Cobra By Legate 1984... Worth buying?

[Dangerous Doug]

I just finished reading, "Cobra: The First 40 Years" and posted the following review on BarnesandNoble.com.

No butt-kissing here, just my honest assessment of the book. I gave it "outstanding" for the interesting details about Shelby and AC history that I really hadn't read anywhere else.

I should have added a warning about buying used, in case Jamo decides to sell his bathroom copy, but I neglected to do this. Caveate Emptor, used book buyers!


Dangerous Doug, building an ERA 289FIA Racing Cobra, October 16, 2007,
A 'Must Have' book on Cobra history
My enthusiasm for Tevor Legate's 'Cobra: The First 40 Years' began with the very first chapter. I have been reading about Cobras and Cobra replicas for nearly seven years (as of this writing) and this book offered me surprising details that I hadn't known before. Tracing the lineage of the Cobra from a Tojiero-designed and Ferrari Barchetta-inspired prototype through it's life in AC Cars as the ACE, and finally, the brutish form as the Shelby Cobra, (and beyond!) Mr. Legate conveys a riveting, well-researched historical narrative. I have to admit, I got a little bored during the coverage of AutoKraft and it's variation of the Cobra, but not because it wasn't written well---it just wasn't of interest to me. I would have liked to see more coverage of the general replica industry, but that would be a book in and of itself. Nevertheless, sufficient coverage of the AC Ace, the 'slabside' Cobra, the 289 FIA racing Cobra (my personal favorite), and the Daytona coupe, maintained my interest and provided an interesting and balanced perspective on the AC/Shelby Cobra. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in Cobras.

Also recommended:
AC Cobra: The Truth Behind the Anglo-American Legend by Rinsey Mills
Essential AC Cobra: The Cars and Their History 1962-1967 by Rinsey Mills Original AC Ace and Cobra (Full Color Restoration Guide Series) by Rinsey Mills