If I remember correctly, Shelby had to quit being a racing driver in the very early 60"s because of heart trouble, but he had been very successful as a racer for a number of years. He decided to try to develop a sports car with an American V8 and a European body about the time that AC lost the availability of the former engine in the Ace. Using his connections with others in the racing fraternity, he was able to come up with some Ford small blocks, which he did some hot rod modifications to, and then installed them in Ace chassis, renaming the combination the Cobra. I am sure there were other modifications done, but the resulting cars were really light and frighteningly fast, if a little crude. From what I read about the Cobras, they really did not make money from sales, but really helped Ford with publicity. This led to Shelby"s deal to modify Mustangs into GT350"s and later GT500"s, and after that various other cars from Ford and other manufacturers. I think he was pretty heavily involved in modified Chrysler turbo cars in the 80"s and 90"s and I think there are current Mustangs that at least have the Shelby name on them. He got a lot accomplished over his lifetime and must have been quite the promoter!
I also remember reading that Shelby had lots of health problems over the years, and that he received a heart transplant quite a few years ago. But whatever, living to be 89 is a lot longer life than most people ever achieve.
Oh, the car I remember in the Get Smart TV show was not a Cobra, but rather a Sunbeam Tiger. The Tiger was more or less the same general idea of a U. S. V8 in a small sports car, but it was not nearly the performer the Cobra was.
As a kid in the 60"s I lusted after the few Sunbeam Tigers and Cobras I ever saw, but never had the opportunity or money to buy one. Probably really lucky, as they were squirrelly cars that would really fly, and I probably would have killed myself with it if I had actually been able to purchase one.
I am sorry to hear that Carroll Shelby has passed, but we all will at some time or another. He sure did a lot of interesting things in his lifetime, and I have enjoyed reading about him for about 50 years or so. So long, Shel!
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