The Perfect Shelby Cobra Has A Narrow Body, Wire Wheels, and Less Power - One Take

[@TheSmokingTire]

For the 1,800 folks who saw it on Monday, we accidentally put the wrong publish date on the calendar for Monday, and quickly took it down. A few folks viewed it then. It's here now for good. MF

[@jonotwist]

it happens

[@MyGoToUserName]

I got blue balled Monday when the video disappeared after clicking on it. 😆

[@sadubone]

ah, so I shouldn't watch this and think it's a different car so soon after I watched the other. I was just lucky. ps it's still a lovely car and wish I had one. Always rather have a more balanced car than just a fast straight line monster.

[@JNAMOTORSPORTS]

Matt if you could fit in this car and this being the different more slender body style would you own one in this configuration if it wasn’t as pricey? When guys and women make fun of guys below 6 feet I enjoy the fact I fit inside the smallest sports car and any motorcycle! I fit in whatever race car you want. Being 5.7 is a blessing if you love motor sports of all kinds. When a Miata fits just fine with head space for a helmet and a roll bar your good to drive anything.

[@TommyLGarage]

Zack. Thank full time gig is getting to you? :)

[@sadubone]

I really like the lay out of the 3 cameras. That was really enjoyable. Over the shoulder point of view and foot cam. Thank you.

[@ThomasTwomey]

Underrated comment

[@dericanslum1696]

...felt like I was playing GT...best angle...

[@joeracer302]

Footcam bringing back vibe of those old JDM Best Motoring comparison videos. Those were the best.

[@darienlux4735]

Foot fetish freak

[@BigBucknasty313]

Agreed. Great set up.

[@XR4turbo]

The more subdued sound of this car is so refreshing now that we have artificial popcorn exhausts and "straight pipe" fanaticism.

[@tealruby1]

Love the heel toe camera. I've been trying to figure out heel-toe under light braking lately and this helps.

[@250hondabigred]

I race a 289 Superformance Cobra, it handles very well, you would be surprised how well they handle in the corners. By the way, that Hyundai does not stand a chance! The 289 is a wonderful car. It just take practice to get the heel toe down in one of these. One of the best driving experiences.

[@davew7133]

Why does everybody insist on heel and toe as if they are perpetually scratching out fractions of a second all the time. Your on a main road not passing anybody and the torque in that engine is all the fun you need. I have a Hawk 289 replica with an original SBF 289 HiPo in it and it never ceases to put a huge grin on my face.

[@250hondabigred]

@@davew7133 Dave, in a race situation it's not just about a few fractions of a second, if you do not do heal and toe as you are downshifting for a corner the rpms can drop significantly and when you let the clutch out it will really bog the engine down. Heal and toe is not really needed on the street. Yes, the 289 has a lot of power, enjoy it.

[@Stuntman175]

@@davew7133 Because it's a lot of fun and makes driving a lot smoother which if you drive people around for a living, some passengers really appreciate. When I worked as a shuttle driver, I've been asked several times if the van was an automatic, when in fact it was a manual just because I was driving that smoothly. It always surprised the passengers that started to pay attention to the pedal box that I was rev matching, heel and toeing, even left foot braking while trying to hold a conversation with them. It was exhausting at the end of the day, but very rewarding and good fun.

[@KealeyOnCars]

“Oh it’s in.” - Matt Farah out of context

[@BrendanEvan]

Let the pleasure begin

[@Crusher103]

@@BrendanEvan Unfortunately, for anybody that has had that experience, pleasure does not begin. Disappointment sets in.

[@MrSantihomer]

Are we still doing phrasing?

[@chaseteter]

@@MrSantihomer it’s been a year Santiago there is no more ‘we’

[@eb_z0694]

Watching Matt fumble with keys warmed my heart

[@chaseteter]

Not only do you have to keep this beast in check while talking the entire time, you do it in a place you’ve never been. And it’s a cobra. And you burned your heel. This is peak one take 👍

[@ColeConnectionRLP]

Matt: "You can never trust your phone as a key" Also Matt: "Why won't this damn key work, this is an interesting problem"

[@prorace_type_r]

The amount of times a phone will fail vs a key is not close... Also, electronic things are easier to break into. Think that to break into a mechanical lock, even when the knowledge is online, you have to build the skill to do it yourself. For anything electronic, someone with the skill exists, and shares the tool, and suddenly everyone can do it. To create a tool for a mechanical lock is much more complicated (some exist but they are very complex)

[@kilroy914]

This is the type of car you can feel okay finding it's limits at the auto-x course, but certainly no at the racetrack or up in the canyons. Thanks for sharing, Matt!

[@deancarr4507]

I road tripped my 1971 firebird formula 400 4 speed for 12 hours from north georgia to yorktown VA, backroad 55 mph highways only and pushing that thing, even on 295 width rubber, was quite an experience. Gave me so much respect for the guys that used to race Trans Am series etc. Giant iron block out front, nothing in the rear, was truly wild to feel how loose cars used to be and pushed so hard. Sure is a ton of fun when 60 feels like 120 though lol

[@andrewthomason3857]

10:11 The hardtop version of the Ace was the Aceca. AC sourced engines from Bristol for some of the cars.

[@grantkendrick277]

The sound of this engine, exhaust and intake noise is genuinely one of the best sounds I’ve ever heard.

[@davidkelley751]

I think this would be an amazing car to drive over the summer. It would be so nice to cruise around town in this and then go flying on the back roads.

[@ruftime]

Yup, if you like sweaty feet.....it’s really a cool weather/evening car, because the heat is always on😎

[@R3LF13]

Coolest dad in the subdivision, cars & coffee cred, and a back road blast slow or fast...kinda sounds hard to beat when you put it like that. 👍👍

[@astronmr20]

Just don't fly it OFF the back roads

[@davidbeattie4294]

Back in the mid-70's I drove a 62 MG Midget for a couple of years. It was surprisingly reliable and incredibly fun to drive. Volkswagen Beetles were faster but nothing was more fun to drive than the MG. Perfect driving position, peddles that were born to heel and toe, real bucket seats and a classic MG dash with black and white Smiths gauges. Just keeping up with traffic was a blast. Short throw transmission and steering that spoke to me. Its not how fast you go but how much fun you have getting there. Damn I miss the Midget but I would kill for that Cobra.

[@theneil007]

Growing up in the 80s and 90s, I thought of Cobras as crazy, overdone, too-big fender flared replicas. Now that I'm older and know the story behind Shelby and a small British roadster I really want one. I think this is definitely the type of car that will always be popular if done properly.

[@MiguelGarcia-vj7oo]

Look for Matt's one take on the original AC coupes with bmw engine before they changed suppliers..... He seemed to enjoy those as well......

[@kev9386]

Beautiful car and sound, this is exactly how a Cobra replica should be in my eyes. My dad ran an original 289 back in the day. 😎👍

[@stevemartegani]

Its hilarious how the rear view mirror perfectly shows Matts mouth

[@2gj906]

Superformance guys even replicated the widowmaker feel on this cobra too! That's a big pill to swallow for some people so if you choose to buy this car you fully understand the amount of effort being put into it to make you feel like Miles when you're driving this "small" cobra down the canyons

[@deancarr4507]

Always thought these earlier cobras looked so much more elegant

[@astronmr20]

The muscled up look is nice but this has aged better.

[@amp9930]

Naturally, as this is how the designer and maker AC cars wanted it. The later ones just look trashy and were useless at racing. The early ones won all the races !

[@NoGoodHandlesComingToMind]

Love the rollbar shot. Thanks for posting!

[@tonyboughman8050]

Matt, thanks so much for the honest and critical review. Those are hard to find, so they are like rare gems.

[@good_roads]

I love the x/10 language. You are the only one i have seen use it. Its cool because its a language that understand that a good canyon car is not about speed its about hpw hard you can and want to drive it

[@roberthuffmann8204]

I appreciate that you admit the limits of the car and your fear of testing them

[@DriversSide]

Wimbledon White, #98, red interior, such a classic look! This is a car I’d love to do videos and photos of

[@abbeyhall4624]

Old skool, with a key, crickey they are going back in time, love it!

[@Norsaskriv]

Terrific video imparting the feeling of driving this car. You did a great job with this video, Matt.

[@michaelgallardo5212]

What Matt doesn't mention is that although the CSX cars are very expensive, the mkIII replicas are much more affordable and actually better to drive as the chassis doesn't feel like a noodle just for the sake of being period correct. A decent-specced mkIII can be had under $100k

[@jcuervo86]

Great video Matt. Appreciate you taking us for a ride. Felt like I was riding shotgun with you.

[@dragospahontu]

I feel like I've seen this before!

[@bbdoook]

What do you mean?? It's brand new!

[@dragospahontu]

@@bbdoook he accidentally uploaded it just after the Roma episode, but then privated it.

[@grantkendrick277]

2:39 When a cop is questioning me about my suspicious behavior in a car that isn’t mine.

[@kevinchilders1052]

100% agree that the lower power slab sides are the best. I recently drove a Superformance just like this one and fell in love with it.

[@AllenHarrison]

Man I don't know if they sounded like this back in the day, but I love the sound of this car

[@DHW256]

I drive a 100 year-old racer on the streets, and it effectively has no brakes. I've also raced it on dirt tracks. I also drive a 96 year-old v8-power racer that has the loosest steering of any car I've ever had. It has brakes, but they fade fast when hot. And it's all oversteer or understeer. Both these cars have the same basic springing as the Cobra in the video. I'd LOVE to drive, to race one of these small block-powered, near-spec Superformance Cobras. Yes, I'm one of those "lunatics". But I agree the five or six-tenths cruise would be optimum.

[@Michael_Lorenson]

Matt, Matt, Matt! You have 'Heel and Toe" as a sponsor, but you are not actually rev-matching shifts, just using the synchronizers to change gear. Proper heel & toe shifting includes double-clutching to rev-match the gears inside the box. For shame, Matt! My mother knows how to do this properly. Ouch, right?

[@apexerman1]

Excellent review and spot-on. You don't need the ultimate horsepower machine to have fun. It's the sensation of speed imparted by an elemental car... open-air, vintage-flavored engine, skinny tires, snickety transmission, non-powered brakes and steering, classic roadster body. This would be my machine. :-)

[@R3LF13]

Love it, but I dunno about that price or that 300k claim. I'm pretty sure you can build a very decent Factory Five one for $40k - even less if you pinch pennies.

[@jasonstewart9673]

Very true

[@mjcmustang]

This is a Superformance, not a Factory Five kit. Big difference. These are built on license from Shelby American and are turn key. They are six figure vehicles new

[@R3LF13]

@@mjcmustang I get that and I've never seen a superformance up close to see how much of a difference it is, but I do know that factory five makes a very well engineered frame and I have been up close with a number of them that were all very well done and I know done for less than $50k at the very top end. Cheers to anyone that can afford a superformance and wants a turn key car, all im saying is FFR is where I would put my money if I was in the market.

[@jessicalacasse6205]

how much for all outdated car(old cheap trans ,wheel nothing very exotic in it) can t be expensive (10 k engine 500 trans500 wheel )so how much for not much body

[@mjcmustang]

@@R3LF13 I would too, but not everyone wants to build, nor is a FF MK4 a licensed replica. That's what you're paying for

[@dingonaut1794]

Great review man. Loved the how it makes you feel part and how you don't even want to find the limits.

[@RB_CO]

Dream car. Simple, fast and iconic. Nice to see they paid attention to the details like the correct orientation of the bumper jack points. I'll take mine in Sebring Blue please.

[@muddystick]

Matt Farah: Struggling to get the key in the hole Me: Poor Hannah.

[@dieselyeti]

Matt, that car sounds great! If I ever get to build a Cobra replica I'm definitely going with the full exhaust. It just sounds better than side exhaust imho. Years ago I helped a friend build his FFR Mk3, and he went with side exhaust with cats. They took the bark out of the exhaust but you still had that drone in your left ear which got old after a bit. Re small block vs big block - I never understood guys who put 500hp motors in these replicas. There's so little weight on the rear axle that too much power at the wrong time means breaking traction causing the car to swap ends, leading to a pants-soiling moment. Not fun. 300-350hp always sounded about right for these cars I think. As far as turning radius - what car has a smaller radius than a Cobra? Just go full lock and slip the clutch & it'll rotate quite nicely I'm told. 😁

[@CarvingCanyons]

I think I’m having dejavu

[@luisgonzalez1637]

Being Mexican I approve of the wire wheels

[@jolsn42]

What a great review. I built myself a replica 289 slabside and I just love it.

[@rashodbacon]

Congrats on 1.1M subscribers Matt!

[@NLWerner]

Its Wednesday and Matt has been fumbling the keys since Monday.

[@jhorvat8478]

great video.. i enjoyed watching cobra videos and sound of engine, it is relaxing and good field of view. it is nice they continued producing such iconic car, and they are beaters and full enjoyment not going fast.. as well you can drive them, and not be afraid they are Shelby's.. love it

[@iangalipeau8286]

These are so much more beautiful than the muscular kit cars that have proceeded it

[@baileybrewer1172]

What a special car! Very cool video, as always.

[@supercarsandsuperfoods5779]

Awesome video Matt! Hope to see you again soon!!!

[@Arthagnou]

This is my fave ride of his...at least for quite awhile.

[@bradmaas6875]

Slab side you drove around the corners, the 427 you pointed it in the direction you wanted it to go and you put your foot down. Slab side, the gentlemen's sports car.

[@Liplip40]

So good Matt. Really enjoyed this review

[@markchapmon8670]

I love not being the only one that likes a small block car to drive around in. I always felt the perfect muscle car (for me) would be a 1967 Chevelle SS 396, but with a 327 and a 4-speed or Turbo 400. The modern version of that dream would be a 350 and 700R4.

[@ToneScavenger]

That tiny key moment had me laughing my @$$ off! Great video, as usual!

[@povking1460]

Makes my left foot and leg tired just watching lol.

[@dennisyoung4631]

“… and sounds like FORD.” This is a characteristic 289 sound, one which has a definite *scream* to it.

[@twinscrew928]

"Slow is fast..." then I was expecting, "Fast is dead!" LOL! "Sketchy!"

[@That_fella_named_J]

You know it's a interesting and visceral car when the key is hard to find to start this car. A car indeed, but isn't easily mastered. I like it

[@maniackyjr]

Keep on rocking in the free world Matt!!!!

[@austinship2783]

Best roads in OC. So many good side roads off that highway

[@shubanranganath435]

which road is that?

[@austinship2783]

@@shubanranganath435 the video is on South Main Divide off of Ortega. If you go, don’t go past where Matt turned around unless your in an off-road capable vehicle. The road quality degrades hard past that point.

[@gettin-sendy]

Sounds tight, looks great and the specs sound fantastic, if i was to have a Cobra, that might be the ideal spec unit, stroked 289, ohh yeh.

[@iantownsend500]

Yeah I’ll watch it again

[@stefan-stocksmadesimple5241]

I realize it's hard to adjust while filming, but I've noticed on these top down one takes that you, Matt, speak quite loud. Just an observation, your videos are welcomed as always !

[@NicolasChiribelo]

More classic car videos please! They are a dying breed in KZbin. Most new cars are soulless.

[@Hawk_Eye_Retro]

Let's see some more superformance cars now! Thanks for the video.

[@VeeDees]

I think a widebody one with a zingy 8 stack small block would be fun

[@thejoshbtv]

This is so much cooler than that Ferrari in the last video.

[@timbarito5586]

The camera setup is perfect

[@MrJimbo666]

Double whishbones and leaf springs.. sounds like a C4 Corvette set-up! Nice video Matt!

[@johnadams9044]

I agree the 289 was the perfect Cobra. Your kit car is very pretty,

[@michaelhughes3302]

Oh Matthew, you fcuking with that key just made my whole day. If you ever decide cars aren't for you... Comedy my friend, that's pure gold!

[@CokenOpi]

this thing looks like a blast to drive lol, so small and low , thanks for sharing this one

[@stephenbaron5681]

Matt you are right, the perception of speed is as much fun as going fast. I have a Jensen Healey (38 years) and a 997.2 6 speed, if I am honest the JH is more fun on public roads, 911 is great but it is jail time for equal fun.

[@stewartw.9151]

The prices mentioned make me laugh - or cry! I almost bought a real one, with the 289 motor, but exactly the same to look at as this one in the video. This was in 1969 or 1970 when I saw it sitting in the showroom of Glovers of Ripon, Yorkshire, England. I was driving back to my home in Sunderland, England in my 1965 Lotus Cortina and screeched to a halt! The salesman wanted 1300 pounds sterling for it and it had 30 000 miles on the clock and was in pristine condition. I could trade in my Lotus for 600 pounds and finance the rest, which would cost me I remember, 14 pounds per month! The deal did not happen though, as insurance would be hugely costly, and more than the monthly repayment!

[@gustavofigueiredo1798]

This looks awesome yet terrifying. Great content, Matt!

[@AustinSchargorodski]

I like the way the visors stick up so far to add a little more wind deflection to prevent hats from flying off.

[@BradThePitts]

You are exactly correct, if you are 5'-8" or over they are pretty much required. Look carefully at the side wind-wings. They are not flush with the windshield upright and and what's interesting is those triangular cutouts - they let through a little bit of air and they are the optimum shape for wind buffeting. The shape was developed by the Shelby team by trial and error in the 1960s. All cobras and replicas have them in that exact shape. 👍

[@Stratking01]

That's Lake Elsinore you're at dude! Awesome roads out there. I've blasted down those same roads in my 2014 Mustang GT Track Pack car and would routinely pull over in that same exact spot you started this episode in to enjoy that massive view! Awesome car btw!

[@silversmoke06]

Is it? I was trying to think of what road that would be in Orange County. Being from there and not recognizing it was weird.

[@caribman10]

One of my (1967) college professors drove one of these, but a real one, not a "reproduction" a/k/a a fake. He drove it all year round, even in the winter, which was pretty brave given the neanderthal "heater" and "top" stock on those cars. He had a second set of rear wheels on which he had snow tires for use in Central Pennsylvania winters.

[@GvR927461057374]

Ayeeeee lake forest! My neighborhood! Let’s gooo

[@martiniv8924]

You too can be Ken Miles 👌🏻😎 looks and sounds superb 👍🏻

[@randallsmith7124]

once you get used to the curvaceous 427 body style, the slab-side body looks like it was smashed between two walls... but the rear-exit exhausts definitely make for a more comfortable, quiet (and safer) ride. I had a Backdraft with an all-aluminum 427 Windsor stroker putting out 612 hp/615 tq... scared the crap out of me from the day I bought it, til the day I sold it (8 years later). The sidepipes were quite fatiguing around town, as the curbs reflected all of the exhaust sound right back at me... not to mention the heat... but oh, the sound was glorious.

[@MW-uy3np]

Finally someone who gets it!

[@geraldscott4302]

Beautiful car. Really nice to see a car with real tires.

[@Habu12]

If you wore Puma Speedcats, you'd have no issues in that footwell.

[@sandyvalentin3072]

Matt.. Great choice of cars I owned a Superperformnce 427 Cobra 6 years ago and sold it for another car . It was a monster and I really miss that car but things changed and you move on , that company in my opinion makes the best replica Shelby Cobras 😉

[@raulroman5732]

Loved the camera setup

[@bradcollins9647]

Very nice video. Thank you for that.

[@one2tumble]

I enjoyed it on Monday and I'll enjoy it again today

[@Keebler475]

I saw a AC cobra at a local car show a while back with a 289 and wire wheels. I prefer them to the big block cars because theyre more balanced. Ive seen big block cobras wipe out on the autocross course since theyre such a handful

[@TheHooniverse]

Glad the road worked out 👍🏻

[@philipshilling8665]

Hi Matt H.: Just to let you know that in 1961 Carroll Shelby did not put a 260 V8 in the AC Ace, as the Shelby American organization didn't even exist yet. By the time 'Ol Shel arrived in England in October of '61, his English partner, AC Cars Ltd. of Thames-Ditton, Surrey, south of London, had already done the basic engineering to change the Ace to accommodate the torque of the V-8. The V-8 was already installed. In the U.S.A. AC's contributions have been downplayed for decades, as Shelby tried to take all credit. However, read original American magazines from the '61'-62 period, such as the Augut '62 Road & Track, and what I am saying comes through.

[@stewartw.9151]

I read the British mags of the time as a schoolkid - and yes, Shelby was always a big self=promoter and not shy of omitting any inconvenient facts that did not make him look the hero! He has written that it took mere hours to install the 260 into the very first car which was shipped minus engine and transmission to Venice, California. Obviously you could not do that job in a few hours if you had to contend with modifying engine and transmission mounts, mods to the propshaft and so on! Clearly the car was ready and waiting when it arrived! In 1962 the first glowing road test of a Cobra appeared in Autocar magazine written by John Bolster, and I recall that I read that with avid interest at the time. That car was undoubtedly supplied to the mag by AC of Thames Ditton, and not imported from Shelby.

[@JJ-yu]

beautiful car - art in motion!

[@myd4980]

I can watch this for the second time

[@alabamaman21099]

I've laughed more during this episode than ever 🤣

[@weasel213123]

Nice, now I can watch the second half of the video that I was missing

[@infidel900rr]

I'm wondering if you've ever tried some driving shoes, like a Puma Cat? I love mine, it's like wearing a leather moccasin - perfect for heel-toe action.

[@Jabber-ig3iw]

Nothing says twat more than driving shoes.🙄🙄

[@infidel900rr]

@@Jabber-ig3iw Twat? What are you, 50 years old? You probably wear orthopedic shoes prescribed by your doctor.

[@mjcmustang]

You can make the throttle response much better. It's all in the tuning. A small block Ford can be very snappy and rev happy

[@rayshepherd2479]

I have an original 427 Cobra and had no problem using it as my every day car for the first 4 years I owned it. Put almost 50,000 miles during that time. I'm 6'6" and fit ok. Do not fit in original 289. The main problem with the car is the heat from the engine. Not to bad when I was in my 20s but rough now that I'm in my late 70s.

[@timothywolleck7628]

Thanks for the peddle cam Matt. I wish I could turn my foot that way.