 Friends of Carroll Shelby, including Ford Motor Co., Shelby American, Ford Racing and many others, have built a special tribute ’13 Shelby GT500 Cobra. |
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850hp 2013 Shelby GT500 Cobra Created as a Tribute to Carroll Shelby
Friends of Carroll Shelby, including Ford Motor Co., Shelby American, Ford Racing and many others, have built a special tribute ’13 Shelby GT500 Cobra. Ford is also announcing a renamed road in Dearborn, Michigan, at the Product Development Center as a tribute to the late Carroll Shelby. Cobra has been the performance label as Shelby worked with Ford for most of the past 60 years. Shelby was instrumental in the establishment of Ford performance, including the Cobra, GT40 and Mustang’s performance credentials since its earliest days in the mid-’60s.
This tribute vehicle was unveiled by Ford Motor Co. board member Edsel Ford II, Group Vice President for Sales and Marketing Jim Farley, and Shelby American President John Luft at the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion, where the Cobra is the featured marque of show.
Using the 662hp ’13 Shelby GT500 as a foundation, “Friends of Carroll” created a one-of-a-kind ’13 Shelby GT500 Cobra wide-body Mustang that now generates more than 850 hp with the help of a Ford Racing 4.0L Whipple supercharger. The 13-in.-wide rear wheels are wrapped in 345-section high-performance tires for extra grip.
Ford Motor Co. teamed with Shelby American for several key components on the Carroll Shelby tribute car. Shelby American provided a specially designed hood, new rear wide-body kit, Shelby Wilwood brakes and new 20x13-in. rear and 20x10-in. front wheels. The bodywork is finished in the same Guardsman Blue with Wimbledon White stripes that graced so many of the Cobra roadsters built in the ’60s.
Aftermarket Foundation Launches New Website
On Monday, August 13, the Aftermarket Foundation launched a new website, www.aftermarketfoundation.org. Established 52 years ago, the Foundation has
helped countless members of the automotive aftermarket who, because of a catastrophic illness or terrible accident, have fallen on hard times with no
place to turn.
"When we receive a case, we vett it completely, ascertain the problem, make certain that all government agencies have been tried and then we attempt to help make up the monthly shortfall," said Joe Mittelman, Aftermarket Foundation vice president.
Comments left on the website are not only from Foundation recipients, but also board
members, headed by Chairman Don Schlenger and President Bob Hirsch. All 29 board members are major players in the automotive aftermarket and represent
many of the major aftermarket corporations and trade associations, including SEMA. A list of supporting donors is displayed on the
website.
"These people give freely of their time and energy to work on our behalf," said Mittelman. "We are able to do our good work because of their intense efforts in collecting charitable contributions for this tax-deductible 501(3)C entity."
 Larry Fisher |
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Fisher Named Executive Director of the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum
Larry Fisher has been named executive director of the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum presented by Automobile Club of Southern California at the Fairplex in Pomona, California.
Fisher is a longtime automotive enthusiast, holding membership in the Society of Automotive Historians and himself a collector of vintage autocycles, motorcycles and microcars. Most recently, Fisher was an interpretive, planning and experience design consultant providing expertise to cultural heritage institutions, parks and attractions. He served as CEO and executive director of the Herreshoff Marine Museum/America’s Cup Hall of Fame in Providence, Rhode Island. Fisher also was a consultant to the president on the creation of the Experience Design Department for The Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield Village in Dearborn, Michigan.
In his new position, Fisher will be responsible for administrative operations and fundraising efforts for the museum, which is located on the grounds of the Los Angeles County Fairplex complex—also home to Auto Club Raceway at Pomona. He will also be responsible for the overall management of the museum’s two biggest fundraising events—the Holley NHRA National Hot Rod Reunion presented by AAA at Beech Bend Raceway in Bowling Green, Kentucky, and the NHRA California Hot Rod Reunion presented by Automobile Club of Southern California at Auto Club Famoso Raceway in Bakersfield, California.
Fisher has more than 20 years of experience working in the museum and exhibition field in senior-level positions as well as consultation.
Parker Hannifin Corp.’s ParkerStore Retail Network will Open 2,000th Store Location
In 1993, Parker Hannifin Corp.—a motion and control technologies company—introduced an Industrial Retail concept that would serve as an environment for the immediate and direct sale of industrial products through an approved, service-based platform—the ParkerStore. Working with Parker’s global distribution partners, Parker designed the ParkerStore concept to reach the walk-in maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) or “industrial retail” marketplace. Nearly 20 years after its introduction, ParkerStore will celebrate a significant milestone in its global growth—the opening of its 2,000th store, situated near Lyon, France.
When the ParkerStore concept was developed, trade counters were the norm in the industrial space. Combining the trade counter and retail models, ParkerStores would allow customers to order custom, while-you-wait hydraulic hose assemblies while shopping for complementary products typically also required, such as couplings, filters, lubricants, oil, tooling and safety equipment.
The ParkerStore environment was designed to bring the warehouse out to the showroom. ParkerStore also provided immediate access to critical components, which would have a big impact on a business’ bottom line by helping to reduce the money and time lost due to equipment downtime, according to the company.
The store that has been nominated to celebrate the 2,000th ParkerStore opening is located in Chassieu, France—a suburb of Lyon. It opens in October 2012, with approximately 1,600 sq.-ft. of retail space. It is the 12th ParkerStore that Patrick Martin, CEO and owner of industrial supply company Mabéo Industries, has opened in the last 14 years.
 Rick Seitz and Michael Harding |
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Power Automedia Expands Editorial Team
As the Power Automedia readership expands, so does its team of professional writers. Mike Alexander comes on board as editor of Power Automedia’s RodAuthority.com. Michael Harding has been drafted from StreeLegalTV.com staff writer to now serve as associate editor and Rick Seitz is joining the Power Automedia team as staff writer for StreetLegalTV and LSXTV.com.
Alexander brings 10 years of print editorial experience to his new position as editor. Harding joined the Power Automedia team in May, and has ascended from staff writer to associate editor for StreetLegalTV. He brings 27 years of industry experience to Power Automedia, 18 of which as an automotive technical editor. His projects range from a ’65 Plymouth Belvedere for cruising to a vintage open-track car. Seitz, relocated from Ohio to California. A performance enthusiast from a very early age, Seitz has always preferred GM vehicles, and today's LS-series engines further reinforce his love of the brand.