CSX 2358 on sale

[london]

This 1964 Mk II 289 is on sale in the UK for £245,000 which is $399,053 at current exchange rates. Does this seem a little low for an original Cobra or does this car have a complicated history?

svs-ltd, sports cars, classic cars, american motorhomes & prestige car sales, North West

[Nedsel]

The registry covers this one in detail. Too many wrong bits to possibly be real.

[london]

But is this the same car covered in an earlier thread in 2007?

History Test

[Nedsel]

Same car, having gone through several dealers, some of whom attempted to correct certain incorrect features.

[Mando]

Nedsel, out of interest what type of features were incorrect and do you know how they tried to correct them?

Regards.

[1985 CCX]

There appears to be loads of reproduction parts. Many of which are easily done right. I don't know the history of the car but it looks like it would be an affordable car compared to others.

[Nedsel]

They replaced the wrong Smiths gauges, which would have been OK in an early car, with correct Stewart Warner units, and fiddled around with the hinges to make them at least visually similar to Cobra hinges. They did some other things that I am not anxious to discuss on this forum, as it is likely there will eventually be some legal action concerning this VIN and certain facts are better off kept under wraps until then. Sorry I can't be more specific.

[Mando]

Thanks, that's OK!

Regards.

[Nedsel]

"... it looks like it would be an affordable car compared to others.[/quote]

Yes, it does. And air cars usually are more affordable than real ones.

[tnewland]

Yep, it's a fake all right

[london]

From the AC Owners Club Forum:

This car is a replica first seen in 2001. See Thames Ditton Cobra Register (for the original) and replica leaf spring cobra Appendix (for the replica).

The last known owner of the Thames Ditton 2358 as a continuous history vehicle is Allen Pankopf Ford, PA, USA, in 1964. This vehicle is believed destroyed in the 60s.

The car that appeared in 2001 has features and absence of history indicating that it is not a Thames Ditton cobra. The evidence includes:

An inspection of the vehicle revealed that its primary and secondary VIN-stampings were incorrect or missing altogether.

Its footbox identification tag was a reproduction with incorrect stampings and an incorrect engine number; and various features of the car-including the footboxes, pedals, pedal box, hood prop-rod, leaf springs, steering column geometry, dashboard, gauges, door hinges, inner panels, and engine bay layout-all indicated it was not the legitimate CSX2358.[SAAC SAWR 4th edition pages 221 & 222, this public domain information being readily available.]

The absence of authoritative record of 2358's existence for a thirty five year period (1965 to 2000). [To be classified as existing now a car must have continuous history as a complete vehicle since manufacture.]

The car exchanges hands at a price much below a Thames Ditton cobra in similar state of repair.

The recent authoritative statement that the car's body/chassis unit has no VIN stampings. [A Thames Ditton cobra has VIN stampings in five separate places.]