Steve Volk joins host Cliff McFadden on The DownShifting Podcast from inside the Shelby American Collection in Boulder, Colorado.

In this conversation, Steve takes us deep into the history of Carroll Shelby, Ford v Ferrari, the Ford GT40, Ken Miles, Phil Remington, and the people who built one of the most important chapters in American motorsports history.

Steve’s connection to these cars goes back decades. As a high-school student in Kansas City, he was already riding in Ford GT40 P/1068 and getting firsthand experience with a 427 Cobra—experiences that helped spark a lifelong passion for Shelby American and historic racing cars.

Years later, Steve became friends with Carroll Shelby and, in 1996, sat down with him to discuss the idea of creating a museum dedicated to preserving the accomplishments of Shelby American. Steve shares Shelby’s reaction, the early days of what became the Shelby American Collection, and stories about the racers, engineers, builders, and personalities who became part of the museum’s history.

We also get Steve’s perspective on Ford v Ferrari—what the film captured well, where Hollywood took liberties, and why figures such as Ken Miles, Phil Remington, and Carroll Shelby deserve to be understood beyond their movie portrayals.

Along the way, we talk about the Cobra, Daytona Coupe, Ford GT40, Le Mans, Shelby Mustangs, Steve’s own history as an entrepreneur and racer, and why preserving this period of American motorsports history matters for future generations.

Steve also discusses the continued growth of the Shelby American Collection, its expanding facilities, and the museum’s goal of becoming an even larger gathering place for enthusiasts and the automotive community.

Support and visit the Shelby American Collection:
https://www.shelbyamericancollection.org/

A sincere thank you to Steve Volk and everyone at the Shelby American Collection for allowing us into the museum before opening and giving us the opportunity to record this conversation surrounded by Cobras, GT40s, Ford GTs, racing memorabilia, and decades of Shelby American history.

If you're into Carroll Shelby, Ford GT40s, Cobras, Shelby Mustangs, Le Mans, historic racing, classic cars, automotive history, and the real stories behind the machines and the people who built them, you're in the right place.

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