Red Cobra with unusual Taillight at SAAC 47

[shelbymann1970]

The information that I knew about that car disagrees with what Ned has in the Registry about it.

Is someone claiming that the car was constructed with these tail lights new?

That part I'm confused about.

The OP had a pic from 12-7-1963 showing the exact same tail lights on it unless that isn't the same car? 

[shelbydoug]

I first saw this car in 1972. There was a story about it that the boyfriend of Shelby's secretary wanted a Cobra but only had $2500. She asked Carroll and he offered this car. It was at the LA facility.

I can't say that it never had those taillights on it because I wasn't in the UK in 1963 but until that picture popped up, no one had ever mentioned it before.

In addition, no one ever showed that it had them on for more then the five minutes it took to take the picture?

[Dan Case]

In addition, no one ever showed that it had them on for more then the five minutes it took to take the picture?

There are three image clips in this thread taken during 1963 showing CSX2126 with the odd tail lamps that were taken months apart in the USA, in England (April-May 1963), and at the Le Mans track in France (June 1963) while being used as a factory demonstrator giving rides.  The AC Owners Club has posted interesting details on this car more than once. Not everything known has been published by a single club that I have ever come across.

[honker]

I went through all my paper files, books/magazines (a lot of stuff from the U.K.)  computer files etc. found the same pics that were

posted by Rich, JD & Dan Case nothing else.  Pictures of the back end of a car weren't as interesting as front and profile shots,

hence lack of such.

The search continues thanks Richstang for starting the thread !

Mike

[CSX4781]

There is a good photo of CSX2126 in Robert Walker's new book(s) from the back, with Sterling Moss behind the wheel.

Dave

[honker]

Dave, thanks for your post, I went back in my disorganized files    Is this the photo you're talking about ? tighter shot in Dan

Case's reply #8,   Stirling  Moss in CSX2126 (regi QQ907)  at Le Mans, I believe that is CSX 2030 (regi 300PK) ahead of it, does

it also have those tail lights ?

Mike

[shelbydoug]

In addition, no one ever showed that it had them on for more then the five minutes it took to take the picture?

There are three image clips in this thread taken during 1963 showing CSX2126 with the odd tail lamps that were taken months apart in the USA, in England (April-May 1963), and at the Le Mans track in France (June 1963) while being used as a factory demonstrator giving rides.  The AC Owners Club has posted interesting details on this car more than once. Not everything known has been published by a single club that I have ever come across.

Interesting how they just disappeared at some point though? I do remember the car retaining the unique COBRA medallion on the nose though and everyone just shrugged their shoulders.

Considering the reporting that Shelby didn't even want to bring the Coupes and race roadsters back from Europe after the 65 season I find this car with an unusual amount of air miles on it with not a lot or reasoning considered it was "just another Cobra" back then?

[Cobra Ned]

The round tail lamps the car used in the UK were changed back to the typical AC rectangular units at some point after its arrival in CA. When Mike Begley bought the car in the late '60s, it had the standard Cobra lamps. They remained on the car until Tony Branda changed them back to the round ones after researching the car's history in the UK.

[Richstang]

Thank you Brian,
Knowing the CSX number is fabulous to ID the car and look it up.

Thank you Dan,
It is nice to know those extra and important details.

Here are some additional photos in the UK (no side vents when there)

and
maybe an image when it was in Michigan with Carroll and Ken Miles receiving a trophy
(not the typical angled side vents, but rather a unique square side vent like the unique taillights
The date of 12/7/1963 in Michigan might not be correct.

[Dan Case]

I find this car with an unusual amount of air miles on it with not a lot or reasoning considered it was "just another Cobra" back then?

A test and development car with some duty as a demonstrator of what was soon to come.

• Earliest Cobra with rack and pinion steering that Shelby American and Ford got to test. (CS 2030 was the first Cobra car A.C. used to test with rack and pinion steering.) 
• Fitted with prototype Ford-McCord coolant radiator and expansion tank set.
• Earliest Cobra with rack and pinion steering, Ford electrical system, Ford cooling system components, and a 289 High Performance engine that A.C. got to test.
• Outfitted with a prototype Ford of the USA electrical system including a Ford alternator and Stewart-Warner instruments. The electrical system and devices was a one of one collection of "parts" that would be developed into what went into production street cars at the CSX2201-CSX2300 build.
• The radiator and expansion tank (an ancillaries) were prototypes of what would be introduces around CSX2141.

[shelbydoug]

I remember Ken Eber saying that Bill Kolb told him that this was the most worn out 289 engine that he had ever seen.

I wonder exactly how many miles the engine had on it at that point? It would appear that absolutely everyone in the world had driven it?

Kolb was who Ken took the car to for the rebuild when he had White Plains Ford.

[warped head]

I didn't see the Mercury Monterey mentioned specifically yet, but the tail lights look to me like they're from a Monterey's outer tail lamp, cut down a bit shorter and rotated 90 degrees.