I take it the Shelby Cobra was excluded because many / most were made in England with Ford motors ….
Because otherwise:
“The fastest production Shelby Cobra in the quarter mile was the 1966 Shelby Cobra 427 Super Cobra (often referred to as the S/C or “Super Cobra” model), which achieved a best documented time of 12.2 seconds at 118 mph.
Key Details:
• Model: 1966 Shelby Cobra 427 S/C (semi-competition version, street-legal but race-prepped; only 31 produced).
• Engine: 7.0L (427 cubic inch) Ford V8, dual four-barrel carburetors, rated at 425 hp (conservatively; dyno tests often showed 450+ hp).
• Transmission: 4-speed manual.
• Weight: ~2,350 lbs (extremely light for the power).
• Source of Record: Road tests by Car and Driver and Motor Trend in 1966–1967, with the 12.2-second quarter-mile being the fastest verified time for a street-legal production model on street tires.
Context on Variants:
• The standard 427 Cobra (non-S/C) typically ran 12.4–12.5 seconds.
• Earlier 289 cu in models were slower (~13.5–14 seconds).
• Some tuned or race-prepped Cobras (non-production) ran into the 11s, but those were not street-legal production cars.
Thus, 12.2 seconds @ 118 mph remains the benchmark for the fastest production Shelby Cobra in the quarter mile.”
427 Cobra 12.4–12.5 seconds vs. 289 ~13.5–14 seconds.
I find it hard to believe the 289 was that close to the 427. Just 1 to 1.5 seconds slower?
Shelby modified the AC Cobra, made in Walton on Thames, England.