1965 427 Cobra

[Kawidude]

My father-in-law stopped by on Sunday with his '65 427 Cobra. This has been his dream car since he was in high school. The body and frame are a kit car, but it's got a genuine, aluminum, Carroll Shelby 427 motor under the hood. He just had a bunch of work done to it and got it back from the rod shop a few weeks ago. He had a fire-suppression system added, as well as several suspension upgrades and a number of machined doo-dads under the hood. The motor is an absolute work of art and was dyno tested at 530hp at the rear wheels. I got to drive it for about an hour Sunday and it's ridiculously fast. You hammer it in first gear and it pulls HARD. Same thing for second, third and fourth. You figure at some point it will run out of steam but there is simply torque EVERYWHERE. My father-in-law was cruising at about 70 mph in third gear. He punched it and rear wheels broke loose and did a nice little dance. I grabbed a couple of snapshots while he had it parked in my driveway, so I thought I'd share. :cool:

 

[Kawidude]

No navigation or climate control on this dash! Just the basics!

 

[Okiewan]

NICE!

I got to ride in one several years ago ... didn't have that much motor and it was still stupid fast.

 

[Chili]

Sweet! Once again Kawi wins the "I Married Well" contest! :)

 

[XRpredator]

Sweet! Once again Kawi wins the "I Married Well" contest! :)

I'll second that!

Got a bud with a replica, and he says "watch out for the side pipes".

refers to his scar from the burn as his "snakebite" ;)

 

[Mully]

"gumball"!!!

 

[Ol'89r]

"gumball"!!!

Actually got to compete in that event once Mully. :nod:

Awesome photos Kawi.. Those things are scary fast. As long as you don't try to turn it or stop it. :yikes: I have a friend that is assembling one from a kit. Do you know who made the kit your father-in-law used?

Very nicely done. :cool:

 

[DougRoost]

That is a very nicely done one. First one I've seen with the new Shelby aluminum block 427, too. I've considered building one for some time now; in fact I have the book on how to buy a Cobra kit as well as all the assembly manuals from my finalists.
I've also ridden in them before and come to the conclusion that this would have to be my 5th car (I currently have 3, with a 'Vette up next), since they're really just a big go-kart! But it's a car you can have fun with at the local Shelby club doing run and guns, etc.

I've decided if I do this I'll just pick up a slightly used Superformance car.

 

[Kawidude]

Actually got to compete in that event once Mully. :nod:

Awesome photos Kawi.. Those things are scary fast. As long as you don't try to turn it or stop it. :yikes: I have a friend that is assembling one from a kit. Do you know who made the kit your father-in-law used?

Very nicely done. :cool:

Yeah, no power steering on this baby! You definitely have to be ready for an arm workout if you're going through the twisties. But if you've got a loooong straight line in front of you, there is nothing else that will put a smile on your face any faster!

He bought the car from Superformance about 10 or 11 years ago. He was one of the first guys in the Northern California Bay Area to buy one, so they basically set him up with a stellar car in exchange for him handing out their literature whenever people asked questions about it. I have heard some horror stories about Superformance fairly recently. Stuff like them not delivering vehicles exactly as promised and using engines that didn't put out the horsepower that they claimed. He hasn't dealt with them for some time and had the new engine installed locally. The bottom end torque is about the same as the old motor, but it keeps pulling much higher in the rpm's now. A lot of guys around here are building the kits that plop in the old 5.0 Mustang motor. But it's pretty easy to tell when it doesn't have the "real deal" 427 under the hood.

About a month after he bought the thing, he had someone offer him $125,000 to buy it. He declined, even though that was about 4 times what he paid for it.

And, trust me, I am aware that I married the right girl! In the dictionary under "married up" there is a picture of me. :nod:

 

[Kawidude]

I'll second that!

Got a bud with a replica, and he says "watch out for the side pipes".

refers to his scar from the burn as his "snakebite" ;)

It didn't take me long to memorize the procedure for getting into the car. Whenever he lets me take people for rides I have to take a moment and explain how to enter the beast. "Be careful, that pipe is really hot! Reach inside the door and pull the strap to unlatch the door. Be careful, that pipe is really hot! Don't put any weight on the door or the windshield. Be careful, that pipe is really hot! Put your left hand on the seat and carefully climb into the car. Be careful, that pipe is really hot! Pull the door shut with the strap on the inside. Be careful, that pipe is really hot!" Then it's basically the reverse procedure for getting out.

 

[cr125freak]

My dream car,,, And the car was built to turn. Carrol Shelby built it to destroy the vette, and a lot of ferraris too. They said when other companies started to catch up to there design they would just put wider softer tires on them and the problem was solved. Its deffinetly a road course car rather than a drag car

 

[DougRoost]

They said when other companies started to catch up to there design they would just put wider softer tires on them and the problem was solved.

Reminds me of Carrol's answer to the question of who engineered the chassis of the Cobra 427 in an interview awhile back: Goodyear!

 

[DWreck]

Nice. I remember I saw one in Henrietta, OK parked at the Sonic. My sister and I had walked across the street to order something and I made a bee line straight over to the owner when I saw it. His had a 428 and looked like it was nicely done.

When we went to leave my sister started laughing and said I had just stopped talking mid sentence and walked off when I saw the car.

There are very few things that I would just be happy to be a passenger in. A 427 Cobra and a flight with the Blue Angels are two that I would not complain about.

 

[Kawidude]

My dream car,,, And the car was built to turn. Carrol Shelby built it to destroy the vette, and a lot of ferraris too. They said when other companies started to catch up to there design they would just put wider softer tires on them and the problem was solved. Its deffinetly a road course car rather than a drag car

Oh yeah, it will definitely turn, but it's a workout! My cajones just aren't big enough to try and push that thing through the turns. I could slide a Mazda Miata at will, but I'd need A LOT of lessons on how to handle the power of the Cobra. The practice would be fun though!

 

[rickyd]

So when we going for a ride Mike? I'll buy the gas :)

That is a nice ride! Where was/is this shop at? An old friend of mine built a few here in Hayward about 15-20 years ago.

 

[Kawidude]

So when we going for a ride Mike? I'll buy the gas :)

That is a nice ride! Where was/is this shop at? An old friend of mine built a few here in Hayward about 15-20 years ago.

Hey man! He took it to a shop somewhere in Pleasanton. He was referred there by some guys in his Cobra club. I don't know the name of the shop though. He wasn't happy because the guy had his car for just under a year. I guess the turn-over rate on guys that are qualified to work on cars like this is pretty high. He's still got a pesky hydraulic clutch problem that the guy needs to work out. He had them lower the compression ratio slightly so he's actually able to put pump gas into it now. The race fuel got a little pricey after a while. Once he's got the clutch sorted out, I'm sure I could arrange a ride if you want. :nod:

 

[rickyd]

Sweeeet! We'll put the bikes on the trailer and go though the twisty's by HH :laugh:

 

[Rich Rohrich]

I feel sorry for kids growing up now. They'll never really know what it was like to live in America when small companies spent their own money and produced insanely cool cars, without some government wussification council getting in the way.

We could use a few more guys like Shelby, and the likes of Yenko, Berger, Mr. Norm and the rest of the maniac car freaks that made America the coolest place on earth to live.

 

[dirt bike dave]

I could slide a Mazda Miata at will, but I'd need A LOT of lessons on how to handle the power of the Cobra. The practice would be fun though!

You are talking the difference between a scalpel and a broad sword. Not many can use a broad sword like a scalpel!

I think I saw your father in law driving that a few years ago down the 580 in Oakland, when I used to live up there. If it was not him, the car was identical. I remember the driver was pretty tall.

I always lusted after the 427 Cobra. The muscular body is more attractive than the leaner 289. Now that I'm older, I think a small block (putting out 300 - 350 rwhp) in the 427 body would be enough for me.

A buddy of mine's brother had a kit with a 413 Mopar back in the day. It was a beast, but I'm sure the one pictured would eat it alive.

BTW, there was a recent episode of the Speed Channel show 'Victory by Design' that featured Shelby. The host drove several Cobras, including a real Daytona Coupe (one of the most valuable cars in the USA). Check it out if you get a chance!