Carroll had an AC Cobra upgraded just the way he wanted it, for his own pleasure. Twin supercharged, dual quad, 427 side oiler. 800 HP.
It's going to auctioned. Some fortunate filthy rich guy is going to plop his butt into the car Carroll told his mechanics to assemble, FOR THE BOSS. I think that merits bold typeface. I think that deserves some thought.
The crew knew when they put it together that it wasn't just for a customer, it was for the racing legend, the car building icon, the man who made saved a car (the AC) and put racing into the blood of Ford. I don't mean left hand turns, I mean RACING THE EFFIN BEST ON THE PLANET!
IN THEIR ARENA!
HE WON LEMANS!
The only American car to ever win the FIA World Manufacturers Championship for GT cars was the Shelby Cobra Daytona Coupe. http://www.petersen.org/default.cfm?DocID=1014&cat=Shelby&ExhibitID=264&index=4
http://www.seriouswheels.com/cars-f.htm
I think this deserves a hell of a lot of respect, he may be the greatest.
Andretti is a great driver, never built a car company.
Richard Petty won lots of races as a driver, never designed a damn car.
John Force and Bob Glidden set lots of drag race records. Nothing in the common car model names.
The Sunoco Camaro is synonymous with Roger Penske.
But Shelby developed the GT 40 from a previous similar design and beat the snot out of Ferrari.
Some great circuit racers like Sterling Moss are known in more countries than than Micheal Jordan or Tiger Woods, and doesn't have his name on a single production car anywhere.
Cale Yarborough has his name on a Talledega, and Mark Donahue has his name across the Javelin, now let's be sure to remember those, and not let them be forgotten. That means something, drivers so good their name sold cars because it was written on them.
Even Dale Earndhart had an Impala SS with his name. I'm sure I don't know of some that also were honored on new Impala SS's, or Monte Carlo SS's. I don't follow new NASCAR, my interest ends in the very early 70's when it comes to NASCAR. I'm sure I'm not the only one. Most either are new, or old NASCAR fans, but not both. Thats an entry for another time... this one is for CARROLL"S PERSONAL FREAKING EPITOMIUS COBRA! Never was another made better, equal, but never better.
Now here are the links for more, http://www.wurthitdesigns.com/cobrastory.htm is the 1981 restoration story photographed by the mechanic who brought it back from some body damage and it was missing all the original cool parts that bolted on, the Shelby dual quad intake, Paxton superchargers, etc.
http://www.barrett-jackson.com/carlist/cardetails.asp?In_AuctionID=221&In_LotNumber=1301 is the Auction site's authenticator's breakdown of how we can be sure this is the real Super Snake Cobra of Carroll's. One of only 23 427 Cobra Competition Roadsters built, different from the AC Cobras sold to the public, later in 67 it was transformed into the Super Snake and reclassified as 427 Cobra Semi-Competition.
I find the description a bit confusing, and doesn't make it clear if this guy denies the legitimacy of the 68 Road and Track article, or just specifies why that car pictured is the real deal. I think he should have had someone read over his notes to check it's clarity. Hell, this car is worth around 15 million, a little extra effort isn't amiss.
http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2006/11/carroll-shelby-once-had-special-ac.html#links for the Road and Track article I blogged earlier here on this website.
