In 1962, legendary race car driver Carroll Shelby had the wild idea to marry a small British roadster with a powerful American V-8 engine. Shelby contacted British car marque AC to supply a version of its curvy Ace roadster with an engine bay modified to accept a larger and more powerful V-8. As audacious as it sounded at the time, Shelby was taken seriously by AC Cars. Ford, eager to take on the Chevrolet Corvette in motorsports, supplied him with its new small-block V-8, giving birth to the Shelby Cobra.

Earlier cars were a handful at the limit, which spurred Ford to work with Shelby and AC for a highly modified, structurally enhanced version using a 425 horsepower V-8 displacing 427 cubic inches—quite the increase in displacement compared to the original Ford 260. Production ended in 1967, but Shelby eventually relented and partnered with a number of firms to continue building cars that adhered to the original Cobra principles but allowed for some modern updates.

Chassis CSX 4246, offered here, is a desirable aluminum-bodied example completed in early 2007 and is presented in Shelby’s signature livery of Guardsman Blue bisected by a pair of Wimbledon White LeMans stripes. Accompanying documentation, including the original sales order signed by Carroll Shelby, verify that this chassis was delivered new to Shelby’s authorized distributor and engine builder, S/C Motorsports of Mustang, Oklahoma, wherein it received a modified, period-correct Ford 427 cubic-inch block sourced from a 1965 vehicle. The fact that the consignor troubled the engine builder to source a block with the most accurate and period-correct casting date quite possibly establishes chassis 4246 as one of the most true-to-factory Shelby Cobra continuation builds ever executed. Further, as a bona fide Shelby American product, this chassis is appropriately titled as a 1965 Shelby Cobra and is accompanied by the proper authenticity plaque bearing the Carroll Shelby wordmark.

The hand-built, iron-block Ford 427 cubic-inch V-8 engine sends power to the rear wheels via a four-speed manual transmission. Though typical undercar exhaust routing was an option on these 4000 series chassis, most owners equipped their orders with the standard side-exit exhaust so firmly associated with the look of a proper Shelby Cobra. The example featured here is so equipped, though notably also features the ceramic coated exhaust system option. A set of distinctive Trigo center-mount alloy wheels, still presented wearing their factory retainer clips, are presently shod in Goodyear tires and underpinned by the standard set of Baer ventilated disc brakes.

The cockpit is an all-business affair, with the so-called business being on-track dominance; a pair of deep, black vinyl buckets and Simpson competition lap belts assure firm placement of both driver and co-driver at speed. The beautiful, machined aluminum and wood-finished steering wheel is faced by a full suite of high-contrast Autometer gauges emblazoned with the Shelby American logo. Finally, a chrome roll bar fixed behind the driving position offers a key functional and aesthetic touch to the oeuvre of this correct "4000 Series" Cobra.

Now offered with just over 2,100 miles from new and having been recently removed from storage, CSX 4246 benefits from a carburetor rebuild and mechanical tune-up in preparation for sale. The chance to own such a well-built, sanctioned continuation of Carroll Shelby’s legendary Cobra is one not to be missed.