The Airport Base Of Shelby American: Where Was It?

Shelby American, founded by Carroll Shelby, is a high-performance vehicle manufacturer that has been headquartered in various locations, including California, Nevada, and Texas. The company's journey began in 1957 when Carroll Shelby, a race car driver, opened a sports car dealership in Dallas, Texas, and later expanded to Venice, California, in 1962. Over the years, Shelby American has established a global presence, with partnerships in Australia, Canada, and Europe. The company's manufacturing facilities and headquarters have evolved, and one notable location is near the famed Las Vegas Speedway and McCarran Airport in Nevada.

Shelby American's new location

Shelby American, the high-performance vehicle manufacturer founded by Carroll Shelby, has had quite an evolution since its inception in 1962 in Venice, California. Initially starting as a Maserati dealership in Dallas, Texas, the company has since expanded globally, with a presence in various countries.

In 2013, Shelby American announced a significant move for the company's headquarters. The new location was chosen to be in Las Vegas, Nevada, strategically positioned near the famed Las Vegas Strip and McCarran Airport. This move aimed to bring the brand closer to the millions of people visiting Las Vegas annually, offering greater exposure and a more consumer-direct approach.

The new global headquarters, which opened its doors on December 1, 2013, combines the entire production process, including the Speed Shop, a historic Shelby automotive museum, a gift shop, and special factory tours. The consolidation of manufacturing and Speed Shop facilities under one roof was expected to streamline production and provide the agility needed to introduce new vehicle models efficiently.

The previous location of Shelby American, before its move to Las Vegas, was in Torrance, California. The company had outgrown its original shop in Venice, California, and made the transition to Torrance, marking a step in the company's evolution.

Today, visitors to the Shelby American headquarters in Las Vegas can enjoy a unique experience. The site offers a gift shop, a car museum showcasing rotating exhibits and memorabilia, and a factory where Ford Mustangs are transformed into Shelbys. The guided tours provide an insightful look into the world of Shelby, allowing visitors to witness the magic of converting Mustangs into high-performance vehicles.

The Shelby Heritage Center

The center offers both self-guided and guided tours. The guided tours are conducted at 10:30 AM from Monday to Saturday and include a visit to the old cars and the factory floor. The self-guided tours can be taken during the scheduled hours of operation, allowing visitors to explore the amazing cars and exhibits at their own pace. The center also provides a wealth of information about Shelby and their vehicles.

The Shelby American Collection

The story of Shelby American began in 1957 when Carroll Shelby opened a sports car dealership in Dallas with fellow racer Dick Hall selling Maseratis across the American Southwest. They raced Maseratis in the 1957 SCCA National Sports Car Championship. Shelby and Hall then met with Brian Lister of the Lister Motor Company in England, where they discussed swapping a Chevrolet small-block engine into the Lister body. This was Carroll Shelby's first experience installing an American V8 engine into a British sports car body.

With funding from oil driller and amateur racer Gary Laughlin, Shelby and Hall approached General Motors in 1959 with the idea of creating a new sports car using the Chevrolet Corvette chassis. Shelby American has since released new models each year since 2005. The company has also expanded internationally, partnering with top-tier automobile modification shops to enable customers in other countries to purchase Shelby products locally.

In addition to the Shelby American Collection in Boulder, Colorado, there is also the Shelby Heritage Center located in Las Vegas, Nevada, which features 15,000 square feet of rotating car exhibits and memorabilia. The Shelby Heritage Center is located near the Las Vegas Speedway and offers free guided tours that include a visit to the museum and the factory floor, where visitors can watch the process of converting Ford Mustangs into Shelbys.

Shelby American's history

Shelby American, Inc. is an American high-performance automobile company founded by Carroll Shelby, a racing driver, automotive designer, and entrepreneur. Shelby American was founded in 1962 in Venice, California, and has since become a wholly-owned subsidiary of Carroll Shelby International, Inc., a holding company formed in 2003.

Carroll Shelby's journey began when he joined the United States Army Air Corps in 1941, where he trained as a pilot and served as a flight instructor and test pilot. After his discharge, he started a dump truck business and later a poultry farm, which went bankrupt in 1952. In 1957, he opened a sports car dealership in Dallas with fellow racer Dick Hall, selling Maseratis across the American Southwest. They also raced Maseratis in the 1957 SCCA National Sports Car Championship. Shelby then met Brian Lister of the Lister Motor Company, and together with Hall, they worked on putting Chevrolet small-block V-8s into Lister bodies. This led Shelby to approach General Motors with the idea of creating a new sports car using the Chevrolet Corvette chassis.

In 1961, Shelby struck a deal with AC Cars of Britain, agreeing to install an American V8 engine into their Ace sports car. Shelby returned to GM and sought a supply of Chevrolet V8s but was refused, as they feared competition with the Corvette. Shelby then founded Shelby American, Inc. in 1962, leasing a building in Venice, Los Angeles, and began racing the Cobra. In 1963, Cobras dominated the SCCA United States Road Racing Championship, and in 1964, the new aerodynamic "Daytona" coupe, designed by Pete Brock, achieved speeds over 190 mph and won the GT class at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Since 2005, Shelby American has released new models annually and has partnered with international modification shops to expand its global reach. The company has a museum and manufacturing facility in Las Vegas, Nevada, and the Shelby Heritage Center showcases rotating car exhibits and memorabilia.

Shelby American's products

Shelby American, founded by Carroll Shelby, is an American high-performance automobile company. The company has been in operation since 1962, when it was established in Venice, California. Carroll Shelby, a Texan race car driver and chicken farmer, started a Maserati dealership in Dallas with fellow racer Jim Hall in 1957. Over the years, Shelby American has manufactured several high-performance vehicles, including:

Shelby Cobra

The Cobra was the first car produced by Shelby American. It was first raced in 1962 by driver Bill Krause in the Los Angeles Times Grand Prix. While it did not finish the race due to a broken axle shaft, it was competitive with the then-new Corvette Sting Ray Z06. The Cobra dominated the SCCA United States Road Racing Championship in 1963. Carroll Shelby's decision to name his first car the "Cobra" is an interesting story in itself.

Shelby GT350

The Shelby GT3550 was created with upgraded intake and exhaust manifolds, carburetor, rear axle, and brakes installed at Shelby American's shop in California. The GT350 was very successful in the SCCA B-Production class, winning the class three consecutive years. Shelby also built special edition GT350s for Hertz.

Shelby GT500

For 1967, Shelby installed the Ford 428 cu. in. (7.0 L) engine in the Mustang, creating the "GT500". The 1967 Shelby Mustangs featured revised front and rear fascias that distinguished them from the common Fords they were based on. Sales of the Shelby Mustangs increased sixfold from 1966 to 1967.

Shelby Charger and Omni GLH

The success of the Shelby Charger and Omni GLH led Carroll Shelby to set up a new company similar to the original Shelby American. Shelby Automobiles, Inc. was founded in 1983 and began operations in 1985, producing performance versions of Chrysler cars. The first product was the 1986 GLHS, a higher-performance version of the Omni GLH.

Other Products

Shelby American has also produced special editions of the Charger (1987 GLHS), Dodge Lancer (Shelby Lancer), Dodge Shadow (Shelby CSX), and Dodge Dakota pickup truck (Shelby Dakota). Additionally, they have manufactured component automobiles, including replicas of small-block and large-block AC Cobras, and the GT500 Super Snake. Shelby American has expanded its operations internationally, partnering with top-tier automobile modification shops to enable customers in other countries to purchase Shelby products locally.

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