1966 Shelby 427 Cobra -

A Magical Combination of Seasonings

Ever grill a burger where somehow you concocted a magical combination of seasonings that seemingly could never be replicated? That is precisely how Carroll Shelby conceived the 1966 Shelby 427 Cobra. A car whose seasonings were never quite replicated.

A Little History

In 1959, when Bristol ceased production of it’s six-cylinder engines, the domino effect was the production halt of Ferrari-inspired Ace by A.C. Shelby negotiated sourcing of the Ace chassis through A.C., and a search for a viable engine for his new prototype pursued. In 1961, a 221 cubic-inch small lightweight block engine was developed by Ford. This thin wall-cast V8 engine producing 164 horse power received Ford’s stamp of approval to be the new engine for the first Cobra prototype.

That magically seasoned burger hot off the grill has an abnormal level of MSG and produces a lethal reaction with your other seasonings. Similarly, the Shelby 427 Cobra had a lethal reputation among those who were willing to take the risk of getting behind the wheel of this machine. The Cobra was reputed to kill an abnormally high proportion of drivers involved in accidents.

The 289 Cobra held it’s own in comparison to the competition with about 380 horsepower, however it was clearly foreseeable that the future of the game was going to need an upgrade. Ford’s aluminum version of the 390 ci-V8 was Shelby’s for the taking, however Shelby had to work with the cast iron 427 as a result of NASCAR complications.

With the cast iron 427, the car was predicted to handle reliably at 500 horsepower, however the engine was so heavy that the chassis needed to be redesigned. Ford assisted in the design of the new chassis which was enveloped in coil springs and five inches wider. Ultimately, the 427 puts out 425 horsepower, however it offers among the best power to weight ratios in of all race cars in existence.

To understand the mystique behind the Shelby 427 Cobra, you must go back to its roots. When Shelby first introduced the Cobra in the early 60’s, they had one prototype that went through countless paint jobs so that magazine reviews could create an illusion of numerous models out in the marketplace.

Expect to shell out on the upwards of $750,000 for a 1996 Shelby 427 Cobra. Check out the following You Tube video for a clip of a 427 Cobra sold on auction:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=wvNAN1tReCY

Course, for $5.5 mil, you could have caught the last known Super Snake believed to be in existence. Only two were confirmed as being created and one was unfortunately driven off a cliff into the Pacific Ocean. The remaining racing legend was sold at an auction with no reserve:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=wPES8hxU4dM

Some accuse Cobra of being more of a cult than a car. Cobra clubs exist everywhere and kit cars are widely available for those who can not afford the real thing. And for those kit car owners, there may not be Cobra kit clubs, but there are likely Yahoo groups where fellowship can be found!

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