Classic AC Cobra cars for sale. When the AC Cobra was launched in 1. A new partnership between small- time British sports car manufacturer AC, American ex racing driver Carroll Shelby, and the mighty Ford Motor Company, saw the creation of a legend. Initially, a 4. Ford V8 engine was slotted into the AC Ace’s curvaceous body to create the Cobra 2. The chassis needed considerable upgrades to handle the power, but even then it was far from tame.
But this was built to win races, not to take shopping, and on track the Cobra was king. As the race wins stacked up, and the competition started to catch up, the Cobra’s power plant was uprated to a larger 4. But by 1. 96. 5 the 2. Cobra needed more power. Search the world's information, including webpages, images, videos and more. Google has many special features to help you find exactly what you're looking for.This prompted the ultimate incarnation of the Cobra in 1. The first big- block Cobras were intended to take the fight to Ford’s increasingly competent rival, the Chevrolet Corvette, in the FIA’s GT class, since the 2. Shelby had completed only 5. Here it is the best money can buy built in Canada for the true Hotrodder, these are built for the 1955/56/57 Chevrolet, fits all models, "TRI FIVE ROAD HUGGER CHASSIS. FIA inspectors came a’calling on 2. April 1. 96. 5. They had already thrown out Ferrari’s 2. LM for the same reason and were not inclined to make an exception for the Americans. All of a sudden, Shelby had no need for the remaining 4. AC Cars, and he cancelled his order. But then the FIA threw a curveball. In June 1. 96. 5 it created a new class, Competition GT, for which the 4. Cobra was eligible – but in so doing it pitched the Ford GT4. Ford- powered Cobra. The GT4. 0 programme meant a lot more to Carroll Shelby than the Cobra did by this point, so to keep the Blue Oval happy he agreed that he would only sell the 4. But take- up for the relatively expensive Cobra was slow. Orders for a further three competition cars were received, bringing the total to 1. Not surprisingly, these thinly disguised race cars – which were dubbed 4. S/C for Semi- Competition – are now rather desirable machines. So the Shelby Cobra 4. Ever- wider wings clad a tubular chassis with coil springs instead of leafs and a race- developed 4. Ford 4. 27ci (6. 99. V8. There were three derivations: Competition, Street/Competition and road cars. Which one to buy? Perhaps more than most classics, the Cobra you choose generally depends on how much money you have got to spend, although we’ll get to that later (See prices section). The vast majority of the 1. Cobras built were sold in the USA, and none were officially brought into the UK until 1. In total, just 7. Cobra 2. 60s were produced, making these among the most difficult to track down. Finding a 2. 89 is less of a difficult task with 5. It’s worth knowing that the first 5. Then came the 4. 27, which like many radical designs was not a sales success. It was never homologated by the FIA, as fewer than the required 1. Police Interceptor engines. In total, 3. 20 Mk. III Cobra chassis/bodies were sent to Shelby and 2. Britain and Europe with the 2. AC 2. 89s. Of the 3. Cobras (the chassis numbers go up to 3. Cobras. Prices go up when the overall market is good and then stay there. Because these cars are so rare and enjoyable to drive they will never go down in value. Supply is still outstripped by demand. Originality is important, but some cars have had their 4. That’s acceptable, but the car must retain its four- speed gearbox if you don’t want to affect the value. We’re focusing on the genuine Shelby cars here, but there has always been a thriving scene for replica and kit- based Cobras, as well as continuation cars that offer much the same thrill for a fraction of the cost. These are seriously worth considering if you are working to a sensible budget. Performance and specs. AC Cobra 4. 27. Engine 6. V8. Power 4. 10bhp @ 6. Torque 4. 80lb ft @ 6. Top speed 1. 65mph. Fuel consumption 9mpg. Gearbox Four- speed manual. Dimensions and weight. Wheelbase 2. 28. 6mm. Length 3. 96. 2mm. Width 1. 72. 7mm. Height 1. 24. 5mm. Kerb weight 1. 14. Common problems• Because what you’re really buying is provenance, and because Cobras are highly valued, this isn’t the kind of buying guide that warns of frilly wheelarches and blue smoke on start- up, although there are a few things to be aware of: • All Cobras feature aluminium bodywork, so watch for stress cracks and dents. A complete body rebuild costs at least £1. The good news is that these powerful cars are easy to run and maintain. All components are available, with mechanical parts well priced in American catalogues. • Things get expensive with performance components such as heads, high- rise manifolds and Weber carburettors, but figure on a price around £1. Mathwall Engineering.• You really need to know exactly what you are buying, because of all the replicas and fake cars out there. The absolutely crucial point is to double- check the chassis number. There’s a worldwide registry for all the cars in the Shelby American Automobile Club tome that lists all the chassis numbers but it is not entirely gospel. • Just to confuse the issue, a few cars share the same chassis number. This is inevitable because many of them were raced and crashed, resulting in rebuilds over the years. Also, there is a registry for Cobras within the British AC Owners Club.• As with many sports and racing cars there are plenty of urban myths and stories about the provenance of some 4. Cobras being hidden by members of the mafia, etc. So you must consult a real expert before signing a (very) large cheque. • In the good old days, crashed cars were junked and chassis numbers were transferred to new cars so you really need to know your onions. Provenance is all with a Cobra so it is essential that your research is done with forensic thoroughness. Model history. The original Mk. I was manufactured from 1. The cars were constructed in Thames Ditton and the initial prototype chassis, CSX 0. Britain. The engine and gearbox were then removed and the chassis shipped to Carroll Shelby in Los Angeles where a 2. V8 was fitted, reputedly in just eight hours. In total 7. 5 Mk. I 2. 60s were produced. 1. The Mk. II followed with the 2. A further 5. 38 Mk. IIs were then produced with rack- and- pinion steering taken from the MGB. 1. The 4. 27 (Mk. III) was launched and ran until 1. Carroll Shelby stopped importing chassis/bodies in 1. AC cars continued producing cars in Britain with the 2. Autokraft: Brian Angliss of CP Autokraft started building cars using Cobra parts and AC shells from the mid- 1. Mk. IV in the early 1. Continuation cars: The first AC Cobra 4. S/C Continuation was specially commissioned and built in 1. Continuation Cobras were constructed. Nine were left- hand drive, of which five remain in the UK; one right- hand- drive example went to New Zealand. Now worth between £2. Other ‘Cobras’: Autokraft went into receivership in 1. Alan Lubinsky then developed the Mk. V and carbon- bodied CRS. Carroll Shelby built ‘continuation’ versions of the 2. FIA and 4. 27 S/C. Owners clubs, websites and forums• www. Summary and prices. Of the genuine Shelby- built cars, it’s the early Cobra 2. Although a sketchy car in need of restoration might still available for £1. Concours examples have been known to sell for close to £4. Later 2. 89 models are worth roughly 1. By far the most valuable is the original 1. The AC Cobra 4. 27 Mk. III S/C Continuation cars seem like good value at about half the cost. With cast- iron AC Cars Ltd certification (and FIA eligibility), this 4. Only ten were built in total during the early 1. Speak to the AC Owners Club and Bill Shepherd who, although he now specialises in Mustangs, has a great wealth of experience racing and preparing Cobras. But most definitely talk with Rod Leach, who is a fund of information on the complicated history of this great marque. The story of AC itself, the Cobra, Shelby, lawsuits, the various owners of the company and the rights to the name, Continuation Cobras, Autokraft, replicas, kit cars, etc, etc – it’s a snake pit that can catch out even the most agile researcher. Make sure you don’t get bitten.
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