AC Cobra Mk II

Die Sammlung

Der grösste Unterschied zwischen einer AC Cobra Mk I (Chassisnummern CSX2000 bis CSX2126) und einer AC Cobra Mk II (bis CSX2602) besteht in der neuen Zahnstangen-Lenkung (übrigens: aus dem MGB) der zweiten Generation; die Lenkstange stammte übrigens aus dem VW Käfer. Es gab auch ein paar optische Anpassungen an der Front, aber darauf kann man nicht unbedingt gehen, auch auf die seitlichen Entlüftungsschlitze nicht. Alle Mk II verfügten über den 4,7-Liter-Windsor-Motor.

Selbstverständlich gibt es eine Sammlung; wir werden versuchen, nur «saubere» Exemplare zu zeigen.

Chassis-Nummer: CSX 2129

Es ist dies sicher eine der berühmtesten Cobra überhaupt, einer von drei so genannten «Sebring»-Rennfahrzeugen, die Anfang 1963 entstanden. Zwei davon, CSX 2128 und der hier gezeigte CSX 2129, erhielten die neue Zahnstangen-Lenkung. Mit diesem Fahrzeug schaffte es Ken Miles 1963 neunmal aufs Podest bei USSRC-Rennen in den USA, gewann auch einen ersten wichtigen Titel für Shelby American. 2021 wurde dieses Gerät von RM Sotheby’s für stolze 4’130’000 Dollar versteigert.

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Chassis-Nummer: CSX 2135
Motorennummer: 1587

Auktion: RM Sotheby’s, Monterey 2023, Schätzpreis 1’000’000 bis 1’250’000 Dollar, angeboten mit folgendem Text: «Billed to Shelby American on 18 June 1963, CSX 2135 is an early example of these coveted Mark II 289 Cobras. Originally finished in white over red livery, it was shipped to New York aboard the SS American Commander and consigned to W.J. Janner of Ford Motor Company Car Sales Promotion in Dearborn, Michigan. Following its arrival, it was shipped via Shelby American transport to Kansas City where it was invoiced to Ford executive and future director of Ford Racing, Jacques Passino on 16 September 1963. The invoice listed CSX 2135 as equipped with a luggage rack, white sidewall tires and the “Class A” accessory group of 5.5-inch chromed wire wheels with “AC” knockoffs, wind wings, dash-mounted rear-view mirror, chromed bumperettes, and a quick-fill fuel cap. Including freight and the Ford discount of $300, the car’s total came in at $5,387. After nearly a year of promotional use by the Ford Motor Company, the car was returned to Shelby American in the Summer of 1964 showing approximately 5,300 miles. Ford work order number 1077 authorized Shelby to recondition the car for sale, which included the installation of five new six-inch-wide painted wire wheels as well as new carpets, soft top, side curtains, windshield, rear bumper overriders, seat belts, mufflers, and a complete repaint in Lucite (white) at a total cost of $1,125. Once the work was completed, CSX 2135 was sold for $4,250 to Beverly Hills Sports Cars, Inc. in Beverly Hills, California on 31 March 1965. The Beverly Hills dealer sold the car to an unnamed first owner who registered it on black California license plates numbered “RFG 836.” By 1967 the car found its way to Brant Motors of Walnut Creek, California where it was sold to its first known owner, Tom Ellis. Alan T. Lloyd of El Cajon, California acquired the car from Ellis in the mid-1970s and entered it at the SAAC-3 race in Pasadena, California in August 1978. By this point, the Cobra had been refinished in the 1966 Ford copper-metallic shade of Emberglo with twin black stripes and black upholstery. The car had also been fitted side vents and widened front and rear wheel openings typical of the later 289 Cobras. Lloyd advertised the car for sale throughout 1983 and 1984 before entering it in SAAC-9 in Anaheim, California in August 1984. It was then tragically stolen from Lloyd in November 1984.»

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Chassis-Nummer: CSX 2159

Auktion: Broad Arrow, Monterey 2024, Schätzpreis 1,35 bis 1,65 Millionen Dollar. Die Cobra war im März 1964 von Ron Riffel gekauft worden. Und exakt 50 Jahre später verkaufte er sie an den erst zweiten Besitzer. Der behielt sie nur gerade 10 Jahre.

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Chassis-Nummer: CSX 2161

Auktion: Mecum, Monterey 2024, noch kein Schätzpreis. Diese Cobra kam am 22. Juli 1963 auf der SS Pacific Fortune über den grossen Teich. Erster Besitzer war der bekannte Film-Produzent David L. Wolper, der #2161 im Jahr 1965 wiederum an Elmer Bernstein verkaufte. Dieser nun war ein enger Freund von Steve McQueen und stellte diesem die Cobra zur freien Verfügung. Der «King of Cool» hatte anscheinend so viel Spass an diesem Fahrzeug, dass er mit dem nächsten Besitzer, Richard A. Mathis, aushandelte, dass er den Roadster noch ein paar Monate fahren durfte, bevor er ihn endgültig abgab. 2003 kam das Fahrzeug in die Schweiz, wurde schwarz angemalt und zum Renngerät gemacht. Seit 2006 ist die Cobra in England.

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Chassis-Nummer: CSX 2208

Auktion: RM Sotheby’s, Amelia Island 2023, verkauft für 1’665’000 Dollar, angeboten mit folgendem Text: «The Shelby Registry reports CSX 2208’s first owner as a Philadelphia-area art collector who owned the car for mere months before selling it to local clothier Stanley Spritzler. In 1968, the Cobra was purchased by Lee Weinstein of Chatham, New Jersey as a high-school graduation gift to himself. Weinstein would use the car as daily transportation throughout the 1970s and go on to own the car for the next 47 years. In 1981, esteemed marque-expert Geoff Howard of Accurate Restorations in Danbury, Connecticut was commissioned to perform a thorough chassis and mechanical restoration. The car was maintained by Howard and Accurate Restorations at various points throughout the rest of the 1980s. Weinstein enjoyed and displayed the car regularly, keeping the Cobra registered and properly maintained until his passing in 2013. Since moving into new ownership, CSX 2208 has been treated to a three-year full restoration to factory specifications by Classic MotorSports of Northville, Michigan».

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Chassis-Nummer: CSX 2216

Auktion: RM Sotheby’s, Petersen Automotive Museum 2018, Schätzpreis 850’000 bis 950’000 Dollar, nicht verkauft, angeboten mit folgendem Text: «On 28 October 1963, AC Cars Limited invoiced Ford Motor Credit for a Cobra body in White with Red trim, top, tonneau, and rack-and-pinion steering. The body left the UK aboard the SS Pacific Fortune, which set sail for the U.S. on 7 November 1963 destined for Los Angeles, California. Upon arrival in the States, the Cobra was transported to Shelby American, Inc. in Venice. There, the car received its Ford powertrain, which included a 271-hp, 289-cu. in. Hi-Po V-8 engine, a four-speed manual transmission, and a Powr-Lok limited-slip differential. Shelby American invoiced Pearson Ford in San Diego on 13 January 1964 for a total of $5,525.20, less the $1,000 deposit. The window sticker MSRP shows the “Cobra Sports Roadster” listed at $5,995 plus $391 worth of Group A factory-installed optional equipment and $64.50 in Group B extras for a total initial investment of $6,747.50 with the license and taxes. CSX 2216 was originally purchased by Henry Hartwell Hester, an award-winning mid-century architect and avid motorsports enthusiast. Hester raced Formula 1 cars, enjoyed motorcycles, held his pilot’s license, and sailed with various yacht clubs. His business card is even attached to the inside front cover of the original AC Cobra Chassis Instruction Book. Below the card are handwritten notes on his car’s particulars. His recorded purchase date is 21 September 1964 with the chassis and engine numbers chronicled, as well. Mr. Hester also made notes on his choice of service agent (Precision Motors of Beverly Hills), plus tire specs, sources, and the Shelby factory information. His contact’s names, addresses, and phone numbers are all dutifully logged. Mr. Hester placed the car for sale in the May 1965 issue of Road & Track magazine, though the car did not sell. Hester then had the car repainted in black in 1967. In 1969, Hester dropped CSX 2216 off at an Oldsmobile dealership in La Jolla for an oil change, only to return and find out an employee had been involved in an accident. With the damage repaired, Hester sold the Cobra in 1970 to James Gauthier of El Cajon, California. Under Gauthier’s ownership, CSX 2216 was modified for Solo I competition, and he campaigned it for several years before selling the Cobra to Ken Champion in 1982; it was noted at that time that a new engine was fitted. Champion enjoyed the car before selling the Cobra through Grand Prix Classics in the late 1980s to Investment Motorsports of Illinois. Investment Motorsports commissioned a rebuild back to original specifications, sending the Cobra to Baurle’s Autosport in Addison, Illinois. Gerald A Schwalbach of Minneapolis, Minnesota, acquired the car in 1989. Most recently, the Cobra benefitted from a restoration back to the way it originally left the Shelby American facility. The ‘slab-side’ body was refinished in its original white and features front and rear nerf bar bumpers, wind wings, and sun visors. The car rides Michelin XWX tires which are mounted on chrome wire wheels. Though a replacement, the Cobra is powered by an original 289-cu. in. K-code engine and fitted with stock exhaust. It retains its original Borg Warner T-10 aluminum four-speed manual transmission. The interior is completed in red leather and features a wood-rimmed steering wheel with AC center cap, Stewart Warner instrumentation, clock, dash-mounted rearview mirror, and bucket seats with three-in. seatbelts. A tonneau cover and convertible top with top irons provide weather protection. The Cobra retains its original doors, hood latch, and trunk latch, each of which are stamped correctly “2216.”»

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Chassis-Nummer: CSX 2227

Auktion: RM Sotheby’s, Monterey 2024, Schätzpreis nur auf Anfrage. Die Geschichte ist fast zu schön, um wahr zu sein: Henry «Hank» Williams war ein Kriegsheld, Arzt, ein begabter Sportler und ein noch begabterer Musiker, er spielte am Schlagzeug für B.B. King, Fats Domino, Ray Charles. Und er fuhr mit Leidenschaft Autorennen. Als sein Austin-Healey nicht mehr so richtig mithalten konnte, sah er sich nach einer neuen Corvette um. Doch beim Chevrolet-Händler wollte sich niemand um den Schwarzen kümmern, so war das damals noch, Mitte der 60er Jahre in Amerikeit. Also schritt Hank zum nächsten Ford-Händler, traf dort auf einen jungen Verkäufer, der kein Rassist war – und sah dort auch eine 289er-Cobra Mk II, in Prinzessinnen-Blau, CSX 2227. Williams unterschrieb den Vertrag, bezahlte, doch als die Cobra ein paar Tage später abholen wollte, war sie weg. Da wurde «Hank» ein bisschen sauer, drohte mit einem Skandal und seinen Anwälten – und kurz darauf fuhr er mit CSX 2227 vom Hof. Das war im März 1965. Und die Cobra blieb in seinem Besitz, bis er im vergangenen Jahr im Alter von 99 Jahren verstarb. Das würde ja nun schon reichen für eine sehr gute Story, doch Hank Williams stellte sich die Cobra nicht einfach in die Garage, er bewegte sie auch: 394 Rennen will er damit bestritten haben, dies mit gutem Erfolg, denn zu dieser Cobra gehören auch noch 260 Trophäen. Und gut 140’000 Meilen auf dem Tacho.

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Chassis-Nummer: CSX 2234

Auktion: Broad Arrow, Amelia Island 2023, Schätzpreis 1’000’000 bis 1’200’000 Dollar, nicht verkauft, angeboten mit dem folgenden Text: «According to the SAAC World Registry, chassis number CSX 2234 was dispatched from AC Cars to Los Angeles, California on 20 November 1963. The bright Red over black leather Cobra was subsequently transported to Shelby American Inc. in Venice, California where it was mated to its 271-horsepower, 289 cu-in Hi-Po V-8 engine and four-speed manual transmission. Before it left Shelby American, CSX 2234 was also generously equipped with numerous ‚Group A‘ accessories including aluminum rocker covers, a chrome grille guard and rear bumper, chrome exhaust tips, wind wings, sun visors, a heater, seat belts, a radio and antenna, five chrome wheels, and a desirable four-barrel intake setup. Mark Downing Ford of Huntington Beach, California received an invoice in the amount of $5,195 for the Cobra on 21 January 1964. While the original owner is not recorded, they are understood to have collected their new Cobra directly from Shelby American Inc. and relocated with it to the Eastern US. A known sequence of owners in Ohio, Alabama, Georgia, and Illinois followed through the 1970s and 1980s, with the Shelby Registry noting that by the late 1980s, CSX 2234 had been repainted in its original Red, still retained its chrome wire wheels, and remained ‚as delivered‘ with the exception of a pair of aftermarket exhaust headers. In 1987, marque expert Bill Kemper purchased the Cobra at an indicated 32,000 miles and embarked on a comprehensive, multi-year restoration. Photo documentation of the work performed shows the meticulous care that was taken to preserve the Cobra’s important components and accessories – including its correct twin-carbureted 289 cu-in V8 engine, four-speed manual transmission, and differential – while also incorporating some discreet upgrades to improve drivability. Finished in elegant black paintwork over a matching interior, the renewed Cobra retained its attractive factory options and gained Spax adjustable gas shock absorbers, stainless steel brake lines, and a stainless steel side-exit exhaust system. Additionally, original and correct number stampings corresponding to the chassis number can be found on both the hood and trunk latches, a telltale sign that this Cobra retains a high degree of body originality. Today, the stunning concours-level restoration remains in exceptional condition with little indication that it has been 19 years since it was completed. Two-thousand-fifteen saw CSX 2234 join the highly discerning ‚Silver Surfers‘ collection of legendary musician Neil Peart. Among a coveted grouping of silver-liveried Italian, British, and American GT cars, the Cobra stood out as the only non-silver car and reportedly served as the centerpiece of Peart’s collection. The Rush drummer’s tragic passing in 2020 was followed by the sale of his cherished collection in August 2021».

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Chassis-Nummer: CSX 2242

Auktion: Mecum, Kissimmee 2025, noch kein Schätzpreis. Am 17. Dezember 1963 nach Los Angeles verschifft, am 27. Februar 1964 an Fergus Ford in Skokie, Illinois, verkauft. Der erste Besitzer bezahlte 5728,55 Dollar, der zweite Besitzer behielt das Fahrzeug fast 30 Jahre. Matching numbers…

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Chassis-Nummer: CSX 2247

Auktion: RM Sotheby’s, Amelia Island 2022, verkauft für 1’132’500 Dollar, angeboten mit folgendem Text: «CSX 2247 was billed to Shelby American on 20 November 1963 and shipped to Los Angeles two weeks later aboard the SS Loch Gowan. Upon completion at Shelby American, CSX 2247 was invoiced to Coventry Motors in Walnut Creek, California on 12 February 1964. Finished in the stunning, uncommon, and desirable shade of Bright Blue over red, it featured Class A accessories which included a radio with antenna, a luggage rack, aluminum rocker covers, five chrome wheels, and WSW tires, and it was topped off with five quarts of antifreeze. In February 1964 the car was purchased by its first owner, Andrew Wortman of Santa Monica, California. Mr. Wortman paid $6,250 for the Cobra, a figure brought down by a $1,000 credit for the 1962 MG Midget he traded in on the purchase. By the 1970s Don Price of California owned the car; at this point modifications had been made to the car for Solo I competition including a full roll bar, side pipes, and fender flares to accommodate wide Ansen slotted wheels. According to the SAAC registry the car sustained slight damage to its right side in a June 1973 Solo I run. In April of 1974, Don Price parted ways with CSX 2247, with Bob Schiro Motors making the $5,800 purchase. Remarkably, the Cobra would remain in the Schiro family for the next 40 years. After many decades under the same roof, the car exchanged hands again in 2020 and found a new home in Texas with Don Davis. Soon after, Don Dickenson was commissioned to fully restore the vehicle. Photo documentation on file shows the car stripped down to bare metal and rebuilt. At this time, it was confirmed the car’s chassis and engine matched the chassis tag. Today, the Cobra sports its original color combination of Bright Blue over red and shows in superb quality. After the work completed early in the spring of 2021, Mr. Davis sold the vehicle to its current owner later that same year in June.»

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Chassis-Nummer: CSX 2255

Steht zum Verkauf bei William l’Anson (Juni 2024), mit folgendem Informationen: «Auto-crossed in the mid 1960s by its then owner, college student Richard Pryor, in and around Carmel California. With so many Cobra’s having been converted for racing over the years it is a pleasure to come across such a well-preserved original, complete and matching, street version of the legendary 289, still sitting as it would the day it was delivered».

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Chassis-Nummer: CSX 2274

Wurde verkauft über Copley Motorcars. Dann: RM Sotheby’s, Miami 2024, Schätzpreis 1’100’000 bis 1’300’000 Dollar, angeboten mit folgendem Text: «The Shelby 289 Cobra presented here was billed to Shelby American from AC Cars on 20 December 1963 and dispatched to Los Angeles 2 January 1964 aboard the SS Dongedyk. After receiving its engine and chassis upgrades from Shelby, CSX 2274 was invoiced to Noble Motor Company of Danville, Illinois on 20 March 1964. Factory-finished in white over black trim, the Cobra was equipped with the Class “A” accessory group including white-sidewall tires and no luggage rack, an outside rearview mirror, radio antenna, anti-freeze, plus the rare twin four-barrel carburetor option for a finished price of $5,943.25. The Shelby American Automobile Club Leaf Spring Cobra Registry reports that following CSX 2274’s arrival in Illinois, it was sold to its first owner, Clint Sandusky, Jr. in June of 1964. The car is then known to have been accepted on trade by Bill Watkins Ford of Scottsdale, Arizona at some point in 1970. In October 1972 James Wagner of Dayton, Ohio purchased the car, described at the time as “near concours condition… always garage-kept and stored winters.” CSX 2274 would grace the cover of the first Cobra World Registry in 1974 under Wagner’s ownership. Wagner added five-spoke American wheels and a hood scoop before selling the car in late 1975. The Cobra then passed through a series of caretakers and was repainted in its current, classic livery of blue with white stripes at a point in the 1980s. In the late 1990s, CSX 2274 landed in the esteemed Paul Montrone Bayberry Collection, where it would remain for over two decades. Importantly, the registry does not record any accidents, incidents, or unsightly modifications».

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Chassis-Nummer: CSX 2289

Auktion: Gooding & Co., Amelia Island 2024, noch kein Schätzpreis.

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Chassis-Nummer: CSX 2342

Auktion: RM Sotheby’s, Arizona 2007, verkauft für 500’000 Dollar.

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Chassis-Nummer: CSX 2352

Auktion: RM Sotheby’s, Private Sales (Januar 2023), angeboten mit folgendem Text: «Completed in February 1964, this particular Cobra was originally invoiced to Mercer Motors Co. of Princeton, West Virginia on June 10, 1964. Finished in Princess Blue with a Red leather interior, the Mk II example benefitted from sharper rack-and-pinion steering and flared wheel arches to accommodate wider 6-inch wheels. Additionally, the car was fitted with Shelby’s ‘Class A’ accessory kit, a package of performance enhancements that totaled $6,110.65. Despite its impressive specification, the car apparently remained unsold on the Mercer Motors showroom floor until 1966, when it was either sold or traded to another West Virginia dealer, Earl Yeager Ford of nearby Welch, West Virginia, just 40 miles west of Princeton. The Cobra’s first private owner was Richard Colevard, who sold the car in 1968 to Mike Goodson of Virginia. Goodson kept the car for 20 years, putting some 65,000 miles on the clock prior to rolling the car in 1988. After the accident, the Cobra was acquired by L. Jack Browning of Roanoke, Virginia in December of that same year, and a full body-off restoration commenced. A pre-restoration photograph of the damage is on file; being relatively light, the majority of the car’s sheet metal was straightened and saved. After the completion of the restoration, the Cobra appeared at SAAC-16 in Charlotte, North Carolina in 1991, finished in its original combination of Princess Blue over Red, where it placed second in the 289 Cobra popular vote class. Offered for sale in June of 1997, it was then purchased by Ed Mazula of Torrance, California, who kept the car for the following nine years. It was acquired in late 2006 by the current owner, who shipped his new Cobra across the Atlantic to the UK, where it has remained ever since».

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Chassis-Nummer: CSX 2407

Auktion: RM Sotheby’s, Monterey 2023, noch kein Schätzpreis, angeboten mit folgendem Text: «For George Arents III—racing driver and cofounder of America’s most notable Ferrari privateer racing team (NART), and partner to Luigi Chinetti’s Ferrari distributorship—the Shelby 289 Cobra was an inescapable phenomenon; he saw its impact on Chinetti’s balance sheet and NART’s race results. Acquired by Arents in December 1964 during the rising tide of the legendary Ford versus Ferrari saga, CSX2407 represents a fascinating and unrepeatable opportunity to acquire a race-prepared 289 Cobra with stellar provenance and exceptional pedigree worth exploring in continued vintage racing.
CSX2407 was delivered new to RBM Atlanta in September 1964, and purchased by Arents three months later as a slightly used 289 “street-spec” leaf spring, rack-and-pinion Cobra then showing just 1,500 miles. The SAAC Registry notes that CSX2407 was immediately, and extensively, modified to competition specifications in early 1965. Its bodywork was revised with flared fenders, unbaffled side pipes, bespoke cooling scoops in the front fascia and rear fenders, staggered center-lock Halibrand magnesium wheels, a roll bar, and a metallic blue nose livery. CSX2407 was then entered in the SCCA Southeast Region’s A-Production class for the 1965 season, with NART member Ron Hutchinson recruited to handle driving duties. Hutchinson’s talent aside, the rising tensions between Ferrari and Shelby at the time probably made it unpalatable for Arents to be seen racing one of his rival’s self-made cars. For his part, Hutchinson deftly wheeled CSX2407 to a close 2nd overall finish in the season standings, thanks to particularly strong, points-producing results with this Cobra at Savannah, Daytona, West Palm Beach, and also Mid-Ohio. For the 1966 racing season, the SAAC Registry notes that Arents is believed to have repainted CSX2407 in Guardsmen Blue and entered the Southeast Region’s B Production class, as Shelby’s newest 427 Cobra model poured into the SCCA A-Production class.
By late 1968, Arents had sold CSX2407 onward, and it then passed through the care of three subsequent owners until 1979, when it was acquired by the vintage racer Dale Nichols of Orlando, Florida. During the 1980s, Nichols had the tired, race-scarred CSX2407 completely restored by noted specialist Chuck Gutke’s Cobra Restorers of Kennesaw, Georgia. At this time, the car received a 3.77 differential, cut-back doors, chrome roll bar, and its present tri-color racing livery. The reborn CSX2407 was occasionally entered in SVRA vintage racing events by Nichols over the following two decades, and in August 2002, this fascinating 289 Cobra was purchased by the consignor. In November of 2005, the car was submitted to marque specialists Cobra Automotive in Wallingford, Connecticut for a full rebuild of its 289 HiPo V-8 engine and other miscellaneous mechanical needs. Invoices (on file) show more than $105,000 was invested to this end, and after any necessary machining and resurfacing, the car’s wholly rejuvenated engine was greatly improved with fitment of modern MSD electricals, ARP hardware, racing fuel lines, ceramic coated “Nassau style” competition headers, and a bevy of additional OEM HiPo equipment».

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Chassis-Nummer: CSX 2475

Steht zum Verkauf bei Girardo & Co. (Mai 2024), angeboten mit folgendem Text: «Thursday 2 July 1964. The SS Pacific Fortune sets sail from England bound for Los Angeles on the West Coast of America. Onboard? A raft of AC chassis, awaiting their transformation into snarling Ford V8-powered Cobra 289s in the hands of the Stetson-wearing engineers at the Shelby American skunkworks. Among them was the car we’re so excited to be offering today: chassis number CSX 2475. Ultimately finished in White over a black interior, CSX 2475 left Shelby American in November of 1964, specified with a number of ‘Class-A’ accessories including tinted sun-visors, adjustable wind wings, white-side-wall tyres, a rear-view mirror, a hard-top and side screens. Quite remarkably, the sun-visors, wind wings, hard-top and the side screens remain with the car today, almost 60 years later. This Cobra was transported from Los Angelese to Knoxville Cobra Sales Co. in Tennessee, where it was acquired by its first owner, one Jack Armstrong from Massachusetts. With a view to contesting autocross events, it’s believed Armstrong made a number of motorsport-minded modifications including the addition of Crane heads, a remote oil-cooler, an aluminium oil pan, competition seatbelts and a full-width removable roll bar (which, once again, remains with the car today). Chassis CSX 2475 stayed in Massachusetts until 1982, when it was acquired by Donald E. Escolas from Georgia. Escolas recalled the memorable experience of collecting his new Cobra from Gus Zuidema’s Competition Automotive outfit. “Gus insisted on a road test, and although his driveway was under construction and a mess of mud, he drove my immaculate Cobra through it with a big grin!” So commenced a 24-year love affair between Escolas and CSX 2475, during which the car was cherished, enjoyed as intended and shared with the world. In 1987, the Cobra was featured on the cover of the definitive Shelby American World Registry and later starred in commercial adverts on the MTV and ESPN television channels. In 2004, the car was noted as ‘retaining its original seat and dashboard coverings, hardtop and side curtains, with an odometer just short of 40k original miles’. This Shelby Cobra passed through the hands of three further US-based owners and as the myriad accompanying maintenance invoices attest, they picked up right where Escolas left off with regards to properly looking after the car. Chassis CSX 2475 finally made the trip back across the Atlantic in January of 2017, joining the distinguished collection of Prince Rahim Aga Khan. The Cobra was subsequently registered in the United Kingdom with the number it retains to this day. This Shelby was acquired by its current UK-based owner – a man with an extraordinary collection of historically significant road and competition cars including a Ferrari 250 GTO – in February of 2019 and has since only been used seldomly».

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Chassis-Nummer: CSX2516

Kommt bei Mecum in Kissimmee 2024 zur Auktion. Hatte 31 Jahre den gleichen Besitzer.

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Chassis-Nummer: CSX 2517

Ausgeliefert wurde CSX2517 am 6. November 1964, damals noch in Rouge Iris mit beigem Interieur. Ende der 60er Jahre verkaufte der damalige Besitzer die Karosserie, 1975 kaufte der Cobra-Spezialist Bill Kemper die Übrigbleibsel und vereinte sich mit den Resten von CSX 2215. Über einen Umweg über Spanien und Japan gelangte das Fahrzeug 2007 in den Besitz von Schauspieler Tim Allen, er ihn auf USRRC-Spezifikationen umbauen und schwarz lackieren liess. Anfang 2023 wurde CSX2517 für 925’000 Dollar über Mecum verkauft – sicher auch deshalb, weil das Fahrzeug eine durchgehende Geschichte hat.

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Chassis-Nummer: CSX 2540

Auktion: Gooding & Co., Pebble Beach 2024,

Schätzpreis 950’000 bis 1’100’000 Dollar, mit diesen Informationen: «According to data published by the Shelby American Automobile Club (SAAC), 655 small-block Cobras, derivatives, and prototypes were built by Shelby American from 1962 through 1965. The first 75 were equipped with the 260 cid Ford V-8 engine but the vast majority were 289-powered cars with 453 built. Numbered CSX2540, this late-production 1964 Shelby 289 Cobra has a particularly fascinating history. Originally finished in White over Red upholstery – the color combination that it still sports today – the Cobra was billed to Shelby American Inc. on August 17, 1964, and shipped to Los Angeles via the SS Dinteldyk. Instead of being offered for sale as a new car, the Cobra was repurposed as a public relations vehicle, assigned for use in the 1965–1966 ABC-TV detective series Honey West, produced by Aaron Spelling. The cunning and stylish title character was portrayed by Anne Francis, who was often filmed behind the wheel of this glamorous and fast Cobra, accompanied by her pet ocelot. Despite the series’ one-season run, Ms. Francis won a Golden Globe® Award and earned a Primetime Emmy® Award nomination for her work on the show in 1966. Once the Cobra was no longer needed by the studio, it was invoiced with heavy discounts to $3,900 by Shelby American on June 21, 1966, to El Segundo, California’s Hi-Performance Motors, the auto dealership owned by Carroll Shelby. According to a copy of the SAAC registry entry for CSX2540 on file, the first recorded private owner was a 16-year-old girl, whose father purchased the car for her, but later sold it after she accumulated numerous speeding tickets. It was consigned to a used car dealer and purchased circa 1969 by Bruce D. Norman of National City, California. Mr. Norman advertised it for sale with 18,000 miles in September 1972 and sold it soon thereafter to Tom Low, a San Francisco attorney. Mr. Low engaged Mike McCluskey to perform a ground-up restoration during the late 1970s, which included a repaint to Dark Blue. During early 1995, Mr. Low sold CSX2540 to Steve Yates, a SAAC Board of Directors member and Concours Chairman of Nashville, Indiana, who unfortunately passed away soon after. His wife assumed ownership of the Cobra and, in 2001, commissioned a restoration, including a return to its factory-original White over Red livery. In the 2011 update of the SAAC Cobra Registry, an image of CSX2540 graced the book’s dust jacket. In 2012, Tom Larsen acquired CSX2540 from Mrs. Yates and added the Cobra to his growing and focused collection of sporting greats known as “The Stable.” Mr. Larsen’s purchase of CSX2540 was particularly fitting, since he fondly recalled another Cobra that he owned during the late 1960s and regretted selling. During his ownership of CSX2540, Mr. Larsen commissioned work performed by the renowned Cobra specialists at Rare Drive Inc. of East Kingston, New Hampshire, documented by numerous receipts on file».

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Chassis-Nummer: CSX 2541

Auktion: RM Sotheby’s, Fort Lauderdale 2009, nicht verkauft.

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Chassis-Nummer: CSX 2547

Auktion: RM Sotheby’s, Amelia Island 2021, verkauft für 967’500 Dollar, angeboten mit folgendem Text: «Chassis CSX 2547 is unique, as it was one of very few Shelby Cobras ordered for exhibition and demonstration purposes by Shelby American. Originally specified in a bright blue over red livery, CSX 2547 was shipped to Los Angeles from AC Cars on 27 August 1964, and served as a company demonstrator between September 1964 and late January 1965. On 19 January, the chassis was approved for retail and invoiced to Hayward Motors of Hayward, California on 20 March. Hayward Motors later sold CSX 2547 to its first owner of record, Ross D. Scott of Davis, California; Scott retained this Cobra for several years and, as noted in the SAAC registry, had the car serviced several times under warranty at Hayward. After passing through a litany of owners in the continental United States and undergoing restoration circa 1982, CSX 2547 was acquired by collector Jean-Claude Mimran and exported to Switzerland in 1995. The car was then sold by Mimram via Sotheby’s Geneva in September 1997; CSX 2547 was acquired thusly by the consignor and imported back to the United States. The car has a replacement 289 cubic-inch “HiPo” engine which is paired to an aluminum T-10 transmission of the correct type produced on 30 March, 1964»

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Chassis-Nummer: CSX 2561

Auktion: RM Sotheby’s, Burbank 2013, verkauft für 825’000 Dollar, angeboten mit folgendem Text: «According to the World Registry of Cobras & GT40s; the 1964 Shelby Cobra 289, CSX2561, was originally billed to Shelby American on August 25, 1964 and was shipped to Los Angeles aboard the SS Alblasserdyk. It was initially used as a demonstrator at Shelby American and was then invoiced to Hayward Ford Motors, of Hayward, California on January 27, 1965. At the time it was originally painted white with a red interior, just as it is currently presented here today. The Registry also states that CSX2561 came with an uncommon C-4 automatic transmission and was sold at a “Factory Demonstrator” price of $5,250. The first owner of 2561 was Edwin Ovilice, of Oakland, California. By the early 1970s, the car was owned by Jim McCarthy, also from Oakland. The Cobra was later offered by Norm Sinai of Hayward in late 1980. A gentleman named Mr. Cole from California bought the car and then sold it circa 1982 to Donald Mansker of Houston, Texas. Jim Yancey of Paris, Texas next bought 2561in 1983. By this time the car had been fit with a chrome rollbar and had blue interior (both have since been removed and returned to original specifications). The Cobra was next seen being advertised for sale in spring of 1990, then later in 1992 was offered by an auction house. In 1993, the car reappeared in the classifieds and was sold later in the year to Guy C. Eavers from Staunton, Virginia. It is last mentioned in the aforementioned Shelby Registry as being for sale in the December 1996 duPont Registry as completely and immaculately restored with an unwrecked aluminum body, 38,950 miles and the rollbar removed and the interior color returned to its proper red leather.»

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Chassis-Nummer: CSX 2588

Verkauft über Broad Arrow, Private Sales, mit diesen Informationen: «There is just one other Shelby 289 Cobra produced after CSX 2588 and it’s not for sale. As part of the Shelby family collection that once housed the Shelby Cobra prototype CSX 2000, CSX 2589 was personally constructed for Carroll Shelby himself. Naturally, with no immediate plans to sell such a personal vehicle, this 289 Cobra, the penultimate small-block produced, and the last to be sold to the public when new, is an intriguing ‚bookend‘ example of one of the standout icons – automotive or otherwise – of the 20th century. Originally delivered to Vel’s Ford Sales of Torrance California, this example, finished in Rouge Iris and optioned with Class ‚A‘ Accessories was purchased by A.L. Gassaway on 23 January 1965. The Class ‚A‘ Accessories package added five chrome wire wheels, white wall tires, luggage rack, outside rear view mirror, an AM-FM radio, and antifreeze totaling $5,645.75. It is unknown if Gassaway knew of the importance of his special purchase when new but as evidenced by his ten year ownership until 1975 it is clear that he enjoyed owning it! Staying in Southern California with the next two owners, CSX 2588 did not stray far from its birthplace. Relocated to Las Vegas and sold to an Oklahoma based collector, CSX 2588 was later fortunate to join the collection of noted Shelby collector Colin Comer. After acquisition in 2006, Comer commissioned a repaint in the original color of Rouge Iris, just one of 56 small block Cobras finished in this eye-catching shade. Additionally, Comer treated his Cobra to a thorough mechanical sorting, notably without resorting to a full restoration. From there, it joined a significant collection of highly important sports and racing cars. Most recently, this matching numbers Cobra – still with its original 289 cu-in HiPo V8, aluminum intake, and Holley 715 ‚LeMans‘ carburetor – has found a home in the North East.»

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Chassis-Nummer: COB6035

Das ist nun wieder etwas Spezielles, wie die Chassis-Nummer zeigt. Offensichtlich ein MkII, aber rechtsgelenkt, also bei AC Cars in England für den europäischen Markt gebaut. Es soll 45 dieser COB-MkII gegeben haben, acht davon rechtsgelenkt. Und nein, es ist dies kein MkIII, das ist dann wieder etwas anderes. Steht bei Pendine Historic Cars zum Verkauf (Dezember 2023).

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Chassis-Nummer: COB 6044

Steht zum Verkauf bei William l’Anson (Juni 2024), mit folgendem Informationen: «Consigned to K.N. Rudd Ltd. of Byfleet in 1965, it still bears the registration SHK 670D which it has had since 1966 and has been maintained professionally from new, as documented in the extensive history file that features the original buff log book, service history back to 12,000 miles, invoices back to 1976, MOT certificates back to 1977, current FIA Papers as well as a spare set of Halibrand wheels, and removable single roll hoop».

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Es ist dies Teil unserer Werke zu AC Cars, von den AC Cobra Mk I haben wir bereits eine Sammlung, hier, dazu gibt es eine schöne Story zum AC MA-200 Prototype und den AC 427/428 Frua; es kommt dann noch mehr. Viel mehr gibt es in unserem Archiv.