While it’s not technically open to the public, a courteous advance contact might get you a quick tour. Shelby LA also houses a small Shelby store, for that T-shirt, sign, goody, or box of chili mix that you just must have while you’re there. Do call in advance, however, as the Store isn’t always open, but if they know you’re coming, someone will meet and assist you. And if all of that isn’t just quite cool enough, directly across the street is a Goodyear Blimp port, and if the ships are in residence, you can’t miss them as they are just that close. And when they are picking up and dropping off passengers, the ship’s take-off and landing operations are great fun to watch.

James Dean Memorial, Highway 46, Chalome, CA

On the way to Shelby locations in central and Northern California, you can drive west on Highway 46 from Highway 5 to Highway 101 and cross the spot where James Dean was killed on September 30, 1955, on his way to a sports car race in Salinas (Monterey area) California. Carroll had no direct involvement with Dean, although his life, brief racing career and tragic fatal accident (in his new Porsche 550 Spyder sports racer) stand huge in California car legend. It’s all commemorated at a little roadside diner stop on the North side of Highway 46, which makes up most of what is today called Chalome, California, about a half-hour East of Paso Robles.

There is a very artful James Dean Memorial sign there, also the site of countless selfies, which is still readable but sadly missing a few of its letters that indiscriminate culture hunters have chosen to pry off as maliciously acquired souvenirs. (And the food at the little café is also pretty good.) If you’re interested in the comprehensive story about Dean’s young life, his cars, his films, his racing, and his tragic end, we recommend author Lee Raskin’s definitive tome about the subject, called James Dean – On The Road to Salinas. It’s current, in print, and widely available.

Weather Tech Laguna-Seca Raceway, Highway 68, Salinas, CALaguna-Seca, built in 1957 to replace the Pebble Beach Del Monte Forest road-racing course, and the old Salinas airports sports car racing track, is significant to the Shelby story in that this is where he drove his final race as a professional driver on October 23, 1960. Shelby was aboard a Maserati Birdcage sports racer that day, and finished a strong second to the great Stirling Moss in a Lotus. Just as at Le Mans a year before, he was suffering mightily from the angina heart condition that once and for all ended his driving career.