Shelby Cobra 289 (1964)

Of all the great 1960s sports cars, few are as influential or as infamous as the legendary Shelby Cobra. A fortunate partnership between AC and their lightweight British sports car and Le Mans-winning driver Carroll Shelby resulted in the latest Ford lightweight V-8 sitting in the European fettled chassis of the Ace.

The result of this transplant contributed enormously to Ford’s motorsport dominance of International Sports Car racing during the late 1960s. European chassis dynamics partnered with the power of the new V-8 meant that in competition trim, Cobras achieved an impressive record.

CSX-2448 was originally delivered to first owner, Paul Wood of Birmingham, Alabama on December 30th 1964 and is recognised by the Shelby American Automobile Club as one of 31 Independent competition cars.

Upon delivery, work immediately commenced by his highly respected friend and local mechanic Bob Wallace, who set out readying the car for the SCCA production-class race series. Wood and Wallace would go on to race the car successfully across the South Eastern United States. It proved to be quite the competitive car in 1965 & 1966.

Purchased by second owner, Pat Colletti of Arizona, in around 1973 who held onto the car for three short years before the most recent custodian, Pat Price, took ownership in 1976. Having purchased the car with the intention of rebuilding it for classic racing, it was instead kept in storage in California for what turned into 30 years!

In 2006, the circumstances were right for the restoration process to begin. Entrusting the work to Hall Fabrication & Racing of California who are a well-known and very experienced Shelby specialist restorer.

Receipts for the work total more than $470,000 and are included in the fully documented restoration, in one of CSX-2448’s two history folders. The restoration goal was to achieve the absolute highest quality result, with no expense spared, including the use of period-correct techniques wherever possible. The most recent owner aimed to preserve the originality of the car as much as possible.

As such, the car retains its original frame and the vast majority of its original body panels. It’s original footboxes remain along with the unrestored chassis plate, having never been removed. The Cobra’s bonnet and boot lid were restored without removing them from their tube frames, so that the original rivets remained undisturbed. Careful metalwork was performed where needed, and black lacquer paint was chosen to show off the quality of the bodywork.

This Cobra is fitted with numerous rare and desirable parts, such as new, old-stock Shelby American big brakes, twin aluminum fuel tanks, a differential cooler, 6 1/2″ and 8 1/2″ pin-drive magnesium Halibrand wheels. The KONI adjustable shocks were restored as well as the anti-roll bars and Shelby competition steering arms. The engine is a race-specification 289 running on Weber carburettors built by T.O.E. Performance of Suisun City, California. It is a 1964 289 five-bolt bell-housing engine, numbered C4OE-6015, correct for a 1965 Cobra. A rare five-bolt Cobra scatter shield is also fitted, while the current Shelby road-race headers are the ones that CSX2448 raced with in 1965.

Whilst a narrow-case Toploader gearbox is fitted for its increased durability, an original-style BorgWarner unit is also included with the car, as are its production-class hubs and brakes. The restoration was carried out with the intention of the end result being both competitive at concours events and on the race track, affording a Competition 289 Cobra experience on the road.

CSX2448 represents a very rare opportunity to acquire a fully restored and well documented independent-competition Cobra with period race history, making it your ticket to Goodwood, the Tour Auto and beyond!

Privately owned for more than 40 years and the subsequent comprehensive and historically sympathetic restoration make this an unrepeatable opportunity. CSX-2448 is available to view at our showrooms just outside London immediately.

Ownership History

• 1964 – Purchased new by Paul Wood of Birmingham, Alabama
• 1973 – Purchased by Pat Colletti of Tucson, Arizona
• 1976 – Purchased by Pat Price
• 2019 – Purchased by DK Engineering

Race History

• SCCA Regional, Louisiana, 1965, Wood, No. 4 (2nd Overall, 1st in A Production)
• SCCA National, Alabama, 1966, Wood, No. 72 (6th Overall, 2nd in A Production)
• SCCA Regional, Commissioner’s Cup, Alabama, 1966, Wood, No. 66 (2nd Overall, 1st in A Production)
• SCCA National, Confederate Grand Prix, Alabama, 1966, Wood, No. 72 (Result Unknown)
• SCCA National, Alabama, 1966, Wood, No. 72 (Result Unknown)
• SCCA Regional, Georgia, 1967, Wood (4th in B Production)
• SCCA Regional, 9th Annual Heart of Dixie, Alabama, 1967, No. 181 (DNS)
• SCCA Regional, Commissioner’s Cup, Alabama, 1967, Wood/Walker, No. 81 (Result Unknown)