Mecum May 2019 - Wow

[Cobra #3170]

Originally Posted by Dan Case

The Registry indicates it was sold new with Sunburst wheels. A picture taken by the original owner in 1966 of the car sure looks like Sunburst wheels are on it.

Some CSX31xx car owners had a conversation with the registrar at the event in Arkansas recently on the subject of which wheels came on the cars day one. Three CSX31xx cars were being driving in the event, both type of wheels were represented on cars. Which wheels CSX31xx cars got depended not on chassis number but when particular cars were finished, when they were shipped out, and what wheels were available at the time. Halibrand (COBRA II wheels) and KH (Sunbursts) were both having production and order fulfillment issues at the same time, which delayed delivery to customers of some cars.

When I purchased my car only 7.5 and 9.5 Halibrands were available. I visited the airport facility several times in 65 and 66 and never saw a car with sunburst wheels.
I was told by Ed Leslie (my dealer) that the aluminum sunburst wheels were being brought in as a cost reduction measure because Ford was unhappy with the business model and wanted to reduce costs. The first sunbursts I saw were on a 428 car. This is all anecdotal but I was really into the cars and looked at everyone I ever saw. We had about 5 Cobras in Fresno in those days (even a narrow hip 427) and George Harm's SC (Dick Smith bought it later) my car and the others all had Halibrands. I don't doubt you, but never saw a sunburst before 1967 on any cars. All the people that had original cars
thought sunburst's were cheap and undesirable, how things change! Another point of interest nobody called their car a Shelby Cobra they were referred to as AC Cobras by most owners so as not to be confused with GT350 Mustangs.