Where do you think the Cobra name came from? A Shelby Dream? Maybe. In one of his early personal books, he claims so. OK by me. No reason to doubt it.
Additionally...
Perhaps it is worth recalling that in 1955 Chris Craft manufactured 106 limited production 2 seat exclusive sports boats with a really big "stabilizing" vertical fin called the COBRA. It had available a Cadillac V-8 engine, among others, available in both 18' and 21' versions and was capable of about 50 MPH on water. For a production boat this was pretty darn spectacular in 1955! Once seen, never to be forgotton, particularly at the time. They are still show stoppers. Looks like sixty miles an hour tied to the dock!
They were sold in California particularly well. Very beautiful and very expensive. Hard to find, but very quick.
Here's a picture and site to check-out:
http://216.37.204.53/cobra/50th.htm
Do you think CS saw one of these and liked the moniker? I do. And it was a good idea, wasn't it? Give the man credit, for heaven's sake. Very popular in CA and Lake Tahoe in the day, i am assured. i was only 15 at the time, and rural New Hampshire was not exactly high class, except on lakes Winnipesaukie and Squam.
Fortunately for Shelby, Chris Craft management was not litigious at the time and left Shel' alone, unless he planned to take the car to water.
Some folks, though, think that ol'Shel' walks on water...
Much more surprising, why doesn't anyone ever talk about this Cobra moniker on a super-high-performance boat cum-superleggera racer?
Keeping it simple doesn't require re-writing the past from 1962 to 1965, when ALL 289's were called, titled and registered as AC Cobra's, with a few funny exceptions due to various US state regulations and errors. Some were registered as FORD's, FORD Cobras, etc, also. Ned Scudder has lots of examples in his great files. No doubt even a very few sport the Shelby name for some obscure reason or other.
Keeping with the simple, USA 427's were never called AC's, except in error, but variously Shelby Cobras, Shelby 427's, etc., etc.. Shelby would simply not allow such a travesty of justice on HIS car. Fortunately, FORD was not so hyped; though i have seen papers calling them FORD Shelby, Shelby FORD... but, never the combination of Shelby & AC.
One man's opinion, of course, doesn't make a horse race.
i met Mr. Shelby, the man that started all this anti-AC stuff, again last December and he still has the gift. He can still charm a Cobra into your pocket, if necessary. He certainly remains, like most of us, a mixed bag. But, for the most obvious of reasons, he retains my ever-lasting thanks for all these years of enjoyment and occasionally frustrating pleasure.
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For a longer discussion of this old chestnut, you might see:
AC 289 Original