The original design of this model was typical of a sports car – fast and stylish at the same time. This car brought numerous victories and achievements, and even set a world speed record fixed in the Guinness Book of Records!
Source: Wallpaperset
While recalling the legendary automobiles of the sixties, this vehicle stands out in the first place, for sure. The iconic British-American roadster, built for racing, was one of Carroll Shelby’s finest creations. He constructed it from a combination of a European chassis and a lightweight American V8 engine. More specifically, he crossed a Ford V8 with an AC Ace chassis, resulting in the Cobra. However, the third Cobra body, whose muscular forms turned more American than British, was the most famous one. Equipped with a giant 427-ccs “eight” Ford, it became the most iconic and victorious sports vehicle of all time.
Source: Motorious
The history of the legendary sports vehicle of all time began in 1956 when the American racer Carroll Shelby decided to create the fastest sports vehicle in the world. As a result, in 1959, the racer retired from motorsport and began to work on the realization of his dream. The British roadster AC Ace, which successfully performed at Le Mans, attracted his attention with its muscular aluminum body on a space frame, as well as a lightweight tubular chassis. In 1961, Shelby proposed to AC Cars to build an automobile with a V8 engine, to which the company agreed. Interestingly, originally, the former racing driver turned to Chevrolet, however, was refused, and instead went with Ford. The “Blue oval” approved the racer’s plans, as it desperately needed a sports vehicle that could beat the Chevrolet Corvette. The Bristol company modified the front of the AC Ace to fit the 2.6-liter 6-cylinder engine from the Ford Zephyr. Replacing this engine with a V8 was not difficult: a new differential and a reinforced rear suspension were required. The first 75 automobiles were powered by the Ford Windsor 260 HiPo (High-Performance) engine from the Ford Fairlane. With the factory setting 4-barrel Holley carburetor, this power unit developed 260 HP and 335 HP in the racing setting with four Weber carburetors. The roadster prototype was shown in 1962 at the New York Auto Show. It was a success! The famous racer immediately received orders and began mass production. The chassis and body were made in the UK and the engines were installed in the USA. The cars were sold through Ford dealers. In 1963, Shelby entered the first American manufacturers’ championship and won six out of seven races, proving his superiority over Ferrari and Chevrolet. Thus the legend was born!
Source: Peak Px
In 1965 The famous racer decided to improve the performance of the previous Cobra 289 modification (1963-1965) by increasing power. At first, he tried to install a Ford FE 390 engine on an old chassis, but during the test on the track, the car turned out completely uncontrollable. Then instead of ceasing the project, he took the largest Ford FE 427 engine and built a new chassis for it. Constructed for NASCAR racing, the Ford 427’s 7-liter V8 was one of the most powerful engines of the 60s. In this modification, it gave out 485 HP, and in the serial version – no less impressive 410 or 425 HP. To accommodate a large cylinder block, the design of the vehicle was completely upgraded. The oversized steel tube frame was three times stronger, and all-wheel independent suspension consisted of double wishbones, springs, and telescopic shock absorbers. The 427th also featured front and rear disc brakes, rack and pinion steering, magnesium alloy Halibrand discs, and a synchronized 4-speed manual transmission. The lightweight aluminum body differed from the previous model with flared wheel arches and the absence of a radiator grille.
Source: MotorTrend
Shelby Cobra 427 S/C of 1965 release was the most expensive and rarest of all Cobras. Shelby designed it as a racing version and it was promoted as “the fastest roadster in the world”. Only 31 of these modifications were built, which differed from the main version in exhaust pipes located on the sides of the body.
Contact us if you have this or another classic car to sell.
| Mon - Fri Saturday Sunday |
9am - 6pm 9am - 3pm Closed |