289ci OHV V8 Engine Single 4-Barrel Carburetor 271bhp at 5,600rpm 4-Speed Manual Transmission 4-Wheel Independent Suspension 4-Wheel Disc Brakes *Rare and desirable original AC Cobra 289 *Retaining original engine, transmission, rear end, chassis and bodywork *One of just 17 left-hand drive COX export examples made in 1964 and 1965 *Factory left-hand-drive car, delivered new to Canada *Single family ownership for more than 45 years THE SMALL-BLOCK COBRA When Carroll Shelby went to Europe to race in the late 1950s, he realized that a combination of a lightweight American V8 engine and a proven, well-handling European chassis was a winning combination. He had a Ford V8 installed in the chassis of an AC Ace, named the result, 'Cobra', and proved his point. The Cobra set new standards of performance for road cars and was highly effective in competition. Early cars featured a 260 cubic-inch Ford small-block engine, soon enlarged to 289 cubic-inches concurrently with improvements to the suspension and steering, these Cobras being known respectively as MkI and MkII. When fitted with ever more powerful engines, the cars' chassis capabilities were stretched to the limit and Shelby approached Ford to take their concept a stage further. Ford had woken to the truth of the old adage, 'Win on Sunday, sell on Monday'. Together, Ford and Shelby worked on a new chassis which, it was claimed, was the first ever to be designed on a computer. The final flowering of the original Cobra model received the legendary 289 cubic- inch Ford V8 engine which produced 271 horsepower and 314 lbs-ft torque midway through the engine range. Top speed was 138 mph (220 kph) but of more importance was 5.5 seconds for the 0-60 mph sprint - few cars in the world could match that in the 1960s. Almost as soon as Cobra production began, AC Cars saw a market for the cars in the United Kingdom and Continental Europe. Initial race victories, which were widely reported in the motorsports press, hastened this spread. Just as it had been possible to purchase an AC an Aceca from the factory's sales office in Thames Ditton, or through one of the company's franchised dealers, so was it possible to buy a Cobras. Initially, AC, had their hands full trying to produce as many cars for export to the U.S. as they could. Shelby also had his hands full keeping up with the demand in the U.S. and the European market seemed like a modest one. He was happy to let AC Cars assume the responsibility of supplying cars there. These cars were standard specification leaf spring Cobras powered by 289 Hi-Po Shelby engines with Borg Warner four-speed transmissions (which AC received from Shelby). On these cars the trunk badge was "AC" while the nose badge was the round "Cobra" emblem. The serial numbers were COB ("Cobra Britain") for the right-hand drive cars sold in the United Kingdom (45 out of the entire production of 62) and COX ("Cobra eXport") for left-hand drive cars sold throughout the rest of Europe, Canada, and one into the USA (the remaining 17 cars). The four-digit production numbers all began with a "6" (6001 through 6062). Just 17 examples of the COX models were built in 1964 and 1965, making this the rarest series manufactured Cobra. THE MOTOCAR OFFERED This immaculate 1964 AC Cobra 289, chassis number COX 6014, is among the rarest Cobra models ever produced, and boasts excellent pedigree. According to the World Registry of Cobras and GT40s, COX 6014 was completed at the Thames Ditton AC Cars as a left-hand drive car, and was consigned to Cambridge Motors of Montréal, Canada, on August 9th, 1964. The first known owner was a Mr. Paul Schmelzer of Toronto, Canada, who purchased the car in 1969. Pictured in 'The Marque' Vol. 3, #3, COX 6014 remained in Canada through the 2000s, while in Mr. Schmelzer's ownership for more than 45 years. Today COX 6014 boasts great authenticity, having never been known to have been raced or modified. Many of Cobras would take to the racetrack, but that is
289ci OHV V8 Engine Single 4-Barrel Carburetor 271bhp at 5,600rpm 4-Speed Manual Transmission 4-Wheel Independent Suspension 4-Wheel Disc Brakes *Rare and desirable original AC Cobra 289 *Retaining original engine, transmission, rear end, chassis and bodywork *One of just 17 left-hand drive COX export examples made in 1964 and 1965 *Factory left-hand-drive car, delivered new to Canada *Single family ownership for more than 45 years THE SMALL-BLOCK COBRA When Carroll Shelby went to Europe to race in the late 1950s, he realized that a combination of a lightweight American V8 engine and a proven, well-handling European chassis was a winning combination. He had a Ford V8 installed in the chassis of an AC Ace, named the result, 'Cobra', and proved his point. The Cobra set new standards of performance for road cars and was highly effective in competition. Early cars featured a 260 cubic-inch Ford small-block engine, soon enlarged to 289 cubic-inches concurrently with improvements to the suspension and steering, these Cobras being known respectively as MkI and MkII. When fitted with ever more powerful engines, the cars' chassis capabilities were stretched to the limit and Shelby approached Ford to take their concept a stage further. Ford had woken to the truth of the old adage, 'Win on Sunday, sell on Monday'. Together, Ford and Shelby worked on a new chassis which, it was claimed, was the first ever to be designed on a computer. The final flowering of the original Cobra model received the legendary 289 cubic- inch Ford V8 engine which produced 271 horsepower and 314 lbs-ft torque midway through the engine range. Top speed was 138 mph (220 kph) but of more importance was 5.5 seconds for the 0-60 mph sprint - few cars in the world could match that in the 1960s. Almost as soon as Cobra production began, AC Cars saw a market for the cars in the United Kingdom and Continental Europe. Initial race victories, which were widely reported in the motorsports press, hastened this spread. Just as it had been possible to purchase an AC an Aceca from the factory's sales office in Thames Ditton, or through one of the company's franchised dealers, so was it possible to buy a Cobras. Initially, AC, had their hands full trying to produce as many cars for export to the U.S. as they could. Shelby also had his hands full keeping up with the demand in the U.S. and the European market seemed like a modest one. He was happy to let AC Cars assume the responsibility of supplying cars there. These cars were standard specification leaf spring Cobras powered by 289 Hi-Po Shelby engines with Borg Warner four-speed transmissions (which AC received from Shelby). On these cars the trunk badge was "AC" while the nose badge was the round "Cobra" emblem. The serial numbers were COB ("Cobra Britain") for the right-hand drive cars sold in the United Kingdom (45 out of the entire production of 62) and COX ("Cobra eXport") for left-hand drive cars sold throughout the rest of Europe, Canada, and one into the USA (the remaining 17 cars). The four-digit production numbers all began with a "6" (6001 through 6062). Just 17 examples of the COX models were built in 1964 and 1965, making this the rarest series manufactured Cobra. THE MOTOCAR OFFERED This immaculate 1964 AC Cobra 289, chassis number COX 6014, is among the rarest Cobra models ever produced, and boasts excellent pedigree. According to the World Registry of Cobras and GT40s, COX 6014 was completed at the Thames Ditton AC Cars as a left-hand drive car, and was consigned to Cambridge Motors of Montréal, Canada, on August 9th, 1964. The first known owner was a Mr. Paul Schmelzer of Toronto, Canada, who purchased the car in 1969. Pictured in 'The Marque' Vol. 3, #3, COX 6014 remained in Canada through the 2000s, while in Mr. Schmelzer's ownership for more than 45 years. Today COX 6014 boasts great authenticity, having never been known to have been raced or modified. Many of Cobras would take to the racetrack, but that is
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