AC Cobra 289 Recreation - it doesn't always have to be Shelby

Premium

AC Cobra 289 Recreation - it doesn't always have to be Shelby

This article was auto-translated. We apologize if some words are confusing or simply amusing. Would you like to help us improve?

Created on December 20, 2017

Text:

Bruno von Rotz

Photos:

Daniel Reinhard

40

Archivbild

4

Darin Schnabel - Courtesy RM Sotheby's

3

Washington Photos - Courtesy of Artcurial

1

Ford Motor Company

1

Archiv Allen Grant

1

Archiv Reinhard / Max Pichler

1

Archiv

14

65 1 1

Shelby Cobra 289 (1967) - small racing windshield, little wind protection

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Shelby Cobra 289 (1967) - still close in form to the AC Ace

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Shelby Cobra 289 (1967) - better to concentrate on the road than on the Alpine panorama

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Shelby Cobra 289 (1967) - a Cobra in front of an Alpine panorama

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Shelby Cobra 289 (1967) - for once the backdrop of Riverside swapped for the Bern area

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Shelby Cobra 289 (1967) - over 250 km/h fast at the time

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Shelby Cobra 289 (1967) - how Allen Grant drove in Riverside

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Shelby Cobra 289 (1967) - like Allen Grant once did in Riverside

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Shelby Cobra 289 (1967) - with characteristic paintwork

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Shelby Cobra 289 (1967) - large opening for the radiator

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Shelby Cobra 289 (1967) - Halibrands and fat tires

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Shelby Cobra 289 (1967) - nanu, where has the Ferrari 250 GTO gone now ...

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Shelby Cobra 289 (1967) - a driving machine

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Shelby Cobra 289 (1967) - short, fast acceleration phases before the next bend are the Cobra's favorite hunting ground

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Shelby Cobra 289 (1967) - the Cobra (albeit a different one) also lined up at the start of Le Mans

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Shelby Cobra 289 (1967) - the tires were significantly wider compared to the AC Ace

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Shelby Cobra 289 (1967) - you can get in and out without opening the door

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Shelby Cobra 289 (1967) - with its mouth open, the Cobra seems to want to swallow everything

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Shelby Cobra 289 (1967) - the small taillights make the Cobra look much wider than it is at just under 1.6 meters

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Shelby Cobra 289 (1967) - flat and optimized for racing

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Shelby Cobra 289 (1967) - you can almost hear it in the picture

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Shelby Cobra 289 (1967) - less than four meters long

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Shelby Cobra 289 (1967) - wheelbase not quite 2.3 meters

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Shelby Cobra 289 (1967) - inconspicuous would be different

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Shelby Cobra 289 (1967) - the design of the paintwork is said to have been created by George Lucas (Star Wars)

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Shelby Cobra 289 (1967) - Allen Grant drove the Cobra in these colors

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Shelby Cobra 289 (1967) - "Executor" also means "executor" - actually still fitting

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Shelby Cobra 289 (1967) - slightly forward bent gearshift

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Shelby Cobra 289 (1967) - complete information for the driver

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Shelby Cobra 289 (1967) - even an oil temperature and fuel gauge are installed

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Shelby Cobra 289 (1967) - the steering wheels were much thinner back then

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Shelby Cobra 289 (1967) - Quick-release fuel filler cap behind the crew

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Shelby Cobra 289 (1967) - Cobra foot pedals

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Shelby Cobra 289 (1967) - beautiful engine construction, open intakes

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Shelby Cobra 289 (1967) - V8 with Weber carburetors

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

AC Ace (1954) - makes a very good impression at the motor show

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

AC Ace (1954) - the unclad chassis at the London Motor Show in 1954, with the new Aceca coupé behind it

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

AC Ace (1954) - elegant roadster with aluminum bodywork

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

AC Cobra 289 (1963) - almost identical to the AC Ace, but with a wider track and modified wheel arches

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

AC Cobra (1963) - Chassis of the American-English sports car at the London Motor Show 1963

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

AC Cobra (1965) - with hardtop - Geneva Motor Show 1965

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Shelby Cobra 289 (1963) - Allen Grant sits together with George Lucas (Star Wars and others) in the freshly painted Cobra

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

AC Cobra (1963) - this photo appeared in the press before Le Mans as an announcement: for the first time an AC Cobra was on the starting grid in Europe, everyone was excited!

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

AC Cobra 289 (1964) - competed at Le Mans in 1964 - offered at the Artcurial auction on the occasion of the Le Mans Classic on July 5, 2014

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Shelby Cobra Roadster (1963) - Phil Hill (right in white helmet) inspects the engine of his Shelby Cobra Roadster (12 Hours of Sebring 1963)

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Shelby Cobra (1964) - Famous car manufacturers in battle - Cobra, Cobra, Porsche, Ferrari from N.A.R.T. (12 Hours of Sebring 1964)

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Shelby Cobra (1964) - Some time later, the engine of Phil Hill and Ken Miles' Shelby Cobra exploded (12 Hours of Sebring 1964)

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Shelby Cobra (1963) - Phil Hill at the night pit stop. The photographer in the background is Dave Friedman, official Shelby team photographer! (12 Hours of Sebring 1963)

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Shelby AC Cobra - Gurney at the wheel of the Cobra at the 1964 Targa Florio

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Shelby AC Cobra - Gurney overtakes a Giulietta at the 1964 Targa Florio

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Shelby Cobra 427 (1965) - Competition Version

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Shelby Cobra 427 (1966) - the powerful road version with the seven-liter V8 from Ford (without side exhaust pipes)

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

AC Cobra 427 (1965) - 7 liter displacement and minimal weight

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

AC Cobra (1964) - accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in just 4.2 seconds with a 4.7-liter Ford V8 - Geneva Motor Show 1964

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Laguna Seca USRRC (1965) with Ken Miles (#98), Ed Leslie (#96) and Bob Johnson (#97) in their Shelby Cobra at the start

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

AC 289 Sports (1967) - the smaller Cobra was a beautiful sports car

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Shelby 260 Cobra "CSX 2000" (1962) - as lot 117 at the RM/Sotheby's auction in Monterey on August 19/20, 2016

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Shelby 260 Cobra "CSX 2000" (1962) - as lot 117 at the RM/Sotheby's auction in Monterey on August 19/20, 2016

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Shelby 260 Cobra "CSX 2000" (1962) - as lot 117 at the RM/Sotheby's auction in Monterey on August 19/20, 2016

You have only

4 out of 65

images seen in high resolution

Summary

With the AC Cobra, Carroll Shelby presented a sports car in 1962 that offered outstanding performance for comparatively little money thanks to the power of a large V8 engine. Racing success soon followed, but not all race tracks allowed the new sports car star to shine equally brightly. On the road and in club racing, however, the Cobra performed magnificently. To this day, it remains one of the most appealing sports cars of all time. This driving report tells the story of the 289 Cobra and portrays the replica of a famous racing Cobra in many pictures, supplemented by video and audio material.

This article contains the following chapters

Adventurous history of origins
The CSX 2000 prototype
Racing as a basis for improvements
The very special Cobra from Allen Grant
From prototype to series production
The beast in the hands of a racing driver
Over 50 years later
Further information

Estimated reading time: 11min

Preview (beginning of the article)

Actually, the Shelby/AC Cobra was already an anachronism when it came out in 1962. The chassis dated back to 1952, the design was only two years younger. But with the comparatively light and very powerful V8 engines from Ford, the AC Ace was given a second life as a Cobra. And beat the Ferrari 250 GTO on the race track. Different stories circulate about who had what part in the development of the Cobra. In any case, Carroll Shelby (Le Mans winner in an Aston Martin in 1959), Ed Hugus, Ford and AC (Derek and Charles Hurlock) were closely involved. Apparently Shelby had already been an AC representative for several years and therefore knew the AC Ace well. He had long discussions with Ed Hugus about what a good sports car should look like.

Welcome to Zwischengas!

Continue reading this article for free?

Images of this article

Source: