Beschreibung:

427ci OHV V8 Engine Dual Quad 4-Barrel Carburetors Est. 400bhp at 6,000rpm 4-Speed Manual Transmission 4-Wheel Independent Suspension 4-Wheel Disc Brakes *Offered from the Judge DiLoreto Collection *Recent comprehensive restoration by renowned Cobra expert Mike McClusky *Owned and treasured by DiLoreto for more than 37 years *Well-documented example of the legendary Big Block Cobra THE SHELBY COBRA Rightly regarded as one of the all-time great classic sports cars, the muscular, fire-breathing Cobra succeeded in capturing the hearts of enthusiasts like few of its contemporaries. Texan Carroll Shelby had gone racing in Europe in the late 1950s and realized that a combination of a lightweight American V8 engine and a proven European chassis was a winning combination. He had a Ford V8 installed in the chassis of an AC Ace, named the result the 'Cobra' and proved his point. Formalizing the arrangement, Shelby had AC Cars send Cobras - minus engines - from England to be finished off at his facilities in California. The 260ci (4.2-liter) prototype first ran in January 1962, with production commencing later that year. In 1963, the more powerful 289ci (4.7-liter) unit was standardized. Rack-and-pinion steering was the major MkII up-date; then in 1965 a new, stronger, coil-suspended MkIII chassis was introduced to accommodate Ford's 427ci (7-liter) V8 engine, which in race trim could produce well in excess of 500bhp. Wider bodywork, extended wheel arch flares and a bigger radiator intake combined to create the definitive - and much copied - Cobra MkIII look. Shelby's "dream team" of drivers included Ken Miles, Phil Remington, and Pete Brock, who were supported by other racing legends behind the scenes. The Ford-powered, AC Ace-derived Cobra was faster and more reliable then almost anything else produced, dominating the competition in almost every instance. The Cobra won the U.S. Manufacturer's Championship consecutively in 1963, 1964, and 1965. Shelby would go on to win the hotly contested 1965 FIA World Manufacturer's Championship in 1965 with the Pete Brock-designed Daytona Coupe. Competition and semi, or 'street' competition (S/C) versions used the mighty 427. The 'S/C' had been created by the simple expedient of mildly 'de-tuning' 31 unsold competition cars. De-tuned? How does 0-100mph in 8.8 seconds and 165mph sound? The Cobra set new standards of performance for road cars and was highly effective in competition. Just 1,000-or so Cobras of all types were built between 1962 and 1967. THE MOTORCAR OFFERED The Shelby American Automobile Club World Registry documents that CSX 3205 was Billed to Shelby American on January 4th, 1966, with work order number 18105 stating 'Build 427 Street Cobra CSX3205'. The work order was opened on February 24th, 1966 and closed on April 1st, 1966. Shelby invoice number A2997, dated April 11th, 1966, billed McCafferty Ford of Trenton, New Jersey for the new Cobra: 'CSX3205, 1966 Cobra - Primer/Black, $6,145.00, less a credit of $150.00 for 'no paint, primer only', plus freight, $320.00, total $6,315.00. CSX 3205 was trucked to New Jersey, where McCafferty had the new car painted blue. They dealership sold CSX 3205 Sid Quait of Drexel Hills, PA. Quait - who was reportedly one of McCafferty's salesmen - found the car uncomfortable for his large size and traded it back to the dealership later in the summer with roughly 2,000 miles on the clock. Its next owner Frank Solack of Trenton, New Jersey, said the CSX 3205 sat on the McCafferty showroom floor from the late summer of 1966 into early 1968. At that time, Solack offered to trade the dealership his lime gold 1967 GT350 for the Cobra, and a deal was struck which valued the latter at $5,500. Solack installed low-profile 'Indy' tires on the car's Sunburst wheels, noting that they were actually illegal for street use: 'When you lit them up, he recalled, they didn't squeal - they just made sort of a scraping noise until they got hot, caught, and you were off l