1964 Shelby Cobra 289 Roadster

This 1964 Shelby 289 Cobra is one of 655 small-block 'leaf spring' Cobras produced from 1962 to 1965. It was dispatched from AC Cars to Los Angeles, California, on November 20, 1963. It originally wore a red exterior over a black leather interior and was sent to Shelby American Inc. in Venice, California, where it received its 289 cubic-inch Hi-Po V-8 engine delivering 271 horsepower and paired with a four-speed manual transmission. Before it left Shelby American, it was given numerous 'Group A' accessories, including aluminum rocker covers, a four-barrel intake setup, a chrome grille guard and rear bumper, chrome exhaust tips, wind wings, a heater, sun visors, seat belts, a radio and antenna, and five chrome wheels.

Mark Downing Ford of Huntington Beach, California, was invoiced $5,195 for the Cobra on January 21, 1964. The original owner is not known, but it is believed to have spent its early life in the Eastern U.S. A known sequence of owners in Ohio, Alabama, Georgia, and Illinois followed through the 1970s and 1980. By the late 1980s, the Cobra had been repainted in its original Red, riding on the original chrome wire wheels, and remained 'as delivered' with the exception of a pair of aftermarket exhaust headers.

Bill Kemper purchased the Cobra in 1987, and at the time, it had 32,000 miles on the odometer. A comprehensive, multi-year restoration soon commenced preserving most of the original configuration and incorporating some discreet upgrades to improve drivability. Its exterior was finished in black paintwork over a matching interior.

In 2015, the car joined the 'Silver Surfers' collection of musician Neil Peart. This was the only non-silver car in his collection and reportedly served as the centerpiece of Peart's collection. In August 2021, the Cobra was sold at auction to its current caretaker.

By Daniel Vaughan | Jun 2023