It's REAL, but what is it?

[PJ4myboo]

So, in essence, this is the first Shelby Cobra replica. I wonder if ol' Shel ever sued AC over this! All kidding aside, that is a very interesting car that I would suspect many folks on here never knew existed (me included)!

[STL Mark]

Originally Posted by PJ4myboo

So, in essence, this is the first Shelby Cobra replica. I wonder if ol' Shel ever sued AC over this! All kidding aside, that is a very interesting car that I would suspect many folks on here never knew existed (me included)!

Didn't Shel really sue back AC in the day.

I really don't think you can call it a replica, or a continuation. It's not a "Shelby" either.

Talking to the salesman today, he explained it like this - Same factory, one chassis gets shipped to US and turned into a CSX car once it has BBF added. This chassis gets left behind, and BBF engine gets shipped to England and installed. Both are Cobras, one is a Shelby, this one is an AC. Both are from the late 60s.

It's an enigma. So, is it valuable?

[1985 CCX]

MX1 is an extended wheelbase 96" car, saw it at SAAC 31 several years ago. Created as a special project by AC under the guidance of Brian Angliss. Not sure it was a true 1968 however it is titled as one.

[STL Mark]

Originally Posted by 1985 CCX

MX1 is an extended wheelbase 96" car, saw it at SAAC 31 several years ago. Created as a special project by AC under the guidance of Brian Angliss. Not sure it was a true 1968 however it is titled as one.

OK - this is the car. MX1 - although it sure didn't look like a 96" Cobra IMHO.

So (I'm not a buyer) and I don't have a dog in this hunt - just curious. Is this a valuable "investment grade" car?

[1985 CCX]

My opinion, it is already at or above the value price. If indeed Brian Angliss was the mastermind it would be a 80's replica with a 68 title. Sorta like a one off MKIV, nice however collectable???

[STL Mark]

Originally Posted by 1985 CCX

My opinion, it is already at or above the value price. If indeed Brian Angliss was the mastermind it would be a 80's replica with a 68 title. Sorta like a one off MKIV, nice however collectable???

OK - help me with this. I don't know the history of Brian Angliss. Yes, he was the builder of this car and owner of AC at some point. When?

[Mark IV]

Brian Angliss owned Autokraft Ltd. which started as a Cobra restoration and parts operation. In 1983 he was licensed by AC Cars to use the "AC" logo and build Cobra shaped cars.

He aquired AC Cars Ltd in the late 80's and ran both companies from Weybridge. Ford Motor Company became a equity partner in AC (but NOT Autokraft) until such time as they wanted to liquidate AC. Brian fought them in court and won becoming sole owner of "AC Cars". Financial issues arose and he was screwed by his bank/banker and the company was placed into receivership with Price Waterhouse. The story from there gets really ugly with a rather unsavory charecter buying "AC"

If the "MX" chassis was done by Angliss it is NOT of 1968 vintage.

[Nedsel]

MX 1 was functionally the AC Cars "show chassis" for the lobby of the AC Cars factory in Thames Ditton. It was only constructed as a bare chassis, not as a Cobra. The fact that it was built to Cobra specifications long after the Thames Ditton factory closed does not make it an "original AC Cobra" in any fashion. If one were to take a Ferrari 250 GTE chassis and construct a 250 GTO-like vehicle on it, no one would call it an original Ferrari GTO, not would they make a claim that the resulting car should be valued as one. Maybe, instead of an enigma wrapped in a mystery, we've got an exaggeration wrapped in hyperbole.