*** Welcome to piglix ***

Shelby Cobra

AC Cobra
Shelby AC 427 Cobra vl blue.jpg
AC Cobra MkIII
Overview
Manufacturer AC Cars Shelby American
Also called Shelby AC Cobra
Shelby Cobra
Assembly Thames Ditton, Surrey, England
Los Angeles, California, USA
Body and chassis
Body style 2-door roadster
Layout FR layout
Chronology
Predecessor AC Ace
Successor AC MK IV
MkI
Shelby AC Cobra, CSX2000.JPG
CSX2000 – The first Cobra completed by Shelby
Overview
Production 1962–63
Powertrain
Engine 260 or 289 cu in (4.3 or 4.7 L) V8
Dimensions
Wheelbase 90 in (2,286 mm)
Length 151.5 in (3,848 mm)
Width 61 in (1,549 mm)
Height 49 in (1,245 mm)
Curb weight 2,019 lb (916 kg)
MkII
AC Shelby Cobra Mk II.jpg
MkII 289 (FIA Roadster)
Overview
Production 1963–65
Powertrain
Engine 289 cu in (4.7 L) V8
Dimensions
Wheelbase 90 in (2,286 mm)
Length 151.5 in (3,848 mm)
Width 61 in (1,549 mm)
Height 49 in (1,245 mm)
Curb weight 2,315 lb (1,050 kg)
MkIII
'66 Shelby AC Cobra (Auto classique Laval '11).jpg
1966 AC Cobra 427 (North America)
Overview
Production 1965–67
Powertrain
Engine 427 or 289 cu in (7.0 or 4.7 L) V8
Dimensions
Wheelbase 90 in (2,286 mm)
Length 156 in (3,962 mm)
Width 68 in (1,727 mm)
Height 48 in (1,219 mm)
Curb weight 2,355 lb (1,068 kg)

The AC Cobra, sold as the Shelby Cobra in the United States of America, is an Anglo-American sports car with a Ford V8 engine, produced intermittently in both the UK and United States of America since 1962.

Like many British manufacturers, AC Cars had been using the Bristol straight-6 engine in its small-volume production, including its AC Ace two-seater roadster. This had a hand-built body with a steel tube frame, and aluminium body panels that were made using English wheeling machines. The engine was a pre-World War II design by BMW which by the 1960s was considered dated. Bristol decided in 1961 to cease production of its engine and instead to use Chrysler 313 cu in (5.1 L) V8 engines. AC started using the 2.6 litre Ford Zephyr engine in its cars. In September 1961, American automotive designer Carroll Shelby wrote to AC asking if they would build him a car modified to accept a V8 engine. AC agreed, provided a suitable engine could be found. Shelby went to Chevrolet to see if they would provide him with engines, but not wanting to add competition to the Corvette they said no. However, Ford wanted a car that could compete with the Corvette and they happened to have a brand new engine which could be used in this endeavor: Ford's 260 in³ HiPo (4.2 L) engine – a new lightweight, thin-wall cast small-block V8 tuned for high performance. Ford provided Shelby with two engines. In January 1962 mechanics at AC Cars in Thames Ditton, Surrey fitted the prototype chassis CSX2000 with a 260 ci Ford V8 borrowed from Ford in the UK; the 221 ci was never sent. However, early engineering drawings were titled "AC Ace 3.6". After testing and modification, the engine and transmission were removed and the chassis was air-freighted to Shelby in Los Angeles on 2 February 1962. His team fitted it with an engine and transmission in less than eight hours at Dean Moon's shop in Santa Fe Springs, California, and began road-testing.


...
Wikipedia

...