AC Cobra 289, what's it worth???

[yel911]

I am new to this forum and am posting this for a friend. This car COULD be for sale..... I saw this car this am and had to ask what you guys thought of it. My friend, mentions a car he has in a garage called an AC. He also mentioned it's been converted to a 289 Cobra by the Ford shop in Rhode Island back in 1963. So I asked if I could stop by and take some pics, and here they are!!! What's this thing worth???!!!!!! Talk about a barn find.....

[computerworks]

Very cool. There are some interesting things in the pics, as well as some very unusual things.

The real answer to your question lies in what serial number does the chassis carry? If you can get that, the value becomes clearer.

A lot of key features of even an old AC are missing from that car...but a lot of vintage clues are there.

[mrmustang]

X2 what Ron stated.


Bill S.

[1ntCobra]

Looks like someone was trying to make it look more like a Cobra by attempting to put a new front body clip on it (and perhaps gave up). It does look like it must have been in some running condition a while ago considering the battery, radio and power antenna are certainly not 60s or 70s vintage.

If this is a Cobra predecessor, like an AC Ace, it would probably be worth more with the original front body clip and motor. If the motor was replaced in 1963, I'm sure the original motor is long gone.

I have not seen many pictures of AC Aces, but I would think the interior would be similar to a Cobra, but I don't know that is the case. The glove box looks odd. Maybe the whole dash was replaced. The steering wheel looks odd too. The gas cap looks wrong and should probably be on a rear fender.

If this really is an AC Ace with some interesting and incomplete surgery to make it more Cobra-ish, I'm sure someone would be willing to pay 10's of thousands of dollars for it (not 100's of thousands of dollars, like an original Cobra).

It would be interesting to see more pictures. Taken from the side, so as to see the wheels and the fenders, well at least the rear clip. And how about more shots in the trunk and of the rear including the bumpers, tail lights. How about interior shot of doors, including the latches and the seats. More shots in the engine compartment too.

[Historybuff]

The gauges are too far apart. It isn't even like a Comp car dashboard, which sometimes had the gauges in a row. The SN is the most important part.
The car isn't even an AC Bristol converted to Cobra like body because then the dashboard would be like an AC Bristol or 260 Cobra.

[computerworks]

It is really obvious that it is a homemade dashboard...that is not in question

[Maurice Johnson]

You see the front end to the right rear of the head on shot--the note on the fender says "no edges on arch". A "skunk works" perhaps. The plot thickens!!

[1985 CCX]

Ron x3

Many unusual stuff, frame and body might be salvaged. With VIN $$$ no doubt but w/o might be better starting with KMS? One thing for sure it will take alot of $Cake$ to bring it back to life and be reasonably safe to drive.

Cool car!

[Power Surge]

It's pretty obvious that someone really wanted a Cobra. The dash looks like it was made to replicate a 427 street dash. The trunk has a Cobra emblem on it. It's got Cobra taillights, and a Cobra rear push bumper. And obviously they were trying to put a Cobra nose on it.

[mrmustang]

The real question is where in Nashua, NH this car is....Then what is it and is it for sale at a price that reflects an owner based in reality or one who's flight of fancy is currently circling Mars


Bill S.

[Rickd]

It looks like some one ruined an older AC in hopes of having something resembling a cobra. It might be an interesting AC restoration project, if the "car" were very reasonably priced.

[1ntCobra]

Originally Posted by Maurice Johnson

You see the front end to the right rear of the head on shot--the note on the fender says "no edges on arch". A "skunk works" perhaps. The plot thickens!!

If that is the original front clip in the background, you should get a few pictures of it as well. That way we can see if it has a "mustache" and if the grill is upside down compared to a Cobra's grill.

[A-Snake]

1ntCobra,
You may be confusing the "mustache" of the AC Ace-Bristol with an AC Greyhound that had an upside down Cobra grill.

[Chaplin]

nice patina.

[Rickd]

Chaplain. Great description!!!

[1985 CCX]

I am near Nashua? I would love to see it first hand. Buy it no way, but see it yes!

yel911 drop me a line, would love to help if I could.
jdgagnon1@juno.com

[Maurice Johnson]

Help us "early-Cobra ignorant folks". In the head-on and the cockpit shot, one can see a considerable difference in body shape from front clip to the hoop area. The Bristols appear flatter in this area. Where the Shelby cars made wider across the front end?

[1985 CCX]

MJ

Thanks for taking me out of context.

[yel911]

Ok guys.... The nose was hit and replaced by a fiberglass clip. Then the current owner had a guy make a aluminum nose that has not been welded on yet. The owner statesthe title is a 1960 and was converted to a 289 Cobra in 1963. I'm not sure if you can see the fiberglass section against the wall (white). I will try to get the VIN# sometime next week. I thought this would be an interesting conversation piece.... I'll try to get more pics also.

[kris-kincaid]

No, they were the same. An Ace hood would fit reasonably well on a Cobra. The nose in the photo is just laying loosely on the birdcage.

Originally Posted by Maurice Johnson

Help us "early-Cobra ignorant folks". In the head-on and the cockpit shot, one can see a considerable difference in body shape from front clip to the hoop area. The Bristols appear flatter in this area. Where the Shelby cars made wider across the front end?