Lot details
Registration No: Un-Reg
Chassis No: Unknown
Mot Expiry: None

BELIEVED BUT NOT WARRANTED TO BE OF PERIOD AC MANUFACTURE

The iconic Cobra was conceived in 1961 when Carroll Shelby persuaded AC Cars to let him shoe-horn Ford's new 260ci V8 into the nose of the John Tojeiro-designed Ace. The resulting car was a winner from its hungry open mouth to the tip of its growling tail pipes. In later 289ci and 427ci forms it claimed countless races and championships, while the Shelby American Cobra Daytona Coupes of 1965 beat Ferrari to the ultimate prize of the day - the FIA World Manufacturers' title. Cobra production ceased in 1969 and values for all but examples with significant competition history remained relatively low until the early `80s. Now the best of breed are worth millions and even cars without history can fetch hundreds of thousands of pounds. As a result, any Cobra, whatever its provenance, is of potential interest to the collectors' market.

The vendor of the left-hand drive chassis and body on offer would be the first to admit his assemblage is an unknown quantity and he is making no claims for its history or identity. The chassis frame would appear to be that of a leaf-sprung Cobra 289 circa 1963. Quite some age is visible to the metalwork - in particular the bonnet (which still carries remnants of old paint), the scuttle and much of the chassis. The structure also shows signs of past repairs but the absence of any obvious numbers means that definitively ascribing a specific maker to it has thus far proved impossible. The early-shaped body is similarly a mixture of old and comparatively new aluminium, while the presence of the number CSX2084 to the reverse of various of the panels suggests that they might have crossed paths with that car at some time. The assemblage is offered in unpainted `barn find' condition. Sent for restoration some years ago (minus engine, gearbox and back axle), it was eventually recovered unfinished after the restorer died. Though, the loss of more parts at that stage left the owner thoroughly disillusioned. Locked away until being acquired by the vendor, the chassis and body might well be of interest to an existing Cobra owner or someone looking to create a FIA HTP compliant racer. However, they are offered strictly as seen and without any form of identity or documentation.

PLEASE NOTE: Since the catalogue went to press the ACOC's Cobra Registrar has contacted us to say the following: "CSX2084 is in the United States (Barrington, RI) and has continuous history since leaving AC on 11th February 1963. There is no record of its chassis or body panels having been discarded in whole or in part".