Shelby Scarab Project

[CSX2345]

Hello Everyone,

Wanted to share my latest project in recreating the Scarab that Carroll Shelby drove and won at the Continental Divide Raceway in 1960. This would be Carroll's final first place win and secure him the USAC Road Racing championship before his retirement as a driver in 1960. Although not a Cobra or a Ford product, Reventlow's Scarab project included some names that would contribute to the Cobra's success a few years later including Phil Remington, Warren Olson and Ken Miles. Also Reventlow's 1042 Princeton facility in Venice, CA was later signed over to Shelby to build the first Cobras.

I did switch over to left hand drive as this will be primarily driven on the street. Hope to have the Scarab painted and driving in the next couple weeks.

Cheers

[PDUB]

Great work!

[eschaider]

Very nice 2345!

How about a little more photographic eye candy ...

[migge]

Wow,

More pics please

[CSX2345]

Thanks for the kind words.

Here are a few more images.

Cheers

[767Jockey]

That looks like a beautiful car. So many questions I'm not sure where to start! Scratch build? Looks like aluminum? Who did the body? Scratch built chassis as well? Where did the plans come from? Power? Suspension? Who did all the work? Etc...

[CSX2345]

Thanks 767Jockey,

The car is built by Scarab Motorsports in KS. The aluminum body is made in Poland using a similar stretch forming process as Kirkham.

The chassis is the original style space frame and is 128lbs.

Suspension is like the original as well, coil over springs and shocks all around, A arms up front and DeDion axle/Quickchange diff at the back.

Wilwood disc brakes are used, outboard front / inboard rear.

Engine is a Blue Print SBC 350, 390hp with an 8-stack Hilborn EFI unit.

Cheers

[TimG427]

Those folks build a great Scarab. I had this one for seven years and put 2,000 miles on it. I sold it two years ago and miss it.

Keep the pictures coming. You will have a blast with this car.

[eschaider]

Beautiful cars, guys! Just really beautiful.

[CSX2345]

Thank you @eschaider. Can't wait to drive it, should be sometime next month.

Great to hear from you @TimG427. I've actually taken some design ideas from your car. Namely opting for the flat hood as opposed to the open scooped one. I feel it transforms the styling and looks much cleaner. You're right these guys build an amazing car.

Cheers

[CSX2345]

Update:

The Scarab is finally painted and running. Next step is registration.

Paint color is a variation of Guardsman Blue.

Cheers

[1985 CCX]

Now that is cool

[Harpoon PV2]

To show you what a small world it is and was, I just remembered the photo bellow. As many of you know, John Tojeiro was responsible for the the car that would become the AC Ace and eventually, the small block Cobra. He received the grand some of 5 pounds sterling per chassis produced by AC. Well, flash forward to 1958 and John showed up at AC with the car bellow. It was quite the car, space frame chassis with coil over independent suspension, and a body by Maurice Gomm. With a Bristle 2 liter engine, it tipped the scale at a little over 1400 pounds. So impressed were the Hurlock's, they rebadged as an AC and entered it in Le Mans that year! Unfortunately, john had not fully sorted it out, and it had rear end problems. Still, Peter Bolton and Dickie Stoop babied it around to a respectable eighth overall, and ahead of the works Ace! It raced one more time at the Tourist Trophy, but suffered from more problems. Shame, the Cobra could have looked completely different, or not existed at all! Cheers, Dennis

[CSX2345]

Great find PV2. Had no idea that car existed. A 1962 Cobra with better aero, coil-over suspension and a space frame chassis would have changed things quite a bit I'd imagine. At least moved the development timeline up 2-3 years. Maurice Gomm was also responsible for the AC Coupe that ran against the Daytona Coupes at Le Mans in '64.

Cheers

[1ntCobra]

I see one of these just sold on BaT https://bringatrailer.com/listing/19...ign=2025-02-25

[PDUB]

Cool video and performance... that shift level seems about twice as tall as it should be!