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http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...tle-body-muscle-car-legend-Caroll-Shelby.html
A bitter family custody battle over the remains of Caroll Shelby - famed as the father of muscle cars - has left his body in a mortuary until a court ends the row.
The surviving wife of seven-times-married Shelby is locked in a dispute with his family over how to lay the legendary car designer to rest.
Cleo Shelby, 64, has demanded to take charge of what happens to her husband’s body, while his children say they are following their father’s last wishes to have him cremated.
Father of muscle cars: The late Caroll Shelby, posing with the 2007 Ford Shelby GT Mustang he helped design, helped create some of world's most iconic sports cars
The body of Shelby - who is best know for creating some of the most iconic sports cars including the AC Cobra, also known as the Shelby Cobra - has been in a mortuary since his death aged 89 in May 10, this year.
Row: The dispute over how to lay the body of Caroll Shelby to rest looks set to be decided in court
Eldest son Michael Shelby has submitted a document to the court purporting to be written instructions from his father saying that he wants to be cremated and giving him powers to arrange his funeral.
According to dallasnews.com his instructions, signed and dates on February 8, were for his ashes to be ‘divided equally among and given to each of my then living children and one additional equal share to be buried in my parents’ family plot in Leesburg, Texas.’
But Mrs Shelby had lodged a court petition alleging this document is ‘forged’.
She has demanded to be given the final say on what arrangements should be made for the former racer turned car designer, who grew up in East Texas and attended high school in Dallas.
Dallas County Medical Examiner Dr. Jeffrey Barnard, has said he is in control of the body ‘because an allegation was made which falls within’ Texas laws pertaining to criminal procedure.
Michael Shelby, who donated a kidney to his father in 1996, discounted the forgery allegations, noting that the funeral instructions he received were witnessed by four people and a notary.
He told dallastoday: ‘We are trying to honour Carroll Shelby’s wishes.
‘This is not a case of what the kids want vs. what the wife wants.’
Carrol Shelby, who enjoyed an eclectic mix of careers during his lifetime, accomplished considerable success on the racetrack behind the wheel of cars, winning France's grueling 24 Hours of Le Mans sports car race with teammate Ray Salvadori in 1959.
The one-time chicken farmer was also champion race car driver, racing team owner, automobile manufacturer, automotive consultant, safari tour operator, raconteur, chili entrepreneur and philanthropist.
But it was designing street legal and high-powered muscle cars that he made his name.
He had turned to the race-car circuit in the 1950s after his chicken ranch failed.
He won dozens of races in various classes throughout the 1950s and was twice named Sports Illustrated's Driver of the Year.
Soon after his win at Le Mans, he gave up racing and turned his attention to designing high-powered ‘muscle cars’ that eventually became the Shelby Cobra and the Mustang Shelby GT500.
The Cobra, which used Ford engines and a British sport car chassis, was the fastest production model ever made when it was displayed at the New York Auto Show in 1962.
He went on to have huge input into a host of modern road cars, including the relaunched Ford Mustang.
Shelby's life was hampered by underlying health problems from birth.
He suffered heart valve leakage problems from an early age and spent most of his childhood in bed.
He took nitroglycerine pills when he was racing because of his heart. He had a heart transplant in 1990 and a kidney transplant in 1996.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...e-car-legend-Caroll-Shelby.html#ixzz1yMoEgBMB
A bitter family custody battle over the remains of Caroll Shelby - famed as the father of muscle cars - has left his body in a mortuary until a court ends the row.
The surviving wife of seven-times-married Shelby is locked in a dispute with his family over how to lay the legendary car designer to rest.
Cleo Shelby, 64, has demanded to take charge of what happens to her husband’s body, while his children say they are following their father’s last wishes to have him cremated.
Father of muscle cars: The late Caroll Shelby, posing with the 2007 Ford Shelby GT Mustang he helped design, helped create some of world's most iconic sports cars
The body of Shelby - who is best know for creating some of the most iconic sports cars including the AC Cobra, also known as the Shelby Cobra - has been in a mortuary since his death aged 89 in May 10, this year.
Row: The dispute over how to lay the body of Caroll Shelby to rest looks set to be decided in court
Eldest son Michael Shelby has submitted a document to the court purporting to be written instructions from his father saying that he wants to be cremated and giving him powers to arrange his funeral.
According to dallasnews.com his instructions, signed and dates on February 8, were for his ashes to be ‘divided equally among and given to each of my then living children and one additional equal share to be buried in my parents’ family plot in Leesburg, Texas.’
But Mrs Shelby had lodged a court petition alleging this document is ‘forged’.
She has demanded to be given the final say on what arrangements should be made for the former racer turned car designer, who grew up in East Texas and attended high school in Dallas.
Dallas County Medical Examiner Dr. Jeffrey Barnard, has said he is in control of the body ‘because an allegation was made which falls within’ Texas laws pertaining to criminal procedure.
Michael Shelby, who donated a kidney to his father in 1996, discounted the forgery allegations, noting that the funeral instructions he received were witnessed by four people and a notary.
He told dallastoday: ‘We are trying to honour Carroll Shelby’s wishes.
‘This is not a case of what the kids want vs. what the wife wants.’
Carrol Shelby, who enjoyed an eclectic mix of careers during his lifetime, accomplished considerable success on the racetrack behind the wheel of cars, winning France's grueling 24 Hours of Le Mans sports car race with teammate Ray Salvadori in 1959.
The one-time chicken farmer was also champion race car driver, racing team owner, automobile manufacturer, automotive consultant, safari tour operator, raconteur, chili entrepreneur and philanthropist.
But it was designing street legal and high-powered muscle cars that he made his name.
He had turned to the race-car circuit in the 1950s after his chicken ranch failed.
He won dozens of races in various classes throughout the 1950s and was twice named Sports Illustrated's Driver of the Year.
Soon after his win at Le Mans, he gave up racing and turned his attention to designing high-powered ‘muscle cars’ that eventually became the Shelby Cobra and the Mustang Shelby GT500.
The Cobra, which used Ford engines and a British sport car chassis, was the fastest production model ever made when it was displayed at the New York Auto Show in 1962.
He went on to have huge input into a host of modern road cars, including the relaunched Ford Mustang.
Shelby's life was hampered by underlying health problems from birth.
He suffered heart valve leakage problems from an early age and spent most of his childhood in bed.
He took nitroglycerine pills when he was racing because of his heart. He had a heart transplant in 1990 and a kidney transplant in 1996.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...e-car-legend-Caroll-Shelby.html#ixzz1yMoEgBMB