Vehicle Description
No car guy/gal's bucket list is complete without a Shelby Cobra.
You could rattle off 50 other cars and you'd still get have
incomplete list without one in the pack. It's the most recognizable
sports car ever built, and faithful copies can be found at every
price point, from DIY garage kits to high-end professional builds
like this absolutely stunning Jet Black 1965 Shelby Cobra MK4
Roadster. With a thundering Ford Racing Factories Boss 427 V8, a
TKO 6-speed manual, a NASA-inspired round-tube frame, and
sports-tuned suspension all in tow, it's one of the most impressive
A/C replicas we've ever seen.
This fantastic-looking snake was produced by the pros at Hangar 18
Motorsports, who took a high-end Factory Five hand-laid fiberglass
body and expertly finished it in the classic MK4 Cobra look. The
gorgeous bodywork is tougher and more durable that anything AC
Cobra had running around in 1965, with thick, modern fiberglass
materials reinforced with energy-absorbing crumple zones from front
to rear, a custom 4-inch round-tube frame, and a steel cage
enveloping the cockpit and foot boxes. This roadster was
purpose-built to be light, nimble, and racetrack-ready with all
that performance DNA under its skin, but it also had a ton of work
and money spent on safety features that inspire a lot more
confidence behind the wheel than many of its contemporaries. All
the iconic bits and pieces that make the Cobra a perennial favorite
are in place, and the low, crouching wide-body design looks like
it's going 150MPH just sitting still. Coat after coat of Jet Black
paint was laid down with expert care to a concourse-quality level
when the car was built, and with only 6,057 miles on the build the
finish is still borderline show-quality, with only the most minor
of imperfections to be seen (a tiny scuff or two that are hidden in
the door jamb and could easily be buffed out). Whoever is first to
scratch this baby will surely regret it, as the miles-deep paint is
so lustrous and elegant it's almost a shame to touch it with oily
hands. White Le Mans stripes were painted on and buried under the
clearcoat to match the quality of the rest of the car, and with a
subtle hood scoop, raked windshield, fender gills, and blacked-out
side-pipes (an additional set of baffled side pipes are also
available), the curb appeal is off-the-charts. A lone black roll
hoop is classic, as is the quick-release racing fuel cap, plus
blacked-out 'jack-stand' bumperettes front and rear that look
race-ready, and those trick Talbot-style side mirrors that all work
to complete the killer look. Take a look at the pictures again and
try to convince yourself that you don't want this car...we dare
you.
Inside you've got a pair of black bucket seats in the all-business,
race-ready cabin. Simpson 4-point racing seatbelts hold you in
place while a Shelby-style wood-rimmed steering wheel with a Cobra
center cap swiftly takes in all of your commands. A full complement
of AutoMeter ProComp gauges let you know exactly what's going on in
the engine compartment, and they've been cleverly installed inside
the padded dashboard along with chrome toggles. And taller drivers
don't have to worry, because the foot boxes are lower and longer
than most models and the black vinyl seats are plush, making this
is one of the more comfortable Cobras we've driven. We love the way
the white stripes adorn the top of the dash, the position of
cowl-mounted mirror, and the forward-canted shifter that manages
The Tremec TKO 5-speed manual gearbox falls easily to hand. No
radio, no heater or A/C, - and if you need those things you'd
probably better off in something other than a Cobra anyway - and
there's even a special Hangar 18 fire extinguisher to remind
everyone that this is no child's plaything. Plush black carpets
line the well-insulated floors that are also topped with correct
Shelby Cobra floormats, and there's even a surprisingly spacious
trunk out back that was finished to match.
Cobras were all about big power, and nothing delivers a big hit of
torque like the Ford Racing Factories Boss 427 'Eagle' V8 crate
motor installed up front. As Ford's premier iron-block 427, it
features 4-bolt mains, AK forged internals, Ford Racing aluminum
heads, and a Holley 750CFM double-pumper carburetor atop an
Edelbrock Performer RPM intake that all work together to 535HP and
545 lb/ft of torque. It's tuned right and runs great, and thanks to
finned Cobra valve covers, an open-element air cleaner, and an
aluminum radiator, the looks match the performance. The custom
chassis is a work of art, with tubular control arms,
rack-and-pinion steering, coilovers all-around, and a Ford Racing
fully-independent rear end with quad shocks and an Auburn
limited-slip rear with 3.27 gears inside. The Tremec TKO 5-speed is
a killer off-the-line that can still handle highway speeds, and
with Wilwood 4-wheel disc brakes with drilled rotors it stops on a
dime as well. And, of course, what Cobra would be complete without
a set of ceramic-coated headers and howling side pipes, with these
sounding especially luscious because they're being fed by such a
snarling 427. Gorgeous 15-inch Halibrand-style wheels fill the
wheel wells thanks to 215/65/15 front and 235/60/15 rear BFGoodrich
T/A white-letter radials.
You couldn't build this awesome Cobra for our asking price, and
even if you could you'd have to wait. This roadster is incredible,
it's beautifully built, it looks great, and you can drive it home
today. Call now!
Please note this automobile is titled as a 2013 ASVE.
