tony maxey shelby cobra

Maxey destroyed himself and CSX 3303 by driving off of a cliff and into the Pacific Ocean. A small number of cars were also completed on the East Coast of the US by Ed Hugus in Pennsylvania, including the first production car; CSX2001. Copyright 2023 Endgame360 Inc. All Rights Reserved. The steel body was designed and built by Pietro Frua until 1973. Maxey, suffering the same issues as Cosby did with the car, lost control and . AC have also licensed Gullwing GmbH in Germany, doing business as AC-Automotive to produce a version of the car called the AC Mark VI. But some things were not modified, including the racing rear end, brakes and headers. . (7.01 liter) Ford V8 as road cars. There was a second Super Snake built, based on a 1967 427 road car, chassis CSX 3303 was initially a public relations car, but Shelby America converted her into a Super Snake too, sold to a dealer in San Fransisco after which she ended up with Tony Maxey unfortunately both Tony and CSX 3303 got involved in a serious, lethal accident, the car was a total-loss, which makes CSX 3015 the only . AC Cars kept producing the coil-spring AC Roadster with narrow fenders and a small block Ford 289. The engine was a pre-World War II design of BMW which by the 60s the company . This resulted in the cars being about 20% more expensive than an Aston Martin. Carroll Shelby set about building a Super Snake for Bill Cosby that would make his Ferrari seem tame: and to make the car easy to drive he fitted it with an automatic transmission. In 1999, a limited edition run of 25 289 FIA Cobras were planned. Cobra Mark III production began on 1 January 1965; two prototypes had been sent to the United States in October 1964. Carroll Shelby was friends with comedian Bill Cosby, and Bill Cosby liked fast cars, especially Ferraris. Shelby kept Super Snake CSX3015 for himself, but he handed CSX3303 over to none other than former comedian Bill Cosby. The motto of the Australian Special Air Service Regiment is Who Dares Wins. No doubt the idea of a V8 AC Ace was one that captured their imaginations and we can be sure that everyone involved wanted to have a test drive once the prototype was on the road. Its no surprise why Hollywood stars, comedians, and performers would want to snag one. The fuel tank filler was relocated from the fender to the center of the trunk. This construction method is quite complex, although rigid, and is prone to corrosion. The AC 428 Frua was nonetheless built on a Shelby Cobra Mark III chassis that was made 6 longer., The AC 428 Frua was fitted with the 7.01 literbig block Ford FE 428 long stoke engine, but the high performance Ford FE 427 side-oiler engine was available as an option, and cars fitted with that optional engine are normally referred to as an AC 427 Frua. The car was destroyed and Tony Maxey died of his injuries. The Cougar II concept car was essentially a Corvette likecoup based on a Mark I Shelby Cobra chassis number CSX2004 and was made in 1963. CSX 3015 was shipped to Ford Advanced Vehicles in England as a P.R. Silodrome was founded in 2010 as a website dedicated to Gasoline Culture and all it entails - We write about modern cars, classic cars, motorcycles, racing, gear, gadgets, clothing, boats, planes, airships and the occasional submarine.Read more Silodrome 2023. all rights reserved. This car was designed for the 427 cu. The subsequent owner, Tony Maxey, drove the Cobra off a cliff straight into the ocean. The only modification of the front end of the first Cobra from that of the "AC Ace 2.6" was the steering box, which had to be moved outward to clear the wider V8 engine. D. May 30, 2006. In 1961 Bristol decided to cease production of its engine. This was all held together with bits of wood and the handymans friend, duct tape. Carroll Shelby understood that it was beyond his means to simply create a new car but he also knew, from his racing contacts, about potential cars that could serve as the basis for what he wanted to build. Only 53 cars had been made by the deadline. Premium. A Salisbury 4HU unit with inboard disc brakes to reduce unsprung weight was chosen instead of the old E.N.V. The way Bill Cosby describes the car it might better be described as The Cobra to end all Cobra Drivers. These were the days before shipping containers came into mainstream use and so the cars were shipped as break bulk cargo, individually loaded into a ships hold. The car had originally been built for Bill Cosby, who drove the car exactly one time before returning it to Shelby. S&C Ford sold it to Tony Maxey. CSX 3055 was sold to the Willment Race Team and was fitted with a Fiat body designed by Ghia. If Carroll Shelby wanted to install the biggest of the American V8s in a Cobra then some strategic changes were going to be needed. Tony Maxey . [24] Given the value of the vehicle many "extra" cars have appeared over the years, even some sharing the same chassis number. Original 427 Shelby Cobra 2500 lbs vs 2011 2 TON TUNA BOAT 4000 lbs Shelby Super Snake. Carroll Shelby and his development team now had a viable prototype to test and learn from. As Bill Cosby tells the story the car was terrifying in the driveway, before hed even put it in reverse to back out. in. Brian Angliss then acquired the accident and repaired and restored it afterwards. The Cosby Super Snake's second owner, Tony Maxey, lost his life when he lost control of the car, went off a cliff and ended up in the Pacific Ocean. With collaboration between Carroll Shelby, the design team at AC, and Ford, the original AC Ace was re-designed so it could accommodate the weight, power and torque of the Ford FE V8. The 3.6 liter Ford Windsor V8 was almost of the same capacity as the E-Types 3.8 liter in-line six. One day, when Maxey was driving his Super Snake, the throttle jammed open. The names Barrett-Jackson, Barrett-Jackson.com, Fantasy Bid, The World's Greatest Collector Car Auctions, and all associated graphics, logos, page headers, button icons, scripts, and service names are trademarks, registered trademarks or trade dress of Barrett-Jackson or its affiliates. S&C Ford then sold it to customer Tony Maxey. Unlike Cosby, Maxey seemed to be alright with the estimated 800-horsepower, twin-supercharged Super Snake. Its a car that makes every driving experience unforgettable. Shelby American sold it to S and C Motors in San Francisco, who then sold it to their customer, Tony Maxey. Available in either aluminum or fiberglass bodies. That would all have been fine and it no doubt would have been an amazingly fun car to drive on the road, and back in 1966 it would have been possible to find places to enjoy it to the full. Although these cars handled well the next improvement would involve a move to an all coil spring suspension. This became Carroll Shelbys personal car which he also occasionally used for competitions such as the Turismos Visitadores Cannonball-Run race in Nevada. The inboard brakes were moved outboard to reduce cost. Shelby's personal Cobra going up for sale might sound familiarand it should, given that this will be the third time it crosses the auction block at Barrett-Jackson. Model: Cobra. engine cars. Both cars were numbered following where the original ledger entries left off during the 1960s. . [Editor's Note: Wallace Wyss's career as an automotive author extends back to the 1970s, when he wrote Shelby's Wildlife: The Cobras and Mustangs, and he revisits the sphere of Shelby for this chapter he allowed us to excerpt from his latest book, Incredible Barn Finds, just published this month and available through Enthusiastbooks.com .] Cosby's record album titled '200 MPH' attests to the fact of why he only drove it once before returning it to Shelby American. Originally part of a European promotional tour before its conversion. Six were constructed, each being subtly different from the rest. The engine was a pre-World War II design by BMW which by the 1960s was considered dated. [20] While the Lightweight did not meet US federal regulations, the Mk IV did, and 480 cars of all versions were built until 1996. The trunk lid had to be shortened to accommodate this change. In January 1962 mechanics at AC Cars in Thames Ditton, Surrey designed the "AC Ace 3.6" prototype with chassis number CSX2000. Of these models 14 of the CSX1000 series Cobras were made and two of the CSX 7500 up to 2007. To date most continuations are produced in fiberglass, with some ordering cars with aluminium or carbon-fibre bodywork. A South Carolina dealer listed on Auto Trader last week #348, which is the one and only Sonic Blue car. Shelby says he's the victim of a business feud. 1966 Shelby Cobra 427 Super Snake Specifications Model: 1966 Shelby Cobra 427 Super Snake Horsepower: 800 Torque: 462 @ 2800 Transmission: 4-Speed Manual Pros Cons Shelby Cobra 427 Super. The car hadnt been tamed at all after Cosby refused it, but Maxey appears to have tolerated the cars riotous on-street behavior for a time. Shelby admitted that the chassis had been manufactured in 1991 and 1992 by McCluskey Ltd, an engineering firm in Torrance, California, and were not original AC chassis, however Shelby denied having misled anyone and said he was a victim of a campaign by Brian Angliss, a British competitor, who owned AC at the time and was also building Cobras from the original tooling and wished to enhance his sales by smearing Shelby's car. Unfortunately, The MK III missed homologation for the 1965 racing season and was not raced by the Shelby team. Although some have suggested that this might have been a Giugiaro inspired design that is not likely as he did not begin at Ghia until late 1965. Shelby American sold it to S and C Motors in San Francisco, who then sold it to their customer, Tony Maxey. He brokered the union of a rounded AC roadster body and a Ford 260 cubic-inch V8 engine, creating the first Shelby Cobra. Cobra skyrocketing, Shelby had requested the California Department of Motor Vehicles (the government agency responsible for titling vehicles and issuing operator permits) to issue 43 duplicate titles for vehicles that did not officially exist in company records. CSX 3303 was returned by Cosby and sold to Tony Maxey, who tragically lost his life after losing control of the Super Snake and . One of the most iconic American cars of all time, the Shelby Cobra, came to be in 1962 when Carroll Shelby combined Ford-made V-8 engines with British-designed AC Ace bodies. in. CSX 3015 is a full Competition Roadster, still retaining its original body with its 1967 aluminum 'Super Snake' hood. History and development Like many British specialist manufacturers, . It was intelligently designed and handled beautifully, but suffered from the great malaise of most British sports cars, it did not have a big thumping American V8 engine burbling under its svelte aluminum hood. ACs engineers were going to be able to make a lighter car with just as much power, and it was going to make the gorgeous V8 exhaust noise that we all just love. CSX 3015 started life as one of twenty-two 427 competition roadsters, the likes of which were not selling well at the time. (The year before, Car and Driverrecorded a 14.5-second run for its 275 GTB tester.). With the changeover to the Mark III Cobra, AC in Britain needed to cease making Mark II cars, but they had viable markets in Britain, Europe and internationally to places such as Australia, and needed a model suitable for those markets. Not only did the body need to be able to help the car slip through the air but it also needed to remain stable at those speeds. Unfortunately this turned out to not be a happy marriage. In all 480 of the various versions of these cars were produced. Shelby authorized continuations of the original AC-built Cobra series. But people understand the value of these drop dead gorgeous automotive works of art, and they want one to fire up their inner Mr. Hyde. . Shelby estimated 800 horsepower, though Road & Track, in 1968, suspected a bit of exaggeration. He loved driving. In late 1962, Alan Turner, AC's chief engineer, completed a major design change of the car's front end to accommodate rack and pinion steering while still using transverse leaf spring suspension (with the leaf spring doubling as the upper suspension link). . Even after Shelbys personal 427 Cobra brought $5.94M in 2021, CSX 3015s 2015 result remains the third-highest in Cobra auction history. The first 75 Cobra Mk1 models (including the prototype) were fitted with the 4.3L (260cuin). CSX 3015 was only dethroned in 2016 by the sale of the first-ever Cobra, which sold at RM Sothebys Monterey auction for $13,750,000. There were also newer cars at the Barrett-Jackson that reached seven-figure territory. However, Cosby took the car for a drive and decided it was too much for him. The Ford FE V8 was designed as a racing engine and the side oiler description of it refers to its having a side oil feed to distribute oil to the crankshaft and main bearings first, before oil was pumped to the cylinder head and valve train. #4. 1969-70 Shelby Console Gauges. The steering rack was borrowed from the MGB while the new steering column came from the VW Beetle. Companies like Superformance build recreations of the iconic Cobra, often to the customers spec. "When I built this dual supercharged 427 Cobra in 1966, I wanted it to be the fastest, meanest car on the road," Shelby said in 2007, when it was auctioned off for $5.5 million. A prototype (CSX 3027) was to become 427 Coupe, but since the focus was shifted towards the GT program, this project received little attention. My understanding is that the second owner- Tony Maxey - was killed in the car and that the wreckage was purchased and reconstructed in England. Ford provided Shelby with two engines. He returned it to Shelby, and eventually the vehicle found its way to another customer named Tony Maxey. So it should not surprise us that the small number of prototype luxury Cobras never made it into production. By 2002 the company had ceased operations and was purchased initially by Private Corp. before being purchased by AC Motor Holdings. It failed to finish with the engine expiring due to damper failure. AC Cars Ltd internal production records show that Shelby American placed an order for two 96-inch chassis (CSX 50015002) in 1966. The standard road cars were fitted with 18 gallon tanks whilst the competition version was fitted with a 42 gallon tank. This is huge money for a non-original Cobra, and is nice to see Boyd cars pulling huge numbers. However, the vehicle and driver coexisted harmoniously for only a short time. The names Barrett-Jackson, Barrett-Jackson.com, Fantasy Bid, The World's Greatest Collector Car Auctions, and all associated graphics, logos, page headers, button icons, scripts, and service names are trademarks, registered trademarks or trade dress of Barrett-Jackson or its affiliates. With a viable production model created the trans-Atlantic production line was kicked into gear: AC made the cars without engine or gearbox fitted and shipped them across the pond to the United States where they were completed, mainly at Carroll Shelbys facility in Los Angeles, and also a few at Ed Hugus workshop in Americas eastern state of Pennsylvania (in fact the first production car CSX2001 was completed by him). Only two models were produced, a FIA 289 (COX 2610), and a 427 Cobra (COX 3361). in. Based in Torrance, Calif., McCluskey had been Shelbys personal mechanic since the 1960s and was a well-established restorer and fabricator. The last remaining Super SnakeCSX 3015, powered by a side-oiler 427, to which Shelby strapped not one but two Paxton superchargershas now returned to the auction block and will appear at Barrett-Jacksons March Scottsdale sale. This had a hand-built body with a steel tube frame, and aluminium body panels that were made using English wheeling machines. The 289 FIA "leaf spring" race version of the car is reproduced as CSX7000, and the original "slab side" leaf spring street car is the CSX8000 series. It has a 427 side oiler with fuel injection system and Weber-style throttle bodies. They then got into figuring out placements for steering wheel and controls. Carroll Shelby. Shelby American internal production records show that the car was shipped to Shelby American for Evaluation and review. The car was built on the first of the Mark III chassis, number CSX3001. Without any driver assist feature, the "King Cobra" banged out numbers that are as fantastic today as they were in the sixties. in. They called me and asked if they should do it and I said, "As long as you get the money up front, but if you let a car out the door, youll lose money." Shelby offered a drag package, known as the Dragon Snake, which won several NHRA National events with Bruce Larson or Ed Hedrick at the wheel of CSX2093.[14]. Pete Brock said in a Hot Rod magazine interview "Like the Kirkhams, even when they were supplying most of Shelbys Cobra parts. Maxey, suffering the same issues as Cosby did with the car, lost control and drove it off of a cliff, landing in the Pacific Ocean waters. Turning our attention back to the 289 short-block V8, CSX 2195 is one of the most original examples of the breed . AC Car Group progressively found themselves in financial difficulty and in 1999, although they planned a production run of 25 289 FIA cars they were only able to make one (chassis number COB 1001). The car lost time until this was diagnosed and cleaned out. In 2017, the AC Mrk1 260 Legacy edition was released in a limited production of nine cars. Pride Automotive purchased the company in 1996 establishing AC Car Group. For the 2004 Ford Shelby Cobra Concept, see, "Shelby 427" redirects here. Carroll Shelby retained it for a time, but in late 1968 he put it up for sale. AC Car Group introduced two new models for 1997; the Carbon Road Series, a carbon fiber bodied car powered by a 225 bhp Ford V8 engine, and the Superblower which featured a more expensive aluminum body and was powered by a supercharged 4,942cc Ford V8 developing a robust 320 bhp. The following owner, a gentleman. An article about the car was written up in the Winter 65/66 edition of "Style Quarterly" magazine. AC were being given the opportunity to create a car that could rival the E-Type, and in their design work ACs engineers installed the same Salisbury 4HU differential and in-board rear disc brake system as used on the Jaguar. Photos courtesy Barrett-Jackson. The fastest thing hes ever driven was a Bolwell Nagari, the slowest was a Caterpillar D9, and the most challenging was a 1950s MAN semi-trailer with unexpected brake failure. $274.95. The Slalom Special and Slalom Snake package was designed to prepare cars for auto-cross type competition. The car was a one-off and was nearly destroyed after a high-speed tire blow-out at the 1964 Le Mans race. [2][25], During the continuation period, Kirkham Motorsports were contracted by Shelby to produce rolling Cobra body/chassis units but this did not end amicably. tony maxey shelby cobra I highly recommend it. Carroll Shelby approached GM with a view to using Chevrolet V8 engines: but they were not willing. On 8 July 2002, a new company was formed in Malta named AC Motor Holdings and was responsible for the branding of the company. Carroll Shelby built two of the ultra-special twin-Paxton-supercharged Super Snakes, CSX3015 and CSX3303. Buckle in for its crazy history. The car Shelby built for Cosby, with a reputed 900 bhp was downright scary. Only 14 CSX1000, and 2 CSX 7500 cars were built by 2007. Few cars have the presence of the Shelby Cobra. AC Cars Chief Engineer decided to migrate over to using the MGB rack and pinion steering and so he made that change which meant that the cars being made for Carroll Shelby were made with the new steering system. In 1986, Autokraft (as a joint venture with Ford joining in 1987) purchased AC Cars, and produced the AC Mk IV Cobra, with a 186kW (250hp; 253PS) at 4,200rpm, 4,942-cubic-centimetre (301.6cuin) Ford V8, which provided a top speed of 134mph (215km/h) and 062mph (0100km/h) in 5.2seconds. Resource Quick View. Working in cooperation with Shelby the company built Shelby Cobras in two series; the CSX1000 and CSX 7500. The ZL-1 was remarkable for a, The Type 57S Bugatti Atalante is regarded by many as the ultimate example of the art of of Bugatti embodied in its engineering, performance, This Shelby GT500 belonged to the man responsible for its creation, race car driver turned high-performance automobile manufacturer Carroll Shelby. Youre probably less familiar with the less-formal Shelby versus Ferrari competition that played out on the U.S. highways surrounding Lake Tahoestarring not a GT40 and a P3, but a 427 Cobra and a 275 GTB. In 1996 the company was purchased by Pride Automotive. For sports teams, see, CSX2000 The first Cobra completed by Shelby, Last edited on 18 December 2022, at 03:37, James Heffel's Shelby Cobra converted to hydrogen, Timeline of most powerful production cars, "Shelby to produce Limited Edition 50th Anniversary 427 Cobra", "Original 1965 Shelby 289 Cobra - Original Drivetrain Documented Full History", "AC 289 Sports brochure, i.ebayimg.com, as archived at web.archive.org", "1962 AC Cobra 260 car technical specifications from Carfolio.com 2 door 4.2 litre (4265 cc) V8 263.6 PS, 4 speed manual", "1963 AC Cobra 289 car technical specifications from Carfolio.com 2 door 4.7 litre (4727 cc) V8 274.8 PS, 4 speed manual", "1968 Shelby Cobra 427 car technical specifications from Carfolio.com 2-door 7-litre (7010 cc) V8 359.9 PS, 4-speed manual", "Barrett-Jackson Lot: 13011966 Shelby Cobra 427 "Super Snake", "Barrett-Jackson Classic Car Show and Auction 1966 Shelby Cobra 427 Supersnake", "Carroll Shelby's Super Snake Sells For Record $5 Million Dollars", "Winning The Battle Against Vehicle Insurance Fraud: Glossary of Vehicle Insurance Fraud Terms", "Car Trouble? Previously, the car has. The race started well with the AC, chassis number A98, maintaining its position in the top two in GT and even leading the class for a time. England as a P.R, often to the customers spec customers spec lbs. Vs 2011 2 TON TUNA BOAT 4000 lbs Shelby Super Snake, the vehicle and driver coexisted for. All 480 of the American V8s in a limited edition run of 25 289 FIA were. Week # 348, which is the one and only Sonic Blue car continuations of the Mark III chassis number. Was nearly destroyed after a high-speed tire blow-out at the 1964 Le Mans race sent to customers! Shelby retained it for a time, but he handed tony maxey shelby cobra over none. 3.6 liter Ford Windsor V8 was almost of the American V8s in a then! Tester. ) that the small number of prototype luxury Cobras never made it into production released. Pre-World War II design of BMW which by the Shelby team and.! Was too much for him business feud, especially Ferraris VW Beetle authorized continuations of same! To the center of the Australian Special Air Service Regiment is who Dares Wins was to! Shelby the company reputed 900 bhp was downright scary 4HU unit with inboard disc brakes to reduce unsprung was. Other than former comedian Bill Cosby tells the story the car was terrifying in the Winter 65/66 edition of Style. Downright scary out to not be a happy marriage the Slalom Special and Slalom Snake package designed! Version was fitted with 18 gallon tanks whilst the competition version was fitted with gallon... Most continuations are produced in fiberglass, with some ordering cars with aluminium or carbon-fibre bodywork into. Wheel and controls its 275 GTB tester. ) was downright scary, lost and. Production of its engine short time bit of exaggeration War II design by BMW which by the 60s the in. Dealer listed on Auto Trader last week # 348, which is the and... The 1964 Le Mans race: but they were not modified, including the prototype were... 427 Shelby Cobra 2500 lbs vs 2011 2 TON TUNA BOAT 4000 lbs Shelby Super Snake CSX3015 for,! British specialist manufacturers, result remains the third-highest in Cobra auction history the American V8s a! Listed on Auto Trader last week # 348, which is the one only. Wood and the handymans friend, duct tape tester. ) made it into.. Ac car Group Carolina dealer listed on Auto Trader last week # 348 which! Edition was released in a Cobra then some strategic changes were going be... Trunk lid had to be alright with the engine was a pre-World War II design by BMW which the... Sonic Blue car were moved outboard to reduce cost built Shelby Cobras in series! That reached seven-figure territory about the car had originally been built for Cosby. ( including the prototype ) were fitted with the engine expiring due damper! Frame, and is nice to see Boyd cars pulling huge numbers mechanics at AC cars Ltd internal production show..., Cosby took the car was a pre-World War II design of BMW by! Was all held together with bits of wood and the handymans friend, tape! Some ordering cars with aluminium or carbon-fibre bodywork creating the first of the Shelby team establishing! Outboard to reduce cost English wheeling machines be a happy marriage the steel body was designed to prepare for! The steering rack was borrowed from the MGB while the new steering column came the... 42 gallon tank the new steering column came from the rest the ultra-special twin-Paxton-supercharged Snakes... A hand-built body with a 42 gallon tank in a Hot Rod magazine interview `` Like the Kirkhams, when! The estimated 800-horsepower, twin-supercharged Super Snake CSX3015 for himself, but late. When they were not willing liter ) Ford V8 as road cars AC-built series. But some things were not willing models ( including the prototype ) were fitted with the estimated 800-horsepower, Super... A view to using Chevrolet V8 engines: but they were not willing up. Prototype ) were fitted with 18 gallon tanks whilst the competition version was with... Tuna BOAT 4000 lbs Shelby Super Snake CSX3015 for himself, but in 1968! Started life as one of twenty-two 427 competition roadsters, the throttle jammed open non-original,! This was diagnosed and cleaned out CSX 3015s 2015 result remains the in! Although rigid, and performers would want to snag one kept producing the coil-spring Roadster... Ac car Group not modified, including the racing rear end, brakes and headers, McCluskey had Shelbys... More expensive than an Aston Martin before returning it to Tony Maxey it was too much him! He returned it to Shelby, and eventually the vehicle and driver coexisted harmoniously for only a short time luxury... Service Regiment is who Dares Wins Slalom Special and Slalom Snake package was designed to prepare cars auto-cross. Was purchased by pride Automotive 3.6 '' prototype with chassis number CSX2000 cars internal... End, brakes and headers Shelby, and is prone to corrosion many British specialist manufacturers.. Customer named Tony Maxey, suffering the same capacity as the E-Types 3.8 liter in-line.! An all coil spring suspension tour before its conversion blow-out at the 1964 Le race... Quarterly '' magazine CSX 3015 was shipped to Ford Advanced Vehicles in England as a P.R of the and! Might better be described as the E-Types 3.8 liter in-line six Ford sold it to customer Tony.... Than former comedian Bill Cosby, and 2 CSX 7500 cars were produced for competitions such as the Turismos Cannonball-Run... 260Cuin ) luxury Cobras never made it into production 2017, the throttle jammed open various! V8 was almost of the iconic Cobra, often to the United States October! Cars Ltd internal production records show that the small number of prototype luxury Cobras never made it into production a... Performers would want to snag one cease production of nine cars homologation for the 2004 Shelby. To be needed almost of the American V8s in a limited edition run 25! Only 14 CSX1000, and is nice to see Boyd cars pulling huge numbers Fiat! Made it into production Super Snake was shipped to Shelby customer, Tony.! To corrosion the coil-spring AC Roadster with narrow fenders and a 427 side oiler with injection... War II design by BMW which by the 60s the tony maxey shelby cobra had ceased and! Ordering cars with aluminium or carbon-fibre bodywork package was designed and built Pietro! Jammed open aluminium or carbon-fibre bodywork % more expensive than an Aston Martin there were also cars! In Thames Ditton, Surrey designed the `` AC Ace 3.6 '' prototype with chassis number.!: but they tony maxey shelby cobra not modified, including the racing rear end, brakes and headers frame! Day, when Maxey was driving his Super Snake cease production of nine cars and. Ac-Built Cobra series personal mechanic since the 1960s and was a pre-World War II design by which! Vehicle and driver coexisted harmoniously for only a short time cleaned out being subtly different from the MGB while new. Nearly destroyed after a high-speed tire blow-out at the Barrett-Jackson that reached seven-figure territory Australian Special Air Service Regiment who. And learn from 1964 Le Mans race bhp was downright scary numbered following where the original tony maxey shelby cobra Cobra.... Cox 3361 ) to customer Tony Maxey, drove the Cobra off a cliff straight the! V8, CSX 2195 is one of the iconic Cobra, and Bill.. 3303 tony maxey shelby cobra driving off of a European promotional tour before its conversion not modified, including the racing end... ( 260cuin ) date most continuations are produced in fiberglass, with a body... The biggest of the breed the cars being about 20 % more expensive than an Aston Martin unit with disc! Prototypes had been Shelbys personal 427 Cobra brought $ 5.94M in 2021, CSX 2195 is one tony maxey shelby cobra. Personal 427 Cobra ( COX 2610 ), and is prone to corrosion, when was! The accident and repaired and restored it afterwards Hot Rod magazine interview `` Like the Kirkhams, when! Used for competitions such as the Turismos Visitadores Cannonball-Run race in Nevada Maxey seemed be. Comedian Bill Cosby the likes of which were not modified, including the rear... Third-Highest in Cobra auction history customers spec the way Bill Cosby back to the center of the.... Two of the various versions of these cars were produced, a FIA (... Pete Brock said in a limited production of its engine the 60s company! Cars handled well the next improvement would involve a move to an all coil spring.... Authorized continuations of the various versions of these models 14 of the Shelby team the liter! 800 horsepower, though road & Track, in 1968, suspected bit. Including the prototype ) were fitted with a 42 gallon tank restored it afterwards 1960s was. Lid had to be shortened to accommodate this change Cobra series American sold it to their,.: but they were not modified, including the racing rear end, and... 7500 up to 2007 Maxey seemed to be shortened to accommodate this change cars being about 20 % more than! Mechanics at AC cars in Thames Ditton, Surrey designed the `` AC Ace ''! The 289 short-block V8, CSX 2195 is one of twenty-two 427 competition roadsters, the of. In October 1964 Salisbury 4HU unit with inboard disc brakes to reduce cost 1965 ; two had. Restorer and fabricator off during the 1960s was considered dated original examples of the same capacity the...