OPtions on the original Cobra

[joyridin']

I was just wondering what are all the options that were available on the 289 style and 427 style original Shelby Cobras. Was a radio an option? Heater? Power steering? Power brakes?

I always thought of the Cobra as a stripped down sports car, but maybe it wasn't as stripped down as I originally thought.

Anybody have a list of options that were offered?

[DanEC]

No power assists. Heater and roadster top were probably standard on street roadsters. Radio, a Shelby or dealer installed item. It seems like on performance work, if you had the money, Shelby was usually glad to provide.

My best guesses. Dan Case probably has the best info.

[patrickt]

Just like dealing with ERA. You tell them what you want, they say "maybe," you get out your checkbook, and they "yes."

[jolsen42]

Well, as stated above no power brakes or steering. I've got a heater and defroster in mine (replica) now and am trying to recreate a radio. Wish me luck.

John O

[Dan Case]

Cobras
CSX2001-CSX2024 did not come with heater-windscreen demister features.
CSX2025-CSX2589 heater-demister systems were standard.
Wind wings, sun visors, and racing seat belts got added as options very early.

During 1963 Shelby American started publishing dealer sale literature specifications for street cars. As the cars evolved, so did the option list. Here is an example of one for sale (I have no connection to the seller.)


https://www.ebay.com/itm/36420381951...Bk9SR6bEp5fMYg


In addition, technically any parts Shelby American used in PRODUCTION CLASSES of any kind of racing under any sanctioning group anywhere Cobras raced were features retail customers could order for factory installation. Some were quite expensive for the time period and did not get to any known factory installations. Road racing tires were a very early option and pretty common. Front stabilizer bars were ordered with some regularity. Rear stabilizer bars were sometimes ordered. A low rise aluminum 4V intake supplied by Holman-Moody and a Holley 4V carburetors was a rare option into the CSX24xx chassis range. Aluminum rocker arm covers, aluminum oil pans, and more all got added to the list. Outside mirrors were a rare factory option so most that got installed were dealer or owner installed. Luggage racks were popular. American Racing Equipment magnesium wheels were popular. Roll bars, headers in different designs, a radio, an engine oil cooler, and different differential gears were sometimes ordered. A 2-4V induction system was introduced in September 1963 and some of the last cars completed in 1964 had 1965 engines and automatic transmissions. So on and so forth.


I will not type out every street option or race part option or version of a type 1962-65, I will just say the list is long. To get an understanding of when items became available and how many cars received them would take going through the Registry one car at a time. Few cars were highly optioned, but there were some. The options identified on the tan background printed sales specifications only covered popular options. One street car was well documented with modifications to give the tall buyer more driver’s side leg room for example.


Worth nothing, 1) optional part designs changed over time, and 2) Shelby American very often used one thing themselves while selling something similar but different over the counter. The exact design of what was factory installed depended on when a given item was used. Example: aluminum 4V intake and Holley carburetor. The package was introduced circa January 1963 with a Holman-Moody ‘low rise’ intake manifold with the Holman-Moody logo almost completely cut off and a 1963 Ford-Holley carburetor. When the COBRA lettered intake became available it was used into late 1964. In the year 1965 two street cars and one race car received 1965 MUSTANG GT350 ‘high rise’ intake and the special Holley carburetor created for the 1965 MUSTANG GT350.


427 Cobras
I do little with them, but I have read that street car wise, Shelby American left most options up to dealers to provide and install.

[joyridin']

Thanks Dan!

[Dan Case]

Originally Posted by joyridin'

Thanks Dan!

You are welcome.

[Harpoon PV2]

Originally Posted by Dan Case

You are welcome.

Hay Dan, you see lots of period photos of small block cars with AMCO luggage racks, the most famous with Steve McQueen in the car he stole on a test drive, and used during the filming, including cameos on the set of Soldier In The Rain, (not that Carrol complained.) How many survivors have you seen with the original rack still on the boot? Cheers, Dennis

[Dan Case]

Originally Posted by Harpoon PV2

Hay Dan, you see lots of period photos of small block cars with AMCO luggage racks, the most famous with Steve McQueen in the car he stole on a test drive, and used during the filming, including cameos on the set of Soldier In The Rain, (not that Carrol complained.) How many survivors have you seen with the original rack still on the boot? Cheers, Dennis

Few.

One of the option sets included a rack kit included loose with the cars ordered with that group of options. Not every car shipped with a kit apparently had the racks installed. Of course, cars that did get them installed sometimes had them removed as the cars moved through series of owners. A significant trend since the 1970s that continues to this day is for buyers to morph the car(s) they managed to obtain into the car(s) they wish they had. The changes go every direction, just a few examples:
- Low optioned to highly optioned
- Pure street to street-n-strip
- Pure street to road racer to all kinds of levels of modification
- Some kind of previously modified ‘racer’ back to some version of street car
- Road racer changed to drag racer
- Drag racer changed to road racer
- Stock standard induction system removed and replaced with all kinds of different ones
- Factory installed 2-4V systems removed and replaced with something else
- Factory aluminum 4V systems removed and replaced with something else
- Stock wings (a.k.a. fenders in the USA) to wider to wider and maybe even to super wide
- Make a street Cobra look like a 427 Cobra (yes, some were so modified)
So on and so forth


Very few Cobras escaped being modified in some way or another each time somebody else obtained them. One of my favorites was the declining odometer readings, i.e. between owners the ‘documented’ odometer readings decreased between owners….hmmmm. In four steps, the odometer in our black car decreased 29,862 miles between April 15, 1967 and February 13, 1976. I have a thick stack of old papers, for sale advertising, and work receipts dating back to early 1964 with the car. A few years ago I put them all in chronological order and noted any odometer readings recorded in a dated document. Interesting.

[1795]

Originally Posted by Dan Case

Very few Cobras escaped being modified in some way or another each time somebody else obtained them. One of my favorites was the declining odometer readings, i.e. between owners the ‘documented’ odometer readings decreased between owners….hmmmm. In four steps, the odometer in our black car decreased 29,862 miles between April 15, 1967 and February 13, 1976. I have a thick stack of old papers, for sale advertising, and work receipts dating back to early 1964 with the car. A few years ago I put them all in chronological order and noted any odometer readings recorded in a dated document. Interesting.

Dan,

Well, obviously the prior owner drove the car in reverse a lot and that would account for the declining mileage

I hope that you are doing well. Still waiting for the opportunity to head west and possibly having the opportunity to see your cars. Take care.

Jim

[Harpoon PV2]

Originally Posted by Dan Case

Few.

One of the option sets included a rack kit included loose with the cars ordered with that group of options. Not every car shipped with a kit apparently had the racks installed. Of course, cars that did get them installed sometimes had them removed as the cars moved through series of owners.

Thanks Dan! I thought they might have been removed because of the stress they put on the boot lid. But I see Tom Cotter still has one on his 289, and he uses it as it was meant to be! Cheers, Dennis

[Dan Case]

Originally Posted by Harpoon PV2

Thanks Dan! I thought they might have been removed because of the stress they put on the boot lid. But I see Tom Cotter still has one on his 289, and he uses it as it was meant to be! Cheers, Dennis

You are welcome Dennis.

The boot compartment is pretty large. We have had no problem having enough capacity inside for all our stuff for a few days on the road. We have seen people carrying an incredible amount of spare parts with them on tours in addition to their luggage, umbrellas, small cooler, tool bag, flash lights, rain and cold weather clothes. On rare occasions we have had to stuff things behind the seats during tours. Multiple soft bags, clothes for us both for one day in each, make filling all the space available pretty easy and easy to get out when needed without removing everything from the boot every day.

[CowtownCobra]

Originally Posted by Dan Case

You are welcome Dennis.

The boot compartment is pretty large. We have had no problem having enough capacity inside for all our stuff for a few days on the road. We have seen people carrying an incredible amount of spare parts with them on tours in addition to their luggage, umbrellas, small cooler, tool bag, flash lights, rain and cold weather clothes. On rare occasions we have had to stuff things behind the seats during tours. Multiple soft bags, clothes for us both for one day in each, make filling all the space available pretty easy and easy to get out when needed without removing everything from the boot every day.

One time in Colorado on a mountain pass in July

[DanEC]

Oh man, hope they didn’t have the chains mandatory rules still in effect then.

[CowtownCobra]

Dan, that white stuff is hail, not snow. That was a day I will never forget, I think it was 2004

[Dan Case]

Originally Posted by CowtownCobra

Dan, that white stuff is hail, not snow. That was a day I will never forget, I think it was 2004

We get days like that in Bozeman. Usually does not last long and then melts quickly....in MID JUNE.

[Harpoon PV2]

Originally Posted by CowtownCobra

Dan, that white stuff is hail, not snow. That was a day I will never forget, I think it was 2004

I remember riding back from Bucksnort, CO, one of our riders had an ignition failure. Lucky for him, there was a chopper shop at the bottom of the hill where he let him leave his 64 Bonneville. Lucky we were held up, when we road back down the mountain, we had just missed the hail, still had to ride in the tire tracks from the cars! Cheers, Dennis

[Harpoon PV2]

I just remember another joy of living where the plains meet the Rocky Mountains. We were riding back from Saratoga, Wy. We started into the mountains with sleet, white ice and black ice, then snow, then clear for a while, then at the Colorado border we hit rain and hail, when we stopped to decide on our next plan of attack, we were buffeted with high winds from all sides at once, we latter learned a tornado had touched down near by! after we pulled out of Fort Collins, CO. the sun came out, and it was a clear ride home. Four seasons in a little over four hours! Like they say, if you don't like the weather, wait 10 minutes! Cheers, Dennis

[CowtownCobra]

Great stories Harpoon!