by A. Wayne Ferens
Published 3.04.26
CSX (Carrol Shelby Experimental) 2000 was constructed by AC Cars in Thames Ditton, Surrey, England by modifying an aluminum bodied AC Ace with direct input from Shelby. The chassis was assembled with a limited-slip Salisbury rear end, inboard rear disc brakes, thicker walled 3-inch main chassis tubes and reinforced suspension. After installing a Ford Fairlane 221 cu.in. V8 and standard transmission Carroll Shelby and AC's engineers tested the prototype at the MIRA track in England with surprising results. With engine and trans removed CSX2000 was immediately shipped to Los Angeles LAX and within days had a new Ford 260 Fairlane engine and a Borg-Warner T-10 4-speed transmission installed at Dean Moon's shop in Santa Fe Springs, CA. Two months later in April 1962, CSX 2000 MKI painted by customizer Dean Jeffries a Pearlescent yellow made its first public appearance at the New York Auto Show.
Soon the Cobra was getting favorable reviews and in 1963 Shelby entered three cars at the Sebring race fitted with 289 V8s and MKII chassis updates. Away from the track the public became aware of the Cobra (CSX 2128) by appearing on the cover of the 1963 LP "Hey Little Cobra" by the Rip Chords and the movie 'Spinout' starring Elvis Presley and CSX 3012.
Over the next several years, Shelby American, Inc. now operating out of their new shop in Venice, California assembled 655 of the small block Cobra's as street and competition sports cars. SAI moved into their first shop located at 1042 Princeton Dr., Venice, CA in the summer of 1962. In this 10,860 sq.ft. facility Shelby produced the iconic Cobra street and competition cars, the Cobra Daytona Coupe', the Mustang GT350 cars including the 'R' model, the first 427 Cobras and the first GT40 cars that were modified and updated for FIA Sports Prototype competition. Today, Shelby enthusiasts still gather at the site with their cars to reminisce about the 'good old days'...
For 1965 a new chassis was designed by Shelby & Ford in Dearborn and AC Cars for what would become the (MKIII) platform for the Cobra 427 with the goal of homologation for the racing season that year. Until the new MKIII chassis arrived a MKII leaf spring, rack & pinion steering chassis CSX 2196 became the test mule using a Ford big block 390 engine. With Ken Miles doing the initial testing several problems quickly became apparent including poor handling, questionable durability, over heating concerns and brake problems. The first two MKIII unfinished and unpainted aluminum body cars would arrive at SAI in October, 1964.
The newly designed MKIII chassis was built on a 5-inch wider frame using 4-inch main chassis tubes and coil spring suspension all around. A total of 343 coil spring 427 Cobras were made. These numbers include street cars, special builds, competition cars and semi-competition roadsters. The light weight aluminum body may seem similar, was significantly different from the MKII that included much wider fenders, larger brakes and a bigger grill opening for more engine cooling. The change was so radical that only the hood, trunk and windshield were interchangeable with earlier Cobras.
Cobra MKIII (CSX 3100-3200) production began on January 1, 1965 and were initially intended to be made and sold as 'Competition' models. Unfortunately, the MKIII missed homologation for the '65 racing season and was not raced by the Shelby team. Only 51 of the 100 planned FE 427 side-oiler 480 horsepower with 4V Holley carburetor cars were produced by April 1965. Some were sold to SCCA racers and exported to Europe. Of those 31, unsold competition models were detuned and fitted with windscreens for street use and called the S/C 427 for 'Semi-Competition.' Some Cobra 427s (CSX3101-3360) were fitted with Fords 7.0-liter (428 cu.in.) engine, a long stroke, smaller bore, lower cost engine that Ford produced intended for road use. Shelby provided other options available for the Cobra upon request. With the 'Comp' package installed the Cobra could accelerate 0-60 mph in a blistering 4 seconds.
During this time Carroll Shelby had several 'irons in the fire' building and racing Cobras, Mustang GTs, marketing performance equipment as well as working with Ford in Dearborn committed to GT40 Sports Prototype development. Outgrowing the Venice shop Ford & SAI leased operations near the southern edge of LAX airport in January 1965 to support Shelby's expanding operation. In the long run the AC Cobra program was a financial failure. By late 1967 Ford and Carroll Shelby discontinued importing cars from England. Fords racing GT program was winding down and Shelby Mustang GT production was shifting to Detroit. By the fall of '67 Ford pulled the plug at SAI's LAX operation.
As years passed the prices for a genuine Cobra of any type was on the rise. Shelby decided to cash in on some unused chassis numbers in 1991, and offered what are now referred to as Competition Cobras. Only nine were completed and sold and the California Department of Motor Vehicles would only issue the cars titles stamped for off-road use.
1965 Cobra CSX 3018 a Competition model was one of the first built with the FE 427 4V side-oiler modified to produce 480 horsepower @ 6500 rpm and 510 ft-lb of torque @ 3700 rpm. This cobra is fitted with a small windscreen, magnesium wheels, roll bar, side exhaust and today is valued at $3-4 million dollars. Originally it was priced around $10,000.00.
The 1965 CSX3171 S/C is truly a rare one with only 16000 miles and still has all of its original major components. The car was completed at SAI in January 1966 and was delivered to Jack Lotus Ford in Chicago with a list price of $6343.00 including shipping. This car features a dual quad intake with 8V Holley carbs, 4-speed top loader transmission, original 'Sunburst' cast aluminum wheels designed by Peter Brock - with side exhaust, hood scoop and roll bar delete. **
In 2003 Ford Motor Company and Carroll Shelby resumed ties and he became technical advisor to the Ford GT project that was produced in 2005. In that same year, he formed Carroll Shelby International, Inc., based in Nevada. Shelby was inducted into the Automotive Hall of Fame in 1992. Carroll Shelby passed away on May 10, 2012, at the age of 89.
** At that time I was working at Ford with the Engine & Foundry Division on the race program. One day a car carrier pulled into the Dearborn Proving Grounds and dropped off a red 427 S/C Cobra like the one pictured CSX3171. I was told it needed to be evaluated for quality, safety and performance because Ford supplied its major components and had its reputation to consider. They only had to ask once....
Bibliography:
427 Tech Report G+T Equip. Co.
Shelby Promotional Literature
Road & Track May 1965
Cobra and Shelby Mustang by Wallace Wyss
Legendary Motor Co.
Cobra 427 Instruction Manual
Photos: Ferens collection
