OFF-THE-SHELF SHELBY RACERS

If racing one-man-bands such as Bill Bridges find the current era of historic racing intimidating, with highly modified cars at the cutting-edge of technology being run by teams of well-drilled mechanics, then imagine how Dick Neil Jnr and his ilk must have found competing against Shelby and his Ford-sponsored steamroller in the booming sports car scene of the ’60s.

The factory produced no fewer than 33 team cars in various guises, including the two 427 prototypes and the six Daytona Coupes, competing not only in the international FIA GT championship, but also at home in both SCCA A production and USRRC races. As a privateer, you were hard pushed to race anywhere in the States without encountering not only the very latest incarnation of Cobra, but also most likely the formidable talents of Ken Miles or Dave Mcdonald. Even in Hawaii or Nassau there was little respite – duffing up the locals being almost a spot of light relief for the ‘works.’

Such was Shelby’s intent to obliterate the Corvette Stingray from the racing record books that even supposed independents Bob Johnson, Tom Payne and Dan Gerber were actually running factory-backed cars. One of the few who got close was Allen Grant, but he had the help of former Shelby engine builder Ole Olsen, who had been persuaded to join Coventry Motors and no doubt divulged industry secrets in the process.

Armed with a fistful of dollars, one could have the factory build ‘one just like ours’ to either European or US racing specification, which at least a dozen racers felt compelled to do. But, according to SAAC authority Rick Kopec in his 1982 book on the cars, only a further 28 buyers bought a road car as a fully fledged private entrant. In total contrast to, say, the Lotus Elite, the factory entries outnumbered true privateers.