AC return to USA

[Fast Farmer]

Nikbj68
To paraphrase, "All Carroll Shelby did was drop an engine into an existing car that no longer had an engine available for continued production." Simply put and correct, yet there was a little initiative involved in renaming the vehicle, racing it worldwide, and making it feared and respected due to its success. As others have said before, Mr Shelby's main strength is/was recognizing talented people and bringing them together to accomplish great things.

To help you understand the "Original vs Real vs Replica" debate, do a search on this site with those key words, then substitute the word AC for Cobra everywhere it appears. This topic has been debated ad nauseum.

The modern produced AC alloy vehicles look to be very good. I haven't had an opportunity to see one in person since 1999, however.

On this side of the pond, many people have a perspective of AC being a 1960s era sub-contractor for Carroll Shelby/Shelby American. It takes many parts to make a whole assembly. Another example of a Carroll Shelby 1960s era sub-contractor would be Ford with their engines and transmissions, etc...

The vehicles now produced by AC are NOT Cobras because they are not currently connected to Carroll Shelby in any way, or received his paternal blessing. ie. chilli, guitars, Eleanor '67 "Shelbys", etc... Many would view the Mark series as replica sub-contracted parts along with many other brand replica sub-contracted parts, combined to make an AC brand street rod that replicates an American Cobra.

By the way, on this site I have been told over and over and over...ad infinitim that my car is not an original, which I knew when I bought it, and I share Evan's pain convincing the masses that the "REAL" and genuine designation is accurate for a SAI/SA produced and soon CAV produced Shelby Cobra. Therefore, the same rules should apply on your side of the pond for the original COB numbered cars vs the modern produced "REAL" and genuine AC vehicles.

I dare say IMHO that most Yanks do not think that the equivalent model AC Mark series cars are worth more than modern true Shelby Cobras, regardless of actual dollar values charged for the respective examples. Possibly the opposite is true in jolly old Engand.

Fast Farmer
(Heading for the tornado shelter now)

OK Evan, How did I do?