Authenticity question - 06 Shelby

[bzinks]

I am seeking information on how to document the authenticity of a 2006 Shelby. My father, who recently passed away, purchased from a used car lot what he believed to be an '06 "Tribute" to the Shelby. However, when I had it appraised a few weeks ago I was shocked that the appraisal came back stating that it was an actual 350GT Shelby Cobra. I am wondering, how might I find additional information to verify and further document that it is a Shelby?

[Richstang]

SAAC is primarily focused on the Classic Shelby's '65-'70.
You should find the response you are seeking on the 'Team Shelby' website which is focused on the later '05+ Shelby cars

[bzinks]

Much appreciated, thanks for the advice!

[98SVT - was 06GT]

You can go right to the source - https://www.shelby.com/en-us/Registry

The only 2006 Shelbys were the 500 Black/Gold GT-H ones built for Hertz. Shelby American did not use the GT350 moniker on their cars. That copyright (along with Cobra, GT500, etc) is owned by Ford. When Shelby signed on with Ford to rep their new GT500 part of the deal was he could modify and sell Mustangs under his own banner. These were only called Shelby GT and started in 2007 with a Mustang GT. The Cobra name is licensed to Shelby American for use on 2 seat cars only.
Today the business model has changed due to federal intervention several years ago regarding emissions. At this time cars are only modified by what is called "post title" that means you already own the car and are having it modified to your specs. Exposing yourself and not the modifier to EPA violations. Shelby will still modify your GT making it a Shelby GT or a Ford born GT350 or GT500 making it a GT350SE or GT500SE (Signature Edition).
Checking the VIN of any 2006 up Shelby built car will show it was born as a Ford. Shelby American keeps but does not publish a registry. Since 2006 well over 150,000 cars have rolled off the SA and Ford lines making them far less collectible than the earlier cars with a total 8 year production of less than 13,000.

[CSX4005LA]

The "Team Shelby" forum is no longer, at least not right now.  It's return has been one of those "any day now" for several months.   There was an aborted attempt to migrate it to a new platform that failed miserably, along with some party crashers that took it over as their personal facebook page, and so in an attempt to regroup has been shut down.   "Team Shelby" maintains an active on Facebook and other social platforms but those aren't threaded and so don't have any history. 

What 98SVT..  summarizes is correct.  There were no '06 Shelby Mustangs except for the Hertz cars, and while many dealers referred to the "Shelby GT" as a "GT350" that was an attempt to rationalize it against the GT500 what was out at the same time.  The GT350 returned later as a post-title Shelby offering and then was quietly closed down as Ford reclaimed the trademark and had their own offering.

You nailed it when you said "Tribute".  Its tryue value is that of a modified Mustang GT.  Maybe more than a standard car, but not by much given its age and the evolution of the Mustang over the subsequent years.   It's not real or rare or going to fund a retirement program. 

Drive the snot out of it.  You'll think of your dad every time you sit in it!

(PS, I owned two of the Barrett Jackson Shelby GTs.  There were awesome little cars and when equipped with a supercharger had as much HP as then unmodified GT500 of the same time, and handled much better than the GT500 because the Shelby GT came with the upgraded suspension bits.  You could add those same bits to the GT500.  The Shelby GT was maxed out with HP because of the 4.6L3V engine whereas the GT500 had the bigger V8 that was, like the Ford GT, severely underrated and could be brought up to immense HP on the base engine parts.)

[Don Johnston]

All good information.  However, the Shelby GT,  Shelby GT350 and Shelby GT500/GT500KR usage have been under CSL (Carroll Shelby Licensing) for decades.  I am not sure if that has changed.  CSL and CHS Trust maintain the control over authorization of the various Shelby names and logos to support the Trust and CS Foundation. 

For example, the GT350 license was used by Shelby American in LV from 2011 to 2014 for their post-production Mustangs.  I own a 2011. The use was then switched to Ford as they could produce more vehicles which, obviously, provides better residuals for CSL.

It is very common for the uninformed (appraisers, used car sales staff, etc.) to designate Shelby GT and GTH models as a Shelby GT350 as their way to differentiate it from the Ford Shelby GT500 series that came out in 2007 and continues in current production.   

As previously mentioned, checking the VIN with the registration site posted can confirm the OP vehicle status.  SA only keeps a registry of vehicles processed through their Las Vegas shop, such as the 2006 Shelby GT. 

[owenkelley]

You could post a picture of your car including the engine compartment. If it is a true Shelby GT there should be a Shelby plate under the hood and I believe they all had one fixed to the dash in between the AC vents.

[98SVT - was 06GT]

All good information.  However, the Shelby GT,  Shelby GT350 and Shelby GT500/GT500KR usage have been under CSL (Carroll Shelby Licensing) for decades. 

When Shelby lost control in mid 67 Ford took all the assets and trademarks. When Ford brought out the Fox body with GT350 side stripes Shelby sued. He got reminded that he no longer owned the trademarks. Ford allowed/licensed him to use the Cobra name on 2 seat sports cars and retained its use for everything else. When the whole Cobra kit car lawsuits started Ford defended the Cobra name and won. Shelby defended the shape and lost. The GT350s and GT500s that left Las Vegas entered there as FORD GT350s and FORD GT500s. If you click on the GT500 link on the Shelby American site it takes you to the Ford build and price page. Below are the prices to turn your FORD GT350 and FORD GT500 into FORD GT350SE and FORD GT500SE Shelby Signature Editions https://www.shelby.com/en-us/Vehicles

UPGRADE YOUR GT350
$9,995
Price Does Not Include Base Mustang Or Shipping To Las Vegas

UPGRADE YOUR GT500
$29,995
Does Not Include Base Mustang GT500 Or Shipping To Las Vegas
- ---  - --
This was from an effort to recover the GT350 TM in the mid 90s: The GT 350 trademark was assigned a Serial Number #74520098 – by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Trademark Serial Number is a unique ID to identify the GT 350 mark in USPTO. The GT 350 mark is filed in the category of Vehicles; Locomotion Product by Land, Air or Water . The legal correspondent for GT 350 trademark is Edward A. Sokolski, 3868 CARSON STREET, SUITE 105 TORRANCE, CA 90503 . The current status of the GT 350 filing is Abandoned - No Statement of Use filed.
https://inventively.com/trademarks/gt-350/shelby-carroll/74520098
It's easy to claim ownership of something that has been around since the 60s and most people won't check further for the full history.

Don't forget the original 1962 Shelby American Inc ceased to exist in 1988 when Carroll and Patrick closed it down. Go to the Secretary of State sites in CA and NV you'll find lots of interesting paperwork on CS's companies.



- - - - - -
CS vs Factory 5: Ford was in on original 2000 case as the trademark owner relating to use of the terms Cobra, 427 S/C, Shelby, Shelby Cobra, Daytona Coupe and Daytona Coupe Cobra. Factory 5 had never used any of these trademarks so Ford left the suit with an agreement Factory 5 not use them. CS stayed on with the trade/dress part (shape/look)

Carroll Shelby has failed in his second attempt this decade to halt Factory Five Racing from manufacturing and selling kit cars which resemble vintage 1960's Shelby automobiles. In a ruling issued yesterday by the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts, the Court dismissed Carroll Shelby's 2009 suit against Factory Five wherein Shelby alleged that Factory Five's Type 65 Coupe infringed on the trade dress (design trademark) of Shelby's Daytona Coupe® automobile. Shelby filed a similar suit against Factory Five in 2000 alleging trade dress violations of "designs that relate to the vintage 1960's automobiles created, designed and made by Carroll Shelby" including but not limited to the COBRA 427 S/C®. After almost two years of litigation, Factory Five and Shelby settled the earlier suit pursuant to which the Court dismissed Shelby's trade dress claims relative to Factory Five's kit Roadster and Type 65 Coupe which are similar to Shelby's COBRA 427 S/C® and Daytona Coupe®, respectively.
Despite Shelby's dismissal of the trade dress claims in the 2000 law suit, in December, 2009, Shelby attempted a second bite of the apple by filing suit against Factory Five, this time on his home turf in the federal court in Los Angeles. However, the change in venue was short-lived. Over Shelby's arduous objection, Factory Five was successful in having the suit transferred to the District of Massachusetts, the site of the earlier litigation. Shortly thereafter, Factory Five filed its Motion to Dismiss based, in part, on the Court's judgment in the prior law suit.

https://www.autoblog.com/2010/02/22/shelby-loses-lawsuit-against-factory-five-racing/#:~:text=In%20a%20ruling%20issued%20yesterday,Shelby's%20Daytona%20Coupe%C2%AE%20automobile.

[Don Johnston]

Interesting information.  The former CSL site had the Shelby Licensed logos and names posted on the Shelby.com web page.   After the recent Shelby.com revision of the past year, those are no longer visible or noted on the licensing link.  I wonder if there were further disputes after CS' passing from Ford.  Anyway, it is all or them to figure out as I am not looking to request any brand use.  Most of my information goes back to the John Lund years and I have no current way to determine accuracies now without getting possible negative feedback.

Thanks for your input.

Of course there is also the challenges of multiple claimed Shelby World Registries.  We know of the SAAC Registries for the 62-70 generation of Shelby vehicles, but then there is the CSL registry and the Shelby American(Las Vegas)/Team Shelby registries. It is confusing when so many vehicles and products are being given brand name authorization these days.

[bzinks]

Thanks, everyone for the tips and advice on how to figure out the authenticity of my father's 2006 "Shelby". Shelby America confirmed from the VIN and photos that the vehicle is not a true Shelby. The mystery to me now is what this car is. My father had several Mustangs, including a '67 fastback that the previous owner used for drag racing and a 2001 Bullitt. Neither has anywhere near the engine power of the 2006. Knowing that the car is not a Shelby, is there a more appropriate forum in which to inquire as to what the vehicle is and to share photos? Below is a photo of the engine for any who might be curious.