Shelby Cobra 289 - Nicholas Mee & Co Ltd

The origins of the iconic Shelby Cobra are as fabled as the cars themselves. In 1962, at the tail end of a highly successful racing career of his own, Carrol Shelby forged a deal with AC Cars of Thames Ditton, UK, to supply their simple, sturdy, yet compliant Ace Roadster chassis, into which he would shoehorn a Ford V8 engine and thus Shelby American was formed to build and market the Shelby Cobra.

As the new cars were completed in Shelby's California factory, many headed straight to the race track. In early racing appearances, the Cobra would take on and beat fields of Corvettes, Jaguars, Porsches and Maseratis and soon every hot-blooded sports car aficionado in the U.S. wanted a Shelby Cobra.

Chassis number CSX 2268, offered here with current FIA HTP papers, was originally built in Rouge Iris with a beige interior and billed in December 1963. Having spent the first 30 years of its life in the USA, this motor car was shipped to Europe in the mid 1990's and subsequently converted for historic racing in 2005.

Now boasting an extensive historic racing CV with numerous successes in international meetings such as the Masters Historic Racing Series and the Silverstone Classic, CSX2268 is a highly recognized and regarded historic race car. It has also won prestigious road rallies, such as the Tour Britannia in 2008 and the Modena Cento Ore in 2010.

Supplied in its current 'fast road' specification and complete with a UK registration and valid MOT certificate, works required to return the Cobra to genuine front running race specification are minimal. A distinctive colour scheme of metal flake orange with black racing stripe finishes the car and has established this car as one of the most photographed in the paddock!

This Cobra's heartbeat is an 289 engine originally built by Tim Adams and subsequently rebuilt by a recognized Cobra engine builder in 2011, has just 11 hours of running time since and produces 442bhp at 7,200rpm.
With the Cobra having recently celebrated its 50th birthday and following the unmissable, thrills and spills 'Cobra only' races at last year's Goodwood Revival festival, the desirability of these iconic 'poster cars' is at an all time high. Very few historic racing cars can offer such 'bang for the buck' and here the Cobra that we are delighted to offer is one of the most well built and well known available.

For further information, or to arrange to view this car at our showroom in West London, please do not hesitate to contact a member of our sales team.