Prototype 1965 Shelby Cobra 427 to hit Scottsdale auction block

[TruckDriver]

   This one will bring the big money! 

http://www.autoweek.com/article/20111202/COLLECTOR/111209969

Shelby American's original 1965 Shelby 427 Street Cobra prototype will be up for auction at the 2012 Russo and Steele auction on Jan. 18-22, 2012, in Scottsdale, Ariz.

According to the auction house, this 427 Cobra--chassis No. CSX 3127--was the fourth of the 260 original 427 Street Cobras created by Shelby. The car was built by Britain's Auto Carriers Ltd., like all Cobras, but it was the only one delivered to Shelby American by air; the rest were delivered by boat. CSX 3127 arrived first, in bare aluminum ready for Shelby to install a Ford 427 V8 engine.

[Aero426]

Yes it will.   That one is not just another 427 Cobra.

[gtx6970]

As if there  is such a thing as ' just another' shelby Cobra.

I rode in one once( aluminum bodied clone btw ),,, all I have to say is WOW.
2 big Holleys on a 427 side oiler and a 4 spd ----- HOOOOOLLLLLLLY CRAP , that thing wanted to go anywhere  but where he had it pointed, till it got traction then all hell broke loose and we went flying past 100MPH like it was nothing. probably the quickest I have ever been from zero to 100mph in my life.

so to anyone, if you ever get a chance to ride shotgun in one ,,,TAKE IT .
Personally I  don't advise driveing one till you are really comfortable with it

[Budnicks]

  I read a few years back now, that if I remember correctly, anyway, a few years back the 1st real "Shelby" Cobra 427 was kept by Carrol Shelby, in his private collection, the 2nd "real" 427 Cobra went to Bill Cosby {the comedian}, something like Zero mph to 100mph & back to Zero in 10 seconds, WOW, the 3rd "real" 427 Cobra went for like $5.5 Million, "I think it was", at Barret Jackson, Ron Pratt bought it, "I think", like in 2006-2007 Scottsdale Az. auction, Gaurdsman Blue & white stripes #3....  That is one beautiful beast there   , way beyond my wildest dreams, that's for sure...  Maybe I need to start playing the Lotto again...LOL...

[maxwellwedge]

Always one of my dream cars growing up!

[Darkman]

  $$$$$  $$$$$

[TruckDriver]

I read a few years back now, that if I remember correctly, anyway, a few years back the 1st real "Shelby" Cobra 427 was kept by Carrol Shelby, in his private collection, the 2nd "real" 427 Cobra went to Bill Cosby {the comedian}, something like Zero mph to 100mph & back to Zero in 10 seconds, WOW, the 3rd "real" 427 Cobra went for like $5.5 Million, "I think it was", at Barret Jackson, Ron Pratt bought it, "I think", like in 2006-2007 Scottsdale Az. auction, Gaurdsman Blue & white stripes #3....  That is one beautiful beast there   , way beyond my wildest dreams, that's for sure...  Maybe I need to start playing the Lotto again...LOL...

Those were the "Super Snake" supercharged Cobra's. And the rest your right about. The second one was bought from Bill Cosby, and then the car & driver went over a cliff with it.

[Mike DC]

 
I once read someone describing the experience of driving a big block Cobra:  "It's about as close as you can get to riding bareback on a V8 engine." 

[PocketThunder]

I once read someone describing the experience of driving a big block Cobra:  "It's about as close as you can get to riding bareback on a V8 engine." 

Probably similar to those v8 powered bikes.  what are they called? 

[General_01]

I once read someone describing the experience of driving a big block Cobra:  "It's about as close as you can get to riding bareback on a V8 engine." 

Probably similar to those v8 powered bikes.  what are they called? 

Boss Hoss bikes. V-8 powered bikes. Holy Cow!

http://www.bosshoss.com/view_bike.asp?x=BHC3LS300

[Vainglory, Esq.]

I read a few years back now, that if I remember correctly, anyway, a few years back the 1st real "Shelby" Cobra 427 was kept by Carrol Shelby, in his private collection, the 2nd "real" 427 Cobra went to Bill Cosby {the comedian}, something like Zero mph to 100mph & back to Zero in 10 seconds, WOW, the 3rd "real" 427 Cobra went for like $5.5 Million, "I think it was", at Barret Jackson, Ron Pratt bought it, "I think", like in 2006-2007 Scottsdale Az. auction, Gaurdsman Blue & white stripes #3....  That is one beautiful beast there   , way beyond my wildest dreams, that's for sure...  Maybe I need to start playing the Lotto again...LOL...

Those were the "Super Snake" supercharged Cobra's. And the rest your right about. The second one was bought from Bill Cosby, and then the car & driver went over a cliff with it.

Wait, time out!  What!?

[TruckDriver]

Yes, that is true. They also mentioned that when the car sold a B-J. That there is only one left of the 2 built.

[surmanajaja]

I read a few years back now, that if I remember correctly, anyway, a few years back the 1st real "Shelby" Cobra 427 was kept by Carrol Shelby, in his private collection, the 2nd "real" 427 Cobra went to Bill Cosby {the comedian}, something like Zero mph to 100mph & back to Zero in 10 seconds, WOW, the 3rd "real" 427 Cobra went for like $5.5 Million, "I think it was", at Barret Jackson, Ron Pratt bought it, "I think", like in 2006-2007 Scottsdale Az. auction, Gaurdsman Blue & white stripes #3....  That is one beautiful beast there   , way beyond my wildest dreams, that's for sure...  Maybe I need to start playing the Lotto again...LOL...

Those were the "Super Snake" supercharged Cobra's. And the rest your right about. The second one was bought from Bill Cosby, and then the car & driver went over a cliff with it.

Wait, time out!  What!?

yeah the cosby car was destroyed but it was rebuilt, last I saw it was in england, now with twin-turbos in place of the paxton superchargers.

[surmanajaja]

http://www.topspeed.com/cars/shelby/1967-shelby-cobra-427-super-snake-ar25745.html

[bull]

yeah the cosby car was destroyed but it was rebuilt, last I saw it was in england, now with twin-turbos in place of the paxton superchargers.

The driver, however, was not rebuilt and is currently pushing up daisies.

[Budnicks]

I read a few years back now, that if I remember correctly, anyway, a few years back the 1st real "Shelby" Cobra 427 was kept by Carrol Shelby, in his private collection, the 2nd "real" 427 Cobra went to Bill Cosby {the comedian}, something like Zero mph to 100mph & back to Zero in 10 seconds, WOW, the 3rd "real" 427 Cobra went for like $5.5 Million, "I think it was", at Barret Jackson, Ron Pratt bought it, "I think", like in 2006-2007 Scottsdale Az. auction, Gaurdsman Blue & white stripes #3....  That is one beautiful beast there   , way beyond my wildest dreams, that's for sure...  Maybe I need to start playing the Lotto again...LOL...

Those were the "Super Snake" supercharged Cobra's. And the rest your right about. The second one was bought from Bill Cosby, and then the car & driver went over a cliff with it.

Thanks, I did not know or remember that part of the story anyway, my memory is good sometimes & bad others, I think I have "sometimers"...LOL.....

[Vainglory, Esq.]

Whoa.  Did not know that story.  Although having driven many of the curvy roads on the Pacific coast, I can imagine how a car like that would end up underwater.  No traction + no guardrail = horrific results.

Although when I originally read it, I thought maybe a dramatic suicide or something.  Guess this is slightly better.

[Budnicks]

Didn't Carroll Shelby build a couple Cobra's 1-2-3 tops maybe with the 427ci SOHC Hemi engines   , I kind of remember reading that some were...   I listened to Bill Cosby's old album {remember those vinyl things, with a hole in the center that made sound? LOL} a few weeks ago at a friends house, he talked about his special built Cobra on it, funny as hell, if you ever get a chance to hear/listen to it...

[Aero426]

As if one 427 Cobra in your garage isn't enough, here is one of the seller's other Cobras.   This one is also a 427 but with the very attractive narrow hip rear body work.     This photo was taken at a local cruise night in Milwaukee.

[68X426]

There were 2 Super Snakes built, and they are tagged as 1966 models.

Here's the $5.5 million winner (Ron Pratte) from BJ Scottsdale in 2007 (right off their website). The BJ story includes Cosby and the infamous cliffdriver:


Barrett-Jackson Lot: 1301 - 1966 SHELBY COBRA 427 "SUPER SNAKE"
 
Lot Number:  1301  

Auction:  SCOTTSDALE 2007  
Status:  SOLD  
Sale Type:  NO RESERVE  
Price:  *$5,500,000.00  
Year:  1966  
Make:  SHELBY  
Model:  COBRA 427  
Style:  "SUPER SNAKE"  
VIN:  CSX3015  
Exterior Color:  DARK BLUE  
Interior Color:  BLACK  
Cylinders:  V8  
Engine Size:  427  
Transmission:  3-SPEED AUTOMATIC  

Summary:  The Cobra to end all Cobras. CSX 3015 is 1 of 2 Super Snake Cobras built and the only one built for Carroll Shelby. CSX 3015 is absolutely the real deal.  

Details:  Cobra To End All Cobras. CSX 3015 is absolutely the real deal. CSX 3015 is one of only 23 427 competition roadsters built.

On September 7, 1965, CSX 3015 was shipped and invoiced to Ford Advanced Vehicles, England, as a 427 Cobra Competition roadster together with CSX 3014 (another 427 Cobra Competition) and two R-model Shelby's (5R107 and 5R209) for a European promotional tour. It returned back from Europe in late 1966 still as a 427 Cobra Competition. Sometime early to mid-1967, CSX 3015 was transformed into the Super Snake and reclassified as 427 Cobra Semi-Competition (S.C.). The reason was quite simple; a 427 Cobra Competition didn't have mufflers, windshield, bumpers, etc. It was a race car only and not street legal. Although many SC's were raced and never saw a public road- all 427 Cobra SC's had titles and were legal to drive on public roads. 427 competition and SC Cobras have different hips and noses. The February 1968 Road & Track pictures clearly show the hips and nose of a 427 competition roadster, not an SC.

As history shows, CSX 3015 is one of two Super Snake Cobras built. The other being CSX 3303 built for Bill Cosby. CSX 3303 was a 1967 427 street car retained by Shelby American as a PR car and then made into a Super Snake for Bill Cosby. Cosby's record album titled "200 MPH" attests to the fact of why he only drove it once before returning it to Shelby American. Shelby American sold it to S and C Motors in San Francisco, who then sold it to their customer, Tony Maxey. Maxey destroyed himself and CSX 3303 by driving off of a cliff and into the Pacific Ocean.

I now have had a ten year ownership history with an original, un-molested 427 Cobra Competition CSX 3017. When CSX 3015 arrived home, CSX 3017 was already on jack stands for comparison. After thorough inspection, CSX 3015 is a full Competition Roadster, still retaining its original body with its 1967 aluminum 'Super Snake' hood. Steve Davis and I scraped through two layers of paint; black and Viking blue to find its' brilliant Guardsman Blue. It has its original date coded 1965 Competition Girling CR and BR calipers. It still has its 427 Competition 377 rear end with its original rear end oil cooler and pumps. Unbelievably, it still has its original 1965 date coded engine block, 5M17, December 17, 1965. I found that 3015 still had its original headers with its original chromed side pipes that had been spray painted flat black! In fact, I found CSX 3015 so 'period original' I have opted to renew instead of restore.

Why is CSX 3015 so historically significant? Carroll Shelby. He built at a time when Americans were just Americans and proud to be Americans. He told me he built it just to see how fast it was and he told me it was a Monster that threw belts off on a regular basis. How cool is that!  

http://www.barrett-jackson.com/application/onlinesubmission/lotdetails.aspx?ln=1301&aid=221&pop=0

[TruckDriver]

Thanks for posting that 

[Budnicks]

You the man Dan