THE 427 S/C COBRA
It was classic Carroll Shelby, a delightfully mad idea made even madder: take the already ferocious 289 Cobra . . . and “upgrade” it with a 427. Ford’s engineering department assisted in redeveloping the Cobra platform to take the massive powerhouse, re-engineering the chassis to be five inches wider, and mounting coil springs all around. To contain wider wheels and tires, the body swelled with menacing fender bulges, as if it could barely conceal the throbbing 500 hp being produced by the cast-iron 427 V-8 within.
The car is accompanied by a selection of related documentation, including a copy of the original sales invoice, its SAAC Cobra Registry entry, and various communications and restoration information from Mr. McCluskey. In his words, “CSX 3040 now exhibits about as perfect an example as you can get of all the S/C Cobras in existence today.” That is high praise from a man who has known many of them, and a testament to the irreplaceable greatness that is this particular Cobra. It has no stories, exquisite purity, and a superb restoration – all that one could wish for.
