Red Cobra with unusual Taillight at SAAC 47

[Richstang]

Can anyone fill in the story on this unusual Cobra.
What is the CSX number?
Why does it have different tail lights?
Did Ed Hugus built it? (Probably not.)

It was also in a December 7th 1963 video  filmed in Michigan.

It is different!

[silverton_ford]

CSX2126

Belongs to Anthony Branda

[Dan Case]

Second rack and pinion steering Cobra by manufacture date, first left had drive rack and pinion Cobra, finished out of order before CSX2080. Was the prototype for Ford engineered and provided electrical systems including Stewart-Warner instrumentation, was the prototype for Ford-McCord engine coolant radiators and expansion tanks, and a test mule for all kinds of things including tires, a different rear license plate illumination lamp, and adapted to a specific Ford-Mercury passenger car tail lamp.

Used by Mr. Shelby as a daily driver in England for a while, road tested by a magazine company while in England, the article was published, VIP car at the Le Mans race circuit 1963, and probably more not so well documented.

Why, it was a test and development platform for coming features and or potential coming features it seems.

[FL SAAC]

Beautiful,  nice lights

[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.

[propayne]

Much praise to Dan (and others of his ilk on here) for all of the incredible knowledge they share.

It's what keeps me hanging around this joint.

- Phillip

[Bill Collins]

I spoke to Anthony at the Carlisle Ford Nationals and he told me he was bringing 2126 to SAAC 47. It was a treat to see it. He also drove it on the parade laps around IMS, he was a few cars behind me in the procession (I call it that because the IMS pace car kept us all at 40MPH or less the whole time).

The taillights may have been sourced from a 1960 Dodge Lancer back in the day- see pic

[shelbydoug]

I remember this car when owned by Ken Eber. It did not have those taillights on it at the time. Just the standard Cobra rectangular versions.

[Dan Case]

The taillights may have been sourced from a 1960 Dodge Lancer back in the day- see pic

When I did my research on the car with help from people on two continents reaching back shipping dates information, I believe modified 1963 Ford Mercury tail lamps were used. Ford was experimenting with its Cobra electrical system designs for the upcoming CSX2201-CSX2300 car contract at the time.



I still have not come up with a candidate donor for the rear registration plate illumination lamp used by CSX2126 in early 1963. I have looked at a lot of old Ford and Lincoln pictures, no joy so far. It is tough to know how far back in time to look.

When Ford engineers developed what was going into production at CSX2201 they reached all the way back to a 1939 (1940 model year) Ford truck and military vehicle design lamp bezel and lens with lamp socket parts from a 1951 (1952 model year) Hudson sedan for the high beam indicator and 1955 (1956 model year) design Lincoln Premier part for the windscreen fluid pump switch application.  Some Ford electrical designs in CSX2201-CSX2589 roadsters were Ford items with something added, something deleted, substitution of material, or were modifications of standard Ford pieces.

[Richstang]

Thanks for the post Bill.
The Lancer tail light is very close and I can see why it was thought to be the part, but did not look like a perfect match with the inside bright trim diameter. Dan seems to have it figured out from the Mercury.
Thanks you both for the posts.

[papa scoops]

how about early corvair lamps? i had a 63 mercury, but dont remember the bezels looking like that. i could be wrong. scoops

[Bill Collins]

Thanks for the post Bill.
The Lancer tail light is very close and I can see why it was thought to be the part, but did not look like a perfect match with the inside bright trim diameter. Dan seems to have it figured out from the Mercury.
Thanks you both for the posts.

I agree. And it does make more sense that a FoMoCo part would be selected over one from a competing brand.

[JD]

I agree. And it does make more sense that a FoMoCo part would be selected over one from a competing brand.

I read they used Corvair tail lights on some of the Ford GT's versions, but without the trim on the lens.
Image.

(Sorry for the interruption - back to the original program)

[Side-Oilers]

Anyone considered it might have been a British Ford part?

[shelbydoug]

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.