Cobra Myths and Legends

[kevins2]

Originally Posted by Bernica

Back in the day when Carrol was hawking his Cobra, he only had one and painted it a different color every week to make it look like he had a whole stable of them when he tried to market it. So goes the lore....

I believe this one is actually true. In one of the tribute shows after Shelby's death, one of the first cars he built was on display (can't remember the #). It had a fairly large paint chip and you could clearly see layers of different color paint around the edge of the chip.

[A-Snake]

Originally Posted by kevins2

I believe this one is actually true. In one of the tribute shows after Shelby's death, one of the first cars he built was on display (can't remember the #). It had a fairly large paint chip and you could clearly see layers of different color paint around the edge of the chip.

CSX2000 was bare aluminum, yellow, then blue. That's it. ;-)

[Old Phart]

Yep, I done had me a 1961 Cobra, and I whooped everbody's ass everwhare!!

[Jaydee]

So I wonder what the number of replicas there are now, around the world?
Must be 10's of thousands?
JD

[xb-60]

More from Road & Track, this time February 1968:

"Carrol Shelby's Personal Cobra", the twin Paxton supercharged 427 auto:
0-60.....3.8sec
0-100...7.9sec
Standing 1/4 mile...11.9sec @ 116mph

...but the bit I like is "Top speed? We didn't run it. The Cobra isn't an aerodynamic wonder, but 182 @ 7000rpm seems reasonable with the output and the gearing"

Cheers,
Glen

[FatBoy]

Originally Posted by A-Snake

CSX2000 was bare aluminum, yellow, then blue. That's it. ;-)

Can that be verified A-Snake? Whilst it is more than one colour it isn't the multicoloured rainbow of the legend.

Paul

[A-Snake]

Originally Posted by FatBoy

Can that be verified A-Snake? Whilst it is more than one colour it isn't the multicoloured rainbow of the legend.

Paul

The 'chip' under the nose of CSX2000 shows the original yellow. The myth is discussed by Rinsey Mills in his recent book Carroll Shelby The Authorized Biography. I don't have the page number handy.

[xb-60]

From Octane Magazine, August 2004

Bruce Ropner, the original owner of COB6008 (the first FIA-bodied car to be available for sale):
"managed to cover the 222miles between Hyde Park in London and Darlington in 2 hours 18 minutes late one night in the summer of '64, touching 167mph as the A1 dipped past Grantham and enjoying the moment so much that he turned round and did it again"

Cheers,
Glen

[tkb289]

Originally Posted by Bernica

Back in the day when Carrol was hawking his Cobra, he only had one and painted it a different color every week to make it look like he had a whole stable of them when he tried to market it. So goes the lore....

Originally Posted by kevins2

I believe this one is actually true. In one of the tribute shows after Shelby's death, one of the first cars he built was on display (can't remember the #). It had a fairly large paint chip and you could clearly see layers of different color paint around the edge of the chip.

Originally Posted by A-Snake

CSX2000 was bare aluminum, yellow, then blue. That's it. ;-)

Here are a few photos of CSX2000 I took on two separate occasions. I think the chip on the corner of the hood has been there a while, but the rather large 'ding' on the front valance is more recent ... perhaps at one of the gatherings last year ... Laguna Seca? Does anyone know?


CSX2000

[FatBoy]

Can anyone add any detail or verification of the stories that the Cobra name came to Shelby in a dream and that the de Tomaso Mangusta was so named because the Mongoose (Mangusta is Italian for Mongoose) is the only animal that can kill a Cobra?

Paul