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Unique Cobra Brings $5.5M at Car Auction
Associated Press ^ | 01/21/07

Posted on 01/22/2007 8:09:54 AM PST by presidio9

An 800-horsepower Shelby Cobra, once the personal car of the racing veteran who developed the iconic vehicle, has sold for $5.5 million at auction, a record for an American car. ADVERTISEMENT

The sale of the 1966 Shelby Cobra "Super Snake" brought a packed house to its feet Saturday at the Barrett-Jackson Collector Car Auction after a pair of bidders drove the price up.

Carroll Shelby, 84, who created the Cobra in the '60s using Ford engines and a British sport car chassis, said he built the Super Snake -- with twin superchargers on a 427 cubic inch V-8 -- and drove it for years.

"It's a special car. It would do just over three seconds to 60 (mph), 40 years ago," Shelby told the crowd before the sale.

"I killed a buzzard with it," he said. "Nasty, nasty."

The car had a twin, built for comedian Bill Cosby, but that car was destroyed in an accident while being driven by another owner, according to the Barrett-Jackson Web site.

Barrett-Jackson said the $5.5 million price tag for the Cobra was not an overall world record car price; others have sold at auction for more than $11 million. However, it is a world record for American cars, said Steve Davis, Barrett-Jackson president.

The winning bidder was car collector Ron Pratt of suburban Chandler. Last year, he paid $4.32 million for the Futureliner, one of 12 futuristic buses used for shows in the 1940s and '50s by General Motors.


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Miscellaneous
KEYWORDS: automotive; carrollshelby; fordsrule; shelbycobra; theonlynonsuckyford
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To: presidio9; thackney; All
I built this 1964 Shelby Cobra (FIA) in 1999.

Thanks for the ping thackney

61 posted on 01/22/2007 5:26:07 PM PST by Cobra64 (www.BulletBras.net)
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To: Zathras

I still have the album.


62 posted on 01/22/2007 5:34:56 PM PST by Cobra64 (www.BulletBras.net)
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To: Daaave

The only thing I like on that car is the Moto Lita.


63 posted on 01/22/2007 5:39:03 PM PST by Cobra64 (www.BulletBras.net)
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To: doorgunner69

Moon Motors. The GT 350 was named because the shop was 350' away from the office.


64 posted on 01/22/2007 5:41:34 PM PST by Cobra64 (www.BulletBras.net)
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To: Daaave

12.4 for 1/4 with the a true quarter in in 2.1? Is that good?


65 posted on 01/22/2007 5:55:27 PM PST by TBall
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To: Emmett McCarthy
wow what year cuda
I had a 73 cuda with a hemi 4sp and 392 posi rear the car would pin the needle at 150 on the LIE.
I loved that car
66 posted on 01/22/2007 5:59:39 PM PST by Gone_Postal (There's plenty of room for all God's creatures..right next to the mashed potatoes)
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To: Cobra64
The GT 350 was named because the shop was 350' away from the office.

With that screen name, I shoulda known you would be an expert. Cool info. I'll let my buddy that builds Factory 5 replicas in on it. Never heard that before.

Shelby was a down to earth guy. Drove a friend by his house after we got back from Nam, and there was Shel getting into his station wagon. My friend yelled out, "Hey, there's the man!", in surprise at actually spotting him. Old Shel just smiled and waved...........

67 posted on 01/22/2007 9:46:20 PM PST by doorgunner69
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To: potlatch; dalereed; PhilDragoo; ntnychik; dixiechick; NormsRevenge

 HEY   LITTLE   COBRA 




68 posted on 06/21/2007 3:50:37 PM PDT by devolve ( _Illegal_Aliens_Killed_25_Americans_Each_Day _A_Mex_Illegal_Alien_Sold_911_Terrorists_IDs_)
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To: devolve

Pretty! Reminds me of a ‘stainless steel’ looking body, lol.


69 posted on 06/21/2007 3:54:09 PM PDT by potlatch (MIZARU_ooo_‹(•¿•)›_ooo_MIKAZARU_ooo_‹(•¿•)›_ooo_MAZARU_ooo_‹(•¿•)›_ooo_))
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To: PBRSTREETGANG

“aaagggggggggghhhhhhhhhhh.”—Homer Simpson, drooling.


70 posted on 06/21/2007 3:56:50 PM PDT by rabidralph
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To: potlatch

.

LOL!

I swapped photos from the blue ones

The AC Bristol had an aluminum body

John Schultz’s AC in Pompano Beach had spun the bearing for the third time in his 6-cylinder Bristol aluminum block engine

Way before Shelby saw John’s AC-Vette at Opa Locka where Shelby was driving a Birdcage Maserati

John was fed up and coming back from Miami one night in my ‘59 Impala (283-’Vette-270hp+mods!) the El Cheapo El Quicko cure to his problemo hit me

A yardstick to check side clearances - A tow to a truck, tractor, car repair shop on Old Dixie and in a week the AC-’Vette with a 3-speed Chevy truck transmission was tooling and ruing
Shelby saw it at Opa Locka - called GM - Was turned down cold for Chevt engines (’Vettes & racing ‘Vettes at Chevy)

Shelby call Ford and the rest is hysterical

Especially to Ferrari !!!!!

[Shelby did NOT “invent” the V8 AC]

Sunbeam also sold some Ford V8 Sunbeam Tigers after Ken Miles (Le Mans, Daytona, Sebring, etc.) dropped a Ford small block in a Sunbeam Alpine

It was rough on front tires and production Tigers were “undertired”

The Shelby Cobras soon upgraded the ancient AC front suspensions and swapped to a beefier rear end

Then there was the rear-engined Lotus-Ford V8, Lister-Vette, and many E-Jag-’Vettes tooling around South Florida

The wildest street sportscar in Pompano was a Ferrari Testa Rossa with a ‘Vette engine often seen at the Pancake House on Federal Highway at linchtime -


71 posted on 06/21/2007 4:22:03 PM PDT by devolve ( _Illegal_Aliens_Killed_25_Americans_Each_Day _A_Mex_Illegal_Alien_Sold_911_Terrorists_IDs_)
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To: devolve

Lol, you are the expert on cars! I just read and nod my head!!


72 posted on 06/21/2007 4:24:17 PM PDT by potlatch (MIZARU_ooo_‹(•¿•)›_ooo_MIKAZARU_ooo_‹(•¿•)›_ooo_MAZARU_ooo_‹(•¿•)›_ooo_))
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To: devolve

Sure wwish I could get my hands on the one wwe built for Dennia Wilson ts go drag racing.

Just because of who it belonged to it wold go for enough for me to retire.


73 posted on 06/21/2007 4:50:06 PM PDT by dalereed
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To: dalereed; potlatch

.

Yup 0

Dennis Wilson’s Cobra would bring big bucks

Recall “Dead Man’s Curve” by Jan & Dean?

Then the wreck of the ‘Vette later?

John Schultz’s AC Bristol prpblems were not cured by welding up, line-boring, and rebuilding his Bristol engine three (3) times by a former Indy mechanic in Fort Lauderdale

The Chevy swap fixed that - and parts were at Slaton Chevrolet or Western Auto or the closest boneyard

I believe John had the land speed record from Miami to Pompano on the Sunshine State back then

Faster they anything they had at the parkway service plazas and by the time they heard it on their radios John was home sleeping

They had supercharged Chrysler 300s for a few years back then

Back in HS one of the best sleepers was a ‘49 Plymouth with a chrusler Windsor 6 swap - again a bargain engine cure

Back then we never thought of values later for cars - It was either for saving bucks, reliabilty, cheap tough parts, performance, or all of the above


74 posted on 06/21/2007 6:09:19 PM PDT by devolve ( _Illegal_Aliens_Killed_25_Americans_Each_Day _A_Mex_Illegal_Alien_Sold_911_Terrorists_IDs_)
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To: devolve

I wish you had one of them now!!


75 posted on 06/21/2007 6:14:48 PM PDT by potlatch (MIZARU_ooo_‹(•¿•)›_ooo_MIKAZARU_ooo_‹(•¿•)›_ooo_MAZARU_ooo_‹(•¿•)›_ooo_))
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To: presidio9
...It would do just over three seconds to 60 (mph), 40 years ago," Shelby told the crowd before the sale.

....sigh....

76 posted on 06/21/2007 6:18:31 PM PDT by SGCOS
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To: devolve

I know one guy here in Oceanside that has 3 aluminum Cobras and still races one of them and no intention of selling any of them.

He’s already turned down a 1.5 mil offer for one of them.

Heck, I would just like to have back the 32 roadster that held the SCTA D Roadster recoed in 54 that we sold for $650 in 55 or my 40 coupe with a big Olds in it thst was my ride and street racer I sold in 58 for $600 to buy my wifes wedding and engagement ring.

It’s only appreciated to $19,000.


77 posted on 06/21/2007 6:24:07 PM PDT by dalereed
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To: theDentist

Did that happen when he was trying to roll back the odometer by jacking up the car and spinning the wheels in reverse? :-)


78 posted on 06/21/2007 6:26:10 PM PDT by Larry Lucido (Duncan Hunter 2008)
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To: potlatch

.

Long ago and far away!

This thread is getting the FR car buffs on it!

Esp. Cobras


79 posted on 06/21/2007 6:28:52 PM PDT by devolve ( _Illegal_Aliens_Killed_25_Americans_Each_Day _A_Mex_Illegal_Alien_Sold_911_Terrorists_IDs_)
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To: devolve

And in particular - devolve!! Right up your alley!


80 posted on 06/21/2007 6:32:22 PM PDT by potlatch (MIZARU_ooo_‹(•¿•)›_ooo_MIKAZARU_ooo_‹(•¿•)›_ooo_MAZARU_ooo_‹(•¿•)›_ooo_))
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