For Sale: 1965 Shelby CSX 9000 Daytona Cobra in Irvine, California

In 1964, Carroll Shelby asked renowned fabricator John Ohlsen to lengthen the chassis of one of the six Shelby Daytona Coupes to replace the 289 small block engine with a NASCAR inspired big block. The experimental racecar was supposed to be Shelby's "secret weapon" for the 1964 Le Mans race.

One of the development drivers for the big block car was Bob Bondurant. He stated that the Shelby Cobra's tremendous torque allowed him to burn rubber and get sideways in any gear. He noted that the Shelby "went like stink" and speculated that it could have topped 200 miles per hour at Le Mans. Weighing about 2,200 pounds with world class aerodynamics and the power of a big block, the car had tremendous performance potential.

The continuation big block Shelby Daytona Coupes follow the same specs as the Ohlsen modified race car. All 6 Secret Weapon Daytona Coupes feature an aluminum body. Each continuation Coupe featured a 3-inch lengthened chassis and hood specifically to accept a powerful aluminum 427 medium-riser big block engine. CSX2620 sourced it's engine from the Shelby Engine Company. The powerful 600 horsepower 496 cubic inch monster of an engine was mated to an authentic 4 speed manual transmission. Each was assigned a Shelby CSX2000 (CSX2620-CSX2625) series serial number for documentation in the official Shelby Registry. CSX2620 being 1 of 6, the very first Secret Weapon ever completed and sold.

CSX2620 has 21 miles and better yet a Certificate of Authenticity from Fox Studios of it's heritage as the Daytona Coupe featured in movie Ford vs Ferrari. This truly 1 of 1 Secret Weapon Daytona Coupe. CSX2620 is available for $849,950.

"This is an incredible opportunity to own a very rare collectible Shelby heritage race car," said Gary Patterson, president of Shelby American. "Like the six small block cars built in the 1960s, these 427 powered Daytona Coupes will be a lasting tribute to another innovative Shelby racecar that would have caught the racing world off guard. These Coupes will be every bit as much a 'secret weapon' as Carroll had hoped for in 1964."