"Shelby not renewing SAACs license
Shelby not renewing SAACs license
In recent weeks, we told you about Carroll Shelby severing all ties with the
Shelby American Automobile Club, which began nearly 33 years ago, when folks
were still driving these cars on highways and byways to work.
Well, now Shelby has terminated the SAACs license. The clubs license to
operate
expires January 31, 2008, and Shelby has announced, for unknown reasons, that
he will not be renewing the license. Not only is Shelby not renewing the
license,
but SAAC has also been served with a letter from Shelbys attorney, Neil
Cummings
& Associates, on Shelbys behalf asking for the return of all documents,
materials,
registry information, financial statements and merchandise to him.
It seems like a coincidence to us that this is all coming down as Shelby
Autos
recently announced their own new club, called Team Shelby, in partnership
with
the owners of BlueOvalNews.com
The SAAC has released a statement dated November 25, 2007, which says it is
proud of its many accomplishments and is looking forward to a bright future.
One of SAACs most important missions is to protect the integrity of the
marque
against the dishonest, the revisionists and the counterfeiters. Over the
decades,
as a result of tens of thousands of volunteer man-hours, SAAC has amassed a
comprehensive data base of information on each Shelby vehicle. The SAAC
knows
a good attorney is going to cost plenty of money. It is looking for donations
to its legal fund, said national directors Ken Eber, Rick Kopec and Howard
Pardee."
The previous statement was part of the weekly Hemmings newsletter emailed
today,
much of it probably old news to this list.
I haven't weighed in on how this change in the Shelby club will affect
Tigers,
but I will now. I don't know how Carroll will embrace Tigers at this point,
but it doesn't matter to me. I don't have any illusions that my Tiger is part
of the Shelby car family.
If credit for the Tiger is due, it goes to the people on this list, it goes
to the members of STOC,STOA, CAT, TEAE,CATO, and the other clubs worldwide,
it goes to Ian Garrad and John Panks and Brian Rootes who saw the Tiger
project
through to the point that Lord Rootes OK'd it, it goes to the folks at Jensen
who contributed to a quality product for Rootes.
What's ole Shels contribution? Well, if you're also a Mustang or Shelby Cobra
289 nut, like me, PLENTY. The current Shelby GT(nee GT-H) is simply the
Mustang
Ford should have started with themselves,gads, its fun. And the Shelby Cobra
289, still my favorite sports car 40 years on.
As far as the clubs are concerned, even if Rick Kopec prevails it's still
Shelby's
cars. Someone once commented that while Michael Jackson owned or owns rights
to Beatle music, he's still doesn't call himself Paul McCartney. Likewise,
the
cars are not called Kopec GT350's or Kopec Cobra's.
In a perfect world, Shelby and SAAC would find some common ground. Shelby and
SAAC go back 35+ years. I personally wonder who stepped on whose toes to
create
this dilemma. I also wonder why with Shelby's continued effort to control his
brand lately, why this didn't happen sooner.
Rande Bellman
B382000048
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