What began as a way to document my Shelby Cobra build and share what I was learning soon evolved into a much deeper journey into Shelby history. As my knowledge grew, so did my appreciation for the people, engineering, and passion that shaped the Shelby legacy. The addition of a GT40 build to the family opened the door to an even broader understanding of that remarkable era in motorsports.

The Shelby story was never about one man alone. Ford, Ken Miles, Phil Remington, and many others played critical roles in elevating the Shelby name to legendary status. Carroll Shelby himself was a brilliant promoter who surrounded himself with incredibly talented people capable of turning vision into reality. Through my background in a related industry, I was fortunate enough to meet several of those individuals — including Carroll himself.

As I pursued my own dream of building period-correct Shelby replicas, I naturally became fascinated with the history behind the cars. When it came time to choose a personalized license plate for the Cobra, I reserved “65 CSX.” While I understood the significance of the Cobra serial number designation, most people did not. More than once, railroad enthusiasts asked if I worked for the railroad, since CSX was already a well-known name in that industry. It quickly became clear that “65 CSX” wasn’t quite the right fit.

When renewal time arrived, I searched the Missouri DMV database for another option and entered “65 SHLB.” To my surprise, it was available — one of those rare moments when everything falls perfectly into place. The plate immediately felt right, capturing the spirit and identity of both the Cobra and the GT40. From that point on, the website itself took on the same name — a tribute to the cars, the history, and the passion behind the journey.

I’m not ready to plate the GT40 just yet. I hope the stars align for it also.