Did Carrol Shelby drive an automatic Cobra?

[Unique580hp]

Hello,

I was just told that Carrol Shelby chose an automatic transmission for his personal street Cobra back in the 60's. They also said that Bill Cosby bought one with an automatic as well.

History buffs......is this true?

[Cobra20646]

I think it was CSX3015, 427, twin superchargers, and an automatic tranny!

[computerworks]

Jim's got one of them!

CS apparently liked C-4's

In 1972, he had CSX2589 ( the last leaf-spring car) fitted with an automatic, as well as a 351 with Cleveland heads.



...he still has the car.

..plus, CSX3015, the twin turbo, had an auto as well.

[cobrajeff]

CSX 3015, Shelby's twin-Paxton Supercharged car, CSX 3178, and CSX 2589 (the last 289 Cobra built) all have automatic transmissions.

Shelby still owns CSX 3178 and CSX 2589.

All three of his personal '66 GT 350's (two fastbacks and one continuation convertible), and his '69 GT 500 convertible are all equipped with automatic transmissions.

regards,

cobrajeff

[cobrashoch]

You guys amaze me. And not a bad word to be said about automatics either. BRAVO!

cobrashock

[Unique580hp]

Wow, twin superchargers on a 427. Does anyone know the performance specs on that car? A 427 is fast enough but one that is twin supercharged!!!

Thank you for the information.

I agree Cobrashoch it is amazing that no one (yet) has flamed Carrol for his automatic choice. It seems like these could be the rarest Shelbys and the most desirable. Wouldn't that make automatics like ours even MORE sought after instead of sneered at?

I know mine has been for sale since Thanksgiving and I have had many people tell me, "It's a really beautiful car and I would buy it in a second if it were a toploader".

I guess if it is good enough to be King Carrol's personal choice it is good enough for little ol' me.

Thanks for posting the photos and the information. I really appreciate it.

Scott

[TERRY M KRYSTOFIAK]

ONLY ONE OF THE TWIN 427'S PAXTONS COBRAS ARE LEFT, CARROLLS. COSBYS WAS TOTALED, BUT THE CSX# IS ON ANOTHER CAR.

[CRZN427]

I have some pictures from a 1968 Rod & Track article on the cars.

The article tends to attribute the use of the automatic to being able to get the BEAST to move out, rather than melt the rubber off the wheels.

[Unique580hp]

Wow 11.9 in the quarter and 182 mph top speed!

[Excaliber]

Hey if Shelby wants to run an automatic, thats OK by me.

But don't think YOU can get away with it without talking some flak!

Ernie

[Tom Wells]

Wow, what a nice thread



Tom

[Mark IV]

..twin Paxton car did not have a C4 but rather a "Large-Case MX" as used in Lincolns. It was not a performance tranny but could handle the large amount of torque available. A real lump of iron...

Rick

[Woodz428]

It may have been in the Toad Test that was reprinted her, but I recall in one test that the torque was described as being so strong that the brakes could hardly hold the car from rolling when it was in gear at idle.Some torque.

[Cal Metal]

Mark IV:

Wasn't the MX the samething as the C-6.

Regarding you guys with automatics and car value, when you become Carroll Shelby anything you known will become more valuable. In the mean time, expect to be discounted for the slush box.

[Mark IV]

..no, the "MX" and the C6 are quite different. The MX series (small, medium and large case, so named for the lengths) have cast iron center sections and removable bellhousings and tail shafts. The C6 is an all aluminum case with integral bellhousing. The C6 appeared in the 66 model year. Prior to that the large case MX was the heaviest duty FoMoCo slushbox tranny.

The austronaut 427 Cobra had one installed behind a Lincoln 462 engine when the FE was stolen out of the car. Don't have the registry handy to look up the CSX number.

Rick

[HighPlainsDrifter]

Hi,
The automatic was installed mainly because the engine put out so much torque with the paxton's that the 4 speed toploader and clutch couldn't handle it.
Perry.

PS- We were at the Shelby shop tour in Vegas a few years ago. They had an aluminum body on display in the back, said it was Carrol 's personal car they were using for the mould of the csx 4000 series fiberblass cobra's being done at the prison.

[computerworks]

Originally posted by HighPlainsDrifter


PS- We were at the Shelby shop tour in Vegas a few years ago. They had an aluminum body on display in the back, said it was Carrol 's personal car they were using for the mould of the csx 4000 series fiberblass cobra's being done at the prison.

That car, as Cobrajeff pointed out, would have been CSX3178

[ST]

I was under the impression that CSX3057 a Kimmons bodied "completion car" was used to fabricate the shape of the 4000 series glass cars.

[Sizzler]

Originally posted by Mark IV
..twin Paxton car did not have a C4 but rather a "Large-Case MX" as used in Lincolns. It was not a performance tranny but could handle the large amount of torque available. A real lump of iron...
Rick

are you sure they were PAXTONs? Saw different brand named on another forum.

[Trevor Legate]

The 'Cosby' twin-Paxton auto-slush-box scary monster car, as Al Dowd and Cosby would confirm, was CSX3303 and ended up in the Pacific with loss of life. (See page 177 of the current Shelby World registry)

Brian Angliss at Autokraft was always on the lookout for unclaimed chassis titles/and or write-offs, so built a brand new 427 around the chassis number and the car was last sold at Coys auction in 1995. It had a manual box, as is right and proper.