So the idea of helping Carroll Shelby create a challenger to the Corvette based on a British chassis with a V8 engine was just not something that GM was going to support. Incensed that comedian Bill Cosby had an affinity for European sports cars, Carroll Shelby vowed to build him a twin-supercharged custom Cobra that would go over 200 mph - faster than any car Steve McQueen owned. Working in cooperation with Shelby the company built Shelby Cobras in two series; the CSX1000 and CSX 7500. A new chassis was required, developed, and designated Mark III. S&C Ford then sold it to customer Tony Maxey. About 528 Mark II Cobras were produced from 1963 to the summer of 1965 (the last US-bound Mark II was produced in November 1964).[11]. It was built and sold in Europe until late 1969. Produced in Las Vegas, Nevada, these cars retain the general style and appearance of their original 1960s ancestors, but are fitted with modern amenities. Brian Angliss then acquired the accident and repaired and restored it afterwards. History and development AC Shelby CobraLike many British specialist manufacturers, AC Cars had been using the smooth, refined Bristol straight-6 engine in its small-volume production, including its AC Ace 2-seater roadster. The race started well with the AC, chassis number A98, maintaining its position in the top two in GT and even leading the class for a time. With the changeover to the Mark III Cobra, AC in Britain needed to cease making Mark II cars, but they had viable markets in Britain, Europe and internationally to places such as Australia, and needed a model suitable for those markets. The lightweight boasted more engine power with 370 hp @ 5,750 rpm. Shelby American sold Cosby's supercharged Cobra (CSX 3303) to S&C Ford in San Francisco, where it was purchased by Tony Maxey. A feat it accomplished gaining first place in the GT class, and finishing in fourth place overall. With the work completed AC removed the engine and gearbox unit from the car and shipped it back to Carroll Shelbys team at Dean Moons workshop in Santa Fe Springs, California: the work was so thoughtfully done that a new engine and gearbox was able to be fitted and the car made ready for road testing in about eight hours. S&C Ford then sold it to customer Tony Maxey. Unfortunately, the CSX3033 Super Snake was too extreme for Maxey as well, who lost. As we said in the beginning, this is a car that pushes out quiet and conservative Dr. Jekyl and instead ignites your inner Mr. Hyde. He approached AC in September 1961 and they could see the potential to both make money and build the AC name in the States, so they said yes, if he could find a suitable V8, and the Cobra was born, although it was not yet called a Cobra. However, Cosby took the car for a drive and decided it was too much for him. However, Cosby took the car for a drive and decided it was too much for him. To date most continuations are produced in fiberglass, with some ordering cars with aluminium or carbon-fibre bodywork. Tony Maxey bought the Super Snake CSX3303 in San Francisco and took it home. According to Hagerty, Cosby drove a Ferrari on a daily basis at the time, and Shelby found that un-American. Their new version of the car was called the AC Mark IV Cobra, this new version being fitted with a larger 4,942 cc Ford V8 engine producing 250 hp at 4,200 rpm giving the car a top speed of 134 mph (215 km/hr). Silodrome was founded in 2010 as a website dedicated to Gasoline Culture and all it entails - We write about modern cars, classic cars, motorcycles, racing, gear, gadgets, clothing, boats, planes, airships and the occasional submarine.Read more Silodrome 2023. all rights reserved. Auction: Scottsdale 2007: Reserve: NO RESERVE: Status: Sold A letter from AC Cars confirmed the fact that the chassis numbers for which Shelby had obtained titles were never manufactured, at least not by AC Cars. Your email address will not be published. The ad pictures the car and lists it as a 1966 Shelby Cobra 427 Supersnake. That almost put [Kirkhams] out of business. The original Shelby Cobra is the product of a collaboration between Carroll Shelby, Ford Motor Company, and AC Cars from England. in. This was not to last as an act of sabotage (newspaper in the fuel tank) began to block the fuel filter. The Super Snake was built to gain publicity and was touted as The Cobra to End All Cobras. A real sports car gets to your heart, and the Shelby Cobra is a car that tells your heart to abandon being sensible, to forget logic, reason, and practicality, and to choose the car thats going to be unforgettable every time you drive it. The original AC Ace, and thus all the Mark I and Mark II production cars, were fitted with fully independent suspension systems but using transverse leaf springs rather than individual coil springs. Pete Brock said in a Hot Rod magazine interview "Like the Kirkhams, even when they were supplying most of Shelbys Cobra parts. It is to be noted that Maxey's accident was largely speculated as suicide. CSX 3303 was returned by Cosby and sold to Tony Maxey, who tragically lost his life after losing control of the Super Snake and . Unfortunately Maxey was critically injured, and later died, after driving the Cobra off of a cliff and into the Pacific Ocean. The car was a one-off and was nearly destroyed after a high-speed tire blow-out at the 1964 Le Mans race. We dont know how far Bill Cosby drove the car, perhaps around the block, but he gave the keys back to Carroll Shelby and politely suggested that hed just keep on driving his tame Ferrari. The FE engine would also go on in 427 cu. To remedy the situation, Shelby had the twin-supercharged specialty roadster delivered to Cosby. Production has continued with the CSX6000 serial numbers, featuring "coil over" suspension. Bristol engines for the AC Ace two-seater sports car had recently been discontinued so AC agreed, provided a suitable engine could be found. Ron Pratte donated proceeds from the sale of his Futurliner to the Armed Forces Foundation. Few cars have the presence of the Shelby Cobra. Maxey, suffering the same issues as Cosby did with the car, had his throttle stick while leaving a traffic stop, lost control and drove it off a cliff, landing in the Pacific Ocean waters. Shelby / Mustang / Cobra Genuine Wood Steering Wheel. Its a car that makes every driving experience unforgettable. The car lost time until this was diagnosed and cleaned out. Between 2004 and 2007, AC Motor Holdings produced the AC Mk V in their Malta factory. This 1966 Shelby Cobra 427 Super Snake sold for $5,500,000 at the Barrett-Jackson auction in Scottsdale, Arizona, January 20, 2007. Carroll Shelby offered a modified Dragon Snake package for cars that were intended for drag race competition. Only two models were produced, a FIA 289 (COX 2610), and a 427 Cobra (COX 3361). Shelby's personal Cobra going up for sale might sound familiarand it should, given that this will be the third time it crosses the auction block at Barrett-Jackson. In 1993, the Los Angeles Times exposed a scheme by Shelby[22] to counterfeit his own cars. Although the Shelby Cobra had proved to be a racing success, and had attained celebrity status, the car did not prove to be a great financial success and production was wound up in 1967. Despite the different names the two slalom cars were almost identical. Over in Britain was a small specialist sports car maker called AC who were building a model called the AC Ace. [Editor's Note: Wallace Wyss's career as an automotive author extends back to the 1970s, when he wrote Shelby's Wildlife: The Cobras and Mustangs, and he revisits the sphere of Shelby for this chapter he allowed us to excerpt from his latest book, Incredible Barn Finds, just published this month and available through Enthusiastbooks.com .] Equipped almost identically to CSX2522, the second example had aluminum valve covers, a tuned air cleaner, a Smiths heater, seat belts, front and rear brake cooling ducts, a hood scoop, brake cooling scoops, side exhausts and a painted roll bar (2522's roll bar was chromed). document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Your email address will not be published. unit. Powered by Gasoline and Caffeine. $274.95. In 1999, a limited edition run of 25 289 FIA Cobras were planned. Miles was unimpressed by the 390 cu. By the end of the first lap, the Cobra had a lead of the length of the start-finish straight. CSX 3303 had been crashed heavily by owner Tony Maxey, who later succumbed to injuries received in the accident. Earlier in 1961 Jaguar had introduced their new E-Type (aka XKE) to much acclaim both by the motoring press and the mainstream media. As one of 23 original 427 Competition Cobras, it was a barely street-legal race car that Shelby built to qualify Cobras for FIA competition. However, the vehicle and driver coexisted harmoniously for only a short time. Like many British manufacturers, AC Cars had been using the Bristol straight-6 engine in its small-volume production, including its AC Ace two-seater roadster. Unlike Cosby, Maxey seemed to be alright with the estimated 800-horsepower, twin-supercharged Super Snake. A car that, as you start the engine, the sheer sound of it makes the hairs on the back of your neck stand up as the adrenaline starts to pump. After thorough inspection when CSX 3015 arrived home, including comparing it to other competition Cobras, it was determined CSX 3015 is a full Competition Roadster, still . Its unclear whether comedian Bill Cosby knew the beast he was poking when he bragged to his friend Carroll about his own daily-driver Ferrari. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. The car was qualified conservatively second in GT. in. This project was also abandoned with just CSX 3054 receiving a body. Shelby American sold it to S&C Motors in San Francisco, who then sold it to their customer, Tony Maxey. It failed to finish with the engine expiring due to damper failure. One 427 Dragon Snake, 3198, was produced. After testing and modification, the engine and transmission were removed and the chassis was air-freighted to Shelby in Los Angeles on 2 February 1962,[9] By this time the small-block's displacement was increased to 4.7L (289cuin). How do I know what Diamondback bike I have? In late 1962, Alan Turner, AC's chief engineer, completed a major design change of the car's front end to accommodate rack and pinion steering while still using transverse leaf spring suspension (with the leaf spring doubling as the upper suspension link). Privacy Policy - Terms of Service - Contact Us, The $3 Million Dollar 1969 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray ZL-1, The Incredible 1936 Bugatti Type 57S Atalante, Carroll Shelbys Personal Shelby GT500 Is For Sale, For Sale: A Dodge Ram SRT-10 8.3 Liter V10 Engine 500 BHP, A Land Cruiser FJ45 With An 80-Series Chassis And A Tundra V8, For Sale: An Ex-London Police Undercover Surveillance Range Rover, Silodrome Ride Review The Ducati Scrambler Desert Sled, 1958 Ice Speedster A Continental Aircraft Engine Powered Snow Plane. The AC 428 Frua tipped the scales at 3,150 lb and could do a standing to 60 mph in 6.2 seconds, which was quicker than the DB6, with a top speed of 141 mph, which was slightly less. Tony D. Branda Shelby & Mustang Parts has been your source of restoration parts and accessories for 1965-73 Mustangs, 1965-70 Shelby and Cobras since 1975. . 1966 Shelby Cobra 427 Super Snake | Barrett-Jackson photo. That car was later sold to a San Francisco car dealer, which sold it to Tony Maxey, who drove it off a cliff, totaled the car and died in the horrific accident. The Shelby Cobra 427 Super Snake is the rarest and most insane Cobra. CC Member : Join Date: Jul 2007. Even today, the Shelby Cobra 427 is an impressively fast car. A new chassis was built using 101.6mm (4in) main chassis tubes, up from 76.2mm (3in), and coil spring suspension all around (an especially significant change up front, where the previously-used transverse leaf spring had done double duty as the top link). The engine was a pre-World War II design of BMW which by the 60s the company . The six Shelby Daytonas made racked up an impressive stack of victories during 1964 and 1965 and set no less than 25 land speed records at Bonneville. History an development . Shelby Cobra GT500 Crash - Full Version 561,595 views Dec 5, 2015 625 Dislike Share Save Julian Groves 2.88K subscribers This version contains the 1st run with traction control on and 2nd run. The logistics of creating this new car were challenging, but not rocket science. For the 2004 Ford Shelby Cobra Concept, see, "Shelby 427" redirects here. Carroll Shelby approached GM with a view to using Chevrolet V8 engines: but they were not willing. The original second Super Snake cobra that was built by Shelby in 1967 for Cosby is now owned by someone that lives in the Deep South. Subscribe for more videos! In 2009, AC licensed Gullwing GmbH in Germany, dba AC-Automotive, to produce the AC MK VI, with an aluminium coated composite body and powered by a 6.2-litre (380cuin) 328-kilowatt (440hp; 446PS) LS3 Chevrolet engine, or a 410kW (550hp; 558PS) supercharged version. In late 2003, the Frimley factory was under the control of AC Motor Holdings. The new car also had wide fenders and a larger radiator opening. . The car was wrecked, but there are two different stories. R&T found the arrangement quite logical, since the gentlest driving nets just about 9 mpg. The magazine dubbed it the Cobra to end all Cobras, and it logged 11-second quarter-mile times. In 1986, Autokraft (as a joint venture with Ford joining in 1987) purchased AC Cars, and produced the AC Mk IV Cobra, with a 186kW (250hp; 253PS) at 4,200rpm, 4,942-cubic-centimetre (301.6cuin) Ford V8, which provided a top speed of 134mph (215km/h) and 062mph (0100km/h) in 5.2seconds. So it was that Carroll Shelby suggested to Bill Cosby that, as a patriotic American, he really should be driving an American car. CSX2093 was one of these and was campaigned by Bruce Larson or Ed Hedrick to win a number of National Hot Rod Aassociation National events. The Shelby Daytona began life in 1964 and remains one of the best known of the Shelby Cobra variants. Just one Mark III car is listed as having been factory made to Dragon Snake drag competition specifications, this was 3198. Today, only one exists; the other shot-gunned itself and its driver off a cliff when its throttle stuck open. Born in Leesburg, Texas, in 1923, Carroll Hall Shelby fell ill as a child with heart valve problems, and spent seven years bedridden until he regained his health as a teenager. The car Shelby built for Cosby, with a reputed 900 bhp was downright scary. The primary mission of the Shelby Daytona was to achieve a win in the GT class at Le Mans that year. Only 1 example was manufacturered, chassis number COB 1001. Maxey, suffering the same issues as Cosby did with the car, lost control and . in. Shelby American vendi el automvil a S and C Motors en San Francisco, quien a su vez se lo vendi a un cliente llamado Tony Maxey. Lot #1301 1966 SHELBY COBRA 427 "SUPER SNAKE" Previous Lot Next Lot . Gradually as the vintage parts supply ran low, newly constructed frames and body panels were obtained from a variety of suppliers. in. AC Cars also produced a Le Mans coup. The Slalom SnakeCSX2537 is listed as having front and rear brake cooling ducts with brake cooling scoops, a hood scoop, side exhausts, and a painted roll bar whilst the Slalom Special CSX2522 had a chromed roll bar. This left Carroll Shelby with competition specification cars that he could not sell, so these were modified by the fitting of windshields and de-tuning the engines to make them suitable for use as road cars. Hagerty says that an ill-fated man by the name of Tony Maxey purchased the 427 Cobra. Shelby's team paired this engine along with a transmission into CSX2000, in less than eight hours at Dean Moon's shop in Santa Fe Springs, California, and began road-testing.[10]. If Carroll Shelby wanted to install the biggest of the American V8s in a Cobra then some strategic changes were going to be needed. They had been through enough difficulty in turning their Corvette into a viable sports car and had almost given up on it. With a 485-hp 7.0-liter Ford V8 under its hood, the 2529-pound roadster goes 0-60 mph in 4.3 seconds, Car and Driver reports. Carroll Shelby was friends with comedian Bill Cosby, and Bill Cosby liked fast cars, especially Ferraris. This is one of just two examples of the 1969 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray ZL-1 that were ever made. The twin sister SCX 3303 which was originaly built for Bill Cosby was destroyed together with its second owner,Tony Maxey, while he was committing his suicide by driving it of the cliff into Pacific Ocean. In January 1962 mechanics at AC Cars in Thames Ditton, Surrey designed the "AC Ace 3.6" prototype with chassis number CSX2000. The company also built a lightweight version of the Mark IV Cobra which tipped the scales at2,360 lb (1,070 kg) whilst the standard Mark IV weighed 2,620 lb (1,190 kg). Buckle in for its crazy history. Since the late 1980s onwards, various companies have built what are known in the hobby as "Continuation Cars". Shelby offered a drag package, known as the Dragon Snake, which won several NHRA National events with Bruce Larson or Ed Hedrick at the wheel of CSX2093.[14]. in. It was intelligently designed and handled beautifully, but suffered from the great malaise of most British sports cars, it did not have a big thumping American V8 engine burbling under its svelte aluminum hood. The AC Cobra, also known as the Shelby Cobra, is a British built and designed sports car that was produced during the 1960s. The Slalom Special and Slalom Snake package was designed to prepare cars for auto-cross type competition. Cosby reportedly drove the car only once and then it was sold to a Mr Tony Maxey who ended up driving off a cliff into the Pacific ocean thus destroying the car. Real Shelby Cobras command high prices today. The US operations were granted to AC AutoKraft, Llc, of Michigan. Mark III Cobras Shelby made a lower cost version fitted with the less expensive long-stroke 428 cu. (4.3 liters). Ford provided Shelby with two engines. (4.3 liter) engine and the remaining 51 with the 289 cu. The first unpainted car sans engine and gearbox was shipped from AC Cars in Britain in October 1964, enabling Carroll Shelbys team to get to work on the car in January 1965. Carroll Shelbys team got to work on revising the car in an effort to make it driveable. ACs engineers were going to be able to make a lighter car with just as much power, and it was going to make the gorgeous V8 exhaust noise that we all just love. The new car entered production in early 1963 and was designated Mark II. AC Motor Holdings was formed in Malta in 2002 and they undertook to obtain the Frimley factory of AC Cars. Fuel consumption for the 427 cu. Unfortunately the story has a sad ending because one day whilst he was driving Tony Maxey had the throttle of the Super Snake jam resulting in him losing control and the car going over a cliff and into the Pacific Ocean. Maxey, suffering the same issues as Cosby did with the car, lost control and drove it off a cliff, landing in the Pacific Ocean waters. These cars are numbered COB/COX 6001-6062, indicating that 61 were produced. Photo Credits: RM Sothebys, Mecum, Barrett-Jackson, Fiskens, Worldwide Auctioneers, Dorotheum, AC. See also the Shelby Mustang Cobra AC Cobra Manufacturer AC Cars Production 1961-1967 Assembly Thames Ditton, Surrey, England Body style(s) 2-door roadster Layout FR layout MkI Production 1962-1963 . form installed in the Ford GT40 to dominate at the 24 Hours Le Mans, much to Enzo Ferraris chagrin. View Details. CSX 3015 started life as one of twenty-two 427 competition roadsters, the likes of which were not selling well at the time. AC Car Group introduced two new models for 1997; the Carbon Road Series, a carbon fiber bodied car powered by a 225 bhp Ford V8 engine, and the Superblower which featured a more expensive aluminum body and was powered by a supercharged 4,942cc Ford V8 developing a robust 320 bhp. For the NASCAR race that ran with this name in 2009, see, This article is about the sports car. "[citation needed], "Shelby Cobra" redirects here. AC accomplished this by creating a Mark III Cobra version fitted with a small block Ford 289 cu. The Daytona Coupe is reproduced as the CSX 9000 series. . AC Cars in Britain were the ones who developed this version of the Shelby Cobra in cooperation with Pietro Frua in Italy. After he returned it to Shelby, the car resided at S&C Ford in San Francisco. The company also created a different version called the 212 S/C powered by a twin turbocharged Lotus 3,506 cc V8 producing 350 hp in 2000, but only two of these cars were made. Only 14 CSX1000, and 2 CSX 7500 cars were built by 2007. Perhaps the most famous of all the Shelby Cobras are the Mark III cars built to the Super Snake specification. AC had already made most of the modifications needed for the small-block V8 when they installed the 2.553-litre (156cuin) inline 6 Ford Zephyr engine, including the extensive rework of the AC Ace's front end bodywork. This allowed the Cobras to run with a prototype Ford GT40, GM Grand Sport Corvettes and a Lola Mk6. There were a small number of one-off cars built on the Cobra chassis by Ford whilst they toyed with the idea of creating a head to head competitor to the Chevrolet Corvette. This car was built on a Mark III chassis in 1965 and was possibly an inspiration for the AC 428 Frua. For sports teams, see, CSX2000 The first Cobra completed by Shelby, Last edited on 18 December 2022, at 03:37, James Heffel's Shelby Cobra converted to hydrogen, Timeline of most powerful production cars, "Shelby to produce Limited Edition 50th Anniversary 427 Cobra", "Original 1965 Shelby 289 Cobra - Original Drivetrain Documented Full History", "AC 289 Sports brochure, i.ebayimg.com, as archived at web.archive.org", "1962 AC Cobra 260 car technical specifications from Carfolio.com 2 door 4.2 litre (4265 cc) V8 263.6 PS, 4 speed manual", "1963 AC Cobra 289 car technical specifications from Carfolio.com 2 door 4.7 litre (4727 cc) V8 274.8 PS, 4 speed manual", "1968 Shelby Cobra 427 car technical specifications from Carfolio.com 2-door 7-litre (7010 cc) V8 359.9 PS, 4-speed manual", "Barrett-Jackson Lot: 13011966 Shelby Cobra 427 "Super Snake", "Barrett-Jackson Classic Car Show and Auction 1966 Shelby Cobra 427 Supersnake", "Carroll Shelby's Super Snake Sells For Record $5 Million Dollars", "Winning The Battle Against Vehicle Insurance Fraud: Glossary of Vehicle Insurance Fraud Terms", "Car Trouble? Low volume car makers, such as AC, tended to use off the shelf components wherever possible and so the MGB rack and pinion steering was mated to a Volkswagen steering column. [10] The remaining 51 Mk1 models were fitted with a larger version of the Windsor Ford engine, the 4.7-litre (289cuin) V8. That amazingly knows the real history on the Cosby cobra. . They are known as the S/C (Semi-Competition) cars. The production of chassis numbers CSX4001 to CSX4999 took roughly 20 years and many different business relationships to complete. The AC 428 Frua was made in two body styles, an open convertible and a coup. For the standard version the standing to 60mph time was just over 4 seconds and the standing quarter mile was accomplished in a neck straining 12.4 seconds, by which time the Cobra was doing 106 mph. , especially Ferraris the car was built and sold in Europe until late 1969 car were,... 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