The AC Cobra, often referred to simply as the “Shelby Cobra,” went through a tough story before becoming legendary and conquering the world. In this article we will get acquainted with the model closer and touch on the history of the manufacturer.
How it all began
So, AC was established back in 1990 by two men - a young engineer named John Waller and investor John Portwine. The company's first name sounded like Autocars and Accesories LTD. In 1907, when the company placed its facilities on the outskirts of London, its name was changed to Autocarriers ltd. At first, the company was mainly engaged in three-wheeled vehicles with 5.6-liter single-cylinder engines. Such vehicles were intended for freight traffic.
Gradually, the company mastered the production of engines and in 1918 participated in the development of a 4-cylinder engine with a double camshaft on the head, and in 1920 - a 6-cylinder aluminum engine with a capacity of 35 horsepower. In 1922, the company again changed its name and became known as AC Cars Ltd. Under this name in 1926 she won a rally in Monte Carlo.
Harlock Brothers
Times were hard then, and even despite the success of the company, it went bankrupt and fell into the hands of Charles and William Harlocks. In addition to sports cars, the brothers produced wheelchairs and other household items. Nevertheless, the new line of sports cars, called ACE, was not long in coming.
In 1952, Harlocks met an English engineer named John Toheiro and bought from him for five pounds the right to a car that he had developed 30 years ago. As a result, a year later, a new ACE was presented at the London Motor Show.
By the mid-50s, Bristol 6-cylinder engines began to be installed on the company's cars, thanks to which the brand achieved success in the competition called “24 hours of Le Mans”. In 1959, pilots AC Bristol and Carroll Shelby met on the same podium. From this moment, the joint work of Shelby and the AU begins.
The history of the Shelby Cobra model
Sports cars, unlike ordinary ones, are aimed only at one thing - high speed. It is achieved in all possible ways. Here they think little about the comfort of the cabin, but pay great attention to ergonomics. And what exactly no one thinks about is the saving. We use materials that are ideal for a particular purpose, and no matter how much they cost. After all, a good sports car can pay off 100 times. When Shelby offered his services to AC Cars, she was already ready to create the best car - fabulously expensive and fast. But such a look, as in the photo below, the car will not gain immediately.
At that time, one of the most successful models of the small company AC Cars was the ACE roadster. It had an aluminum body, which was assembled by hand, and a spatial steel tubular frame. Meanwhile, in the US, the ambitious racer Carroll Shelby dreamed of working with AC Cars. And when Bristol stopped producing the motors used in the flagship ACE model, Shelby suggested that the British company put American-made V-8 engines in its future cars. Initially, Shelby planned to order a motor from Chevrolet, but negotiations were at an impasse. A pleasant surprise was the quick agreement of another American company - Ford. In fact, the Americans saw a personal benefit in such cooperation - they wanted to make a car that could overtake the Chevrolet Corvette , which was very popular at that time in America . So the ACE model received the most powerful Ford Windsor 260 HiPo engine.
In 1962, the Cobra Mk I was created - the first prototype chassis with a Ford engine. In the same year, the first batch of "Cobra", consisting of 75 copies, left the assembly line. The car faced a wave of criticism, and the designers, who had already settled in California at that time, began to modernize the car in the workshop of Cobra Shelby. In 1963, the world saw the Cobra Mk II - an improved version of the model with a 4.7-liter engine. It was released in the amount of 500 copies.
A little later, an even more powerful version of the model appeared, with an engine capacity of 427 cubic inches. In the car, they strengthened the suspension and expanded the chassis. It was called the Cobra Mk III, but everyone remembered it as a Shelby Cobra 427 car. Initially, it was intended for racing, but the creators decided to open it to the masses. With a capacity of 540 horsepower, the model has become the fastest production car. Her popularity grew rapidly, as did the number of victories. “Cobra” conquered such races as Le Mans, Daytona, Sebring, and this is far from all of its achievements.
In March 1967, the last copy of the legend was released, and production was stopped. The reason is a change in environmental standards and car safety requirements.
Model Overview
Today, Shelby Cobra is one of the most coveted cars in the collection of retro cars. The original copy will cost the buyer hundreds of thousands of dollars. A brighter and more memorable car of the 1960s simply does not exist. Let's take a closer look at all three generations of the legend.
The first and second generation of the Shelby Cobra car
The first version of the car appeared due to the fact that Carroll Shelby was able to convince the AC company that by installing a V-8 engine on the tubular chassis of the ACE model, you can get a powerful and extraordinary sports car. The first Shelby Cobra, whose photo is presented above, received a 4.2-liter engine and 4 disc brakes. And Goodyear has released special tires for the Cobra.
The chassis and body were produced in the UK by AC Cars, and the motors in the United States. The machine developed a capacity of 260 horsepower. Literally a year later, the second generation of the model appeared, which was already developing 306 liters. from. thanks to the 4.7-liter engine.
Legendary third generation
Modification 427 made the Shelby Cobra a true legend. She combined all the best practices of the "older sisters" and new ideas of people who adore their work. At one time, it was listed in the Guinness Book of Records due to an increase in speed to 100 mph in 9.8 seconds. It was this model that inspired many imitators to produce replicas similar to it. Incidentally, the Soviet ZIL 112C was frankly copied from the Cobra, at least in terms of design. All 427th models were assembled at the English company A Cat Thames Ditton from 1965 to 1967. Nevertheless, not one of them was bought at home. The thing is that the inhabitants of the country, which constantly rains and gasoline rises in price, did not want to spend money on a car in the back of a convertible, and even with such a brutal appetite. The Americans, too, were in no hurry to buy a car, and before falling into the hands of a mere mortal (not a racer), the car stood in the cabin for 16 months.
A Little About Carroll Shelby
Extraordinary charisma and a high level of professional skills allowed this man to stand out in the conditions of fierce competition and achieve cooperation with the largest automobile companies. At the same time, the Shelby Cobra car was built by a small English company in a friendly atmosphere of people who were crazy about racing and good cars.
As a typical American, Shelby changed a lot of activities before becoming a racer and manufacturer of sports cars. He began his career as a summer instructor in the U.S. Air Force during the war. After he tried himself in a transport company, the oil business, and even at a poultry farm. However, none of these activities brought Carroll either happiness or a normal income.
In early 1952, at the age of 29, Shelby took part in the first races. From that moment he no longer saw himself in any other occupation. As a result, the young racer reached Formula 1 and won the 24 hours of Le Mans. Due to heart problems, he was forced to terminate his racing career in 1960, but the man’s passion for the car remained forever. When the Cobra story ended, Shelby continued to work with Ford, inspiring its engineers to create truly worthwhile cars for more than half a century. Throughout his life, the great motorist remained a fan of his craft and participated in the creation of the best cars. At the age of 88, he tested the most powerful Mustang in history for 5 hours.
Ford Mustang Shelby Cobra
In 2013, the Shelby Company celebrated the 50th anniversary of the Monterey Peninsula. The event was of particular importance since the great Carroll Shelby died in May of that year. As a tribute to the legendary racer and designer, the Ford and Shelby companies reunited to create the unique Mustang.
The car received a very wide body, massive 13-inch wide wheels, a 5.8-liter V-8 engine and an output of as much as 850 horsepower. In the best traditions of the English company, the car was painted blue with two parallel stripes running in the center of the upper body. According to representatives of the Shelby company, they intend to smuggle the model across the country and then sell it at a charity auction.
Jim Farley, a Ford Motor board member who represented the Ford Mustang Shelby Cobra, said their unique car would reflect Carroll Shelby's idea of turning the Shelby GT500 into a true Cobra.
Conclusion
That was such a difficult and fascinating story of the Shelby Cobra car, whose characteristics to this day amaze and inspire. “Cobra” is not just a car, it is a huge breakthrough in the automotive industry. And despite the short history of production of the model, the memory of her and the genius who created it will remain in the hearts of motorists for many years. “Cobra” is a real American muscle car - luxurious, fast, slightly selfish and extremely attractive.