Dear Wilf: Thank you for the lesson.
There can be no question of AC's role in the Cobra's original history. I am not trying to cheat the English from their rightful place in Cobra history. Clearly without AC the Cobra would not exist, at least in the form we know it today.
Clearly the existence of the Cobra was an effort of teamwork between apple pie and biscuits.
My point has simply been that without Shelby there would never have been a Cobra in any form. He had the idea; he had the gumption to approach Chevy and Ford; he worked tirelessly to create the car; to develope the 289; to refine it; to campaingn it and achieve two world championships with it. AC play little role in accomplishing this with the exceptioin of providing the body and platform.
AC in 1961 was on a respirator. The AC was about to go the way of the T-Rex. AC welcomed the opprotunity Shelby brought them. It was a new lease on life for them and turned out to be a Godsend bringing life back to the company.
Point of note. The AC's design has its genisis in the Tojerio special based itself on a Ferrari design. The Tojerio special that in essence became the AC Ace was based on LOY 500.
In fact after the Cobra "era" AC as I understand again slipped back into difficulty and never enjoyed the sales success it had with the Cobra. AC as I understand is turned into Autokraft.
I suspect if AC wasn't around ol' Shel might have accomplished his feat with someother chasis and donor.
As to the 427, in short Shelby and Miles created it and designed it with the help of Ford and Claus Arning. Not AC. AC was given the specs and asked to build it. In fact from my understanding Shelby wanted to build the 427 in house but labor rates in England at the time were much more favorable.
While I do not seek to deprive AC of its rightful place in Cobra history its Shelby and SAI that I believe should get most of the credit. No insult intended. I'm just looking at the factual history. So while the Cobra's basics (chasis and body) clearly has its roots in English soil, it was Shelby who transplanted it as a sapling, watered it, fed it, trimed and nurtured into a giant AMERICAN RED WOOD and into to the world champion it became and the legend it is.
How'd I do? Do I get an A?
BTW: You will buy the beer.
Only kidding. Anyone flying across the pond to spend a weekend with Rakki swilling Cobra nuts should'nt have to buy.
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