Carroll Shelby Dies At 89

Saxton & Shelby - 2011

Legendary race driver and car designer Carroll Shelby died today at age 89. Twenty-two years after a heart transplant and sixteen years after a kidney transplant, the man most famous for his Shelby Cobra brand of high performance Ford Mustangs has left us. He was an auto industry legend who set speed records as a driver in the 1950's and was twice Sports Illustrated's driver of the year - in 1956 and 1957.

More Muscle to Muscle Cars
When car executive Lee Iacocca introduced the Ford Mustang in 1964, he asked Shelby to make a high performance version and in the early 1980's when Iacocca ran Chrysler, he asked Shelby to supe up the Dodge Charger. His Mustang-based Shelby GT350 and Shelby GT500 helped make his legend.

Carroll Shelby will be missed as a fixture at the annual SEMA show in Las Vegas and at a corner table in the Bel Air Country Club telling stories.