To be sold at the Gooding & Company Pebble Beach Auctions on August 18 and 19, 2012. For further details please visit www.goodingco.com or contact a vehicle specialist at 001.310.899.1960.
Engine Specifications:
427 CID OHV FE Side-Oiler V-8 Engine
Single 4-Barrel Carburetor
530 BHP at 6,100 RPM
4-Speed Manual “Top-Loader” Gearbox
4-Wheel Girling Disc Brakes
4-Wheel Fully Independent Suspension with A-Arms, Coil Springs and Tube Shock Absorbers
About this Car:
The definitive American sports car of the 1960s, Carroll Shelby’s Cobra needs no introduction. In its ultimate 427 form, the Cobra was in a class of its own, offering fierce performance, muscular styling and a genuine competition pedigree. Despite a limited production of 260 road-going examples, the big-block Cobra was an incredibly influential sports car and spawned countless imitators.
The 427 Cobra presented here, CSX 3216, is a superb example of these rare and highly sought-after Shelby sports cars.
The history of this impressive Cobra begins on February 14, 1966, when AC Cars Ltd. shipped CSX 3216 to the Shelby American factory in Los Angeles, California. Originally finished in white acrylic paint with black leather upholstery, this 427 Cobra has always maintained a distinctive appearance; fewer than 25 big-block Cobras were outfitted in this tasteful color scheme.
Once completed at the Shelby American workshop, the new Cobra was invoiced to Johnny Bolton Ford of Maitland, Florida, at a cost of $6,440.
Unfortunately, Johnny Bolton Ford, like many Shelby concessionaires, found difficulty locating a buyer for the new 427 Cobras and, by Fall 1966, CSX 3216 remained on the lot. In response to sporadic sales, Shelby American sent letters to all their franchised dealers noting that any ’66 Cobras held in stock could be updated to reflect that they were “new” 1967 models.
On November 15, 1966, Bill Burroughs of Johnny Bolton Ford wrote to Jim Belding at Shelby American stating, “We have one 1966 427 Cobra, 428 engine, one 4-bbl carb, in stock as of this date. CSX 3216. We would like to have this unit updated as per your letter on October 28. Many thanks.”
Accordingly, Mr. Belding had a new invoice, window sticker and serial plate sent to Johnny Bolton Ford for use on the white Cobra. Once these items arrived at the dealership, the original foot-box ID tag was replaced with a new version stamped “67 CSX3216.”
In October 1967, CSX 3216 was sold to its first private owner, Patrick Mathews of Miami, Florida. After two years with the Cobra, Mr. Mathews sold the sports car to Tom Luck, a fellow Florida resident. According to the SAAC registry, Mr. Luck displayed CSX 3216 in at least one Florida Cobra Club meeting during the mid-1970s.
In 1982, Mr. Luck relocated to Wisconsin and subsequently sold his Cobra to Chic Ford in New Albany, Ohio. Three years later, Larry Acheson of Columbus, Ohio, purchased CSX 3216. Mr. Acheson, a collector of Ford performance cars, painted the Cobra and performed a thorough mechanical restoration. Refinished in its original white livery, the 427 now featured a distinctive aqua-colored noseband, a chrome roll bar and GT40-style Halibrand wheels.
Once this restoration work was completed, Mr. Acheson displayed CSX 3216 at the SAAC National Convention in North Carolina and completed several laps around Charlotte Motor Speedway, recording speeds in excess of 150 mph.
In December 1987, Mr. Acheson sold CSX 3216 to Bob Jordan of Chicago, Illinois. As was common practice at the time, Mr. Jordan repainted the Cobra in Guardsman Blue with white stripes and added some popular S/C-style equipment.
The refurbished 427 Cobra soon attracted the interest of George Stauffer, a Wisconsin collector with a passion for Shelby automobiles, particularly Cobras and GT40s. Mr. Stauffer purchased the Cobra in 1988 and sold it to UK resident Michael Fisher two years later. Following Mr. Fisher’s purchase, CSX 3216 returned to England for the first time since leaving AC Cars Ltd. in early 1966.
After passing through Richard Gabriel, CSX 3216 was sold to Michael de Mello of Estoril, Portugal, through well-known UK Cobra specialist Rod Leach. The Shelby remained in Mr. de Mello’s ownership for the next 11 years, during which time he performed extensive maintenance work, including paintwork and a full rebuild of the engine. All of the restoration work carried out during Mr. de Mello’s ownership is fully documented by invoices and receipts.
In August 2006, CSX 3216 was sold to its current caretaker, an Australian resident who maintains a fine collection of historic sports and racing cars. At the time of purchase, the current owner conducted an extensive investigation into the Cobra’s history, acquiring the car only after he was completely satisfied with the provenance and authentic character.
Shortly after coming into its current ownership, the Shelby graced the cover of two prominent UK classic car journals, Octane (October 2009) and Thoroughbred & Classic Cars (February 2007), and appeared in EVO magazine’s feature article in the “Scary Cars” issue (October 2007). Living up to its fearsome reputation, the 427 Cobra was pitted against a Porsche GT2, Lancia Stratos, TVR Cerbera and Ferrari F40, and declared the most exhilarating of all. Not bad for a 40-year-old car!
Although it delivers awe-inspiring performance, the Cobra has been regularly exercised on the open road and has participated in several European rallies, including a memorable run from the UK to the 24 Hours of Le Mans in June 2007. After returning from Le Mans, the owner decided to embark on a high-quality restoration that would address both the cosmetic and mechanical aspects of CSX 3216.
The first step of the restoration process was to source a correct, date-coded 427 side-oiler engine. Following the advice of noted marque expert Ned Scudder, the owner decided to enlist the services of Curt Vogt’s Cobra Automotive, Inc., one of the leading Shelby specialists in the US. After an intensive six-month search, Mr. Vogt located a correct NOS side-oiler block, still packed in its factory crate.
With the ideal 427 block in hand, Cobra Automotive set to work on a complete rebuild incorporating the finest internal components and correct period details, such as pent-roof rocker covers and original medium riser heads. The result of this work is staggering. According to dyno sheets, the completed 427 engine produced an astounding 530 hp at 6,100 rpm and averaged 486 lbs./ft of torque between 3,000 and 6,400 rpm.
While the engine work was being carried out in the US, noted UK restorer Bob Houghton completely refurbished the Cobra’s chassis, tending to the complete driveline, suspension, braking system and steering rack. This detailed mechanical work consumed over 900 hours and approximately £100,000, all of which is fully documented with receipts and invoices.
Most recently, the Cobra has benefitted from a great deal of cosmetic attention. Keen to return the car to its as-delivered color scheme, the owner commissioned award-winning British car specialists JD Classics to perform paint and bodywork. Finished in its original Wimbledon White with standard, rear-exit exhaust and black Halibrand knock-offs, CSX 3216 has a purposeful stance and a refreshing, period- correct appearance.
Not only has this Cobra been meticulously restored by some of the best firms in the business, it remains a remarkably genuine example with great integrity. The correct three-digit stampings appear on both door locks as well as the hood and trunk latch. Furthermore, the serial number is stamped in the correct shock-tower location and the updated serial number plate, installed by Johnny Bolton Ford in November 1966, remains intact as well.
One of the Cobra’s most exciting aesthetic qualities is its beautifully preserved interior. Still retaining its original leather upholstery and carpeting, the cockpit possesses an irreplaceable patina that is ideally suited to the period character of this Cobra.
Beyond its inherent qualities, CSX 3216 is offered with a comprehensive history file that includes historic photos, extensive restoration and service records, ownership and shipping documents, UK MOT certificates, copies of the various magazines in which it has appeared and an original 427 Chassis Instruction Book. In addition, the Cobra is accompanied by a full set of weather equipment and an original wheel hammer.
Having resided outside of the US for over two decades, CSX 3216 presents an exciting opportunity for collectors in search of an outstanding 427 Cobra. Beautifully presented in its original, as-delivered color scheme, this car possesses all the qualities one looks for in a Shelby Cobra: a documented history, a limited number of appreciative caretakers, a date-coded 427 side-oiler under the hood and an authentic restoration performed by the very best specialists in the US and the UK.
Without a doubt, this is a rare chance to acquire one of the greatest American sports cars ever built and to experience firsthand the genius of Carroll Shelby.