Evan - a little history lesson...

[wilf leek]

Evan - you and I have shared a beer in the past and no doubt will do so again in the future, so I hope you will not take offence if I now correct something you said elsewhere.

I noticed in another thread that you demonstrate a rather US-centric view of the history of the cobra. I missed my chance to put things straight there, since you were having so much fun talking about motorcycles, and I didn't want to spoil that.

You diminshed the input of AC cars into the development of the Cobra to almost zero, talking about a thin, twisty little chassis from some insignificant UK sportscar destined only for oblivion.

I can't let that erroneous impression continue.

Shelby must take full credit for the concept of the Cobra sporstcar. He wanted his own car badly from before the time his health stopped him actively racing. He did make contact with AC cars, and the reason he did that was because he had seen, in Europe (and in the US), the success in various forms of motorsport of the AC Ace in its various incarnations, most notably the Bristol-engined Ruddspeed Aces.

The Ruddspeed Ace translated directly into the AC, then Shelby, Cobra, with minimal changes to its design. Sure, the rear end was modified to take a Salisbury differential, and an additional cross member put into the tubular ladderframe just in front of the diff.
Quite sensible bearing in mind the increase in torque and power from the new Ford 220cu in motor over the Bristol 2 litre unit.

Apart from mods to the rear hubs to help them survive the massive increase in power, the chassis and suspension which then went on to become the 289 Cobra was almost identical to those early UK cars. Shelby himself made much of it's sweet handling.
And look at the motorsports success that followed for the 289 (and not, funnily enough, for the 427).

I try hard not to beat my own nationalistic drum too hard here on CC, but every now and then, I have to stand up for the UK input into this American motoring icon.

Shelby had the dream and made the concept a reality, but nearly every single one of those original cars was born and built in the UK, and crossed the Atlantic as a roller. The roots and most of the fabric of the Cobra are firmly planted in English soil.

I think it is one of the greatest success stories of Anglo - American engineering co-operation (rather like the Merlin engine which made the Mustang fighter a success as a long range escort fighter, admittedly only after the application of US mass-production know-how).

So, there you go, history lesson over.

Sorry, I'll get off my soapbox now, and return to learning from you guys. But please don't forget that the Cobra is not just a US creation. It was teamwork.