Carroll Shelby’s personal 427 Cobra roadster, a car he owned from new until his death in 2012 at age 89, has just been sold at the 15 January 2021 Mecum Auctions’ huge annual collector car sale in Kissimmee, Florida.
Carroll Shelby
This car with the , chassis number CSX3178, was owned by Carroll Shelby since new until his death in 2016. Originally, it was painted in charcoal grey – one of just five 427 Cobras finished in this colour.
Actor Steve McQueen, left, and racer Carroll Shelby stand by McQueen's Ford-Cobra roadster, June 28, 1963, in Los Angeles.
It was originally delivered to Carroll Shelby's ranch in Texas in early March of 1965. A few years later, in 1972, Shelby had the car repainted in Guardsman Blue with a gold front end.
The car also featured a couple of special changes made by Shelby, including a more powerful aluminium-head 427 side-oiler V8 engine and an automatic transmission that made it easier for the aging automotive icon to drive the car.
The vehicle is quite a rare spec for a Cobra, on top of its vaunted ownership pedigree. No side pipes, no bonnet scoop, no roll bar, and thin rear tires are a combination rarely seen for such a serious sports car.
In 2002, the Cobra was once again repainted, this time in red. The second owner (and seller at the auction), bought it from the Shelby Estate in 2016 and made sure it underwent a complete and faithful restoration, bringing it back to its original form, including the aluminium-head V8 with side-oiler setup, and Top loader 4-speed manual transmission. The restoration process was completed in 2019 by “Shelby restoration expert Peter Klutt who spent between 2,000-3,000 hours restoring the 1965 Shelby 427 Cobra Roadster.
This Cobra is the big brother to CSX2000, the original small-block Cobra which recently sold for almost $14 million – it is the only 427 Cobra Carroll Shelby owned from new until his death 10 May 2012.