Shelby American Collection
Who knew? In a nondescript brick building in a generic office park in Boulder, there’s a historic car museum with the world’s largest exhibit of Shelby cars - Cobras, Ford GTs, Mustangs, and more. The Shelby American Collection started in 1966 as a man-cave for some race car enthusiasts in the Boulder area. When Carroll Shelby started hanging out there, the word spread, and the collection grew. Now, anyone can visit and see some of the rarest and most significant race cars in the world.
Not familiar with Carroll Shelby? He was a famous - perhaps the most famous - race car driver, automotive designer, and car company founder. You may have seen the film Ford vs. Ferrari, in which Matt Damon played Shelby.
We were fortunate to be there during a “tour,” which was really a Shelby enthusiast telling a series of interesting stories about specific cars in the collection and the people who designed, built, and/or drove them. Many of the stories were first-hand “behind the scenes” accounts shared by racing VIPs visiting the museum.
Steve has owned two Ford Mustangs (though not a Shelby Mustang), so in addition to a healthy interest in automotive technology and design, he had a personal connection. As someone who knows very little about race cars and doesn’t understand the appeal of a 24-hour race, I have to say I was fascinated by this place. It was impossible not to feel a little thrill at the beauty of these cars. I just wish we could have heard a couple of those powerful engines come to life.
