Vehicle Description
Automotive history has had its fair share of interesting
characters, and Carroll Shelby will go down in history as one of
the most colorful of them all. He had a successful, albeit
short-lived career as a world-class racing driver, but his
influence as a manufacturer and deal-maker is still felt today. He
is among a small group of Americans to have found success in
European sports car racing, and he is part of an elite group of
American drivers to stand at the top step of the podium at Le Mans.
While his motorsport aspirations as a driver were cut short due to
a heart condition, his off-track exploits and creative business
partnerships are what made him a household name. With a Le Mans
victory, numerous SCCA wins and several world land-speed records
under his belt, Carroll Shelby was no doubt a keen driver with the
experience and fine-tuned ability to identify a truly good car.
Inspired by the likes of Sydney Allard before him, had the ambition
to sell a European-style sports car with American power that he
could aim directly at US enthusiasts eager to participate in sports
car racing. Shelby briefly considered Healey, but Donald Healey had
a perfectly good relationship with Austin. AC's beautiful and
fine-handling Ace Bristol deeply impressed Shelby, and he thought
that if he could wedge a V8 in there, he might just create the
ideal sports car for American buyers. The timing was perfect for AC
as well, whose supply of proven Bristol engines was soon to dry up,
and Ruddspeed-tuned Ford Zephyr six was proving to be quite
fragile. Shelby had the persona of a down-home Texas chicken
farmer, but he was a shrewd businessman with a keen sense of
engineering. He had done his homework, carefully measuring various
engines and the AC chassis to ensure his plan was even feasible
before approaching Detroit executives. After his idea was rebuffed
by GM brass who didn't want to infringe on the Corvette, Ford was
all-ears to the concept. The new "Challenger" small block V8 had
just been introduced and the new head of passenger cars Lee Iacocca
was eager to erase Ford's stodgy image. A deal was struck, Ford
shipped a new 260 cubic inch thin-wall V8 to AC Cars of Thames
Ditton, and the first prototype soon came to life. While it may be
easy to say the rest is history - there was a considerable amount
of engineering work on behalf of AC Cars to properly develop and
strengthen the John Tojiero-designed chassis to handle what was, in
essence, double the output of the original AC six. The Cobra legend
was born when Dave MacDonald obliterated a field of Corvettes,
Jaguars, and Porsches at Riverside Raceway to give the new car its
first victory. Soon, American sports car enthusiasts were
scrambling to get their hands on this pretty little Anglo-American
hybrid. Like the man who created it, the Shelby Cobra became an
icon. In July 1964, Mark C. Tower purchased this car, CSX 2197 from
Crater Lake Motors in Medford, Oregon. According to the Shelby
Registry, the car was delivered in red over black leather and
equipped with the Class A accessories package, which included
chrome rocker covers, white sidewall tires, luggage rack, radio,
and 5-quarts of anti-freeze which brought the invoice total to
$5493.05. Mr. Tower owned the car briefly, and by 1966, CSX 2197
was held by Howard Nettleton of Tacoma, Washington. Shortly after
that, it went to John Stevens Jensen of California where it was
registered "VNN 794". Mr. Stevens owned the car for several years
until he was killed in a road accident in another Cobra. From 1981,
it passed through several more known short-term owners. Along the
way, it was noted to have just 9,700 miles on the odometer though
it did show some signs of past front-end damage. In the late 1980s,
CSX 2197 would find a long-term home with Bill Kemper, a highly
respected Cobra expert and restorer. In the early 1990s, he
embarked on a long-term restoration, working on the car as time
permitted, taking the utmost care as it was a personal project.
According to Mr. Kemper, the car had been unused since suffering a
relatively mild accident, and he believed the sub-10,000 miles on
the odometer to be accurate. He reported that the Cobra was
entirely stripped down, the chassis properly repaired and precisely
reinforced and updated based on Kemper's specifications by Baurle
Auto Sport of Addison, Il. The body was completely restored, with
great care given to preserving as much original alloy as possible.
The front outer panels from the doors forward were replaced, but
the doors, rear clip, footwells and engine bay panels are said to
be comprised of original metal, painstakingly restored to a very
high standard and returned to its original red color. Today it
presents in stunning condition, having been used gently in the
hands of its most recent owner. Kemper, of course, had the engine
balanced, blueprinted and completely rebuilt along with the gearbox
and rear differential. It extremely well-presented with much of the
original hardware restored and replated, and detailed with correct
labels and markings. It retains its correct, early-type Harrison
aluminum radiator as well as the generator which was unique to
these early Cobras. The interior is finished in black leather as
originally equipped and features correct Smiths gauges with the
wonderful Rotunda Tachometer to the left of the column (Shelby
switched to Stewart-Warner gauges and Ford electrics approximately
three cars later). The steering wheel and shift knob are also
correct for the car's original specification. This fabulous Cobra
has seen only light use since its world-class restoration was
completed, and the leather and upholstery remain in excellent
condition. Included in the sale is a full top and side-curtain set,
as well as the original early-type jack, firewall mounted grease
gun, and a set of restored King Dick spanners. Fully detailed and
immaculately presented, this is an outstanding early Cobra with
well-known provenance from new. It benefits from a meticulous,
3,000-plus hour restoration by a highly respected marque expert.
Beautiful, highly correct and an absolute thrill to drive, CSX 2197
is an exquisite Cobra, ideally suited for rallies and tours. For
additional details please view this listing directly on our website
https://hymanltd.com/vehicles/6241-1963-shelby-cobra-roadster/
