The 2004 Ford Shelby Cobra Concept Is Heading to Auction at Monterey

Amongst the many aspirations of Carroll Shelby later in his existence was to establish a fashionable Cobra. With the primary AC-dependent sporting activities car acquiring come to be a precious classic—in spite of the ready availability of far more inexpensive knockoffs—Shelby felt the new millenium held guarantee for a Cobra revival. The famed automotive designer teamed up with Ford to establish a absolutely purposeful prototype and introduced their collaboration at the 2003 Pebble Seashore Concours d’​Elegance. The Ford Shelby Cobra Concept would make its debut months afterwards at the 2004 North American Global Vehicle Show.

Chris Theodore, former Ford Vice President of Products Improvement, and J Mays, Team Vice President of Product or service Style and design in collaboration with Carroll Shelby, took demand of the structure and establish. Provided the code identify “Daisy,” the Ford Shelby Cobra Strategy came to fruition in 2004 and debuted at the Detroit Car Exhibit that exact calendar year. Now 17 decades afterwards, the 1-off concept will be crossing the auction block for the 1st time and is heading to Mecum Auctions in August.

An all-aluminum space body chassis underpins the Ford Shelby Cobra Concept alongside with a bespoke billet aluminum front structure. The impartial front and rear suspension factors are from a Ford GT, and it will come equipped with Brembo cross-drilled and ventilated discs with four-piston monoblock calipers. This just one-of-a-sort sports motor vehicle is completed in Tungsten Gray and rides on unique seven-spoke BBS billet wheels sporting tailor made BFGoodrich racing tires.

Beneath the hood, a 6.4-liter aluminum V-10(!) with dry-sump lubrication mated to a six-speed, rear-mounted Ricardo transaxle drives the rear wheels. The hand-built thought packs 605 horsepower and is to some degree equivalent conceptually to the Dodge Viper—a vehicle that, apparently enough, was in element motivated by the primary Cobra. A a person-piece hydraulically operated tilting hood allows for contemplative gazes at the bespoke motor and chassis.

For rigidity and to cope with the needs of a significant-effectiveness car, the system is built of double-wall fiberglass with a foam main. Other exterior highlights include things like carbon fiber rocker panels, splitters, rear diffuser, and billet aluminum A-pillars. The tailor made interior features a billet aluminum dashboard, headrests, carbon fiber trim, and leather-based upholstered carbon-fiber Sparco racing seats with four-issue seatbelts.

Carroll Shelby drove the 2004 Ford Shelby Cobra Principle for much more than 150 miles at Irwindale Speedway in California. Showing no signals of slowing at the age of 81, Shelby did substantial-pace runs all around the keep track of and topped it off with donuts on the infield. Immediately after testing the motor vehicle, Shelby gave Daisy his famous signature of acceptance. Former MotorTrend editor Matt Stone was there for the wild ride and would later get powering the wheel.

Chris Theodore, who now owns the Shelby Cobra Strategy, bought it in November 2017. The proceeds from the sale went to the restoration of the Honest Lane mansion, the home of Henry and Clara Ford. Ford disabled the powertrain for liability factors prior to the sale, as numerous producers do when selling automobiles that were never ever licensed for street use. Theodore utilized his deep expertise of the principle and contacts in the business to restore the car or truck to managing situation, putting in a new transmission output shaft, twin-plate clutch, flywheel, and wiring harness. He even managed to get the automobile registered for legal road use. The new purchaser will be capable to title and license this priceless thought motor vehicle for the street.

Included in the sale are a certification from the Shelby Registry, a Letter of Authenticity from Ford Motor Business, a detailed create e book offered to Ford COO Nick Sheele, and a assortment of photographs taken for the duration of layout and development.

Returning to the website in which Shelby and Ford originally announced their collaboration, 1 lucky customer will have a prospect to generate (or trailer) the “final Shelby Cobra” residence when it hits the auction block at Monterey Automobile Week 2021. The special one particular-off piece of historical past, restored under the watchful eye of its unique chief engineer and managing as perfectly as when Carroll Shelby himself drove and signed it, “Daisy” is predicted to provide in as substantially as $3 million.