During the fifties, Carroll Shelby was one of the most successful American sports car drivers. During an eight year career he won three national championships and set many records, including one for winning 19 straight races. In fact, in 1956, he was named “Sports Car Driver of the Year” by Sports Car Illustrated. In 1959, Shelby co-drove with Roy Salvadori to give David Brown’s Aston Martin team its only Le Mans win. Their DBR1 headed an Aston one-two at the famous 24-hour race. Following diagnosis of heart issues, Shelby was forced to retire from competitive driving. This would be the beginnings of a new career within motorsports.

When Shelby went on to make the Cobra, he enlisted the help of Peter Brock to design a coupe version of the car to compete with the likes of the Ferrari GTO in European sports car endurance racing. The result was the original Shelby Daytona Coupe; readily recognized as the most famous Cobra of all of Shelby's creations. Many aficionados of this era of racing and car design have singled the Daytona Coupe out as one of the most brutish and handsome cars ever built.

This replica Daytona Coupe is finished in the iconic livery found on the original ones of Guardsman Blue with white Le Mans stripes and white exhaust along the rocker panels. It is equipped with a modified 289 cubic inch V-8 engine and four Weber open-throated (without air cleaner) carburetors. Power is transferred to the magnesium Halibrand-style knock-off wheels through a four-speed manual transmission. A racing-style “quick-fill” fuel filler is on the right rear flank. The interior is Spartan and consists mainly of aluminum panels, rollcage, two seats, competition-style seatbelts, toggle switches and a full brace of gauges. The car was built to very original specifications by Contemporary Classic Motor Car Company in Mt. Vernon, New York. It is reported that the Daytona Coupe has only covered about 550 miles since its completion. The consignor says that the car handles very well and has been a lot of fun to drive. This would be a great car for show or drive at a fraction of the build cost or a miniscule fraction of the cost to own a real Daytona Coupe which are rarely, if ever, seen available for purchase.