Shelby's wildlife: the Cobras and Mustangs

"A real hairy-chested, swashbuckling little rat that will snap Gramp's head right off his shoulders if you hit thego pedal when he isn't ready." That's how automotive journalist Tom McCahill described the first Cobra -- a 260 roadster. But that was just the beginning; the 260 was followed by the famous 289 Cobra and then came the fire-breathing, god-awful-fast 427 Cobra, with something like over 400 horses, a zip-to-sixty time of less than four seconds and a rop speed of 180-plus miles per -- one of the most awesome four-wheeled concoctions ever. All these were the creation of one Carroll Shelby (former chicken rancher but perhaps better known for winning the 24-Hours of Le Mans). This is the complete story of Mr. Shelby and the products of his company, Shelby-American. Besides the roadsters there were the Cobra Daytona coupe, among the rarest of Shelby-American cars; and the Shelby Mustangs. Produced between the years 1965 and 1970, the Shelby Mustangs G.T.-350 and G.T.-500KR evolved from bonafide street/race cars to fast, luxurious machines in the European gran turismo tradition.