Continuation Cars

[Anthony]

Originally Posted by computerworks

...minor correction: the "orig" frame cars were dubbed "completion" cars, finsishing the original run of s/n's from the 60's

The newgen 4000's were the "continuation" cars

That may be correct now, but I thought when the CSX30xx cars came out, the first series of CSX cars to come out shelby since he stopped production, they were initially referred to as the "continuation" cars, and some time later the names were changed to as you have stated.

I'm curious, I'll see if I can find a road test of the CSX30xx car when they first came out.

[dcdoug]

Originally Posted by Excaliber

Carbon Fiber? Heck I forgot about those! HST made them you think?

I know there was at least one built for the Latin American market and I think HST built all of those cars. I think twoshelbys has it now. Not sure if Hi-Tech also can build them if one is ordered. You don't see/hear of them very often.

[computerworks]

Originally Posted by Anthony

.... and some time later the names were changed to as you have stated.

That could very well be the case. The semantics were juggled by SAAC years ago to a set of satisfactory terms to differentiate the CSX4000 cars from the others.

[Anthony]

Originally Posted by computerworks

That could very well be the case. The semantics were juggled by SAAC years ago to a set of satisfactory terms to differentiate the CSX4000 cars from the others.

I think that was the case. The cars, as descibed by Shelby, and not by SAAC.

http://www.bccobraclub.org/sn.html

The word "continuation" sounds alot better than "component". Shelby came out with the CSX30xx cars, I guess thinking they would sell, but they didn't. Boy did I drool over one of those, but $500,000 big ones? I settled for a "component" car, that's what they called at that time

The "component" cars obviously were the larger market, and "continuation" sounds alot better that "component", so I believe the names were changed, to enhance the image.

[computerworks]

As Jim mentioned earlier, factory papers now describe CSX4K, etc, as "component" vehicles to imply incomplete.

[STL Mark]

Originally Posted by A-Snake

FWIW, the Shelby Autos web site describes the 4000, 7000, 8000,series as component vehicles not continuation vehicles.

Most likely to deal with the federal safety and emission requirements for new cars.

"Component Vehicle" is a legal classification used in titling processes so that it (although new) does not have to qualify under current safety and emissions standards. All new Cobras real or replica are component vehicles.

[rokndad]

Were there ever any chassis that now carry a CSX 4xxx serial number that were fabricated entirely in the Shelby Cobra shop in Las Vegas.

I seem to recall on a visit in 2000 Gary Patterson showing my wife and I several chassis on stands in various states of assembly.....meaning not completely welded up with all the supports and structure.

[RodKnock]

Regarding carbon fiber CSX's, here's twobyshelby's post. He was told three were built.

Csx4005la

[Power Surge]

The cars built in the early 90s that were marketed as being made from left over chassis are considered "completion" cars. They wear csx3000 VINs just like the 60s cars.

The 4000 series cars are called "continuation" cars, as in, they are the continuation of Shelby producing Cobras after many years of not building them.

For legal reasons, Shelby sells ALL continuation cars as "component" vehicles.... meaning they are sold as part of a completed car, and not a DOT legal completed vehicle for the year of manufacture (no Cobra would meet actual federal standards for modern day and still look like a Cobra).

CSX4000 cars wearing the VIN range from 4000 to into the 4300s, are considered "vegas" cars. Meaning, they were produced by Shelby in Vegas. They were usually sold to authorized Shelby dealers in packages of parts, with the dealers finishing off the cars to the customers liking. Some vegas cars were actually built at Shelby, instead of a dealer, but still started as a package of parts made by Shelby.

There were a few carbon body cars that I think used 4500 numbers.

There are no 4400 or 4600 numbered cars that I am aware of.

Starting with the number 4750, new 4000 cars were now sold as painted, completed rollers, you add the drivetrain. About a dozen or so of the first cars were build in South America by CAV, most having build quality issues that had to be fixed at Shelby. Then the deal was struck with HST to take over building the glass 4000 cars. Later on in time, Shelby struck a deal with Hi-Tech to build some of the CSX cars, to CSX specs. So now, HST and Hi-tech both build new CSX cars.

The newest cars have a 6000 VIN, since the 5000 numbers were used on the old Series 1 cars.

Superformance is licensed by Shelby to use the COBRA name, and is the only replica maker authorized to do so. Other than that, a Superformance built by Hi-Tech shares nothing in common with a CSX built by Hi-Tech.

Hope that clears it up a bit.

[computerworks]

Originally Posted by rokndad

Were there ever any chassis that now carry a CSX 4xxx serial number that were fabricated entirely in the Shelby Cobra shop in Las Vegas.
.

Absolutely. From the start, all the 'glas cars were made in house, frames and all... by some top-notch guys.

At least the first few hundred numbers...

[computerworks]

Originally Posted by Power Surge

There were a few carbon body cars that I think used 4500 numbers.

There are no 4400 or 4600 numbered cars that I am aware of.

The 4500 run is indeed the carbon-fiber cars...plus the 'famous' FAM models.

Around mid CSX43xx, the numbers in sequence were for the aluminum cars, with the 4750 and up being the glas cars.

They are cars into the 44xx sequence, continuing with aluminum.

[Power Surge]

Originally Posted by computerworks

The 4500 run is indeed the carbon-fiber cars...plus the 'famous' FAM models.

Around mid CSX43xx, the numbers in sequence were for the aluminum cars, with the 4750 and up being the glas cars.

They are cars into the 44xx sequence, continuing with aluminum.

Yeah, I knew they kept the early sequence going for the alloy cars, just wasn't sure if they'd gotten into the 4400s or not yet.

[rokndad]

So would that mean that my car, CSX 4758's chassis and various parts was built off site and then brought to SAI for assembly? I have pictures of the chassis and body in various states of primer, no body, no brakes/suspension that have "4758" on masking tape affixed to various parts. I wondered if it was fabricated at SAI or was outsourced and the various parts delivered to SAI for assembly.

I know that due to quality control issues, the entire car was returned to SAI and rebodied and painted in LV. I don't know where the chassis came from and that was the essence of my question.

[DonnieG]

Sal did you sell your car? CSX 4241

[Power Surge]

Originally Posted by DonnieG

Sal did you sell your car? CSX 4241

It's up on Cobra Country right now. Got a few interested, but of course it's still for sale till someone shows me the green .

[Power Surge]

Originally Posted by rokndad

So would that mean that my car, CSX 4758's chassis and various parts was built off site and then brought to SAI for assembly? I have pictures of the chassis and body in various states of primer, no body, no brakes/suspension that have "4758" on masking tape affixed to various parts. I wondered if it was fabricated at SAI or was outsourced and the various parts delivered to SAI for assembly.

I know that due to quality control issues, the entire car was returned to SAI and rebodied and painted in LV. I don't know where the chassis came from and that was the essence of my question.

4758 SHOULD have been originally built in SA at CAV. If the car had to be rebuilt at Shelby for whatever reason, that I don't know. Most of the quality issues with the CAV cars were mainly paint and finish related, so it's very possible Shelby may have taken the body off and just redid the car.

One big thing people didn't like on the CAV cars was that they painted the back sides of the hood, trunk and doors with wrinkle bedliner.

[rokndad]

Originally Posted by Power Surge

4758 SHOULD have been originally built in SA at CAV. If the car had to be rebuilt at Shelby for whatever reason, that I don't know. Most of the quality issues with the CAV cars were mainly paint and finish related, so it's very possible Shelby may have taken the body off and just redid the car.

One big thing people didn't like on the CAV cars was that they painted the back sides of the hood, trunk and doors with wrinkle bedliner.

Thanks Sal. I think 4758 is a hybrid of sorts, since both the underhood and trunk are finished as nicely as the rest of the exterior on the car. Plus, John Ross, a forum member, took pictures of the car during assembly, some of which he sent to me and are in my gallery. It looks like the chassis was delivered without any suspension affixed to it and then assembled at SAI. Gary Patterson told me the body was made at the prison on the outskirts of LV and finished and painted at SAI.

[GUNNAR]

There are no 4400 or 4600 numbered cars that I am aware of.

Sal, As a point of clarification, my car is CSX 4400. Aluminum body supplied by Kirkham, shipped to South Africa to Hi Tech for paint and partial assembly and then shipped to Shelby in Vegas for VIN stamping and final assembly. It was sold to me on a Sheby MSO minus engine and trans. and called a "Continuation" car.
Ernie

[Power Surge]

Originally Posted by GUNNAR

Sal, As a point of clarification, my car is CSX 4400. Aluminum body supplied by Kirkham, shipped to South Africa to Hi Tech for paint and partial assembly and then shipped to Shelby in Vegas for VIN stamping and final assembly. It was sold to me on a Sheby MSO minus engine and trans. and called a "Continuation" car.
Ernie

Yeah, Ron already pointed out that they passed 4400. I didn't have any cars over 4400 when I was collecting registry info/pics for the current book.

[SunDude]

This is an interesting thread.

It was my understanding that, for the CSX4000/6000 continuation series Cobras, Shelby Autos was producing original-style, round-tube chassis frames using tooling that was made by Mike McCluskey for the so-called "completion cars," and that the aluminum, fibreglass and carbon-fibre bodies were sourced from third-party vendors (i.e., Kirkham, Hi-Tech, HST and so on).

So my question is: Is Hi-Tech Automotive supplying Shelby Autos with fibreglass bodies only? Or are they producing a rolling chassis, similar to the Superformance cars? Do the new CSX4000/6000s use the original round-tube frames, or are they using the same square-tube chassis as the SPF cars?

I don't think this was made clear in the other posts.