289 FIA Cobras

[G.R.]

Still ahead of the Ferarris That guy taking a shortcut?


Sweet looking Cobra......but I'm biased about 289's

[DAVESS]

Could someone inform me of the title of the new Rinsey Mills book? I have his book "Original AC Ace and Cobra " Restorers Guide and it is delightful, packed with great photos and info. Thanks.

[Nedsel]

Rinsey's latest effort is called "AC Cobra - (The truth behind the Anglo-American legend)." It is ISBN 1 85960 849 3.

[G.R.]

Grreat Book! Gives some insight that you don't find in other Cobra books. I especialy like the as AC delivered "color" on early Cobras. According to the AC build sheets several of them were delivered in "Princess Blue", guess Shelby thought the American market wouldn't purchase a car with "Princess Blue" paint so immediately changed the name to "Viking Blue".


So if you have a "Viking Blue" Cobra.......beware

[Nedsel]

G.R. - Princess blue and Viking blue are actually two distinctively different colors. When I repainted 2306 about ten years ago, we couldn't locate anything that matched the original paint under the chrome headlight buckets. I eventually decided to use Viking because (a) we could duplicate it, and (b) I think it looks nicer than Princess. Viking has slightly more blue in it, whereas Princess is like a dull silver with just a hint of blue in it. The '64 Ford color of "silver mink" is sort of like it, but is more to the silver end of the spectrum.

[G.R.]

Nedsel

So did SAI then repaint all the cars from AC received in Princess Blue to Viking Blue?

I'm just curious as I find it hard to believe that a start-up, even in the 60's would go through that expense. But I wasn't there and don't know the history.

[Nedsel]

No, they didn't go to that expense. They sold them in the color AC painted them. On various Shelby invoices to the dealers they were identified as being "P. Blue."

[hurricaneharold]

Originally Posted by Nedsel

Gary: Only the FIA and USRRC cars were built at AC Cars in the "cutback door" body style, with front flares and a rear clip much like that of the later 427 cars. They weren't "converted;" that's the way they were originally built.

Ron: There was only one 427 prototype, and that was 2196. Some vendors have attempted to float the idea that 2166 was one also, but it was sold as a stock 289 roadster to its first owner. He had a 427 installed in it, so it was simply a modified car rather than a Shelby prototype. Interestingly, 2166 has since been converted into a Daytona Coupe replica by its current European owner through Robert Sarrailh of LeMans, France.

What a shame it wasnt kept as an original 289,

Do you have any photo`s of this car ?

[benadon]

Hey guys.
I am very confused about the shape of 289 FIA. When comparing images of the original Cobras with Superformance CSX7000, I notice that the CSX7000s have a higher, fatter rear fender/trunk. Why wouldnt they maintain the original shape of the 1964 FIA roadsters?

Help!

[CSX2345]

I had the same issue when shopping for a 289 FIA car. Seems both Superformance and Shelby American use the same 289 FIA body that is sadly inaccurate. A real shame as I wanted the period correct transverse spring chassis.

The early Shelby CSX7000 cars had a wider 427 rear body, but not sure how many of those were made before changing over to the current version.

I ended up going with the more accurate ERA FIA that pulled measurements directly off CSX2345.

Cheers

[Harpoon PV2]

No way to prove or disprove, but I like the theory, that Alan Turner, just wanted to ad a little artistic flare to an otherwise mundane purpose race car! He did after all, design the most beautiful version of the Cobra Coup's! Cheers, Dennis

[peterpjb]

the glass SPF/SPF-CSX body are incorrect,
the alu Kirkham/Kirkham-CSX are correct, except maybe their front fender interpretation
but there are as many different front fenders as cut back door Cobras,
so there is no ,correct' front fender