AC Cars had retained the original blueprints and drawings used during the 1960s to construct the timelessly appealing Cobra in partnership with Carroll Shelby. Three decades later, the company rights having been secured by Brian Angliss’s Autokraft outfit, which specialised in restoring Cobras, exacting continuation cars could be created. Compared to the partially modernised examples from Shelby, AC engineers worked using the very same tooling, suspension uprights, and parts suppliers. Similarly, the body panels were still hand beaten and shaped using an English wheel to remain absolutely faithful to the originals.

From a batch of 16 examples, the body for COX 6136 (the chassis prefix denoting a CObra for eXport) was finished on 10 April 1996. The next month, per the Shelby American Registry, it was shipped to the USA as a “roller”. Delivered unpainted to Ford/AC dealer Dave Wagner, it was purchased new in July by renowned Cobra specialist Mr Bill Kemper of Illinois, complete with a factory Certificate of Authenticity, which accompanies this car. He wanted the Cobra built to 427 S/C (Semi-Competition) specification. That entailed the fitment of a Ford FE 427 cubic-inch (7-litre) “side-oiler” V-8 race engine, rather than the less aggressive long-stroke 428 units that powered many period road-biased Cobras. This was mated to a four-speed Toploader transmission. Reportedly inspired by the CSX 3018 racecar, Mr Kemper had this example finished in Guardsman Blue.

Mr Kemper enjoyed the Cobra for the next 17 years, finally parting with it in January 2013. The car was purchased by its next owner in Jersey before being imported into the UK, and registered, in November the following year by Ferrari specialist Meridien Modena of Lyndhurst. COX 6136 was subsequently acquired by an AC Owners’ Club member in Chelmsford.

Purchased by its consigning keeper in April 2021, the focus thereafter was on turning this Cobra into a true driver’s car. Four new Avon CR6ZZ classic performance tyres, which the car still wears, were fitted that June. It was fully aligned, the corner weights properly set, and the suspension set-up optimised by Wren Classics for road use at a cost of £5,451. The car returned there in March 2022 to have a new clutch, flywheel, plus fuel pump fitted, and to have the brakes serviced, underside rust protected, and for panel repairs, the work totalling £6,829. It also carries a Smiths fuel gauge discretely mounted in the boot.

Accompanied by a history file, including thoroughly detailed breakdowns of the maintenance carried out by Wren Classics in 2021 and 2022, this car displays 3,206 miles at the time of cataloguing. Tuned for maximum fun on engaging roads, COX 6136 presents an opportunity to acquire a continuation car accurate to the original and forever-celebrated Cobras.