By The Shelby Museum in Boulder holds many of Texan Carroll Shelby’s cars, such as Ken Miles’ GT40 from Ford v Ferrari movie. But that is only part of its extensive collection.
Volk is on a mission to see his museum become an official national institution and share its message of history and cost-cutting with future generations. When cars had large engines and gas was priced at 32 cents a gallon.
About the Museum
Tucked away in an otherwise inconspicuous office park in Boulder is the Shelby American Collection, an historic car museum dedicated to Carroll Shelby and his legendary Shelby cars. Filled with exquisite exhibits and expertly curated collections that give an unparalleled glimpse into an era when precision engineering combined with automotive excellence, this museum makes a visit worthwhile.
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Established in 1996, the Shelby American Collection was created to preserve and commemorate Carroll Shelby and his legendary Cobras, Ford GT 40 endurance racing cars and Mustang variants. Thanks to owners and collectors of Shelby race cars and Mustangs on display here in the museum, many historically significant ones can be seen there – as well as memorabilia that pays homage to some of his most noteworthy characters from 1960s auto racing history.
This collection includes rare 289 and 427 Shelby Cobras, Daytona Coupes, Willment Mustang GT40s from Willment Shelby Mustang Team racing history as well as other cars associated with American Shelby Team’s racing tradition. Shelby designs have come to symbolize revolutionary engineering that surpasses expectations – just look at his iconic designs!
Shelby was an undisputed force on both the racetrack and showroom floor, never losing sight of his true calling: creating automobiles that exhilarated and inspired drivers of every generation he could reach. As testament to this legacy lies the Shelby museum; visiting there feels like traveling back through time; its timeless engineering and artistic vision take you back to when speed was unbounded.
Cobras
The museum features some of the world’s most iconic Cobras, including Steve McQueen’s model from Viva Las Vegas, as well as the first American car to win a major international race – a Ford GT40 which won at Daytona. Established by Shelby American enthusiasts in Boulder and its surroundings before Carroll Shelby passed away in 2012, this museum opens every Saturday for viewing.
The Cobras found at the museum are an incredible testament to Shelby’s revolutionary engineering. Designed to compete against foreign cars that dominated racing at that time, Shelby combined light European-style bodies with powerful V8 engines resulting in incredible machines capable of reaching 200mph speeds.
In addition to an incredible collection of Cobras, this museum houses other automotive icons and memorabilia such as period photographs, period memorabilia, tributes to pioneer drivers from its era as well as tributes. Any auto enthusiast should visit this must-see attraction.
There is no other car museum in the nation with such an impressive collection of cars from this era than the Shelby American Car Museum, making it an invaluable way to learn about racing history and its effects on modern sport. Sammy Celico, 18, volunteers at this museum and has found it immensely helpful in deepening his understanding of its rich heritage – which began as an interest as a child when working on them with his father!
Mustangs
No matter your interest in cars, visiting the Shelby Museum in Boulder will take you on an engaging journey through automotive history. From immersive exhibits and meticulously curated collections to revolutionary engineering behind timeless classics – you are guaranteed an experience not soon forgotten!
Shelby American Museum is fortunate to be home to some of the most historically significant Shelby race Cobras, Ford GT40s and Mustangs from owners and collectors, thanks to their generosity. Additionally, there is an extensive collection of period memorabilia such as photographs and tributes paying homage to those responsible for making 1960s auto racing such an influential experience for Americans.
Since 1996, this museum was started by Shelby enthusiasts from Boulder. Carroll Shelby himself was involved with its founding before his passing away in 2012. Today it is run entirely by volunteers with a common passion for honoring and perpetuating the legendary Shelby cars’ legacy.
The museum features several vintage Mustangs owned by Carroll Shelby himself, such as his 1964 Shelby Factory Team Cobra CSX 2345 289 FIA Roadster from 1964, left unrestored to showcase its racing history and show its true racer status.
Sammy Celico, 18, has been volunteering at the museum since he was 11, and believes it’s essential to preserve both the Mustang’s heritage and legacy of its creator, Carroll Shelby. While car culture still thrives today in Boulder County, younger generations seem less passionate about taking care of their vehicles themselves in favor of technology-centric models of automobiles.
GT40s
The Shelby Museum in Boulder provides an incredible opportunity to see some of the greatest racing cars ever created up close and personal. It gives visitors an intimate peek into an era of automotive excellence where engineering and passion were combined into some of the world’s most desirable vehicles ever created. Each exhibit speaks volumes for its creator’s meticulous care when creating each piece exhibited therein.
Shelby enthusiasts assembled this collection, comprising Cobras, Mustangs and Ford GT40s as well as art work, race records and tributes to legendary drivers and pioneers of 1960s auto racing.
Carroll Shelby first envisioned the Shelby Cobra as a means of helping Ford compete with Chevrolet’s Corvette in American sports car market. At first he designed it in his garage at home before Ford approached him to develop more cost-effective racecars for their GT40 endurance racing program.
Ford and Shelby experimented with different engine, gearbox and brake combinations at Le Mans while Shelby improved handling by hiring developmental driver Ken Miles as well as making improvements to suspension, airflow ducting, materials and more.
Overall results of their GT40 program at the 24 Hours of Le Mans were mixed; Ford experimented with engine combinations while Shelby worked to perfect their handling through modifications such as Ken Miles being hired and improvements made to suspension, airflow ducting materials etc.
Miles and Lloyd Ruby piloted a Shelby American GT40 to victory at both events: Daytona 2000 km in 1965 and Sebring 12-hour race in 1966, but both cars were retired in favour of newer Mk III models the following year.
The Mk III proved faster than its predecessors and proved itself worthy competitors at Le Mans. Engineer Alan Mann’s newly designed front suspension prevented nosedive, while drive donuts were replaced with less susceptible CV joints; leaky rubber gas tanks were upgraded with aluminium versions but performance still varied drastically from vehicle to vehicle.
Race Cars
As a car enthusiast, you are probably familiar with the legendary Shelby cars. But if you haven’t seen one yourself yet, Boulder holds one of the world’s finest historic car collections of Carroll Shelby models in their Shelby American Collection historic car museum. Located within an unassuming office park near a heating and cooling company is where this hidden gem resides; visit it soon before it closes its doors!
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Since 1996, several Shelby American enthusiasts and Carroll Shelby himself had been working to establish the museum until his passing in 2012. As a volunteer run non-profit organization open every Saturday afternoon since, its collections include race Cobras, Ford GT 40 cars and other iconic vehicles associated with Carroll Shelby’s legendary racing team as well as race records, period photographs and memorabilia from throughout its history.
Stepping inside the Shelby museum is like traveling back in time to an era when muscle cars reigned supreme and gasoline cost 32 cents a gallon. Although some might argue that America has outgrown its love affair with automobiles, its founders remain committed to sharing knowledge about these iconic machines as well as those responsible for creating them with the public.
