AC Cobra 289 (1966)

1966 AC Cobra 289 'Mark II' Roadster

'The Cobra was Carroll Shelby's dream car. And Carroll Shelby – and maybe only Carroll Shelby – was the person who made it happen. Granted, he came along at the right time, but he followed through. When opportunity knocks, you don't want to be outback in the outhouse.' – Richard J Kopec, 'Shelby American Guide' 1978.

Rightly regarded as one of the all-time great classic sports cars, the muscular, fire-breathing Cobra succeeded in capturing the hearts of enthusiasts like few of its contemporaries. Convinced that a market existed for a sports car combining European chassis engineering and American V8 power, Le Mans-winning Texan racing driver Carroll Shelby concocted an unlikely alliance between AC Cars and the Ford Motor Company. The former's Ace provided the simple twin-tube chassis frame - designed by John Tojeiro - into which was persuaded one of Ford's lightweight, small-block V8s. It was discovered that the latter was lighter than the six-cylinder Ford Zephyr unit that AC was using yet with vastly greater potential. To cope with the projected power increase, the Ace chassis was strengthened with heavier gauge tubing and supplied fitted with four-wheel disc brakes. Weighing a mere 1½cwt more than a Bristol-engined Ace yet endowed with double the power and torque, the Cobra turned in a breathtaking performance, racing to 60mph in 4.4 seconds and reaching the 'ton' in under 12, exceptional figures by early 1960s standards and none too shabby even today.

The 260ci (4.2-litre) prototype first ran in January 1962, with production commencing later that year. Exclusively for the USA initially, Cobras - minus engines - were sent from England to be finished off by Shelby in California, and it was not until late in 1963 that AC Cars in Thames Ditton got around to building the first fully finished cars to European specification. After 75 cars had been built, the 289ci (4.7-litre) unit was standardised in 1963. Rack-and-pinion steering was the next major up-date; then in 1965 a new, stronger, coil-suspended chassis was introduced to accommodate Ford's 427ci (7.0-litre) V8, an engine that in race trim was capable of producing well in excess of 400bhp. Wider bodywork, extended wheelarch flares and a bigger radiator intake combined to create the definitive - and much copied - Cobra 427 look. Only 1,000-or-so Cobras of all types were built between 1962 and 1967, but such was the model's enduring popularity that production was resumed in 1982 under the auspices of Brooklands-based Autokraft.

Please note, this vehicle is no longer for sale.

‘COB 6054’ was built in right-hand drive and delivered new in February of 1966 to Victor Talfourd-Cook of Reading, Berkshire with the registration mark ‘JGF 282D’. Talfourd-Cook would retain the car for a few years before his sale in the late 1960s to notable British businessman, Amschel Rothschild of the Rothschild banking family of England.

A keen and talented racer, Rothschild owned several other notable cars including a Maserati 250F and a BRM P25 F1 car; his competition prowess saw him take the chequered flag at the Peter Collins Memorial Trophy Race at Silverstone in 1996.

Purchased by its longest term keeper in 1978, the Cobra would remain in single ownership for 37 years. Owned by another experience racer, the car was purchased through John Harper in 1978 and converted the car from right to left hand drive by Brian Angliss ahead of the move to its new residence in Denmark. The invoice for the conversion along with the ‘78 purchase invoice and previous V5 in Rothschild’s name is on file.

Its most recent previous keeper acquired the Cobra in 2015 and subjected the car to a meticulous restoration, the primary concern being the preservation of originality. A task diligently carried out without exception, today the car presents superbly, retaining the warmth of its originality but with the usability of a mechanical overhaul. A letter on file documents the works carried out by the previous owner. The engine is understood to be original with the correct casting dates. Subsequently this Cobra has seen a lightly upgraded oil cooler and move to Weber carburettors, although its wholly reversible.

The car retains its original cylinder block and original-specification T10L gearbox, and comes with full weather equipment and a hardtop. The current custodian's private registration mark 'TVH2' will be retained and the car will revert to 'JGF 272D' as supplied.

Today this example is offered for sale from the DK Engineering private collection, purchased to fill the void left after the sale of the co-founders previous Cobra in the early 1970s, this example has been used sparingly in the summer months. This Cobra is available to view at our showrooms outside London immediately.