1965 Shelby 427 S/C Cobra Appreciation Thread

Ron Resnick

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While living in Midtown Manhattan I received from a kit-car company in Keller, Texas a replica 1965 Shelby 427 S/C Cobra. I had Bellini at the time, and I never had a strong interest in classic cars or vintage cars or American cars.

But this strange situation at work came up and I had the opportunity to specify the colors and details I wanted on a Shelby Cobra kit-car. At that time I did not know about the different authenticity levels of Shelby Cobra replicas, or about the different build qualities available among different builders.

The guy that made my car was pretty incompetent. Although the car looked great and it had some cool specs (custom 430hp engine pulling 2,600 pounds, no catalytic converter, no muffler, straight side-pipes) the car was totally unreliable and borderline unsafe. Still I loved it! The car sounded like two Harley-Davidson motorcycles bolted together. The vibration from the engine was so ferocious that it would set off the motion detectors in parked cars as I drove down Second Avenue in Manhattan!

But out of the experience I developed an appreciation for what the original Shelby Cobras accomplished. And how can a sports car enthusiast not love a crazy powerful car with no muffler and no top whatsoever?

If I were buying one today I would make my life a lot easier and order a "continuation" Cobra from Shelby America in Nevada, and have one of their top dealers assemble the car and build and install the engine. Such a project costs about $150,000, but you get a truly authentic replica of very high build quality and mechanical reliability.



https://rmsothebys.com/en/auctions/...4-1965-shelby-427-sc-cobra-alloy-continuation



Screen Shot 2018-09-15 at 8.30.45 PM.jpg



https://www.hagerty.com/articles-vi...t-in-a-2008-shelby-cobra-427-continuation-car



Would I get a high-quality continuation Cobra today? One of the highest-quality continuation Cobra builders is only 90 minutes South of me in Irvine, CA. I researched the subject a few years ago (which is how I know that a continuation Cobra by an experienced and top-quality builder is the way I would go), but, no, I would not go there today (although Tinka loves the Cobra!).

I am glad I had the wild (and stressful) experience I had years ago with the crappy kit-car I owned in Manhattan,* but I kind of feel "been there, done that" on this subject. Nowadays, I would rather drive Bellini.


* It was no fun to secure special, one-off approval in New York State to register with DMV a new production car with no muffler and no catalytic converter and no safety anything!
 

Ron Resnick

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Tang, if you want something truly American and unique consider a replica Shelby Cobra!
 

puroagave

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Ron, if you're thinking Cobra in 2019 you want a Kirkham <2,000 lbs and 600+ HP. Acceleration is on par with a superbike. I came *this close* to acquiring a Kirkham 289 FIA after I tracked one at big Willow a number of years ago. Forget the shelby continuation cars, they are plastic bodied and heavy. their Alu bodied cars are Kirkhams anyways (at least they used to to be).

http://www.kirkhammotorsports.com/products427kms.shtml
 

Ron Resnick

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That looks very cool! I remember reading about Kirkham in one of the car magazines now that you mention it!

Personally, I still like the quasi-authenticity of the continuation Cobra concept from Shelby America. "Heavy" is relative. I am not a track racer. But I think it is very cool that you are! :D
 

ddk

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Tang, if you want something truly American and unique consider a replica Shelby Cobra!

Bangkok weather is either hot or hot & rainy with nonstop traffic and visible pollution, the last thing one wants is a roofless car :)! When living there I made the sad mistake of buying a TVR, the a/c barely worked being British and the car overheated with minutes when stuck in traffic. The only time I could drive that car was early morning hours when the weather was a little cooler and the traffic lighter.

david
 

Ron Resnick

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David, I did not expect Tang actually to drive it. I figured it would be stationed in his living room. :cool:

Are the streets in Bangkok wide enough for a Hellcat?
 

Tango

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Bangkok weather is either hot or hot & rainy with nonstop traffic and visible pollution, the last thing one wants is a roofless car :)! When living there I made the sad mistake of buying a TVR, the a/c barely worked being British and the car overheated with minutes when stuck in traffic. The only time I could drive that car was early morning hours when the weather was a little cooler and the traffic lighter.

david

You said it all David. Plus I have a 3.5 yr boy that I want to take with me and Wifie.

Tang :)
 

RogerD

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I remember when Shelby built 2 427SC's with dual Paxton superchargers. The cars were featured in Road & Track magazine and I held on to that magazine for years. Shelby kept one of the cars, the other went to Bill Cosby. Another small story...I was 16 and I brought my Dad down to a car lot on the El Camino in Belmont. There sat a 289 SC with with chrome side exhausts and a set of webers for the princely sum of 3600.00. I told my Dad he should buy it...no luck...such is life. I have lot's of memories of Cobras and Shelbys., I had a few friends that owned a few.

 

Al M.

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Tang, if you want something truly American and unique consider a replica Shelby Cobra!

Ron, just by its looks the Shelby Cobra is my favorite sports car of all time!
 
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Ron Resnick

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I unearthed a photo of the replica Shelby Cobra 427 I had in Manhattan.


68788BDE-2C0B-45E6-8F2D-88CCDA7F5460.jpeg


It had no catalytic converters and no mufflers. I ordered it from a company in Texas, not having any idea how I was going to get it registered in New York State.

Miraculously a car enthusiast in New York DMV liked the project and he sent me a registration!

The car is 430 hp pulling 2600 pounds. It was like two Harley Davidson motorcycles strapped together. Unfortunately it was incompetently made, and it had a mechanical problem one out of every three drives (I’m not exaggerating). The brakes were terrible.

The vibration from the engine was so ferocious that it set off the motion detectors in parked cars as I drove down Second Ave. It took me a while to figure out what was going on.
 

Audiophile Bill

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Mar 23, 2015
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I unearthed a photo of the replica Shelby Cobra 427 I had in Manhattan.


View attachment 98280


It had no catalytic converters and no mufflers. I ordered it from a company in Texas, not having any idea how I was going to get it registered in New York State.

Miraculously a car enthusiast in New York DMV liked the project and he sent me a registration!

The car is 430 hp pulling 2600 pounds. It was like two Harley Davidson motorcycles strapped together. Unfortunately it was incompetently made, and it had a mechanical problem one out of every three drives (I’m not exaggerating). The brakes were terrible.

The vibration from the engine was so ferocious that it set off the motion detectors in parked cars as I drove down Second Ave. It took me a while to figure out what was going on.
Looks absolutely epic though lol.
 
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