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Zak Salah, owner of South Shore Motors, stands next to a 2008 Shelby GT 500 owned by South Lake Tahoe resident Scott Hoppe.
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Carroll Shelby is a well-known designer of muscle cars.
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A photo in the Oct. 22, 1968, edition of the Tahoe Daily Tribune shows Carroll Shelby, third from right, at the grand opening of his Ford dealership in South Lake Tahoe.
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Many entertainment and sport icons are known by one name: Cher, Madonna, Bono, Pele and Bond ... James Bond, to name a few.
But for muscle-car enthusiasts, one name stands out as an icon: Shelby ... Carroll Shelby.
But for muscle-car enthusiasts, one name stands out as an icon: Shelby ... Carroll Shelby.
Shelby, as many people know, was a race-car driver and still designs and builds high-performance automobiles. And here’s the especially interesting part for South Lake Tahoe: In 1968, the man of muscle built and owned the first Ford dealership on the South Shore.
Zak Salah, current owner of South Shore Motors and the fourth owner of the dealership in the past 40 years, said he didn’t realize Shelby owned the original dealership until Salah came to Lake Tahoe in 1992 and started work as the dealership’s general manager.
“I think only a small handful of people, mostly longtime residents, know that Carroll Shelby owned the dealership,” Salah said. “From what I understand, Shelby built the building first and then asked Ford for the dealership.
“Ford said, ‘Carroll, you’re a car designer, not a salesman,’ but they decided to let him have the dealership, which he owned until 1973, when he sold it. I’ve met him twice here in South Lake Tahoe but never really got the chance to talk to him about the dealership.”
Zak Salah, current owner of South Shore Motors and the fourth owner of the dealership in the past 40 years, said he didn’t realize Shelby owned the original dealership until Salah came to Lake Tahoe in 1992 and started work as the dealership’s general manager.
“I think only a small handful of people, mostly longtime residents, know that Carroll Shelby owned the dealership,” Salah said. “From what I understand, Shelby built the building first and then asked Ford for the dealership.
“Ford said, ‘Carroll, you’re a car designer, not a salesman,’ but they decided to let him have the dealership, which he owned until 1973, when he sold it. I’ve met him twice here in South Lake Tahoe but never really got the chance to talk to him about the dealership.”
Shelby began his relationship with Ford in August 1964, when the company gave Shelby the green light to develop a high-performance Mustang Fastback for the street and track. Later that year, the first ’65 Shelby GT 350 was produced and sold for $4,547, with no options available. In January 2007, the first Shelby GT was sold at a Barrett-Jackson automobile auction for $600,000.
In September 1969, Ford stopped producing Shelby Mustangs because they weren’t selling. The last of the cars sold in 1970.
But in the early 1980s, Shelby teamed with Chrysler to produce high-performance vehicles based on Dodge products, such as the Viper in 1989.
In September 1969, Ford stopped producing Shelby Mustangs because they weren’t selling. The last of the cars sold in 1970.
But in the early 1980s, Shelby teamed with Chrysler to produce high-performance vehicles based on Dodge products, such as the Viper in 1989.
Shelby GT Mustang tops Motor Trend list
In its April 2008 issue, Motor Trend magazine named the 2008 Ford Shelby GT Mustang, built by Shelby Automobiles Inc., as the champion of its “Pony Expressed” comparison test against Mustangs assembled by Roush and Saleen on the street, strip and road course.
The Shelby posted the best time in the figure 8, had the best lateral acceleration, was the fastest to 80 mph and the lightest in the group. Motor Trend lauded the Shelby GT for its crisp turn-in, fade-free brakes, responsive throttle and tenacious grip. The editors also declared the Shelby GT’s looks as the most striking. Its dyno test showed that the Shelby actually made more horsepower and substantially more torque than the company advertises. The Shelby name has stood for performance since Carroll Shelby began building cars in 1962. The company builds a limited number of 427 and 289 Cobra component cars; customers may choose from contemporary Ford Mustang models like the Shelby GT, Shelby GT500 and the Shelby GT500KR. Post title packages include the Shelby GT500 Super Snake and Terlingua Racing Team. |
Recently, Ford has partnered again with Shelby, bringing back the Shelby GT 500 in 2007 and 2008, with production limited to 10,000 vehicles per year.
Though the cars are rare, Salah said he would help customers find one.
The sticker price for the 2008 Shelby GT 500 starts at around $40,000 and goes up from there, depending on options.
The current Shelby still is mystical, Salah said.
“I think it was the dream car of baby boomers when they were teenagers, and now they can afford it,” Salah explained. “The muscle-car era has come back.”
Though the cars are rare, Salah said he would help customers find one.
The sticker price for the 2008 Shelby GT 500 starts at around $40,000 and goes up from there, depending on options.
The current Shelby still is mystical, Salah said.
“I think it was the dream car of baby boomers when they were teenagers, and now they can afford it,” Salah explained. “The muscle-car era has come back.”
On the Web:
www.ShelbyAutos.com
www.CarrollShelbyInternational.com
www.MotorTrend.com/roadtests/01/ford/
www.ShelbyAutos.com
www.CarrollShelbyInternational.com
www.MotorTrend.com/roadtests/01/ford/
