1963 Shelby Cobra 289 Roadster

In 1963, the Shelby Cobra team was threatening Ferrari in international competition and was thoroughly dominating the Corvette just about everywhere else. Shelby wanted to create and build what he called a 'Corvette-Beater'. The AC Cobras would do that, and in the meantime, would send Ferrari scurrying around trying to make sure it could stay ahead.

The 1963 season started out perfectly for Shelby as his 289 Cobras would score a 1st and 2nd place result at Riverside. The Shelby team had dominated a field of Corvettes, Jaguars, Porsches and Maseratis to earn the first victory for the Cobra.

The advantage the Cobras enjoyed throughout the year came as a result of the 289 CID Ford V8 engine with four Weber carburetors which helped boost horsepower to approximately 400 bhp. The car's performance would also be helped by a chassis that weighed considerably less than a Corvette and could handle much better due to its lower weight, good center of gravity, and the use of new rack-and-pinion steering.

After the early successes of the season, the team would prepare six cars for the 12 hour race at Sebring. These cars would have some special modifications including quick-change pins on the front brakes, Halibrand magnesium wheels and, for the first time, rack and pinion steering. A number of other revisions had to do with body-to-chassis fit and other small tweaks that would help the team's performance over 12 hours of racing. Unfortunately, despite all of the modifications and performance tweaks, just one car would end up making it to the finish of the race.

In August of this year Gooding & Company hosted an auction at Pebble Beach. One of the cars offered at the auction would be a 1963 Shelby Cobra 289 factory team car. Chassis number CSX2129 had been completed in March of 1963 and would be shipped to Los Angeles.

Upon arriving, the car would immediately undergo conversion. The car would be converted to 'Sebring' specifications. The car would receive modifications inside and out of the chassis and would be topped off with a bright red finish. This would end up being the only one of the group that would sport the red finish.

Over the next couple of months of racing the car would continue to improve. At Watkins Glen, it would receive its first victory as Ken Miles would take the car to a 3rd place overall finish and a 1st place in the 2.0-liter category.

Throughout the summer months, the car continued to earn top five and top three finishes. It would also go on to win more than a couple of races. But perhaps one of the greatest performances put in by the Shelby Factory team and CSX2129 would come at the FIA Double 500 at Bridgehampton. There the team would face a series threat of privateer Ferraris and very good E-Type Jaguars.

The race would be a battle throughout. It would come down to the struggle between the Jaguars and the Cobras. After some heavy fighting and close contact, Dan Gurney would lead home a Shelby Cobra one, two. Ken Miles, piloting CSX2129 would finish in 2nd behind Gurney.

Through Miles' efforts behind the wheel of this Cobra, and the efforts of the other factory Cobras, Shelby American would win the 1963 USRRC Manufacturer's Championship, USRRC Drivers' Championship and would also become the SCCAA-Production Champions.

After its successful season, this particular Cobra would be sold to Graham Shaw of South Carolina. The car would receive a new livery and would begin its new career as part of Graham Shaw Racing in Daytona the next year.

Shelby American would purchase the car back and would prepare it to be featured at Ford Motor Company's 1964 New York World's Fair display. Well over a year later, September of 1965, Shelby would loan the car to Lew Spencer to drive in the SCCA National at Riverside. Proving the car still had some more life in it, Spencer would go on to win A-Production.

Shelby American would again part with the car. It would end up being sold to Mr. Eric Pohl in 1966. From then on, the car would take part in a number of club races. Racing was in its blood, and CSX2129 would continue to race throughout 1966.

In 1967, Bruce Goldsmith would acquire the car. By this time the car was over three years old. While it was still competitive it certainly was on its downward trend. Goldsmiths' ownership would end up seeing the car take on a new role.

For whatever reason, Goldsmith would purchase a new high-performance short block engine from Ford. The engine featured original Shelby components but was installed on a short block. This change would give the car incredible performance.

Goldsmith would make the changes to the car and would put it up for sale. The advertisement would end up catching the eye of Thomas Long of Hemet, California. Long would end up purchasing the car.

In 1984, Long would begin restoring the car. During the process, Long would discover much of the car's original racing history. He would come across the original red finish and the hastily-repaired flared fenders. Long would repair the flares and would finish the car in a dark blue livery.

In time, Long would come to understand and recognize the need to have the car restored to its original factory team livery. The work to restore the car to its appearance as part of the Shelby Factory Team would start in the late 1990s. When the car was finished, it would again be adorned in a bright red finish and would sport the proper black interior.

When it was first adorned in its red finish CSX2129 could be readily seen competing at circuits all over the country. However, since its restoration to its original livery, CSX2129 has rarely been seen except for a few instances where the car has taken part in some tribute events.

Cobras were hard competitors. Just one look and the car's mean, competitive nature becomes readily apparent. They didn't look the part of a high-strung thoroughbred that needed to be handled carefully. Instead, it was very much a muscle car meant to beat its competition into submission. To do that sometimes required driving the car hard and risk damaging it.

This example offered at auction would be truly a rare example. The racing damage to the car remained relatively light. Combine this with its already impressive history, racing success and relatively low mileage since retiring from racing and it is little wonder why CSX2129 would end up being sold for $2,585,000.

Sources:
'Lot No. 055: 1963 Shelby Cobra 289 Factory Team Car', (http://www.goodingco.com/car/1963-shelby-cobra-factory-team-car). Gooding & Company. http://www.goodingco.com/car/1963-shelby-cobra-factory-team-car. Retrieved 25 August 2011.

Wikipedia contributors, 'AC Cobra', Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 22 August 2011, 17:49 UTC, http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=AC_Cobra&oldid=446184103 accessed 25 August 2011

By Jeremy McMullen