Tucked away outside the hustle of central Boulder in Gunbarrel, the Shelby American Collection feels less like a museum and more like a lovingly preserved time capsule. Inside, the scent of old leather and polished chrome fills the air and almost every inch of wall space is covered with signs, images, trophies, clothing and other memorabilia related to auto racing.
Whether you’re a lifelong gearhead or more of a casual fan, walking past the meticulously restored Cobras and GT40s is enough to spark awe, curiosity or maybe just a touch of nostalgia for a time when American innovation roared louder than any engine.
Though Carroll Shelby—the famed American automotive designer, driver and entrepreneur—died in 2012 at the age of 89, his legacy lives on, thanks to a small but passionate team of stewards. Among them is Steve Volk, a software industry veteran who co-founded the nonprofit museum in 1996. He wants the institution to be a tribute to both fast machines and the restless spirit of the legendary man who created them.
“ We hope that [visitors to the museum] understand what Shelby did for American racing and the automotive industry in general and also are inspired by his creativity and entrepreneurialship because he started out as a chicken farmer,” says Volk, who serves as the collection’s executive director. “He had poor beginnings and he was able to create something out of nothing and created an incredible legacy.”
Carroll Shelby’s Story
Born in Leesburg, Texas, Shelby served as a U.S. Army Air Corps pilot and dabbled in a variety of business ventures—including chicken farming—before discovering a passion for racing in the early 1950s. His talent quickly became apparent, and Shelby was soon recruited to be a driver for luxury British sports car manufacturer Aston Martin’s racing team, eventually winning the 1959 24 Hours of Le Mans (the prestigious race in France designed to test the endurance of cars and drivers).
Just a year later, a heart condition forced Shelby to retire from racing. But that didn’t mean slowing down. In the early 1960s, Shelby shifted gears—literally. “He stopped racing but he had this vision of building an American sports car, something light and agile like the European cars he had driven like Maseratis and Aston Martin but with an American power plant,” Volk says.
The result was the now-legendary Shelby Cobra. The vehicle had a nimble British chassis from AC Cars and a powerful American V-8 engine from Ford that could be easily serviced at any dealership or garage. The aerodynamic Cobra became popular at the track, where it won races from coast to coast, and on regular roadways across America.
“The Ford Cobra is the most copied car in the world,” says Volk. “Shelby American only made about 1,000 of the cars—but there’s an estimated 75,000 to 100,000 replicas out there.”
A Shrine to Speed
At Boulder’s Shelby American Collection, visitors can see the first Cobra prototype completed in 1962. The bright blue roadster, which was owned and driven by Shelby until his death, is among the more than 60 vehicles on display. You can also see a rare, unrestored 1964 FIA Cobra Roadster, the first American-powered chassis to win the 1965 Manufacturer’s World Championship, and several mid-1960s-era Shelby Mustangs. The latter are considered the first “pony cars” (known for their speed, stylish design and affordability) and were another Shelby-designed bestseller for Ford.
In 1984, Volk was racing cars around Europe and the United States, where he and Shelby met and started a friendship. In 1995, Volk proposed the idea of opening a museum dedicated to Shelby’s achievements anchored by cars and memorabilia from his personal collection, as well as items from co-founder Bill Murray (a former racer and professional restorer of Shelby Cobras himself). “[Shelby] was thrilled. He donated a lot of the race records and trophies that we have here at the museum,” Volk says. “He would come here every year for our events until his passing.”
The museum is funded by donations and a popular sweepstakes, where car enthusiasts can enter to win a brand-new Ford vehicle by giving a cash gift to the museum. Since 2012, Shelby American Collection has given away 12 cars through the sweepstakes and raised enough cash to double its footprint from 10,000 to 20,000 square feet. Now also occupying the adjacent building next door, the museum’s recent expansion includes a gleaming vehicle showroom with floor-to-ceiling wallpaper depicting a vintage racing scene workshop along with a library, kitchen and event space available for private or corporate functions.
While many years have passed since Shelby’s death, Volk says interest in his legacy and the muscle car world has only grown. He manages a waiting list of fellow speed enthusiasts who want their cars displayed in the Shelby American Collection and is excited to educate new generations of gearheads through the museum’s expanding event lineup, which includes monthly morning “Cars & Coffee” meetups to a big annual summer car show and party.
“Our primary mission here is to teach what Shelby did for America and American racing,” Volk says. “He really put us on the map.”
Legacy in Numbers
37
Shelby’s age when he stopped racing in 1960 due to a congenital heart problem that led to chronic chest pains. He eventually received a heart transplant in 1990.
200 to 300
The number of visitors to the Shelby American Collection every Saturday—the only day the museum is open.
$4,500
The approximate price of a new Shelby GT350 Mustang in 1965, the result of Ford Motor Company recruiting Shelby to design a high-performance version of the standard vehicle. Today, the starting price for a Shelby GT350 Mustang is around $105,000.
153 mph
The top speed of the first 1962 Shelby 260 Cobra, according to tests by Road & Track magazine. It set the foundation for future versions significantly increasing horsepower and speed.
This story originally appeared in Travel Boulder’s winter/spring 2025-26 print issue. Read the full magazine online.
