who have not heard, Carol Shelby passed away today at the RIPE age of 89… A True Car guy whose presence will be felt for many years to come (IE the new VIPER)… He is was a Self made man, and made an impact… RIP > **[Carroll Shelby, Car Builder Who Added Muscle to American Racing, Dies at 89](https://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/12/sports/carroll-shelby-builder-of-cobra-sports-car-dies-at-89.html)** > > After he quit driving, Mr. Shelby began building his Cobras in 1962, and his company became one of the most successful independent sports-car builders of the era. ---
**Author:** ![Caddyman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/caddyman/32/23_2.png) [@Caddyman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Caddyman)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2012, 2:01am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/rip-carol-shelby/72377/2 "2012-05-12T02:01:23Z")
An automotive legend…We will miss him… ---
**Author:** ![jtsanders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c2a13f/32.png) [@jtsanders](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jtsanders)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2012, 2:05am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/rip-carol-shelby/72377/3 "2012-05-12T02:05:04Z")
It was his good fortune to live that long. It was our good fortune he lived that long, too. ---
**Author:** ![satisficer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6de8d8/32.png) [@satisficer](https://community.cartalk.com/u/satisficer)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2012, 7:57am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/rip-carol-shelby/72377/4 "2012-05-12T07:57:41Z")
What we know of his story was an inspiration. Resilient, hardly ever seemed to whine about the breaks he was given, an avid contributor to charities that helped many people, and good at what he did. ---
**Author:** ![kmccune](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/kmccune/32/1237_2.png) [@kmccune](https://community.cartalk.com/u/kmccune)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2012, 3:11pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/rip-carol-shelby/72377/5 "2012-05-12T15:11:18Z")
The courage to live,embodied in Carrol Shelby-kevin ---
**Author:** ![Docnick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecae2f/32.png) [@Docnick](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Docnick)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2012, 5:12pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/rip-carol-shelby/72377/6 "2012-05-12T17:12:43Z")
A true “larger than life” character. No doubt someone will write a novel using him as a main character. ---
**Author:** ![missileman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/missileman/32/1366_2.png) [@missileman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/missileman)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2012, 6:25pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/rip-carol-shelby/72377/7 "2012-05-12T18:25:12Z")
Goodbye Carroll. Thanks for your significant additions to automotive history. ---
**Author:** ![jtsanders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c2a13f/32.png) [@jtsanders](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jtsanders)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2012, 12:15am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/rip-carol-shelby/72377/8 "2012-05-13T00:15:17Z")
“hardly ever seemed to whine about the breaks he was given,” That’s the description of almost every winner. It doesn’t matter how many times you fail, just keep plugging. He was quoted as saying that over 300 of is projects failed. But he and a few that were great successes. ---
**Author:** ![the\_same\_mountainbike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@the\_same\_mountainbike](https://community.cartalk.com/u/the_same_mountainbike)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2012, 1:39am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/rip-carol-shelby/72377/9 "2012-05-15T01:39:06Z")
Sadly, he’s passed away. Fortunately, he’ll live on for many more years in the rich legacy he’s left us. I doubt seriously if he’d want us to mourn. I’ll bet he’d want us to enjoy his many gifts to us. Long after I’ve expired the Shelby Cobra will live on as a classic. I read a story about him recently. He was a slick guy. When the original Shelby Cobra came out, he had it painted a different color for different photo shoots so everyone would think he had more than one. The original still exists unmolested, and they claim that in a chip in the rear end you can see all the different colored layers of paint.