History OneOffs

Throughout Cobra production both AC Cars, Ltd. and Shelby American continually looked toward the future. Each was aware that the Cobra project, in its present form, would not last indefinitely. The opportunities for spin-offs, prototypes, show cars or one-offs were continually surfacing—especially at AC Cars. AC found themselves in what was, for them, the embarrassing position of what Shelby considered their parts supplier. The company had a proud history as an automobile manufacturer that dated back to 1902. Suddenly they realized that the major portion of their business was not building cars but supplying parts. So, whenever someone came to them with an idea for a show car—or when they had an idea of their own—they took action. This resulted in a number of prototypes, one-offs and experimental cars and chassis built both during and after the production of Cobras, using Cobra chassis or modified versions of them. These chassis carried unique serial numbers and, as such, can be identified. The inclusion of these cars in this registry is not meant to infer that they are legitimate Cobras. On the contrary, our purpose is to provide as much information about them as we are able to gather so that they are not mistaken for or misrepresented as genuine Cobras.

CSX5001- CSX5002
Two prototypes for Ghia-bodied Cobras were built in 1966 for Shelby American. They were assigned the serial numbers CSX5001 and CSX5002. Their bodies were very similar and they bore a strong resemblance to the AC 428 Frua. Both cars were pictured in Style Auto Quarterly No. 9, Winter 1965/1966. [Both cars are pictured, above, but it is not clear which is which number.] Both cars used Halibrand FIA 6-spoke magnesium wheels and one featured a removable hardtop. At last report, both cars were in England and have been, or were reported to be in the process of, being built into 427 Cobra roadsters.

THE “SHOW CHASSIS”

A rolling, right-hand drive, leaf spring chassis was shipped from AC Cars, Ltd. to Shelby American where it was used in displays. It was prominently pictured in photographs taken at Shelby American’s LA airport facility during the May meeting of FoMoCo’s Board of Directors. In mid-1965, Shelby American employee Bernie Kretzschmar was driving a ‘32 Ford roadster to work and he was stopped by Carroll Shelby, who expressed admiration for his car. Shortly thereafter, Kretzschmar was directed to take the show chassis to the fabrication shop of Tex Collins’ Cal Automotive, where it was to be built into a T-bucket roadster. Kretzschmar was under the impression that it was for Shelby’s personal use. Cal Automotive was one of Shelby American’s sub-contractors; they produced fiberglass parts used in GT350 production.

The chassis was turned into an open wheeled roadster utilizing a T-bucket by Cal Automotive employees Kurt Hamilton and Gayle Black. Black recalls Shelby driving the car down the street and back when it was completed, but did not especially enjoy the experience. The car ended up in Collins’ possession but he evidently never paid Shelby for it. In the mid-’70s, Shelby saw the bare chassis (with original chrome pieces still in place) at Kimmins Coach Craft (in Torrance, CA) and is said to have remarked that, “Collins ripped me off because he never returned it.” The chassis carried a serial number but when it was reconstructed into the street roadster, the number was obliterated. It was titled in California in 1965 as a “Special Construction.” Despite attempts to have the FBI determine what the serial number was, it remains unknown. [In that the chassis was right-hand drive, it is quite likely it was a COB number.]

In the mid-’70s, Collins sold the car to a friend, Gary Bandy. Collins was killed about six months later. Bandy took the roadster to Catalina Island where he had a house. He used it there for four or five years and then brought it to Burbank, CA where he maintained a warehouse filled with vehicles of all types. John Patrick Burke, a SAAC member from Glendale, CA spotted the car there and immediately recognized the chassis as being from a Cobra but he was unable to determine the car’s serial number. [See The Shelby American, #50, page 64.] It was purchased in the late 1980s by Geoffrey Shanklin (Glendale, CA), who began restoring it to 289 competition Cobra specifications. Restoration was completed in 1995.

HEM-6
This serial number was assigned to a right-hand drive Cobra built by AC Cars to FIA racing specifications (cutback doors and FIA flares, as well as other competition features). It was sold unfinished (no engine or transmission) to C.T. “Tommy” Atkins in England. It was driven by Roy Salvadori and Chris Amon in British events in 1964. In 1965 it was sold to The Chequered Flag dealership and driven by Roger Mack. It is currently restored to show condition.

CSX3063
In 1965 the FIA required that 100 cars be built in order for them to qualify for its Grand Touring class. When FIA inspectors arrived at Shelby American in April of that year, only 51 cars had been completed and were sitting at Shelby American. Certification was subsequently denied and Shelby immediately instructed AC Cars, Ltd. to begin building street models. A number of competition chassis were still under construction at AC Cars when Shelby’s order was received, and they were completed before street chassis production began. A couple were finished as competition cars. One became the 427 Type 65 Super Coupe and two ended up as “chassis-only” — one became the Willment 427 Coupe, CSX3055, and the other was numbered CSX3063. Why there was a gap of unused numbers between CSX3055 and CSX3063 is a question that only someone at AC Cars can answer. According to AC Cars’ own production records, CSX3056 through CSX3062 and CSX3064 through CSX3099 were never used. CSX3063 was completed as a 96-inch long rolling chassis, invoiced to Shelby American on May 4, 1965 and shipped to the Ghia Styling Studios in Turin, Italy. A special show car was built on this chassis and was reportedly displayed at the 1967 Brussels and Paris auto shows. The chassis next surfaced in Texas, in 1975. By the time it was purchased by Cobra restorer Mike McCluskey of Torrance, California in 1979, the main frame had been cut in half (with both halves adding up to exactly 90-inches) but without any suspension or substructure of any kind. McCluskey’s intention was to rebuild the chassis to 427 Cobra S/C specifications but the project required too much of everything — time, effort, money and parts — so he sold the chassis and the parts he had accumulated for its rebuild. By now a title, traceable back only to the late 1970s, accompanied the conglomeration of parts, which changed hands a couple of more times and finally ended up with an exotic car dealer in Texas in 1987. He attempted to sell the “car” through an advertisement in Hemmings which described it as being damaged but with many new parts — less engine, transmission, rear end and seats. At one point, the attempt was made to attach a fictitious history to the chassis (that it had been completed as a full-specification 427 Cobra competition roadster by Shelby American in 1967 and SCCA raced). This was not supported by evidence of any kind. Historically, CSX3063 was a 96-inch wheelbase rolling chassis and nothing more. The fact that its serial number is at the end of 427 Cobra production in no way validates this chassis as being anything. AC sent a lengthened rolling chassis to Ghia who, in turn, put a one-off show car body on it. They then removed the body and the base chassis was all that remained. The fact that the serial number is part of the 427 Cobra competition production is only a coincidence. This chassis has, since, been built into a 427 Cobra replica.

AC MK III COUPE
When the 427 Cobra coil spring chassis were being constructed, AC Cars built one for themselves to be constructed as a racing coupe. It looked very much like a small block Daytona Coupe. This car was never completed, existing only as a coil spring chassis with tubing subframe and aluminum skin. No serial number was ever stamped into the chassis. In the 1970s the car was purchased by Bill Fone of England. In the late 1970s it found its way to Holman-Moody in Charlotte, North Carolina still in original (unfinished) condition. It is presently owned by Larry Miller (Salt Lake City, Utah) and on display at the museum he created at Miller Motorsport Park in Tooele, Utah. The Coupe is still in its original, unfinished condition.

It was acquired in 2003 by Gabriel Diaz of Ft. Lauderdale, FL. In 2005 it was sold to Archie Urciuoli of Casey Key, FL. 2610 was awarded “Best English Sports Car” at the 2006 Concours Europa in Greenwich, CT.

While all of the previously mentioned chassis in this section were built by AC Cars, Ltd. using Cobra chassis components and specifications, only HEM-6 is generally regarded as a true Cobra. None of the others were originally intended to be completed as Cobras which would be exported to the U.S. They were built specifically as prototypes, one-offs or chassis only. None of these chassis fit into the Cobra production schedule (with the exception of CSX3063).

There seems to be some gray area between what is considered a “Cobra” and what is not. A case is often made that Cobras are the cars exported to Shelby American while those which were not are “ACs.” Another perspective considers both cars “Cobras” but makes a distinction between whether a car is a “Shelby Cobra” or an “AC Cobra.”

All this is a matter of semantics; where someone stands on the question very often depends on which car he owns (or on which side of the Atlantic he resides). There is no question that the chassis described in this section were built by AC Cars. However, they were never intended to become full specification Cobras under any of Shelby American’s contracts.

We have incorporated this brief section on these chassis because they really don’t fit in anywhere else. We include information about them to help enthusiasts avoid confusion between them and genuine 2000- and 3000-series Cobra chassis. This is especially important in view of the fact that in the intervening years since they were made, many have been converted to Cobra specifications and accurately restored as Cobras.

WHAT HAPPENED TO THE ONE-OFFS?
One thing that is rarely written about is the affect that the original-spec “Cobra-type cars” such as the CSX4000s, AC MK IVs and Kirkham Cobras (e.g. cars with the same ladder-type chassis, tubular subframe and aluminum body) have had on the handful of chassis built by AC Cars during the time period that original Cobras were being made but not used in the production of these cars. Back in the 1970s, before any of these latest generation cars existed, when someone discovered an AC-built chassis, such as the EFX or Paramount film cars, it was like discovering gold. The value of 427 Cobras had risen beyond the average enthusiast’s budget, but these chassis represented an opportunity to get into the original Cobra market—albeit on the far reaches of the outside edge. Most of these cars were completed to 427 S/C specifications and while they were never mistaken for originals (such is the scrutiny all Cobras receive), they were considered to be the next best thing. When the AC MK IVs, CSX4000s and Kirkhams came along they eclipsed these cars, and they slipped into the background. You rarely hear about them today.