As president of a Vintage Car Club and director of its performance driving program, I am able to try a variety of auto accessories. This appears to be my Carroll Shelby product trial month and the new product being tested is a 3 piece luggage set that has been custom designed to fit the boot of the Shelby GT500 -After speaker system installation Shaker 1000 mounted in the trunk.
Before discussing the quality and useful details, I would like to write a few words about the clever and subtle design features that allow for a substantial 3 pieces of luggage to fit, which appears to be severely limited space. The deepest part of the trunk, just behind the rear seats, is just over 9 inches high with a slight downward slope. The Rolling Duffle Bag -22 “X 14” X 9 “- with a signature Shelby extendable handle, is a rigid molded frame bag that not only qualifies as an airline carry-on, but also holds its shape in the air. the small area allotted. Capacity – 26 “X 15” X 15 “: The soft-sided wheeled duffel bag not only has Mag Style wheels, a Shelby signature extendable metal handle, but also a separate bottom framed section for suits, dresses, etc. The third piece is a large capacity carry-on bag (24 “X 15” X 14 “) that fits on the side facing the trunk lock unit, a computer bag, or a briefcase.
During the last month, this luggage has been subjected to a wringer. The tote bag, which is used to carry my driving suit, shoes, helmet, and a variety of track necessities, spent a weekend being pushed, pulled, and thrown around our little garage on the track. The other two pieces shared the truck bed with tools, tires, and engine spare parts. It wasn’t a pretty sight, but this ‘ballistic nylon’ luggage was virtually scratch-free and was wiped clean with a damp cloth. The luggage also made a 300 (plus) mile road trip down the Pacific coast, followed a week later by another 300 (plus) miles to Joshua Tree National Park. I keep looking for major signs of wear.
Utility features of the luggage include a soft yet strong polyester fleece lining, multiple cosmetic and accessory pockets with sturdy zippers, and a laundry pocket built into the large rolling bag. The extendable metal handle on the rolling parts has a well adjusted grip and the wheel sets (Mag style) ran smoothly and, as the imagination is a wonderful thing, they seemed to rotate as if they were arched and outward.
Attention to detail: Carroll Shelby metal badge, signature replicas and correct logo designs strategically embroidered on luggage, correct signature on extendable handle, molded rubber logo on parts carry handles wheels, it all adds to the overall quality look and feel.