'63 Shelby King Cobra for sale at Amelia Island Auction!

[chuckbrandt]

This is exciting. The Bob Holbert King Cobra is for sale. This car is the most raced of any of the king cobras, running in 15 races in '63 and '64. It has been in a museum in pittsburgh, wouldn't it be great if the new owner ran it in vintage events? I can't wait to see what it goes for.

Chuck

http://www.rmauctions.com/FeatureCar...&SaleCode=AM07

[SFM5S159]

Looks like a great car, I would love to own an race that thing....
I am not sure how they perform though.
MC

[Historybuff]

Never quite got the reason Shelby ran them. Was it because as he says
"the guys in the shop wanted to go road racing? One would think the cobra road racers would satisfy that need. Or was it because he was left out of the '64 Ford GT progam (which would make sense except the King Cobras started in '63)

any opinions

[map]

Scaife havin a fire sale? The paxton car now this...

[PDHse]

If i win the lottery today................... great looking car and great history would love to own it and race it at the Goodwood Revival.

[chuckbrandt]

Originally Posted by Historybuff

Never quite got the reason Shelby ran them. Was it because as he says
"the guys in the shop wanted to go road racing? One would think the cobra road racers would satisfy that need. Or was it because he was left out of the '64 Ford GT progam (which would make sense except the King Cobras started in '63)

any opinions

It does seem odd that they took on that additional challenge. Cobras were cleaning up in the GT category. The king cobras allowed them to race in the end of seasons west coast pro series which had decent size purses, winning one race would pay for the car. It also let them run with the big modifieds in the USRRC series. And Shelby had the team to make them winners, it was really a no-brainer. At 1400# and around 400HP they were fast, at the USRRC race at greenwood in July 64, Ed Leslie in the then tired car above lapped Ken Miles in a cobra twice in a 55 lap race.

Chuck

[chuckbrandt]

Originally Posted by PDHse

If i win the lottery today................... great looking car and great history would love to own it and race it at the Goodwood Revival.

Hey Paul, I bought my lottery tickets too. If I win I'll let you drive it at Goodwood, deal?

Good luck, Chuck

[pderoussAC7019]

I always presumed they built these cars to follow the overwhelming trend of the period, which was a move to a mid engined layout. FI had already totally moved this way, GT racing was rapidly heading in this direction (Ferrari 250 LM etc.) and Indianapolis was shortly to go there too. Front engined cars were rapidly being complely outclassed on race tracks everywhere - which also is the most likely explanation for the relative failure of the 427 as a commercial enterprise and as a race car. The trend was then reflected in top end roadgoing sportrs cars which, starting with the Muira, also went to a mid engined format. Even Top Fuel dragsters ended up this way too.

I have often thought that these King Cobras were the forerunners to the CamAm cars that provided so much entertainment in the late 60's. As with the first Cobras they proved that a British chassis and body with an American V8 attached to it makes an incredibly effective (and relatively low cost) combination.

[ezplans]

Saw multiple king cobras for a couple of years at the Times Grand Prix in Riverside. I seem to recall some big names in them - Gurney, Andretti, Foyt?

[Bruce Robles]

In the U.S. in those days the SCCA was the sanctioning body for road racing. In 1963 through 1966 or 1967, 260 cu.in and 289 cu. in. Cobras ran in A-Production class. In Europe, the FIA calls Production based cars GT cars. Ford GT 40's Ferrari 250LM etc. were Prototype's or GT Prototype in FIA jargon
and in the States they were called Sports Racing Cars. If they ran in a SCCA regional or national non-professional race the class was C-Modified (for some reason that escapes me now). The Cobra Roadsters were no match for the Lotus 30 and other Sports Racing cars in the Professional events such as the USRRC race's, which was in fact the predicessor to the CAN-AM series.
Shelby built the Cooper Cobras or King Cobras to win over all in the Sports Racing class. They didn't race these cars in Europe only in North America. Bob McDonald, Bob Holbert, Parnelli Jones, Ed Leslie, Bob Bondurant and others drove King Cobras in 1963 to many wins. Mario Andretti was not involved with Shelby until 1966 with the Ford GT MKII and in '67 with the MKIV's

[chuckbrandt]

It sold for $850,000 (+10% buyers premium). I'm speechless.. wow.

CDB