Nine new AC Cobras to be built to exact 1962 specifications

[cycleguy55]

AC Cars will built nine new aluminium-bodied AC Cobras as part of a ‘legacy’ series.

Priced at £500,000 before taxes, the cars will be built to the exact specification of the very first 1962 Cobra, which was sold at auction in Monterey a few weeks ago.

That sale raised £10.2 million and made the original Cobra, powered by a 260-cubic-inch (4.25-litre) Ford V8, the most valuable road-going British car to have been sold at auction.

The nine new cars will be known as the AC Cobra Mk1 260 Legacy Edition. They will be handbuilt at AC Heritage, whose factory is based in the converted former Brooklands Members’ Hill restaurant and operated by car dealer and AC historian Steve Gray.

Pictures of the factory's interior and cars can be seen in the gallery.

Gray, an expert in repairing and servicing ACs of all kinds, has collected many of the company’s early plans and records and owns much of AC’s post-war tooling. AC was established in 1901 and retains the distinction of being the oldest British car maker still in operation.

The original Cobra, which was built at AC’s former Thames Ditton factory in Surrey, was in effect an AC Ace with its 2.6-litre six-cylinder Ford Zephyr engine replaced by a much larger Ford V8 engine. It was extensively tested at MIRA and Silverstone before being exported to the US.

The legacy-edition cars, all of which will be left-hand drive, will use traditional materials and crafting techniques and will be built on original tooling. They will come in just two colours: the original factory blue or the re-paint yellow subsequently used in the US to fool road testers and buyers into thinking more than one car had been made.

The new cars will use freshly fabricated but dimensionally exact versions of the original John Tojiero-designed Ace twin-tube chassis, complete with a transverse-leaf independent front suspension and a live rear axle.

Gray expects to start building cars in batches of three before the end of this year. The first ‘new’ Mk1s should be in owners’ hands halfway through next year.

“We’re passionate about building the legacy cars exactly to the original specification,” said Alan Lubinsky, who bought AC Cars 20 years ago. “We’ve even managed to find a source of brand-new 260-cubic-inch V8s for this project — and I can assure you that wasn’t easy.”

More at: EXCLUSIVE: Nine new AC Cobras to be built to exact 1962 specification | Autocar

[LMH]

"live axle"?? Side vents? 6" wheels?
Larry

[RodKnock]

Oh boy! Another Cobra replica, but with a new 260ci engine! And only for about $800,000. Great!

I had a '66 Sunbeam Tiger MK1A with a 260. I loved that car, but what a slug. But in this case, you get an $800,000 slug.

[Tom Kirkham]

Originally Posted by cycleguy55

AC Cars will built nine new aluminium-bodied AC Cobras as part of a ‘legacy’ series.

Priced at £500,000 before taxes, the cars will be built to the exact specification of the very first 1962 Cobra, which was sold at auction in Monterey a few weeks ago...

The nine new cars will be known as the AC Cobra Mk1 260 Legacy Edition. They will be handbuilt at AC Heritage, whose factory is based in the converted former Brooklands Members’ Hill restaurant and operated by car dealer and AC historian Steve Gray...

The new cars will use freshly fabricated but dimensionally exact versions of the original John Tojiero-designed Ace twin-tube chassis, complete with a transverse-leaf independent front suspension and a live rear axle.

Gray expects to start building cars in batches of three before the end of this year. The first ‘new’ Mk1s should be in owners’ hands halfway through next year.

“We’re passionate about building the legacy cars exactly to the original specification,” said Alan Lubinsky, who bought AC Cars 20 years ago. “We’ve even managed to find a source of brand-new 260-cubic-inch V8s for this project — and I can assure you that wasn’t easy.”

More at: EXCLUSIVE: Nine new AC Cobras to be built to exact 1962 specification | Autocar

CSX2000 had an independent rear end, with inboard rear brakes.
“Inside Shelby�: Racer-author John Morton opens a back door into 1960s road racing | SanDiegoUnionTribune.com

[Mark IV]

"factory blue"? On a chassis that was unpainted?

[1ntCobra]

I thought Alan Lubinsky had dropped off the face of the earth. I guess he's back...

[Antny]

I love that it'll be built to replicate the original cars. But wow, at over a million bananas (after the crazy taxes and fees), that kind for money buys you a few REAL cars with better performance, drivability, and long-term ROI. But as they say, there's an a$$ for every seat.

[lovehamr]

"That sale raised £10.2 million and made the original Cobra, powered by a 260-cubic-inch (4.25-litre) Ford V8, the most valuable road-going British car to have been sold at auction."

Try again limey breath! You hosers don't even know what sort of rear axel it had!

[Jaydee]

So what if someone asks is it an original.''real one''.
How do you answer that one. A exact original copy?
JD

[Don]

AC Cars To Build Nine New Cobras In 1962-Spec For 'Legacy' Series

[1985 CCX]

At $670,000 you might as well buy a 60's car, no?
With tax guessing 10-12% its $750,000
For not much more you can have the real deal and forget the ever popular question "Is that real?" which in this case as with most of us, nope....

Not trying to spark a flurry of real vs replica but just saying that's a lot of dough...

[peterpjb]

$670k is way to much money even with a handcrafted body made in the uk, at laguna seca three weeks ago there was a display of a company (forgot the name) that offered a 289 slabside with alubody made in uk (north devon metalcraft) and very original specs (fia-htp) for $200k, for sure no cox or csx-vin.....

but anyway, that all helps to make our cars more worthy

[Tim7139]

I believe the "some of the people all of the time" rule has now a new standard to go by.

[Armrer]

They can't even get the paint story straight. Dean Jeffries gave the car its first color. That was yellow pearl for the New York auto show. The pearl went bad from UV after a short time and was repainted blue. Hey, but who needs accuracy?

[strictlypersonl]

I suppose that they are all going to end up being Garage Queens, but I doubt that it will be possible to register one as a finished car pretty much anywhere...

[RodKnock]

Originally Posted by strictlypersonl

I suppose that they are all going to end up being Garage Queens, but I doubt that it will be possible to register one as a finished car pretty much anywhere...

Certainly not in CA, but some states have much easier registration requirements for "1965" or "1966" Cobras.

[Mark IV]

Originally Posted by RodKnock

Certainly not in CA, but some states have much easier registration requirements for "1965" or "1966" Cobras.

CSX2000 is a 1962 model

[RodKnock]

Originally Posted by Mark IV

CSX2000 is a 1962 model

I was thinking of kits that predominantly get purchased today (ERA, SPF, KMP, CSX, etc.), built and registered. But you're obviously correct!

[Antny]

Originally Posted by 1985 CCX

At $670,000 you might as well buy a 60's car, no?
With tax guessing 10-12% its $750,000
For not much more you can have the real deal and forget the ever popular question "Is that real?" which in this case as with most of us, nope....

Not trying to spark a flurry of real vs replica but just saying that's a lot of dough...

Exactly my thoughts. The price point makes no sense for a car that isn't one of the original 970 or whatever the number is. That said, it's cool that someone has the passion and the wherewithal to recreate the original car that started our own passions for these iconic beasts.

[1985 CCX]

Here is one s little over budget.