GT500-07 Posted July 10, 2010 Report Share Posted July 10, 2010 As with many British specialist manufacturers, AC Cars had been using the smooth, refined Bristol straight-6 engine in its small-volume production, including its AC Ace 2-seater roadster. The engine was a pre-World War II BMW design which was by the 1960s considered remarkably outdated. Bristol, a small independent automobile manufacturer in its own right, decided in 1961 to cease production of its engine and instead to use Chrysler small-block V-8 engines. Non-plussed by this idea, AC started using the 2.6 liter Ford Zephyr in all of its cars. An idea was borne out of this concept and in September of that year, former champion racing driver Carroll Shelby approached AC about building a car that would accept a V-8 configuration. Chevrolet was not interested in providing their new 327ci V-8 due to too much direct competition with the Corvette, however Ford wanted a car that could compete with the radical new Sting Ray from across town. As luck would have it, they happened to have a brand new thin wall small block engine which could be used in this endeavor. The name Cobra came to Shelby "in a dream", he recounted, and a legend was born. http://www.russoandsteele.com/collector-car/1963-Shelby-Cobra--CSX2009/5843 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cobrakidz Posted May 2, 2011 Report Share Posted May 2, 2011 I saw this car at the auction, very nicely done... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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