Real Cobra?

[nosquids]

Newbie here! A friend of mine is looking at purchasing a Cobra. He was told it was built by Shelby American Inc. It was built in 1995. I looked at the vin # and it had a tag that said Shelby American Inc. The vin # is 6T08L252590 From what I have read all real Cobras have a vin starting with CSX. I know that in 89 there were some continuation cars built could this be one of them? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks Mike

[RodKnock]

Mike,

Can you post some pics? There are many experts here that can help you.

[nosquids]

As soon as the weather clears up here I can take some! Thanks Mike

[Power Surge]

Originally Posted by nosquids

Newbie here! A friend of mine is looking at purchasing a Cobra. He was told it was built by Shelby American Inc. It was built in 1995. I looked at the vin # and it had a tag that said Shelby American Inc. The vin # is 6T08L252590 From what I have read all real Cobras have a vin starting with CSX. I know that in 89 there were some continuation cars built could this be one of them? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks Mike

Continuation cars started in 96, and have CSX4XXX VINs. It could still be a 4000 car if that VIN is one that was state issued when it was registered. But honestly, it's probably just a replica with a Shelby VIN plate on it that you can buy anywhere.

Post some pics and we'll let you know. Try to get some underhood shots.

[Wingco]

As said, it is easy to get a replica VIN plate for your car, and perfectly legal here.

[Woodz428]

I'll have to find my code book to be sure....but that has the telltale indications of being a Ford number..........an EARLY Ford #, like in 1966. Late numbers have many more numbers if I'm not mistaken. I would be VERY cautious....it sounds like a TU car or someother company.

I didn't find the book I was looking for, but just remembered that the L in the fifth place is for a 250 six,so the 6 might be for 1976,not '66. The T would be the Metuchen plant. The 08 would be the body style( 07 is 2dr), not sure what it is yet. But again, BE VERY WARY of this car. I think it was titled off an old Ford title circa 1976...not a Cobra, which indicates it is a kit of some kind and likely titled improperly( or illegally depending on your place of residence). I will post more data when I find the code book.

[Rick Parker]

That is a VIN for a 1966 Ford passenger car of some sort but it is not for an AC or Shelby Cobra. Be very careful.

[1985 CCX]

Another check might be price?
A Real Original >$500,000, consult an expert to avoid a huge mistake.
A real glass CSX should be $75-95k depending on options. If is ally body it will be >$100k. If the car is less than $50k, you will need to do a further check of what it is.

Shelby fast check for the novice:
1) Footpedals should pop out from underneath footbox like this:

2) Look under car, if the frame is not round, like this, it is a kit of some sort.

3) If frame is round, look at hood underside, should have a 1/2" tube running around the underside edge like this. If not, you need help as it is a kit....

4) Look under at the rear end, if it is not an IRS similar to this it is a kit.

5) Look at the rear leg of the roll bar should be ~45 degree pitch and enter trunk at least 2/3 of the way back towards trunk hatch.

6) Wheels, they would be single nut pin drive. If you see a lugnut on the wheel it is a kit of sorts.


7) If the man selling the car looks like this, ask for his signature, if he charges you for it - might be Carroll himself:

MOST important do your homework......

[ZOERA-SC7XX]

6E69ZXXXXXX is the VIN # for a 1966 Ford Galaxie conv., so the VIN # above is most probably a Ford from 1966. Beware.

[Woodz428]

The L is a little toss, it was used for the early 221 V8, as well as the Cammer( not too many of those), it was most used with the later 250 I6 that wasn't introduced until 1969. The rest of the code with the exception of the L is a 1966 Mustang convertible. Since it isn't a Mustang, the L could have been anything and altered at the time of registration to hide a stolen or totaled title. In about 1980, the Feds ( I believe) started requiring 17 digit serial numbers....which a state issued # would have to follow... as you can tell that one falls way short of that.
With that serial # and without seeing any pics, I feel pretty strongly that it is a kit titled with an 1966 Mustang convertible serial number with an altered engine code. The titling will be illegal and the altered serial number might add another level of illegality to the #. Oh,have I said be afraid..be very afraid??
I'm not sure how the other companies did titling, but I got a couple lost titles from TU in the 70s, by sending them the number off the car and transfering it to them, they would issue a new title for the car. They checked to see if it was stolen or owned by someone already, but never required even a photo of the tag. If the owner went to them or anyone that titled like that, they could have taken that number from any Mustang convertible they saw and changed the engine code so it wouldn't appear anywhere when they checked. I imagine it was that lack of follow up on TUs part to verify that it was a REAL serial # on a Real car that got them the legal issues that gave them such a black eye. He may have even owned the Mustang the number was off, depending on the level of integrity he has. From what he seems to be portraying...I'd say his integrity is questionable.
I'd suggest searching TU( or Titles Unlimited) on this forum and you might get a huge education about Cobra titling.

[nosquids]

Thanks for all the info guys. I will get some pics of the car on Monday it is going to rain here for the next 2 days. It does have a tube chasis and a 427 I know that. The title reads 66 Ford Conv. and was issued 4/95 from Florida. Thanks to all who have responded. Mike

[mrmustang]

Originally Posted by nosquids

Thanks for all the info guys. I will get some pics of the car on Monday it is going to rain here for the next 2 days. It does have a tube chasis and a 427 I know that. The title reads 66 Ford Conv. and was issued 4/95 from Florida. Thanks to all who have responded. Mike

If you are truly unsure of what you are looking at, there are plenty of people around the Charlotte area that can act as a second set of eyes. Why not reach out and touch some of them for assistance should your desire for the car outweigh the warnings posted above.

Also, the VIN as posted above decodes as follows: 6T08L252590

6=1966 model year
T= Metuchen, NJ assembly plant (sorry, no Cobras were ever built there)
08=convertible body style
L=Sorry, invalid engine code as Ford did not use the letter "L" in 1966 in any Ford/Lincoln/Mercury/Truck line
252590=If this was a valid Ford VIN it would register as the 152589th car off the assembly line for the 1966 model year


Again, this VIN does not belong on an original Cobra...........

Bill S.

[mrmustang]

• 2 - 6 Cyl. 200 CID Export 1-1BBL
• 8 - 8 Cyl. 428 CID Export n/a
• 5 - 6 Cyl. 240 CID Export n/a
• 3 - 8 Cyl. 260 CID Export 1-2BBL
• 4 - 8 Cyl. 427 CID Export 2-4BBL
• W - 8 Cyl. 427 CID 1-4BBL
• U - 6 Cyl. 200 CID 1-1BBL
• S - 8 Cyl. 390 CID 1-4BBL
• Q - 8 Cyl. 428 CID 1-4BBL
• P - 8 Cyl. 428 CID Police 1-4BBL
• H - 8 Cyl. 390 CID 1-2BBL
• Y - 8 Cyl. 390 CID 1-2BBL
• Z - 8 Cyl. 390 CID 1-4BBL
• X - 8 Cyl. 352 CID 1-4BBL
• R - 8 Cyl. 427 CID 2-4BBL
• T - 6 Cyl. 200 CID 1-1BBL
• K - 8 Cyl. 289 CID High Performance 1-4BBL
• C - 8 Cyl. 289 CID 1-2BBL
• A - 8 Cyl. 289 CID 1-4BBL
• E - 6 Cyl. 240 CID Taxi 1-1BBL
• B - 6 Cyl. 240 CID Police 1-1BBL
• V - 6 Cyl. 240 CID 1-1BBL

[Woodz428]

Originally Posted by nosquids

It does have a tube chasis and a 427 I know that. The title reads 66 Ford Conv. and was issued 4/95 from Florida. Thanks to all who have responded. Mike

A tube chassis is not a ROUND tube chassis, there are many SQUARE tube chassis...probably most. If you aren't familiar with a 427 ( value adder), it looks the same as any FE to the average person. From the "information" that you have been supplied, in my mind the initial taste of honesty or in this case not, I would be skeptical of any other info he has supplied. If you have any interest in it after the warnings supplied here....you'd better take someone knowledgeable about 427s( as well 352s,390s,410s,428s as well as all Ford engines...you can make 427 cubes many ways and that does not, in the classic sense, make a 427 as it is known to be in REAL Cobras...that's for you Evan.
Also, just as a point of information regarding replica Cobras...just because it was titled in '95, doesn't make it a '95 car. Some kits have extremely long build times and a kit titled in '95 could have been a 10 year old kit that was just completed, possibly passed through more than one hand on the way to completion.I have looked at a couple of other type kits that are over 40 years old and still not built...most barely started. I would point blank ask him WHAT kit it is, that will let him know,that you know, it is NOT the real deal.... he may become more forthright if he knows you are better informed than he hoped. Other points to look for are 9" rear ends( not a Cobra) and Mustang II front ends( also not a Cobra)...

[Dwight]

as Woodz428 pointed out,
a lot of kit are passed on thru many owners. Each time it sold, the story gets better. The last owner may truly believe he has a real Cobra. Be well informed before you buy. Take a lot of pics and post here. There are a lot of knowledgeable people on this site that will help you.

A few years before I bought my kit a guy at work told me that he had bought a hot rod from a old guy in Mississippi who had a real Cobra for sale. I asked how much he wanted for the Cobra. Answer $27,000. I told him that was to cheap for a real Cobra. He said it's real, I've seen it. I asked did it have a fiberglass or aluminum body, he said aluminum. I asked several other questions before I asked where I could look at it. He would not tell me where the car was. He thought he might buy it himself. I saw him later on another job and asked about the Cobra. He did not buy it, but would not talk about it either.

Everybody on this site has stories like mine.
Be careful before you buy.


Dwight

[bulletbrown]

Look out, there is a number of false Registration Cobra Kits out there ,I know I found out the hard way and yes most are along the east coast and of course they come up for sale from time to time . This is one of them with that serial number, If it was real the owner would know it ! I spent over 3200 dollars and 3years getting my title and I talked with the law over and over again and in four states and they are NOW very much aware of what has been going on in the past with Kit Cars . I was interviewed by the DMV as far away as New York . A title mill in New York was closed down and the owners are in a lot of hot water over false titles. One call I received from a Officer of the DMV stated to me that " We had know idea that the Kit cars registration problem was so far spread and we will be on the out look for false registration , he had interviewed a number of people and they stated that the Kit Car dealers employees had told them to Register there Kits with old Ford titles from the junk yards and save the taxes on there true value . If we find them we will inbound them ."A word to the wise!!!!

[Got the Bug]

nosquids,

Too many great deals to dink around with some mystery car for sale. Tell your friend to look on Club Cobra or Cobra Country for a car. In many cases, fellow CC members know of the car and can vouch for it.

Those "once in a lifetime" deals usually come back to bite you in the a$$.

[paulnd]

Should be 3/4 diameter tubes under hood,