[Dan Case]

That image shows an early Budget brand style access hole cover and a late Wilmot Breeden brand style L handle.

The latches were the same design with only the way to turn them different.

The generic covers and some type keys have been reproduced, search ‘budget lock covers’. AC was not the only car company using them somewhere for some door or compartment cover. Cobras used one of the at least two known 1950s-1960s versions.

The L style handles and escutcheon plates for them are reproduced also.

Early Cobras used the same cover assemblies that ACE and RS2.6 cars from AC used. The cars came supplied loose with a 'key'.

I have seen some excited original Cobra owners but by far the most excited one I ever witnessed was fumbling around hunting the key while smoke was escaping from the engine bay of his parked Cobra. He found the key, got the bonnet opened, and got the fire out. After parking lot repairs were completed he wore the key on a string or something around his neck the rest of that weekend.

Shelby’s works abandoned the cute little covers and loose keys very quickly and came up with their home grown fabricated (painted black at first and then chrome plated thereafter) “quick open” handles that were permanently mounted. Cars finished on the east coast used the covers and loose keys longer in production than did cars finished at Venice. The Wilmot Breeden supplied manufactured handles came in at or around CSX2201.