How Carroll Shelby and AC changed the Shelby Cobra worldwide

[@legendarymotorcar]

Which version of the Shelby Cobra is your favorite and why? Let us know in the comments below!

[@nilla003]

The leaf-spring Mark II, with rack and pinion steering and the Hi-Po 289. 5:20, Yet, they eventually built the Frua 428.

[@Wilett614]

1966 427 Cobra Roadster that I Purchased in 1972 : )) Its a Beast and it still Shows after 60 Years ! In SIGHT , SOUND and Thrills !! NOTHING else COMPARES : )

[@BubbaSmurft]

427 roadster, no pipes, no bar, no scoop, no stripe. Drk metallic green or BRG with tan leather, black carpets, lots of dynamat in the footwell and full bumpers.

[@charlesdalton985]

Outstanding presentation as always. As Chip Foose says - it’s what you learn after you know everything that counts. I was not familiar with the COX editions Cobras - thanks for the education. 👍

[@erniearambula3525]

Shiny black with red interior absolutely stunning.

[@reevinriggin3570]

Nicely done! Small world when you find that rare of a Cobra almost literally in your back yard. Congrats!

[@leeCann]

Shelby had a factory at LAX, on the south side of the complex. I'm talking mid 60's. My friend and I would ride our bicycles maybe 10 miles to watch the cars on the test track. We were told those cars could not be rolled. The test drivers would gain speed, lock the brakes and twist the wheels. The cars would spin around. Also drive figure 8's. We were 10-12 at the time. All we knew was these cars were awesome. They were Cobra's and we could watch. So my favorite is the mid 60's LA built cars. 289 would be just fine with me. Love the show, and the facts you share. Best of luck and please keep cranking out new episodes 🙏

[@charlieb3943]

Still can't get over how son and dad have become one! That is great for all of us!

[@legendarymotorcar]

Maybe I'll retain slightly more hair....

[@pattysmith5924]

I always learn so much in such a great way. Perfect delivery and explanation. I always get so excited when you come out with a new video

[@markwise9868]

Thanks for the history lesson. Never knew about the AC badged cars.

[@christopherkraft1327]

This Cobra is stunning, thanks for presenting it!! 👍👍

[@markjohnson5081]

Interesting and not your everyday Cobra story, if indeed there is such a thing.....Tnx for posting.

[@P51]

best episode yet, Mini-Me! gotta be my favorite Cobra. absolutely STUNNING.

[@CharlesFlahertyB]

Love the Gran Turismo music

[@Mr351Ford]

Beat me to it.

[@danoneill2846]

I like the one you don't stand on the brake & the gas at the same time

[@jeffgagnon4557]

Great video Gary. Love the commentary We all need one of these. I prefer the 289 cars for fun but coil over cars for travel. My 289 is a blast but my MKIV a gentlemen’s ride. Momma prefers tamed MKIV. Great job!

[@281cobracar7]

Didn't AC build the MKIV? Also is it allowed in the Shelby Register?

[@jeffgagnon4557]

@@281cobracar7 yes, SAAC has anointed me the registrar. 😀

[@charlieryan1736]

Thanks for featuring this beautiful vehicle

[@kevinbarrett9615]

Wow. ! What a beauty, tugs at my Canadian heartstrings. It’s a subtle less bombastic Cobra kinda like us Canuks .

[@281cobracar7]

I had a Canadian Cobra. I put 310,000 miles on it before I sold it in 1992 to a co-worker for $1,600 dollars. Oh, it was a 1985 Mustang GT Cobra. Lol. Ford wanted to keep trademark of the Cobra name so all Canadian Mustang GT's were called Mustang cobra GT's. Had the word COBRA across the rear spoiler (no 3rd brake light until 86).

[@robertwinston2496]

Excellent presentation and history of the non-US AC cars. I'm building a replica right now and never knew about the Euro market versions. Very cool.

[@km351c6]

I remember seeing a Cobra in Canada at the first Formula 1 race at Mosport . It was parked in parking lot with all the other spectator cars in the field and we just happened to walk by it. At first I thought it was an MGA then took a second look and noted it was a Cobra . Red, wire wheels , tonnue cover and very dusty. Not sure what year but Mario Andretti was driving I think. The good old days maybe around 1966.

[@legendarymotorcar]

What a memory!

[@GlenTheGuesser]

Very well done, thanks for posting and including the history lesson. If they only had automotive history in high school...I might have been the valedictorian.

[@mikemadonna9449]

Nice job Gary! Enjoyed hearing about a very unique Cobra...

[@barryuttley1164]

Great video Gary! Oh Canada!

[@tomp1612]

I saw the "Only Canadian AC Cobra" and thought "hey wait a minute"... but I guess the others were Shelby Cobras. Pretty sure there were two sold in Vancouver along with several others imported as used cars. I think i've seen a picture of one in SUD Automobile showroom in Montreal. Beautiful resto on that one.

[@Zzus321]

It's a Cobra A. Canadian edition ; )

[@Wilett614]

This Black COX 289 Cobra most likely is Owned by my Previous Employer . He purchased it about 2 years ago . its an OUTSTANGING Beautiful AC Cobra : )) If this car is not his , it IS EXACTLY like the One he Now Owns !! Cheers !

[@tomfurie2996]

My favorite style. The same that Shelby drove. Practically a daily driver.

[@dawnfranklin7870]

Before this video I knew The 260, 289 & 427 Cobra’s plus the dragonsnake’s and the comps and the leafs and coils cars but I never knew there was a difference between them with CSX, COX & COB on the vin numbers.

[@Anakin-x4d]

playing dam grand turismo music, i love it

[@oldskool1979]

People say rare too often.... Now This car is rare !

[@legendarymotorcar]

We agree

[@kennaaye8596]

Great video, thanks guys! My buddy has a continuation 65, or 66, he drives it all the time. Legend😎

[@legendarymotorcar]

Glad he gets it our so often!

[@geedubb-q1u]

My favorite body style. Slab side. 289 is fine with me.

[@dentes1185]

There was one in my neighborhood late 70’s early 80’s (province of Quebec) might be that same car.

[@pkell7315]

🐔 🚜 now that's what iam talking about. 👍 👍

[@PetesSnakeBiteKit]

Very interesting, thanks!!

[@branon6565]

Actually, Shelby went to Garbage Motors and they gave him 3 brand new Junkvettes, which he then sent on to Italy for a complete redesign, and when they came back, Garbage Motors was furious he had Italian designers make their Junkvettes look better than they did stock...so they discontinued doin business with Shelby...

[@legendarymotorcar]

Correct! I probably could have elaborated on his first attempt to put together a deal

[@danoneill2846]

They are all very Cool !!!

[@nedscudder8850]

Love the car. But can I have mine with coil springs?

[@James-xo4uv]

You should also give the torque ratings as ,because torque is what makes you move from a stop

[@BubbaSmurft]

Thought this was gonna be aboot the Aurora GRX.

[@DK-ci6je]

Was it originally red or a respray?

[@Tom-ok2rh]

Why and what exactly is the reasoning for blurring out part of the video at 5:33? It can be paused and I don’t see anything that would warrant it🤷‍♂️🤷‍♂️🤔🤔

[@onedayiwillmakesomecontent]

Yeah, an old b&w photo that shows 1966 cobra and the license plate, and nothing else. Maybe it's the licence plate? It's a different badge on the fender to the one they have there now as well...

[@Tom-ok2rh]

@@onedayiwillmakesomecontent I thought about that too, but certainly that plate is no longer in service after 55 years. I was hoping maybe the folks from Legendary Motorcar can give us the reason.

[@BradThePitts]

I think of the COX and COB models more of a “gentleman’s car” like an Austin Healy or Aston Martin, and I’m much more a fan of the wild 427 S/C cars. But I’ll take on of each, please!

[@donfronterhouse4759]

I'm thinking of doing a Factory Five type build but with a small block Chevy. For those that think that's a violation of natural law. Think again. Shelby originally intended to use Chevy engine and had some purchased and delivered. When GM brass found out they pulled the plug. Nothing could be allowed to compete directly with the Vette. Everyone knows Chevy has always had the best/cost effective approach to performance.

[@Loulovesspeed]

- All the versions of Shelby's visit to Chevrolet (Ed Cole) that I have read indicted that he was told no thanks right up front, for the reason you mentioned. I never read that any engines were purchased or delivered to Shelby American. The only reason he went to Chevy rather than Ford was because he knew Ed Cole and thought he could get what he wanted through him. He didn't specifically go to Chevy because he thought they were better. When he was directed to Ford and met Lee Iacocca, and Lee gave him, not sold to him, some engines and $25,000, the rest was history. I have to add that your final sentence is speculative at best!

[@onedayiwillmakesomecontent]

I have an old muscle car book that says the ac cobra started with a 221 v8, then 260, 289, 427 ??

[@281cobracar7]

Shelby started with the 260 v8. The 221 was a truck engine which was increased in size to 260ci. That engine installed in Falcons and then 1964 1/2 Mustang and original Cobras. The engine size was increased to 289, 302 then 351ci.

[@carlmorgan2859]

Awesome 😎👍

[@ImTHATguy...]

Looks a lot like mine, except super shiny! Lol

[@howabouthetruth2157]

Thumb's up. But let me tell ya something: Carroll Shelby did NOT want to produce a Shelby Cobra with a 427 cu in motor. He HATED the idea.......I've seen him say so in interviews. He knew that big block made the car nose-heavy, and much more difficult to negotiate through tight turns. But under sheer pressure from the Ford Motor Co........he relented, and built the big block Shelby's. While the 427 definitely out-pulls the smaller engine in the long straightaways............the small block version will run circles around it, on tracks with shorter straights and many tight turns. Carroll Shelby knew that......and so the small block 289 Cobra always remained his darling, even though he had to tout the 427 versions in public.

[@Loulovesspeed]

@Howabouthetruth - It didn't matter what Shelby did or didn't want because Ford was in control of virtually everything he did. When Chevy came out with the 427 Stingray, Ford wasn't about to sit back and get their asses kicked, so the 427 became necessary. He didn't really want to get involved with modifying the Mustang either, but Ford directed him to do so, thankfully, because the GT 350 became an extreme success story on the track and the street. The 289 GT 350 beat the snot out of the 327 Corvette 3 years straight in SCCA B Production racing - '65, '66 and '67 for the National Championship.

[@howabouthetruth2157]

@@Loulovesspeed Why are you even saying all of this? Ya don't think I already know all of this stuff? Because I DO. AND IT IS A FACT THAT CARROLL SHELBY HATED THE THOUGHT OF PUTTING ANY BIG BLOCK IN THE SHELBY COBRA.......427 OR OTHERWISE. You take an ALL-ORIGINAL Shelby with the 289 OR put a 302 with BOSS heads in it, and pit it against another all original Shelby with the same yesteryear technology, but instead, it has the 427 ( and I LOVE the 427 side oiler, just as I LOVE the Ford 427 cammer ) and race them both on a tight ROAD COURSE and just watch what happens. That small block will eat that big block up in the turns, because the nose-heavy big block version can't take the tight turns at the same speeds as the small block. Carroll Shelby knew it all too well and THAT is why he was against the 427 in his Shelby. Smokey Yunick used to bitch about the same problems with big blocks in manufactured cars from same era. Drag racing or large tracks with looser turns is a different story, and of course the big block has the advantage. And here you go with this "Ford beats Chevy".......ok, funny how you AVOID the years of '67 and '68 where Chevy came out with the DZ 302 in the new Camaro AND WON THE SCCA CHAMPIONSHIP FOR 2 YEARS BACK TO BACK. Roger Penske and Smokey Yunick both were getting over 450 hp ( at the crank ) out of that little DZ 302. I'm no brand loyal snob. I love ALL of the proven engines from all of the American auto makers. For that matter, the small block 350 has won more races in NASCAR cup racing than ALL OTHER SMALL BLOCKS COMBINED. Does that mean "I love Chevy's and hate Ford's & Chrysler's"???........NO. Fucking stooges like you need to have a serious pow wow with the likes of DAVID VIZARD........because that man has forgot more about high performance engines than me & you put together will ever know..........Mr. Vizard will set your ass straight, believe that. And he AIN'T no childish brand-loyal snob either. How about the Daytona 500 of 1967??? Chevy had stopped ALL factory backing.......yet Smokey entered a single Chevelle in the race, ALL OUT OF HIS OWN POCKET, and with Curtis Turner driving for him, they used Smokey's little DE-STROKED SHAKEDOWN MOTOR that was only 408 cubic inches, and beat the living shit out of all those big factory backed Chrysler & Ford teams DURING BOTH PRACTICE SESSIONS, AND WON THE POLE. Curtis Turner begged Smokey not to put Smokey's de-stroked 418 cu in ( I think.....it definitely wasn't 427 cu in ) that was built for the actual race, and to keep the little 408 shakedown motor in it for the 500. Smokey said: "On one condition, I didn't build that little motor to run wide open for 500 miles, so you need to lead some laps, then lay back & stroke it for most of the race to save the valve train ( it could spin higher rpm's than anything else on the track ) and if you're not wrecked with 10 laps to go, THEN floor it, pass all of those sons a bitches & with this damned race". Turner agreed. About mid race, Smokey's team gave Turner a horrible pit stop, causing him to lose a ton of track positions. It pissed Turner off so bad, he threw Smokey's plan out the window & floored it. He was just about to catch the leader, Mario Andretti ( Ford ), when he blew the damned thing up. Lastly, I didn't even bring up Chevy, Chrysler, or any other auto maker in my original comment about how Carroll Shelby was totally against throwing a big block in his Cobra.......and you come along with a pointless argument followed immediately by trying to start a childish pissing contest. Now go fuck yourself.

[@brucelewis9848]

What a sweetheart. Ya I want it

[@jeffschwartz5199]

I'm guessing it's for sale 🤔. How north is the price 🤔? Just curious , I know I can't afford it 😕 😢 😫, just dreaming.

[@bigredc222]

I bet it's well over two million.

[@JL-bs6yz]

Any chance it was purchased from the same owner of the Lamborghini???? Legendary motorcar

[@legendarymotorcar]

Nope, a different guy. Hopefully we can buy a few more out of underground garages in the City.

[@JL-bs6yz]

It’s interesting how these cars are still out there.

[@JL-bs6yz]

It’s interesting how these cars are still out there.

[@COBRATV427]

😍 👍

[@j.d.b.pennamesonofharraant3367]

Ahhh AC Shelby Ford and Dodge

[@stephencorley8602]

holy shit i never knew

[@scottbrown7415]

The COB and COX Cobras didn't benefit from running changes other than the steering upgrades. Many little things that made the cobra more useable in everyday situations.

[@briangastaldi6136]

Damn does he sound just like his dad

[@jalm6868]

Where's the BEEF?!

[@miguelramirez644]

😶‍🌫️👍🏽

[@hanshoogendyk5783]

Ever cobra enthusiast think the 427 is the faster car and the one to have , BUT, a 289 variant is faster to 70mph according to 1965 road&track magazine road test. And on the street if you are not leading by the time you cross the intersection you have lost. A sports car is made up of 3 important items excellaration, braking and handling , if your only joy comes in 12 second portions you don't need 2 of those items but real drivers the joy of driving is not around the corner IT IS THE CORNER AFTER CORNER AFTER CORNER much the same thing as having great sex

[@1001942]

they are ac cobra not shelby cobra

[@dbx1233]

Left hand steering? That's just not right.

[@Loulovesspeed]

@D BX - You are correct, it is left! Lol