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1963 Shelby Cobra 289

A.C. Cars, Ltd., was a boutique British automaker whose heritage dates to 1908 when they were manufacturers of small delivery vehicles (the A.C. initials are from Auto Carrier). In the 1920s the company got into sports cars and after World War II, there was a sports hiatus until the introduction of the Ace in 1954. It was built on a new tube-frame chassis with an all-independent suspension by Joh Tojeiro. From 1956, A.C.'s own engines were supplemented with outsourced units from Bristol and Ford of England.

1963 Shelby Cobra 289 photo
LeMans Coupe
Chassis #: CSX 2156
View info and history
A Texas chicken farmer turned racing driver named Carroll Shelby approached A.C. about installing American V8 engines into the Ace chassis. Shelby had initially planned on using Chevrolet's small-block engine, but General Motors had turned him down, perhaps due to concerns over competition from the Corvette. In October of 1961, Shelby learned of Ford's new small-block slated for introduction in the 1962 intermediate Fairlane model. A.C's Charles Hurlock expressed interest in the proposition and Ford was eager to do business with Shelby for the exact reasons that Chevrolet declined.

Shelby's racing career had come to an end after only eight years of successful motor racing, including the first overall for Aston Martin in the 1959 24 Hours of Le Mans. Shelby had been forced to think about retirement due to being diagnosed with a heart condition. After his retirement, he pursued new interests including drilling wildcat oil wells and started a Texas trucking company. In 1961 he became the west coast Goodyear Racing tire distributor and formed a motor racing school at Riverside Raceway in California.

With a steady stream of cash, Shelby was able to pursue the long-held dream of building his own sports car. With his experience from racing, Shelby knew what did and did not work. America-built cars typically had ample horsepower while European cars had superb brakes and handling. The hybrid sports car had been proven on numerous occasions, including the Nash-Healey, Cunninghams, and Allards. Shelby considered using chassis from several European manufacturers, including Jensen, Bristol, and Austin-Healey, but when A.C. had lost their engine supplier after Bristol ceased production, Shelby seized the opportunity.

1963 Shelby Cobra 289 photo
LeMans Coupe
Chassis #: CSX 2156
View info and history
A 221 cubic-inch engine was installed in a stock AC Ace and weighed just a few more pounds than the six-cylinder Bristol. Ford engineer Dave Evans provided Shelby with more good news, informing him that a high-performance 260 cubic-inch version was already in production for Ford's Falcon and two engines would soon be delivered to his workshop. The engines were sent via airfreight overseas, and Shelby flew to England on February 1, 1962, to test drive the new Shelby Ford 'Cobra.'

The 260 CID V8 offered 260 horsepower and was backed by a Borg-Warner four-speed transmission. Zero-to-sixty mph was accomplished in 4.2 seconds, with a 13.8-second quarter mile at 112 mph and a top speed of 153 mph at Riverside International Raceway, all in 1962. The first 75 examples were powered by the 260-cubic inch motor, followed by the 289 Windsor V-8. In racing configuration, the engine offered 370 horsepower and weighed just 2,020 pounds, which was 500 less than the Corvette.

On February 2, 1963, Dave MacDonald scored the first Cobra victory at Riverside, outpacing a field of Corvettes, Jaguars, Porsches, and Maseratis.

1963 Shelby Cobra 289 photo
LeMans Coupe
Chassis #: CSX 2156
View info and history
Changes and improvements were made continuously including replacing the worm and sector steering that caused unpredictable steering geometry changes. Shelby's chief engineer Phil Remington and A.C. Cars chief engineer Alan Turner made a comprehensive design change to the front end, incorporating the new rack and pinion system while maintaining the transverse leaf suspension. Designated as Mark II cars, they entered production in early 1963 and continued until 1965.

The Mark III cars were introduced in 1965 and came with a new chassis built using 4-inch main chassis tubes, an increase of 1-inch over the prior setup, and coil springs all around. They had a larger radiator opening, wider fenders to accommodate wider wheels, and were powered by the 'side oiler' Ford 427 cubic-inch FE engine equipped with a single 4-barrel 780 CFM Holley carburetor rated at 425 horsepower.


by Daniel Vaughan | Mar 2020

Related Reading : Shelby Cobra History

The formula for the success of the Cobra came through a man named Carroll Shelby adapting a powerful Ford engine into a nimble, British sports car. A.C. Cars of Thames Ditton in Surrey, England had been producing the Ace since 1954. It was designed by John Tojeiro and featured an independent suspension by transverse leaf springs. The tubular frame body of the vehicle took its styling cues from....
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1963 Shelby Cobra 289 Vehicle Profiles

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Performance and Specification Comparison

Cobra 289

Specification Comparison by Year

Year
Production
Wheelbase
Engine
Prices
90.00 in.
8 cyl., 260.02 CID., 260.00hp
8 cyl., 289.00 CID., 360.00hp

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