De Tomaso P70 Spyder Prototype, 1965, by Fantuzzi. Powered by a Carroll Shelby supplied 475hp version of Ford's 289ci (4.7 litre) V8, Alejandro de Tomaso had originally planned the car as a mid-engined open-top grand tourer. Instead Shelby wanted to use the car in the United States Road Racing Championship and asked Pete Brock to work on the design with Fantizzi. However Shelby withdrew from the project to work on Ford's GT40 project. A second single seat prototype was built (the Sport 5000) specifically for racing. The second car made its debut in July 1966 in the Mugello Grand Prix round of the World Sportscar Championship; however, it retired on the opening lap and never raced again.

Carroll Shelby at the wheel of his Aston Martin DBR1, winning the 1959 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Carroll Shelby avec la Ford GT40 Mk II de Phil Hill & Chris Amon du Shelby-American Inc.@ 24 Heures du Mans 1965. - source Moto Vitelloni - Wheels n' wings.

From the car files: the 1967 Shelby G.T. 350 and G.T. 500.

Can I finally call it “Eleanor” without getting sued? Let’s find out! #gobabygo

Carroll Shelby (Maserati 450S) jokes with Stirling Moss, the future winner (Ferrari 335 Sport) Cuban Grand Prix - Havana 1958

I've never met a racer who didn't want to win. They exist, but they never get very far.

- Carroll Shelby

Bristol 411 

This is a 1972 Bristol 411, and if that does not sound familiar, rest assured that Bristol is a relatively obscure luxury-car brand and few of them were ever brought over to the U.S. from Great Britain. What boosts the appeal of this shapely coupe is what the factory put under its hood: a performance-tweaked Chrysler 383cid V8 rated at 340 horsepower that reputedly will take the lightweight car past 140 mph. The Bristol car company was founded just after World War II as a niche builder of small-batch “motor cars for the discriminating owner,” as they might say in the U.K. Besides its attractive bodies (well, most of them), Bristol was known for engineering an interesting and powerful 4-cylinder engine, which among other things powered the AC Ace Bristol sports car (which was used by Carroll Shelby to formulate the 289 Cobra, so yes, there is a tenuous Shelby connection here).

Shelby ME 2.2 Turbo Prototype, 2023. The AC 3000ME was first revealed in 1973 but production delays meant it didn't go on sale until 1979. It was a sales disaster, however Americans Barry Gale and Steve Hitter saw potential to repurpose the car for the US market. Carroll Shelby, who was working with Chrysler at the time, became involved. After an abortive attempt to power the car with a Chevrolet V6, it was fitted with a Shelby-tuned turbocharged version of Chrysler's then new 2.2 litre 4-cylinder engine from the K-series. Presented at the Los Angeles Auto Show, Lee Iacocca, Chrysler's chairman, wasn't interesting in pursuing the project and the mid-engined AC-Shelby went no further

show photographs from Alden Jewell auto historian on flickr

Carroll Shelby

Venice 1963, Carroll Shelby, Ken Miles et Pete Brock travaillent sur la version 289 de la Shelby 'Daytona'. - source Los Angeles Historic.

The winning Ford GT40 entry of Shelby American making a pit stop. 24 Hours of Daytona - 1965.