The Shelby American (Fall 2021)

The SHELBY AMERICAN Chuck Cantwell Puts the Spurs to a 2017 GT350R It’s hard to believe that Chuck Cantwell hasn’t gotten behind the wheel of a new GT350R, but stranger things have probably happened. No matter – that has now been rectified. The centerpiece of a get-together in Houston, Texas at the beginning of May was the Wheels and Keels Show – a combination car and boat concours held at the Seabrook Yacht Club. Fol- lowing the show a bunch of Shelby en- thusiasts went on a tour of some of the significant car collections in the area organized by Lee Cross. Chuck Cantwell and his son David were among them and one of the stops was the collection of John Hodges, which numbers about 100 restored muscle cars from the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s – among them a number of 1965 - 1968 Shelbys and a CSX4000 Cobra. One of the full-time staff who main- tains Hodges’ collection was Kevin Ward, who coincidently owns a white 2017 GT350R. During dinner,Ward in- vited Cantwell to drive his car. Chuck readily accepted, surprising everyone when he mentioned that he had never driven a new Shelby GT350R before. After dinner he slipped behind the wheel, with Ward riding shotgun. We asked Cantwell for his driving impres- sions. “ I drove the car very timidly. Like any first-time drive, the clutch and brakes required some acclimation. Fall 2021 10 The car needs to be driven about 100 mph before serious braking so you don’t end up about 30 yards short of where you intended to stop. The brakes are THAT good. ” Cantwell was on his best behavior driving someone else’s car. “ I would love to spend some time with this car out on the track. I can see the poten- tial, but on a short, familiarization drive I didn’t even come close. Putting this car into a time machine and going back to 1965 would make you a super- star. ” If you were expecting this report to include a 250-foot burn-out or jumping a hump to get some air under all four wheels (like Cantwell did for the cover of Car and Driver’s 1966 Yearbook) you’ll be disappointed. Cantwell and John Hodges [ below ]. And, of course, following the drive there was the obligatory signing of the dash.