427cu. in. OHV V-8 Engine
Single 4-barrel Carburetor
410bhp at 6,000rpm
4-Speed Manual Transmission
4-Wheel Independent Suspension
4-Wheel Disc Brakes

*Only 1,880 original miles
*The second to last 427 Cobra produced
*Known history from new – documented by the SAAC registry
*Formally owned by John Mozart and Lawrence Bowman
*Unquestionably one of the most authentic and original 427s

THE SHELBY COBRA

Rightly regarded as one of the all-time great classic sports cars, the muscular, fire-breathing Cobra succeeded in capturing the hearts of enthusiasts like few of its contemporaries. Texan Carroll Shelby had gone racing in Europe in the late 1950s and realized that a combination of a lightweight American V8 engine and a proven European chassis was a winning combination. He had a Ford V8 installed in the chassis of an AC Ace, named the result the 'Cobra', and proved his point.

Formalizing the arrangement, Shelby had AC Cars send Cobras - minus engines - from England to be finished off at his facilities in California. The 260ci (4.2-liter) prototype first ran in January 1962, with production commencing later that year. In 1963, the more powerful 289ci (4.7-liter) unit was standardized. Rack-and-pinion steering was the major MkII up-date; then in 1965 a new, stronger, coil-suspended MkIII chassis was introduced to accommodate Ford's 427ci (7-liter) V8 engine, which in race trim could produce well in excess of 500bhp. Wider bodywork, extended wheel arch flares and a bigger radiator intake combined to create the definitive - and much copied - Cobra MkIII look.

Shelby's "dream team" of drivers included Ken Miles, Phil Remington, and Pete Brock, who were supported by other racing legends behind the scenes. The Ford-powered, AC Ace-derived Cobra was faster and more reliable then almost anything else produced, dominating the competition in almost every instance. The Cobra won the U.S. Manufacturer's Championship consecutively in 1963, 1964, and 1965. Shelby would go on to win the the hotly contested 1965 FIA World Manufacturer's Championship in 1965 with the Pete Brock-designed Daytona Coupe.

Competition and semi, or 'street' competition (S/C) versions used the mighty 427. The 'S/C' had been created by the simple expedient of mildly 'de-tuning' 31 unsold competition cars. De-tuned? How does 0-100mph in 8.8 seconds and 165mph sound?

The Cobra set new standards of performance for road cars and was highly effective in competition. Just 1,000-or-so Cobras of all types were built between 1962 and 1967, and only 356 of those were the ultimate '427' version.

THE MOTORCAR OFFERED

The Shelby American Automobile Club World Registry documents that CSX 3359 was the second-to-last 427 Cobra produced. Equipped with the mighty 427 V-8 with 4V carburetor, finished in red with black interior, the Cobra was billed to Shelby American on December 14, 1966. The car was sold to Pletcher Ford, of Jenkintown, Pennsylvania, at $1,000 off dealer cost, and was trucked to Jenkintown on October 16, 1967. On the journey to Pletcher Ford, the car sustained some minor damage, which Pletcher ford remedied with repair order number 2020. The repair order addressed the left hand rocker panel, the Cobra emblem on the trunk lid, and included the replacement of the spare wheel and tire costing $211.95.

Shortly after, the Cobra was purchased by Frank W. Hultslander, of Norristown, Pennsylvania. The cobra would only grace Mr. Hultslander's garage for a short while before he made arrangements to consign the car with Hexagon Motors, of London, in November 1971. After receiving the car, Hexagon Motors purchased it for themselves and placed it into storage until 1976 when it was discovered and purchased by Richard Buxbaum, of Hinsdale, Illinois. In 1978, Mr. Buxbaum advertised his Cobra for sale with an asking price of $85,000 – at the time of the listing, the car had only covered an amazingly low 512 miles from new.

After leaving Mr. Buxbaum's care, the car had a few owners who included Jerome A. Shinkay, of Janesville, Wisconsin, James S. Ward, of Atherton, California, and the Los Gatos Ferrari dealer, before eventually passing through Timothy Lewy into the ownership of renowned collector John Mozart, whose collection is comprised of some of the world's finest performance vehicles. In 1998, the Cobra was acquired by Lawrence Bowman, yet another well-respected enthusiast with a world class collection. While under Mr. Bowman's care, the Cobra was featured on page 111 of John McClellan's - The Classic ACs.

In 2004, Mr. Bowman commissioned Cobra expert, Mike McCluskey to restore the car to "as new" condition. The incredibly original body was left on the chassis, stripped bare, metal-finished, primed, and repainted the original shade of Monza Red. Due to its remarkable condition, most of the incredibly preserved interior was left original, including the seats, vinyl, wheel arches, and doors. The entire drivetrain was gone through, including the engine, transmission, differential, drive/half-shafts, and suspension, which were all rebuilt to original specifications. Mike McCluskey went to great lengths to focus on correctness and originality throughout the process, only addressing items that required attention to insure reliability.

Today this incredible machine has only been driven an astonishingly low 1,880 miles since it was originally assembled at the Shelby plant! The Cobra is sold wearing a set of Trigo wheels but is also accompanied by its original "sunburst" wheels, adorned by its original Goodyear blue dot tires. With only 260 street 427 Cobras produced, CSX 3359 presents an exceedingly rare opportunity to acquire one of the world's most iconic cars. CSX 3359 is unquestionably one of the most authentic and original 427s in existence that is sure to meet and exceed even the most discerning Shelby collectors' expectations.