1964 Shelby Cobra 289 Roadster

This A.C. Shelby Cobra with a 289 Cubic-inch V8 engine was completed by Shelby American in October of 1964. It was painted in white with red interior which it still wears today. Holman & Moody transported CSX2541 to Lynch-Davidson Ford in Jacksonville, Florida. It was then delivered to its new owner, Joe LaRose. He retained the car until his death in 1999.

The car was a daily driver and never raced, abused or modified. It still retains the Hi-Po 289 engine, 4-speed transmission, Autolite carburetor and cast iron intake manifold. It has rack-and-pinion steering, Stewart Warner gauges, six-inch wire wheels, side vents, and Ford electrics.

Mark Winkleman became the car's next caregiver who gave it a cosmetic restoration.

In 2007 the car was offered for sale at the Gooding & Company auction held in Pebble Beach, California where it was estimated to sell for $550,000 - $650,000. Those estimates proved accurate as the lot was sold for $577,500 including buyer's premium.

The A.C. Cobra cars are among the most memorable and recognizable cars in history. Their original designs can be traced back to the Touring-bodied Barchetta's that clothed Ferrari's 166 and 225 Spyders. That body style would become highly duplicated throughout the years, with the first being the one-off Cooper-MG raced by automobile dealer Cliff David. John Tojiero had conceived the ladder frame with independent leaf-spring suspension and Eric Hall and Bill Rich had clothed the car in the Barchetta-style body.

The one-off was successful in racing, and Davis urged Tojiero to mass-produce the cars. Instead, Tojiero licensed the design to the Hurlock family of A.C. in Thames Dutton. Soon, the two-liter, six-cylinder versions bearing A.C. badges were in production. Dubbed the A.C. Ace, they were an immediate success. A few years later, a Bristol engine became available which improved the vehicle's performance.

In the early 1960s, Bristol announced it would discontinue its engine. A Chevrolet V8 unit served as a replacement, and later a 2.6-liter Ford six provided ample power to excite drivers and on-lookers. A long-term solution was found when Texan-based Carroll Shelby dropped a lightweight Ford V8 engine into the engine bay and took it racing. The 260 cid, then 289 cid, and finally the 427 version made the Cobra legendary.

By Daniel Vaughan | May 2008