Nice bit of AC history from

[dingocooke]

The follow article was emailed by Tinker in the East Mids newsletter, and was supplied by David Walker who spotted it in The Chronicle Herald. It is a brief history of the Cobra and this month sees part 2 of 2: Ive copied on here because i found it interesting, and thought non East Mids enthusiasts might like to see it. Thanks to Tinker for sending it out
Techie Update
The follow article has been supplied by David Walker who spotted it in The Chronicle Herald. It is a brief history of the Cobra and this month sees part 2 of 2:

Cobra by Malcolm Gunn (Wheelbase Communications)
Part 2
The first test run of a Ford V8 stuffed inside the AC Ace took place in England in late December of 1961 and proving promising. Ford agreed to underwrite the entire project and supply enough technical resources to ensure a successful launch.
Shelby established his assembly plant in a dingy Venice, (California) warehouse, joined by several Ford engineers who made numerous improvements to the car’s basic structure to make it more reliable and road-worthy.
Fitted with an updated 260-horsepower 260-cubic-inch V8 and christened the AC Cobra, this aluminium-bodied British-American upstart caused a sensation when first shown to the public at the 1962 New York Auto Show. The Cobra also created great anxiety among the Corvette owners when it competed against them in its maiden race at the twisty Riverside (Californian road course. Shelby’ virtually bone-stock roadster was easily leading the field before equipment failure knocked it out of contention.
The following year, production switched to the 289 cubic-inch V8 that cranked out 271 horses. Race wins began going Shelby’s way but sales of Cobras built for the street were less spectacular. At $6,000 a copy, most prospective buyers thought the car, which lacked roll-up windows, comfortable seats or sound deadening, was just too Spartan for their tastes.
Still, for a few sports-car purists who could afford it, the Cobra was magic. Zero to 60 M.P.H. flashed by in less than five seconds and the car’s top speed exceeded 260 Km-h (160 m.p.h). Throughout 1963 and ’64, the Cobra racing program continued to rack up the wins while “civilian” cars trickled out of the Venice shop.
As quick as the Cobra was, it needed to be better for international competition. Both Ford and Shelby were itching to beat their archrival Ferrari, but needed a more potent weapon. The answer was to shoehorn the potent 425-horsepower 427 cubic-inch big-block V8 inside a much-modified Cobra body and chassis.
The 427 Cobra that launched in 1965 was an absolute brute of a car and cost $1000 more than the 289 version. However, the 1,200-kilogram (2,600- pound) roadster’s claim to fame was its ability to hit 100 m.p.h (160 km-h) and return to a dead stop in a mere 14 seconds.
In total, Shelby’s shop turned out about 1,000 160/289/427 Cobras between 1962 and 1967 and those remaining are now highly prized collector cars. The Cobra has also become a much-copied design, with several manufacturers making metal and fibreglass replica kits that are popular with hobbyists. [Helen-Don’t think I like being called a hobbyist – sounds rather ‘lame’!]
The AC Cobra’s seeming undying popularity transformed Carroll Shelby into a modern day folk hero and put Form solidly on the performance map.

[mikey]

Quote- However, the 1,200-kilogram (2,600- pound) roadster’s claim to fame was its ability to hit 100 m.p.h (160 km-h) and return to a dead stop in a mere 14 seconds.

Famed for being the widow maker and bringing in the 70 mph speed limit on motorways.

The AC Cobra’s seeming undying popularity transformed Carroll Shelby into a modern day folk hero and put Ford solidly on the performance map. However the guys recent greed shown in attempts to take away from those replica owners the ability to own and enjoy a replica of the brute soon took him from hero to gr--dy --sta-d status in a very short period of time. Shame really but I guess that wanting too much for sticking a stripe on a car would lead to this. The court findings were fine as we could admire and mimick the beauty of the original without having to mess about with the baggage all the time.

I have added a few edits in above - otherwise graet article.
Mike

[dave]

"Famed for being the widow maker and bringing in the 70 mph speed limit on motorways."

Sadly not all of the above is true, and is just a part of mythical legend. The "Cobra" that ran a 170MPH up the M1 (At that time the test track of choice for many UK car manufacturers) and cause the powers that be of the day to introduce the "temporary" 70 MPH limit was not in fact a Cobra but a Daytona Coupe.
All part of the hype at the time I think.

[hawk289]

Dave,

The reason the 70mph limit came in was actually nothing to do with AC or Cobra (Coupe). The government of the day was going to introduce a limit and they did it at the same time as the Coupe ran up the M1. When one of the AC guys meet the Minister of Transport (who could not even drive) and asked did they cause for the introduction of the 70mph the answer was "No, we have been considering it for a while now".

Also the reason the press got hold of the story was one of the AC guys had a relative who came along who worked for one of the papers in fleet street and as nothing else was going on it made a great story. But you are correct it was the Ac Coupe that did the speed not a cobra.

Amazing how many different stories appear about this.

John.

[Miket]

Originally Posted by hawk289

Dave,

The reason the 70mph limit came in was actually nothing to do with AC or Cobra (Coupe). The government of the day was going to introduce a limit and they did it at the same time as the Coupe ran up the M1. When one of the AC guys meet the Minister of Transport (who could not even drive) and asked did they cause for the introduction of the 70mph the answer was "No, we have been considering it for a while now".

Also the reason the press got hold of the story was one of the AC guys had a relative who came along who worked for one of the papers in fleet street and as nothing else was going on it made a great story. But you are correct it was the Ac Coupe that did the speed not a cobra.

Amazing how many different stories appear about this.

John.

John

You are 100% correct with the above statement, here is the true story by Jack Sears. :thumb: :thumb:

http://www.classicdriver.com/uk/maga...0.asp?id=11841

[hawk289]

Mike,

Yep, Jack told me once and he normally tells people that story when he speaks at after dinner events, great story and great guy.

Another bit of history. Did you know how the AC engine (used in early Ace's / Aceca's) (which is the longest engine in production history for any car in the world 40 years). Well the generator from a Zeppelin Airship would be the answer.

My last piece of history more related to Cobra's. When Ken Miles was testing CSX 2431 (the car I think is the best cobra) on the public roads around the Princeton Drive workshops he never got stoped by the police at race speed as a) they could never catch him and b) most use to hang around the shop anyway and loved cobra's.

John.

[dave]

Ahh well, I'll have to research more next time.:thumb:

[hawk289]

Dave,

Ahh but think how much useful information you have given to people vs my history lesson!!.

Anyway, I read too much about AC and I'm very sad!!!

John.

[mikey]

Originally Posted by dave

Ahh well, I'll have to research more next time.:thumb:

And me - I will stick to carb tuning in future.

Mike