[Dan Case]

Cast steel "COBRA" lettered bell housings were made for five bolt 260/289 engines, a second version for six bolt 289 engines, and a third for 427 Cobras. The five bolt 260/289 design has not been reproduced as far as I know. The six bolt design for 289s has been reproduced twice, two different people, I believe. The 427 one (I think will fit any "FE Family" 310, 352, 360, 390, 406, 410, 427, 428 engine) has been reproduced at least one time. The five bolt 260/289 Windsor and 427 FE models were designed for Cobra and 427 Cobra chassis’s respectively. I removed an aftermarket formed steel “scattershield” from one Cobra and one 427 Cobra that were both butchered to extents I doubt how well they would have contained any degree of clutch or flywheel failure. Whoever installed the aftermarket units cut out significant portions of the assemblies with torches to gain frame clearance.

The five bolt 260/289 Windsor ones show up for sale a few times a year. These days the market for five bolt units is mainly just the few HP289 powered Fairlanes still intact, some early Mustangs, and 260/289 powered original Cobras.

The six bolt units, originals or copies, don’t seem to come up for sale very often as they will fit the entire six bolt 289/302 Windsor family engines.

The 427 Cobra ones in original form are extremely rare; copies are offered for sale occasionally.