CARROLL SHELBY – A FAMILY ICON.

I first heard the news that Shelby died while reading my tweets Friday around one in the morning. Besides feeling a personal loss, I knew my sister Donna, my brother Preston and my cousin Chuck Williams aka BB1, would be impacted by the loss of this automotive legend. Here are the emails between the four of us on Mother’s Day weekend.

Preston Williams

He had a good run though….. Carroll Shelby made it to 89 years of age and was responsible for an exceptional big block Hot rod!! That will live on forever…..well as long as we are here. Shelby will be missed by family, friends and an industry that he truly influenced. His memory will live well beyond his life as he has inspired generations of car designers.

We all should be so fortunate….. to be able to do what we love, inspire others to follow their dreams and realize our God given talent has made a mark!


That is a life of purpose and dimension and I hope that is who Carroll was. If so He really did it right !! 


I can just see him cursing in his Cream white Convertible Shelby 500, with those twin blue racing stripes, pulling up to those pearly Gates,….. he gives his Shelby-500 a couple of Rev’s, just to let Saint Peter know he is home and to open up the gates….. as he passes on by, Saint Pete slaps him a high five and says “nice ride bro!! Welcome
Home.”


As Carroll pulls up to his Mansion, he’s welcomed by all those who love him. He steps out of his 500 and is embraced by God, who says….. Well done good and faithful servant, enter unto your rest.

Carroll Shelby RIP.

Donna Williams

Good one Preston! Daddy will enjoy seeing him and showing him his Shelby Cobra….. which he probably has with him.

Chuck Williams aka BB1.

He was 89 and caught a cold that turned into pneumonia, his lungs were failing, they were filling up with fluid, he had a heart and lung transplant a while ago…..

He was the only American Manufacturer to beat the pants off of Enzo Ferrari
1964,1965, 1966, with his little Cobra with an American V8 “Ford.” The rest is history that won’t repeat itself in our lifetime anyway. 

Bill Williams Shelby GT 500  after it crashed.

My dad gave me his 1968, GT 500 Shelby Mustang in 1971 for my 24th Birthday. I too have very special memories of Carroll Shelby and the best car I ever had. Rest in Peace Shelby, you will be missed. Check out the crashed Shelby story under archives on the side of this page.

Me with my dad’s cousin, Bill Stroh’s, 1965 racing Cobra while I was in Chicago in 1966. Read the whole story under Bill Stroh in my archives.