1964 Shelby Cobra Carroll Shelby 0001-4528

Carroll Shelby standing between two Cobra roadsters outside the Shelby American shop, a hand resting on each windscreen frame, one car dark and one white.

What Is Happening in This Photograph?

Shelby stands centre frame in a dark work jacket and light trousers, the two cars angled in toward him so their front wings almost meet at his knees. The dark Cobra at the left is in road trim. The white car at the right carries a bonnet scoop and no front bumper. Behind them runs a long, low brick building with steel-framed windows, a roller door at the right and a telegraph pole and overhead wires above. The tarmac is marked out with parking bays. Nothing has been staged beyond the placement of the cars.

Where Was This Taken?

Outside the Shelby American premises. The company worked from 1042 Princeton Drive in Venice, California, a plain low brick industrial building that became one of the most recognisable backdrops in American motor racing photography, and later moved to larger premises beside Los Angeles airport. Cars were photographed in the yard because that is where they were finished.

Who Was Carroll Shelby?

A Texan chicken farmer turned racing driver who won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1959 driving an Aston Martin, then retired from driving on medical advice and built cars instead. His idea was simple and unfashionable: put a Ford V8 into a light British AC Ace chassis. The result, the Cobra, beat Ferrari to the FIA GT manufacturers' title in 1965, and Shelby went on to run Ford's GT40 programme and to give his name to the Shelby Mustangs.

Who Is This Print For?

This Carroll Shelby print suits Shelby collectors, Cobra owners, American motorsport historians, dealership showrooms and garage interiors. Portraits of Shelby with his own cars are among the most recognisable images in American car culture, and they anchor a wall in a way a car alone does not. Choose framed print, stretched canvas, ChromaLuxe metal or Giclée for a study, office or showroom.

Photograph Details

• Subject: Carroll Shelby with two Shelby Cobra roadsters
• Year: 1964
• Setting: Shelby American shop yard, Venice, California
• Cars shown: One dark roadster in road trim, one white roadster with bonnet scoop
• Archive reference: 0001-4528

This archival photograph is made available through Fordimages.com, the official Ford archive imagery licensee operated by Richard Weedn LLC. Each image is digitally restored before printing and handcrafted to order.

Available as:

• Framed Print — museum-quality paper, archival inks, Acrylite glazing, hanging hardware included
• Stretched Canvas — hand-stretched over 1.25-inch pine bars, heavy cotton poly matte finish
• ChromaLuxe Metal Print — image infused directly onto sheets of alloy metal for maximum vibrancy and durability
• Giclée Art Print — 260gsm satin finish paper, finest archival inks, white border

Made in the USA or Europe depending on your location.

About the Artwork

Artwork in this collection comes from the Ford Motor Company Archives, The Henry Ford Museum, the Carroll Shelby Archives, and the collections of acclaimed photographers and painters from around the world. Reproduction rights are reserved by the respective copyright owners.

Our framed prints feature a black, hand-stained solid wood frame with a white mat, museum-quality paper, archival inks, Acrylite glazing, and hanging hardware. The frame features a slim 0.8-inch face and projects 1.3 inches from the wall, creating a clean, contemporary shadow-box effect. Made in the USA or Europe, depending on your location.

Our stretched canvas prints are produced on acid-free, pH-neutral, and fade-resistant canvas. Each canvas is hand-glued to solid wood stretcher bars and stretched over 1.25-inch-thick pine bars. Mounting brackets are included. Made in the USA or Europe, depending on your location.

Our Giclée prints are produced using premium 200gsm semi-gloss paper and high-quality archival inks. Each print includes a white border around the perimeter.

For the 40 x 60 size, we use 250gsm museum-quality archival paper with an off-white, uncoated finish.

The listed size refers to the overall paper dimensions. The image is printed proportionally within the selected paper size. Made in the USA or Europe, depending on your location.

ChromaLuxe prints use a state-of-the-art coating process that infuses the image directly onto sheets of alloy metal. The result is photography with an exceptional combination of vibrancy, clarity, and durability.

Each print arrives ready to hang. An alloy subframe on the back allows the artwork to float away from the wall for a sleek, modern appearance. This is the finest-quality print we offer. Made in the USA.

All images are digitally restored before printing. Production location varies by product and destination. Shipping is calculated at checkout.