1965 289 Shelby Cobra - Mark II or Mark III?
 

Have a some questions concerning the 1965 Cobra 289. Were all of these 1965 289 Cobra Mark IIIs? I have been told starting in January 1965 the 289 Cobra was built on the Mark III platform. Is this correct? If so are there any 1965 289 Cobras produced before January 1965 that were Mark IIs? If so what's the main visual difference between the Mark II and Mark III 289 Cobra's? Is the 289 Mark III as wide as the 427 Mark III?

Thanks for any info you can provide.

Pete...

My understanding is that...

• 260 Cobras are considered MkIs
• 289 Cobras are considered MkIIs, and
• 427 Cobras are considered MkIIIs

The 260/289 Cobras were leaf sprung F/R and used 3-inch main chassis tubes. The 427 Cobras were coil spring and used 4-inch main chassis tubes. The MkIII chassis was completely re-engineered by Ford to handle the extra grunt of the big block motors.

No doubt there are many other differences, but those are probably the main ones.

AC Cars produced 289-powered MkIIIs (known as the AC 289 Sports, not Cobra) for the British and European markets, but these cars were not originally sold in North America.

Here is what I thought: (could be wrong)

Mark I was the 260 worm gear steerin g
Mark II was the 289 with rack and pinion
Mark III was 427
Mark IV was Autokraft
Mark V is new highly questionable AC product

In 1965 AC was making the 427 cars.

SunDude is correct. AC Cars produced a 289 engined based on the Mk.III chassis, which was called the AC 289 and not technically a Cobra.

I seem to recall their chassis numbers began with "COB", rather ironically given that they weren't actually Cobras. But I'll need to check on that point.

The body style was closer to the 427, but not quite as exaggerated.

Paul

According to Trevor Legate's most recent book, the MkI was the 260 and the MkII was the 289. The MkIs were all equipped with worm-and-sector steering, while only the first 50 MkIIs were so equipped (after that the MkIIs switched to rack-and-pinion).

The European cars that AC completed were numbered COB (for Britain) and COX (for export to continental Europe), and consisted of both MkIIs and MkIIIs. I think they were all equipped with 289s. AC 289 Sports (MkIII) production began in 1966.

But I wasn't there, so things could've been different in actuality.

Oh, and I think Jeff is right: The MkIV was Autokraft. And for sure anything to do with Lubinsky is questionable, judging from his track record (I wonder if he and Bricklin are ol' chums).

Well, you all got some of it correct and some of it incorrect. ;)

In many arenas the term MkI is used for the worm & sector (leaf spring) cars. These were both 260 (first 75) and 289's through CSX2125. The term MkII is used for the balance of the leaf spring, rack and pinion cars.
The coil spring cars are referred to as MkIII. However, in period the reference was difference. There wasn't a MKI until there was something to replace it. The coil spring car was call the MKII leaving anything produced prior known as a MkI. I know, a little confusing.

During the later part of the coil spring production, AC installed a 289 in that chassis and it was known as an AC 289 Sport. These ARE considered Cobras and part of the 998 original Cobras. The body used on these 289 cars were the same as the "narrow-hip" 427's, with small changes such as round tail lights instead of the rectangular ones used on the 'narrow-hip' 427's. 27 of these were produced.

AC also installed 289's in leaf spring chassis and sold them in the UK and other countries other than the USA. 60 of these were produced.

The COB or COX prefix was used on Cobras (leaf spring and coil spring) that did not go through Shelby. COB for "Cobra Britain" (Right hand drive) COX for "Cobra Export" (Left hand drive) CSX, remember stood for "Cobra Shelby Export". Not the mistakenly used Carroll Shelby Experimental ;)

There are a few anomalies I did not include.

Might I suggest the purchase of the new World Registry of Cobras? :D
There's some great information in there.

To answer one of the original questions, The first of the 27 COB/COX coil spring 289's began production in 1966.
The first of the 60 COB/COX leaf spring cars began production in the second half of 1963, with the last of them delivered in 1966.

I figured that was going to be the case as I was going from memory. :o :)

Well it turns out that Jeff was right all along. MkI Cobras are the worm-and-sector cars and MkIIs are the rack-and-pinion cars, according to the SAAC registry (p. 1598).

But you are mistaken as to the meaning of "CSX." It's a common misconception that it stood for "Carroll Shelby Export." See page 1593 for the correct meaning.

You are correct that the 'C' is simply the third series, 'A' for Ace, 'B' for Bristol, and 'C' for Cobra. It was coincidence that the series A-B-C matched the name of the model it represented.

See, even I didn't know that one!
So "CSX" is Cobra Shelby Export?
Larry