Shelby Cobra CSX4000 Series, 1965
Shelby Cobra I
Shelby Cobra I•
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Chassis No.: CSX4221
- Exterior: Shelby Blue
- Interior: Black
- Odometer reads 1,800 miles
- Signed by Carroll Shelby
- Racing set up including suspension, brakes and tank
- Very rare Shelby-built engine, (1 of 22), 427 CI side oiler with Vortech supercharger
- 725 HP and 600 lb-ft of torque
- Tremec 5-speed manual transmission
- Stored inside in temperature-controlled building
- Classic Shelby Blue with White striping
- Black interior
- Black bucket seats with racing harnesses
- Shelby Automobiles Statement of Origin
- Dyno sheets
- Miscellaneous invoices
Carroll Shelby’s thundering Cobra remains the single most important American performance icon of the 20th century. Rooted in the brilliant racing career and boundless grit of its creator, Le Mans-winning driver Carroll Shelby, the Cobra singlehandedly vaulted Ford Motor Company’s fledgling “Total Performance” corporate racing program onto the international stage and marked a crucial step in Ford’s eventual dominance over archrival Ferrari at Le Mans during the 1960s. Although the original small-block Cobra—initially with 260 CI and then 289 CI V-8 engines—was proven and immensely successful through 1964, more power was required to stay competitive.
Shelby’s stalwart driver and engineer, Ken Miles, spearheaded the development of the ultimate Cobra, one with big-block 427 Ford power. While powerful, proven and reliable at 500 HP and well beyond, the iron block-and-head 427 was so much heavier that a complete redesign of the Cobra’s chassis was required to maintain proper handling. As a result, the new Cobra chassis measured 5 inches wider and coil springs all around replaced the small-block car’s transverse leaf springs. Development assistance from Ford’s engineering department helped make the new 427 Cobra a winner.
FIA homologation requirements and rule changes, Ford’s competing GT40—which Shelby American developed into a Le Mans winner—and the Cobra roadster’s aerodynamic limitations rendered it obsolete for international competition. However, 427 Cobras were perfectly eligible for the top SCCA (Sports Car Club of America) A-Production class, where they utterly dominated their opposition, usually Corvettes. By 1964, the SCCA had evolved a method of selecting their national champions, with the winner in each geographic division pitted against all of the other winners for a final shoot-out: the ARRC or American Road Race of Champions.
Usually sweeping the podium wherever they entered, the era’s top drivers campaigned 427 Cobras. In particular, Dick Smith of Fresno, California, took three consecutive A-Production ARRCs (1965, 1966 and 1967) in his 427 Cobra and set the mark for the fastest production sports car at the 1967 Daytona ARRC with a blistering 198.047 MPH top-end charge. Shelby’s big-block cars were never mass-produced, with just 343 built of all variations, including 29 S/C (Semi-Competition) Cobras converted into thinly disguised racing Cobras for the street.
In all forms, the 427 Cobra was a mighty racing car and virtually unbeatable on the road with brutal performance in all respects that continues to surpass most modern supercars while delivering an unforgettably visceral driving experience bordering on sensory overload. However, accidents and hard driving claimed many early on. With demand far outstripping available supply for decades, hard-core enthusiasts seeking the ultimate power trip fueled demand for new “continuation” Cobras.
Thankfully, Shelby Automobiles answered the call beginning in 1995, beginning with limited production of its 1000, 4000 and 6000-series Continuation Cobras, with all bearing Shelby “CSX” serial numbers and Carroll Shelby’s signature on their Manufacturer's Statement of Origin (MSO). Numbered CSX4221 and listed in the Shelby American World Registry, this particularly awesome supercharged 427 Cobra features a classic Shelby Blue paint finish, complemented by white Le Mans stripes and a black interior. Massive power is delivered by a very rare, Shelby-built 427 CI side-oiler V-8 equipped with a Vortech supercharger.
Developing 725 HP and 600 lb-ft of torque, the wicked 427 sends the power to the pavement with a Tremec 5-speed manual transmission and OEM Trigo wheels mounting huge Goodyear radials tires. Consistent with its competition-inspired look that includes flared fenders, quick-jacks, side pipes, bucket seats, racing harnesses, a pop-up fuel cap and a driver’s roll bar, the Cobra features a racing setup including the suspension, brakes and fuel tank. Benefiting from storage inside a temperature-controlled building, CSX4221 is offered with just 1,800 miles. Documents include dyno sheets and miscellaneous invoices, plus the Shelby Automobiles Statement of Origin.
Graced by the autograph of Cobra creator Carroll Shelby and recognized by the Shelby Registry, CSX4221 combines pure Shelby heritage with extremely desirable specifications, making for undeniable collectability and, of course, tire-shredding performance far beyond the original 427 S/C cars of the 1960s.
https://www.mecum.com/lots/520483/1965-shelby-cobra-csx4000-series/
