428cu. 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

*From the personal collection of Carroll Shelby
*Gifted to the 1999 Playmate of the year, Heather Kozar
*Less than 1,000 miles from new
*Aluminum body with a big block

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 recipe. 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 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

Beginning in the late 1980s series production of the Cobra began once more under the "Continuation Series" moniker. Known as the CSX4000s, these cars were built over 20 years out of new chassis and some vintage parts while supplies lasted. CSX4194 comes straight out of the private collection of the man behind the car, Carroll Shelby. In the 1990s, Shelby American & Playboy Enterprises had partnered on various promotions, as part of one of those promotions, CSX4194 was gifted to the 1999 Playmate of the year - Heather Kozar. Ms. Kozar would only own the Cobra for a short time before she made an arrangement with Carroll in which he purchased the car back from her.

CSX4194 was built in the ultimate spec, with an all aluminum body cloaking the venerable 428ci V8 connected to a top loader 4-speed. With only 974 miles appearing on the odometer at the time of cataloging, the vehicle has been sparingly used and as such, appears in phenominal condition. CSX4194 is accompanied by a Shelby vehicle authenticity certificate certifying that the car was owned by Carroll Shelby, in addition to photos of Ms. Kozar with the car. The Cobra is truly one of the all time great sports cars of the of the 20th century, punching far above its own weight in terms of performance. It is no question that these cars will endure as special in the eyes of enthusiasts, with CSX4194 being at the top of the list.