Early CSX2xxx road test ID ?

[6R07mi]

Looking thru the Peterson archives there are photos of a Motor Trend road test (date unknown), looking to see if chassis # is known?

Dealer plate is 1C-DLR-4101, so High Performance Mtrs. ( the GT350 road test photos also in there has plate 1D-DLR-4101 )
darker shade body, possible red or dk blue,
no side vents,
worm & sector steering wheel,
looks like early flat head Cobra badge,
engine dress up kit,
wind wings,
sun visors,
chrome exhaust tips,
chrome wheels,
soft top
luggage rack

jim p

[Dan Case]

Looking thru the Peterson archives there are photos of a Motor Trend road test (date unknown), looking to see if chassis # is known?

Dealer plate is 1C-DLR-4101, so High Performance Mtrs. ( the GT350 road test photos also in there has plate 1D-DLR-4101 )
darker shade body, possible red or dk blue,
no side vents,
worm & sector steering wheel,
looks like early flat head Cobra badge,
engine dress up kit,
windshield wings,
luggage rack

jim p

I have never figured it out beyond doubt but that's a 1963 HP289 engine in the car. You might get a candidate by looking through the Registry and finding a red car with those options. That was a lot of engine options and few got the aluminum intake and Holley brand carburetor. The rear view mirror assembly cannot be seen well but looks like it might be the design used often in the late CSX20xx range. The rocker arm covers are the second casting version of the first design and the engine has the bolt on Shelby brackets for the spark plug wire clips. 

[shelbyluva]

Can you post an image or a link to it?

[Dan Case]

Can you post an image or a link to it?

https://archive.petersen.org/

Then search Cobra. There are many pages with in period Cobra pictures and pictures of parts. There are pictures of cars between CSX2000 and CSX25something.

[6R07mi]

I have never figured it out beyond doubt but that's a 1963 HP289 engine in the car. You might get a candidate by looking through the Registry and finding a red car with those options. That was a lot of engine options and few got the aluminum intake and Holley brand carburetor. The rear view mirror assembly cannot be seen well but looks like it might be the design used often in the late CSX20xx range. The rocker arm covers are the second casting version of the first design and the engine has the bolt on Shelby brackets for the spark plug wire clips.

Dan Case,
Is it usual to see a vacuum advance diaphragm on a HiPo distributor?

attached is detail of the mirror

regards
jim p

[Dan Case]

I have never figured it out beyond doubt but that's a 1963 HP289 engine in the car. You might get a candidate by looking through the Registry and finding a red car with those options. That was a lot of engine options and few got the aluminum intake and Holley brand carburetor. The rear view mirror assembly cannot be seen well but looks like it might be the design used often in the late CSX20xx range. The rocker arm covers are the second casting version of the first design and the engine has the bolt on Shelby brackets for the spark plug wire clips.

Dan Case,
Is it usual to see a vacuum advance diaphragm on a HiPo distributor?

attached is detail of the mirror

regards
jim p

1961½-62 XHP-260, 1962-63 HP260, and 1963½ production suffix "F" HP289 full mechanical dual point distributors for engines made between March 7 and about the end of April 1963 had non functional advance housings to cover the big hole that would be left in place without something there. Prototypes just got the connection rod sawed off while production units had completely specially made dummy housings. The suffix "D" HP289 distributor was the introduced around the start of May 1963 and was the first High Performance 289 distributor made with a new body casting lacking any provision for vacuum advance.

Once you know what to look for all the XHP-260, HP260, and HP289 units 1961-67 are easy to tell apart.

XHP-260 distributors, only 35 each made and I only personally know of one that still exists. The one that exists was from engine XHP-260-1 installed in Dean Moon's shop into CSX2000. Somewhere in time it was moved to engine XHP-260-4, also installed in a new Cobra.

HP260 units, at least 137 of them made and perhaps more. I have one and seen several others in engines or for sale.

1963½ HP289 suffix "F" units starting being made around the start of February 1963 to go with engine assembly starting the first week of March 1963. I had one we lightly restored that came from a Cobra in northern California and went into another Cobra just north of SF. I have only seen two for sale besides the one I traded for.  The dates range that Bob Mannel and I know range from the first week of February 1963 to the fourth week of April 1963.

Watch long enough and you might see a preproduction suffix F or D HP289 dizzy for sale. Ford had prototype engines in cars for testing by September 1962. More were completed during the next two months. Somehow someway many of the prototype engine parts escaped the standard practice of post testing destruction.  The near complete prototype six bolt HP289 engine serial number 1 made in 1963 showed up at a parts swap years ago.