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Over the decades, the 289 cubic inch engine Cobra and
its big brother - the massive 427 S/C - have become the
epitome and envy of professional race car drivers and
racing enthusiasts. Less than 1,000 of the original aluminum-body
Cobras were manufactured worldwide. Today, these quickly
recognizable sports cars, with their flared fenders and
throaty side exhaust pipes, fetch anywhere from $140,000
to more than $200,000. Originally, they sold for under
$6,000.
You may never find an original Cobra, but for $80,000
to $140,000 and up, you can have one custom built at Carroll
Shelby's Shelby American Inc. factory in Las Vegas, NV.
Original blueprints are used to machine parts to exact
specifications. These are not kit cars with Cobra bodies
bolted onto Volkswagen chassis. They are the real things,
each coming with a manufacturer's serial number.
Shelby American builds 427 S/C and 289 models, minus the
engine and transmission. The cars are sent to an authorized
Shelby distributor, Finish Line Motorsports Inc. of Las
Vegas, for completion. At Finish Line, other custom components
can also be ordered.
Besides the classic Cobras, Shelby American builds its
new Series 1 Cobra. This vehicle is powered by a 320 horsepower
4 liter Oldsmobile Aurora V8. The body is lightweight
carbon fiber with a chassis constructed of tubular and
honey-comb aluminum.
While the classic 427 S/C goes from 0 to 60 mph in 4 seconds,
the Series 1 accelerates to 60 mph in just over 4 seconds.
The Series 1, which is completely built at Shelby America,
sells for $174,975. Production, according to Gary Patterson,
director of marketing and public relations, will end when
500 handmade vehicles are built.
"This is today's technology," Patterson says
of the new Series 1. "The Series 1 is a user-friendly
race car for the street." Shelby started manufacturing
the Series 1 and classic Cobras in 1996. The plant, which
is comprised of four buildings including a museum, occupies
160,000 square feet in the Las Vegas Motor Speedway industrial
park. The speedway is located approximately 5 1/2 miles
north on Interstate 15 past the Craig Road exit.
While the Series 1 only comes in a carbon fiber body,
classic Cobras are available in either a fiberglass or
aluminum body style. Pre-cast aluminum bodies are manufactured
in Poland, Paterson says. Hand rolled aluminum bodies
crafted from sheet aluminum can be built for an additional
cost of $49,500 per car.
Finish Line Motorsports also builds classic Cobras using
tooled parts from original designs. The authorized Shelby
dealer offers modifications such as a stronger triangular
chassis tubing roll cage, vented three-piston brake upgrades,
fuel injection instead of a standard four-barrel carburetor
and much more.
Roy Hunt, president of Finish Line, says a Cobra with
upgrades could easily cost from $100,000 to $200,000.
And everything is designed to original Cobra specifications.
"I could take this wiring harness and put it in an
actual 1965 Cobra and it would fit," Hunt says. "When
people buy our cars, they are buying the real Cobra."
Hunt estimates his seven-man crew completes about 20 Cobras
a year. Each vehicle takes an average of 500 man-hours
to complete with some custom models requiring 1,500 man-hours.
Finish Line Motorsports was formed in January 1997 to
sell components for Shelby American, Hunt says. He feels
that the new Cobras, with higher quality components and
upgrades, run better and faster and are safer than the
1960 models.
"The original Cobras were built to race," Patterson
says. "Now, we are building them to race quality,
but with more comforts and to be driven everyday (on the
street)." Soon, the classic 427 S/C body style Cobra
will be back on the professional racing circuit, thanks
to the efforts of Finish Line Motorsports.
The Shelby Cobra Challenge Senior Racing Series, featuring
such retired drivers as Mario Andretti, Emerson Fittipaldi,
Bob Bondurant and Bobby Unser will be participating in
Cobra support races in CART weekends at Portland, Road
America, Cleveland and Laguna Seca and the Winston Cup
weekend at Watkins Glen.
The Challenge Cobra cars will have 351 cubic inch Ford
engines putting out approximately 450 horsepower. The
cars will be certified by SCCA Pro Racing and have modified
safety equipment such as: specially triangulated and reinforced
chassis, racing brake systems, SCCA approved roll bar
system, collapsible steering columns, an onboard fire
safety system, etc.
For more information, contact:
Shelby American Inc., 6755 Speedway Blvd., Las Vegas,
NV. 89115.
Phone: (702) 643-3000. Fax: (702) 643-5777.
Web Site: www.shelbyamerican.com
Finish Line Motorsports Inc., 6975 Speedway Blvd., Suite
D-101, Las Vegas, NV. 89115. Phone: (702) 643-7994.
Fax: (702) 643-7972
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