Carroll Shelby

[FL SAAC]

how tall was carroll shelby ?

[deathsled]

In one of his interviews he said he had a spurt of growth to nearly six feet when he was 17 or so. I recall him as taller than me and I'm 5'11"

[Side-Oilers]

I'm 6'1, and he always seemed close to my height in the '80s. A bit shorter later on, but most everyone loses height as they age.

[1967 eight barrel]

He was 6'1". I used to sit around in the Gardena, Ca tire Goodyear tire warehouse and talk with him and Lil' Joe.  I am 6'0" and he was slightly taller than I was.
Probably one of the most direct and opinionated individuals I've ever met.  You never had to second guess what he was thinking.

                                                                                           -Keith

[Side-Oilers]

He was 6'1". I used to sit around in the Gardena, Ca tire Goodyear tire warehouse and talk with him and Lil' Joe.  I am 6'0" and he was slightly taller than I was.
Probably one of the most direct and opinionated individuals I've ever met.  You never had to second guess what he was thinking.

                                                                                           -Keith

That's for sure on direct and opinionated. A conversation with him was never boring.

[deathsled]

He was 6'1". I used to sit around in the Gardena, Ca tire Goodyear tire warehouse and talk with him and Lil' Joe.  I am 6'0" and he was slightly taller than I was.
Probably one of the most direct and opinionated individuals I've ever met.  You never had to second guess what he was thinking.

                                                                                           -Keith

That is so damned cool!!!

[rkm]

Does anyone have any "Shelbyisms?" Like when he was trying to sue the replica companies and told us, "I just sold my chilli company and now I have enough money to take on any sonofabitch I want to".

Or, " I didn't know whether to shit or go blind".

But he sure could make stuff happen.

[Side-Oilers]

Many Most of CS's more colorful sayings can't be repeated on this forum.

[SFM66H]

Does anyone have any "Shelbyisms?" Like when he was trying to sue the replica companies and told us, "I just sold my chilli company and now I have enough money to take on any sonofabitch I want to".

Or, " I didn't know whether to shit or go blind".

But he sure could make stuff happen.

I have one - one that I'll NEVER forget...

In this photo on July 4, 1986 at SAAC 11 in Dearborn, Shelby was leaning on the core support of my car (6S1615) and said (and I quote):

"Hell son, they weren't this good new."

[98SVT - was 06GT]

CS was 6'1" Little Joe (Firestone's race tire guy in SoCal) was about 5'6". Both fun guys with lots of stories. When CS was doing the run of "found" Cobras Kopec sent me to photo all the new parts he had made. We took a Dodge Mini Van from his office to McClusky's. Forget his heart I was the one having a heart attack on that ride. Especially when he made a U turn across 4 lanes of traffic to stop at a Chinese place for lunch. No signal no warning - just that looks like a good place.

[deathsled]

^^^^^
Great story. Must have been nice to know the man on that level that, hey we're going to stop at a Chinese restaurant for lunch. Violently turns in...
My dad got some great one on one video of Carroll at Road America in 1997 or 98 when Carroll was sitting in one of his new 427 Cobras. My dad beat out the media and got to him first and asked a few questions. I have the video on a DVD. Not sure how to copy and transfer so I can post. Any suggestions on how and then I will. I have a laptop. I'll Google it.

[Don Johnston]

CS was 6'1" Little Joe (Firestone's race tire guy in SoCal) was about 5'6". Both fun guys with lots of stories. When CS was doing the run of "found" Cobras Kopec sent me to photo all the new parts he had made. We took a Dodge Mini Van from his office to McClusky's. Forget his heart I was the one having a heart attack on that ride. Especially when he made a U turn across 4 lanes of traffic to stop at a Chinese place for lunch. No signal no warning - just that looks like a good place.

Little Joe was the Goodyear race tire guy in Gardena.  Shelby was a regional Goodyear distributor.

[Side-Oilers]

One of the best CS comments that he ever told me about was after his heart transplant. 

When the doctor informed Carroll that he'd received a heart from a young African-American Marine, Carroll asked "Did you give me his dork too?"

[1967 eight barrel]

CS was 6'1" Little Joe (Firestone's race tire guy in SoCal) was about 5'6". Both fun guys with lots of stories. When CS was doing the run of "found" Cobras Kopec sent me to photo all the new parts he had made. We took a Dodge Mini Van from his office to McClusky's. Forget his heart I was the one having a heart attack on that ride. Especially when he made a U turn across 4 lanes of traffic to stop at a Chinese place for lunch. No signal no warning - just that looks like a good place.

Little Joe was the Goodyear race tire guy in Gardena.  Shelby was a regional Goodyear distributor.

Bingo, Don.  I heard Shelby call Little Joe "short shit" quite a few times.  Shelby was never warm and fuzzy but I have to admit the lack of a filter made it hilarious sometimes and he didn't care who you were. He was really the same around everyone.
I wish I'd been around more. I did see and talk to Little Joe all the time. I worked for Chrysler Corporation for a stint waiting to go to the CHP academy post exiting military service.  Don-A-Vee Jeep Eagle was running SCORE races and Chrysler was sponsoring with parts and financial support.
Hence the reason for dealing with Little Joe and Carrol Shelby in Gardena. 
                                                                                                 -Keith

[Side-Oilers]

Keith, when was it that you were working with Don-A-Vee? They were a sponsor of the IMSA Firestone Firehawk racing team I was with...Paul Rossi Racing (Eagle Talons and Dodge Stealths)...a Chrysler-factory-sponsored multi-champion team.   We ran Pikes Peak too. I competed there in 1990.

My involvement with Rossi was 1989-94 era.