1966 AC Cobra 427

Lot details
Registration No: NXC837M
Chassis No: CSX3284
Mot Expiry: None

Although it has had many company names and a variety of owners over the years, A.C. is without doubt the longest surviving manufacturer of motorcars this country has ever seen. It was formed in 1904 to make three wheeled trade carriers and has since then gone through the full range of three and four wheeled motorcars and transporters for those cars. They have been 'saved' many times, one of the most important probably being the Hurlock one in the 1930's, but they have produced some world class cars including the 16/80 Earl of March car, the Ace, the 428 Frua convertible and of course the Cobra.
It was the success of the Ace on the track that attracted the attention of the racing driver Carroll Shelby to the company and he reckoned that with a powerful V8 engine it could compete successfully even in class A. In February 1962 an engineless Ace was flown to California where Shelby fitted a 4260cc Ford V8 and christened the result the Cobra, a name that came to him in a dream. The A.C. chassis had to be completely re-designed to enable it to accept the greater power of the V8 and this was a joint effort between A.C.'s Alan Turner and Shelby's Phil Remington. The testing took Shelby a year and a half and cost one and half million dollars, which he paid for, and this is one of the reasons why Shelby always maintained that the cars were American and should officially be called the Shelby-A.C. Cobra. In Europe though they were marketed as the A.C. Cobra capitalising on the good reputation earned by the A.C. Ace.
The first thirty examples, which were homologated for US racing, were made at Shelby's original works at Santa Fay Springs but in June 1962 he moved to Venice to the building where the Scarab racing cars had been built. A further forty-five 260's were built before the 289 took over and from 1965 the 6997cc 427 engines were available giving a top speed of 165mph.
Chassis number CSX3284 is in remarkably preserved and time warp condition and has only had two owners since it was imported from the United States of America in the late 1960's. The first owner had two 427 models but was keen to purchase some porcelain at an auction in London and so decided to sell one and the present owner bought this car from him in November 1974, twenty seven years ago, for the princely sum of £4,950. After several years light road use by him he decided, for personal reasons, to commit the Cobra to the Midland Motor Museum at Bridgenorth and there is a complete file of correspondence and bills with it that cover its time in that museum.
It has completed a mere 21,987 warranted miles from new and is in totally original condition throughout, although we do believe the seats were recovered in 1981 at a cost of £295. Although in its early days in the museum it was started and run this has not been done for quite some considerable time.
It was originally fitted with the two, four barrel Holly carburettors but it is presently fitted with a single one for improved drivability. It comes with a superb and enormous history file, which includes its V5 registration document, the afore-mentioned extensive history of its sojourn at the Midland Motor Museum, a complete file of insurance information as well as various articles, paperwork and receipts including the original purchase receipt from the previous owner, and there is also copy of an article on this particular car, which appeared in 'Old Car' in September 1989.
It also comes with its side screens, hood and frame, the Holly carburettor and an inlet manifold and we are confident that this is probably the most original Cobra in existence.
Please note: Although it should be easily realised, we have not had this car running since it was removed from the museum.