Cars One Love Blog about cars
The AC Ace was such a pretty sportscar, with its discreet curves and sweet six-cylinder engine. Then Carroll Shelby slotted in a 4727cc V8 to turn it into a complete animal – the Cobra. But he didn’t stop there, because even though the antiquated chassis struggled to cope with 4.7 litres, he then turned the Cobra 289 into the Cobra 427, complete with a 7-litre V8. Virtually impossible to drive thanks to huge power and an incredibly crude chassis, everything was strengthened and coil-spring suspension was fitted.
It was still a brute, but at least it was slightly more driveable!
Carroll Shelby came up with the Cobra as a racing car first and foremost. But a limited number were also produced lor road use: they were just as frightening to drive…
To demonstrate the Cobra 427’s power. Carroll Shelby would tape a $100 bill to the dash top. If you could reach it as he accelerated flat-out, the money was yours…
