Skim through the roster of almost any historic racing event these days and there’s a good chance you’ll come across a Shelby Cobra or two. These formidable beasts have been the enemy of its European rivals since its unusual inception back in the early 1960s, which would see Carroll Shelby go from talented racer to pioneering entrepreneur. Between 1961 and 1968, a total of 655 Shelby Cobra 289s were produced, with this incredible example from Grand Prix Classics sitting directly in the middle of its lifespan, and quickly made a name for itself on its home soil across the US race scene.
Upon its completion in 1964, this Shelby was shipped to Los Angeles to be sold via Dills Motor Company for $5,195, a value of over $50,000 in today’s money. Although pricier than many other offerings at the time, the car didn’t stick on the forecourt for long, and was snapped up by Cliff Black, where the car gets its first taste of competition in the SCCA B production races in Nelson Ledges and Mid-Ohio. Built upon the underpinnings of the AC Ace, a small and extremely agile roadster, of which Shelby acquired following AC’s lack of engine supplier, the Shelby Cobra had far more than just good handling to showcase, thanks to the brute hiding under the car’s long bonnet. Ford’s highly capable 289 V8 engine was as reliable as it was powerful, matching perfectly to create a race car that, in the right hands of someone who was brave enough to tame it, was simply unstoppable.
After a string of other custodians, the car was purchased by Lorne Leible, where it joined a fleet alongside a factory 427 Competition Cobra. Lorne sent the car to Curt Vogt of Cobra Automotive, a true master of the craft and the go-to when it comes to restoring and preserving a period-raced Cobra. Following a complete bare metal restoration of the body and paint, as well as a full mechanical rebuild, this Black over Black racer was ready for its second-coming, claiming the fastest lap in its class at Laguna Seca and was a consistent winner at the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion.
If it’s a race ready piece of American racing royalty you’re longing for this year, this Cobra may just be the best investment, and thanks to its incredible documentation of its in-period endeavours, the car is eligible to stun crowds at events such as the Velocity Invitational, Goodwood Revival and Le Mans Classic and many more! The big question is, are you ready to tame this black beast?
