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He was famous for the Cobra which was the British AC Ace with a large American muscle engines wedged in. The cars were made in then UK and shipped out to the USA without engines.
Shelby made it look like this, with wheel arches and a big muscle lump of an engine. Called the AC Cobra in the UK:
I just about prefer the looks of the original AC Ace as it looks so much more elegant.
You posted the later 427 Cobra. The first seven hundred Shelby Cobras were the 260 and 289 versions, which looked like this:
You must be new to the Cobra replica scene. Kirkham Motorsports make the most exact Cobra replica with perfect aluminum bodies. Carroll Shelby Motors at one time contracted with Kirkham to build their Shelby badged replicas.
FFR does not use Fox chassis, in the earlier years they used Fox Mustang components to build their cars but they have come a long way since then.
Superformance Cobras built in South Africa are licensed by Carroll Shelby Motors.
You can argue all day about which is best but right now FFR seems to be the most successful Cobra replica builder and also one of the most affordable.
Nope, not going to argue with you because I didn't know about them, I will remember those others so I don't give wrong info. I didn't mean the whole chassis, just the suspension partsand front kmember. It's been about three years since I've been to their website, but I read they use a fox/sn95 based SLA kmember, and either the cobra IRS, or a fox/sn95 8.8 axle. They did it for simplicity- but it was three years ago.
This in British Racing green, no white walls tyres and no front bull bars looks very nice. Very elegant. A good design does not need to add bolt on things and have garish paint jobs to improve the looks. The original design should shine through by itself especially when it is a classic design anyhow.
remember, John, these were racing cars. When the 289 Cobras like the BRG one pictured went racing and got wider tires for more grip, they also got flared fenders to cover those tires. This was the 289 FIA Cobra, the predecessor to the wild 427 powered Cobras:
The 427 Cobra had a completely new chassis which was wider to accommodate the big 427 cid engine, and much wider tires to put the power down. So you might think it garish, but it was all for function as befits a champion racing car:
Merc63, I know the Cobra was a track racer made streets legal. My point which I never made properly, was that the Ace should be made again as an option, which is not a difficult thing to do - just reduce the flared arches and have wheels that are not too wide. A smaller in physical size engine is easy to fit in. AC still make the Cobra, so an Ace option is not a great thing.
An original Ace with an original AC engine fetch a lot when one rarely goes on sale. The AC 6 cyl OHC engine was highly advanced for 1919, and built for 44 years. I think only the VW Beetle engine was made for longer. Probably parts would have to be made for it. Oil and water pumps and distributors were made by others being mass produced items, so should still be available.
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