AC enters the fray

[REAL 1]

I am not down playing AC's role in the Cobra storey. Not at all. Clearly the Cobra would not look the way it does today if not for AC.

Name for me the engine the Ace was using at the time Shelby showed up. There wasn't an engine.

Name for me the World Championships AC won with or without the Ace. Nadda.

Name for me the persons at AC that were involved in the developement of the Cobra beyond installing the engine in the first prototype. How deep was there involvement. Not very.

Name for me the people at AC involved in the racing developement of the FIA 289 Cobra, Daytona and 427 Cobra. How deep was there involvement. Almost non-existant.

Name for me the people at AC involved in Shelby's quest for the World Manufactures Championship.

Do you really think the Ace would be remembered today if Shelby had not come along and developed it into a world champion and had not developed the 427? LOL. If you do its Comical. The first 289's raced prior to Shelby's developement folded like cheap cameras and DNF'd.

While the Slabside retains more in common with the Ace than an FIA variant or USRRC variant there were clearly improvements made by Shelby which were incorporated into later production. Moreover much of the cars completion was done by SAI once it arrived.

As to the 427, while you may argue that it retains much of the 289's body shape, which it clearly does it was still designed by Shelby, Miles and Arning. I think they did a great job retaining the original lines while making the body larger for its TOTALLY NEW chasis again designed by Miles and Arning. To me the 427 is gorgeous and is elegant and menacing all at the same time. They look evil and blindingly fast just sitting there. Not many cars can cause as much awe and match the pure magnitism of the 427 Cobra. Pretty and elegant don't cut it.

While the 289 deserves its recognition as a racing champion it wasn't until the 427 was born that the Cobra cemented its position as a performance legend around the world and its the 427 that enabled the Cobra legend to span generations and stand the test of time. All you need to do is look at which variant the replicar industry began copying and it wasn't the 289.

When Joe Q public thinks "Cobra" 9 out of 10 are thinking 427. IMHO. That has Shelby all over it.

Dan my friend, I am well aware of where my chasis and body were fabricated. And I know where my car was completed. I also know its a Shelby. I also know its an authentic Cobra from SAI and is registered with SAAC.

Whose name plates were on the Cobras from 1962 to 1968 when they rolled out of Shelby's shop onto American streets and tracks? Yeah, SAI.

Go compare values of an original CSX and COB. That says it all.