1966 Shelby Cobra

Description

For sheer thrills on the road, nothing beats a Cobra. Built to look traditional, this gorgeous blue Shelby replica delivers big V8 thrills with razor-sharp handling, all wrapped in a package that looks like it could have rolled out of the Shelby American factory forty-five years ago.

Classic Motor Carriages has been building Shelby Cobras longer than just about anyone but Shelby American, but even the best fiberglass needs expert prep, so this one received hours and hours of sanding and smoothing before the Guardsman Blue paint was applied. And since Cobras always look naked without them, a set of slick Titanium Silver stripes were added in the correct proportions, then trimmed with burnt orange pinstripes, giving this roadster the look of having come right off the show field, not just the racing grid. Fit and finish are well above average, and it obvious this build was not done in someone's home garage, but by the pros at York Sports Cars in Ashland, Virginia. The doors fit well, the hood sits flush, and it feels rock solid going down the road. A few optional extras were included, such as chrome bumperettes, a chrome roll hoop, and that always-cool flip-top racing gas cap. Even details like the Shelby logos are authentic.

Where so many Cobra replicas go wrong is by trying to sterilize the interior. This one, on the other hand, has a beautifully trimmed driver's compartment, complete with low-backed buckets just like the originals, and a gorgeous burled wood dashboard that makes it look elegant, not raw. There's a matching shifter knob attached to a 5-speed instead of the original's 4- speed, and a Grant GT wooden steering wheel that really warms up the interior. A complete array of gauges offer a reasonable impersonation of the original instruments, with big, clear markings and orange pointers. Other details include an AM/FM/CD stereo with speakers behind the seats, a tilt steering column, and nicely trimmed carpets that fit better than most. The trunk is bigger than you'd expect in such a small car and nicely finished in more black carpets that fit well.

There's a lot to be said for putting a small block in your Cobra, and the benefits it pays to handling and braking can't be over-stated. This one uses a built 351 cubic inch Windsor, fully dressed in Cobra regalia to look authentic. You can build big power in these engines today, and more cubic inches isn't always an advantage. A Blue Racer camshaft, dual-plane Edelbrock intake and matching 750 cfm carburetor, World Products Roush heads, and roller rockers went into this beast to crank out an estimated 385 horsepower. Combined with the 5-speed Tremec transmission, this one is a potent street machine that can cruise effortlessly and delivers the same kind of thrills as a six-figure original. The build has less than 5000 miles on the clock, so everything looks quite fresh, from the Shelby air cleaner to the ceramic-coated headers and side pipes. A Mustang II suspension with rack-and-pinion steering handle the front end, with an 8.8-inch hanging on a Mustang 4-link suspension, so handling is friendly. Gorgeous Halibrand-style alloys are just the right size, wearing 235/60/15 front and 255/60/15 rear BFGoodrich radials that fill the wheel wells properly.

This is a fully-sorted, fresh Cobra replica for way less than the cost of building your own. And those colors!! Call today!