SAAC Forum

The History => Shelby American History => Topic started by: HistoryBuff on October 03, 2022, 11:54:34 PM

Title: New book on Shelby american--behind the scenes stories
Post by: HistoryBuff on October 03, 2022, 11:54:34 PM
I just caught this on the radio, written by Preston Lerner,  a very thorough reporter. Don't know the title but this is probably a very new book. I hope he interviewed some of the behind the scenes guys like Charlie Agapiou
Title: Re: New book on Shelby american--behind the scenes stories
Post by: GT350Lad on October 04, 2022, 05:03:09 AM
Sounds great, always love New reading material. Thus looks like it

https://www.amazon.com/Shelby-American-Renegades-Built-Legend/dp/1642341215
Title: Re: New book on Shelby american--behind the scenes stories
Post by: silverton_ford on October 04, 2022, 09:55:21 AM
https://www.saacforum.com/index.php?topic=19509.msg154244#msg154244 (https://www.saacforum.com/index.php?topic=19509.msg154244#msg154244)
Title: Read the book.Shelby American--behind the scenes stories but coupl quesstions
Post by: HistoryBuff on October 13, 2022, 11:12:40 AM
Read the book but didn't publish the review yet but here's a few questions not answered.

How did he small block Cobra get approved for homologation when only a handful ere built but the 427 was refused homologation when many more were built by the time the inspector arrived?

The military service of many of the men profiled, i would have liked it mentioned  Al Dowd was a coast guard veteran
and that Remington was in England during the war (Author says Pacific Theatre) and that Shelby was an aviator during WWII but spent the whole time Stateside as a flight instructor and airplane tester

When the 355 engine is mentioned for the Ford GT race car built after '66 LeMans win
are those engines upsized from what? And are they alloy block?

The pictures are light (not enough contrast) and printed on grainy paper, say about five times worse than the photo reproduction of the last Friedman Shelby books. Maybe on a reprint,  glossy paper can be used for photos.

Overall tho,  good grasp of why only Shelby could succeed at leading Ford to a victory at LeMans

Title: Re: New book on Shelby american--behind the scenes stories
Post by: FL SAAC on October 13, 2022, 01:31:12 PM
Great questions posed, unfortunately Most of the answers are being held by those on the other side. I read it also and just like when I watch the big screen, I receive and interpret it all as entertainment.

Title: Re: New book on Shelby american--behind the scenes stories
Post by: Steve McDonald Formally known as Mcdonas on January 09, 2023, 09:47:37 AM
Just finished reading it. Very interesting behind the scenes look. Until the move to LAX it seems that Shelby was barley hanging in there as a manufacturer. Makes you wonder if the Hertz order had not come through would they have made it. That 5 years from 62-67 must have been wild