Replica -Cobra de Mark Phillips-.

Replica-Cobra Mark Phillips.

Replica-Cobra Mark Phillips. Interior.

Like many british manufacturers, AC cars used the smooth and refined engine, a Bristol 6-cylinder, in-line, small-volume production, including in the two-seater AC Ace. The engine was a BMW design before the Second World War so that the company, in the 60's, what was considered old-fashioned. Bristol then took the decision to cease production of that motor and use a Chrysler 313cid (5,1 L) 8-cylinder v-Even if it is false, it is commonly believed that the former u.s. broker Carroll Shelby was the one who pulled out of the alleged bankruptcy of the company AC. Started to use the engine of 2.6-liter Ford Zephyr in all of its cars. Shelby, in September 1961, he wrote a letter to AOC proposing the construction for him of a car modified able to mount a V8. Shelby had experience in cars with anglo-americans, having competed with a Allard. First of all, Shelby, went to Chevrolet to provide engines. These, with the fear that it could rival with his Corvette, he refused the proposal.

Replica-Cobra Mark Phillips.

Video engine and boot.

AC accepted as long as it could be a provider. He was elected the engine's 260 in3 HiPo (4.2 L) Ford. In January 1962 mechanics AC in Thames Ditton, Surrey (England), coupled the chassis CSX2000 with a motor 221 ci Ford 8 cylinder at V. After the tests, both the transmission and the engine is dismantled and the chassis was sent by air to Caroll Shelby in Los Angeles. There was added an engine and in less than eight hours began the tests. Carroll called it a "Cobra" because he dreamed one night.

Replica-Cobra Mark Phillips.

Prior to registering in Spain.

Currently registered historic Spanish.

The production was easy. AC made a lot of modifications, motivated by the implementation of the engine of 2.6-liter Ford Zephyr. The most important was the implementation of a rear differential more robust to withstand the power of the V8. In the standard version the brake interiors were moved to the outside with the aim of reducing costs. The only modification of the front parts of the first Charge regarding the AC Ace, was the mounting of the gearbox, which is moved outward to make room for the V8 engine more width.

The first 75 Cobra Mark I (including the prototype) mounted the engine 260 4.2-liter. The number 51 Mark I of this production, was implemented, as a test, a larger version of the engine Ford Windsor, the 289 in3 (4.7 L) V8. Towards the end of 1962, Alan Turner, chief engineer of the AC, has completed a major redesign of the front with what you got be able to adjust the rack-and-pinion steering while using the suspension-a transverse leaf spring. The production of the new car began in early 1963 and was called Mark II. While the steering rack was borrowed from the MGB, the steering column was taken from the VW Beetle. Were built around a 528 Mark II Cobras until August of 1965.

In 1963, the Cobra was losing its supremacy in racing. Shelby tried to mount a large motor called Ford FE 390 cubic inches. Ken miles drove in career-high powered FAITH Mark II and said that the car was virtually inconducible. We developed a new chassis, and designed the Mark III.

The new car was designed in cooperation with Ford in Detroit. Built a new chassis with tubes of 4" (instead of 3") with a coil spring around it. The new car also had the openings in the radiator larger. It was powered by the famous Ford 427 7 liter that delivered 425 HP (317 kW) of power and reached a maximum speed of 262 km/h, in the standard model and 485 BHP (362 kW) and a speed of 290 km/h on the model competition. The production model Mark III began on the first day of 1965, and two prototypes were sent to the united States in October of 1964. The cars were shipped without a finish, having finished in the workshop of Shelby. Although it was an awesome car, didn't sell well. To reduce costs some AC Cobras Mark III were implanted with a engine Ford 428 in3 (7 liters), lower cost, thought but in the use of street in the competition. It seems to be sent to Shelby about 300 Mark III between the years 1965 and 1966, including the racing models. Unfortunately, the MK III did not obtain the approval to compete in the year 1965 and was not in the team of Shelby. However, in the hands of the teams, private won numerous races in the 70's. 31 racing cars were left unsold. These were named as S/C for semi-competition, and today are the most sought after in the market and is able to pay millions of dollars for them.

Despite the sporting successes of the Cobra was a financial failure, which led Carroll Shelby to discontinue importing cars from England in 1967. The company kept the production of AC Roadster fins narrow and coil springs, and together with the Ford 289 put on the market the car that would bear the name of the AC 289. It was built and sold in Europe until the year 1969. AC also produced the AC Frua until 1973. The Frua was built on a stretched Cobra 427 MK III with a body designed by Pietro Frua. With the demise of the Frua, AC began to produce fewer vehicles and broke off the end of the years 70. The manufacture and the right to use the name of the company were acquired eventually by Autocraft. Autocraft was a continuation of the AC 289, called the Mark IV. Eventually Carroll Shelby made a claim against BC and Brian A. Angliss, in U.s. district court in Los Angeles. The end result was that AC and Angliss published an article in the press where they recognized that Shelby was (and is) the manufacturer of record of all cars 1960 AC in the united States. Despite this there is no doubt that all the Cobras manufactured in the 60's were actually produced by AC in England, the Shelby only imported and modified until its final form. The company Carroll Shelby, Shelby Automobiles, Inc. continues to produce cars Cobra 289, FIA 289 and 427 S/C in your central in Las Vegas, Nevada. These cars retain their style and appearance of their predecessors of the 60's but with modern amenities. In 2006, he sold the Cobra Shelby's at auction in Arizona by 2.8 million euros.

In an effort to improve the speed on the Mulsanne straight of the race 24 Hours of Le Mans, a number of variations coupes closed were constructed using the chassis and leafspring and the gear of the AC/Shelby Cobra Mark II. The most famous and numerous of these were the official Shelby Daytona Cobra Coupe. Six were built in total, each one being a little different from the rest. AC also produced a Le Mans Coupe, the car was almost destroyed after an explosion of a wheel at high speed in the Le Mans race in 1964. The third important based on the Cobra Coupe was the Willment Cobra Coupe built by the racing team JWA. Mike Mc Cluskey Torrance, California (one of the best restorers of Cobras in the world), built an accurate replica of the Shelby Daytona Coupe, these cars are exact reproductions of the originals. Also he is building a replica andante of the Shelby Daytona Cobra manufactured by Superformance and Factory Five Racing, a company car is recognized. These cars use the body design of Peter Brock's, scaled to increase the interior space and a newly designed spaceframe chassis, and use the engine Ford Windsor (Sportsman). The Superformance Shelby Daytona Coupe is the only modern car acknowledged by Shelby as a successor of the coupes original.