Csx2345
 

I went to a local village car show here in the U.K. at the weekend. It’s held every year in aid of a local hospice and very well attended. The cars line the streets and comprise a very eclectic mix. There were 4 Cobra replicas including mine but I was very surprised and interested to see CSX2345 there. A lovely car with an interesting history. Below is a copy of the information sheet attached to the windscreen:

CSX2345 “The World Championship Roadster “.

One of the most desirable of all Cobras, CSX2345 was one of 5 289 “FIA” roadsters.

Among CSX2345’s distinctive touches are its wider front fender flares, it’s cutback doors (their rear edges match the shape of the rear fender flares), the oil cooler scoop below the radiator air intake, and last but not least the subtle pyramidal protrusions in its trunk lid, created to allow the required FIA suitcase to fit inside. The car also had the “cheater” tilt back windshield designed to flop back at speed and reduce drag.

In May 1965, Sir John Whitmore, “the racing Baronet”, whose success in Ford Cortinas may have led to this ride, drove the car in the FIA Tourist Trophy at Oulton Park, a two heat affair. In the first of the two hour contests, he raced in his usually exuberant style, smoking the rear tyres in the corners so much that he had to pit for fresh ones, relegating him to a seventh place finish. In the second heat he drove less exuberantly so he didn’t need to stop, coming in one place higher. Even with a broken front anti-sway bar, Whitmore came fourth overall in the aggregate results, first among the big GT cars.

CSX2345 raced in more FIA events, seven, and won its class more times-five 1st place wins-more than any other Cobra roadster. The only Cobra to endure both the 1964 and 1965 race seasons in Europe driven by Bob Bondurant, Phil Hill, Sir John Whitmore, Roy Salvadori, Jack Sears and Jochen Neerpasch, it formed a vital part of the Shelby American team that won 1965 Manufacturer’s World Championship, the first such crown for an American powered chassis.

The car has since been converted to right had drive and if I could post photos I would.

Dek

Dek,

Sadly, you have been had, as CSX2345 is currently part of the Shelby American collection and still in it's left hand drive configuration.

https://www.shelbyamericancollection...adster-csx2345

https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/c...5_sideshot.jpg


Bill S.

He did show two old images, one of it racing and the other in a museum. Presumably if it’s still in the museum and not sold this must be a recreation of CSX2345.
Dek

Superformance Bondurant Edition, you could/maybe can still get number 3 or 21.
Had a coupe too.

Not must be, it is, and the owner is a fool for trying to say otherwise.


Bill S.

@Daytona Dek, I will tell you for certain that (CSX2345) is not the org. car. Steve the Owner of the real CSX2345 will never sell it and will be a permanent part of Shelby American museum, when Steve is gone. We have talked about what would happen to 2345 after he's gone. Cheers Tom.

Thanks all. Following your replies I had the brainwave of looking it up on the Government DVLA website (don’t know why I didn’t before) and it’s registered as a Hawk Cobra. Explains why it was such a good replica.
Dek

CSX2345 was never in a right hand drive configuration.

Does Evan have a twin that lives in England?

:LOL::LOL:

This thread should be tagged for future reference for the event that "CSX2345" comes up for sale in jolly olde England.

I think Kirkham did or does have a relationship with Hawk so it may well be a pretty nice aluminum bodied replica but a wellington to the arse of the owner if he was indeed representing it as the REal thing.

Two points of order: regarding Kirkham/Hawk the emphasis is on "did".
Re Sir John Whitmore driving 'slower' in the second part of the Trophy race at Oulton Park, it was entirely due to him being poisoned by fumes from a leaking exhaust. He (just) survived and was carried off in search of oxygen....he never gave less than 100%.

I have to stress there was nothing specifically linking the car on show by the owner to the genuine CSX2345 as you can see from the windshield information copied verbatim. It was my assumption and as I’ve subsequently found, my mistake.
Dek

Anyone reading the information attached to the car could easily come to the conclusion that the car they were looking at was the one in the bio. Though the info never states that the car they are looking at is, in fact, a clone of the original.
Intentional misdirection in my opinion.
Reminds me of an ex member of this forum that claimed he had a “Real One” when he actually had a continuation car.