but Ed Hugus told me that Shelby sold him the second and third Cobras though when I looked it up today on the net, one source said Tasca Ford had bought the third one. At any rate, I also found a website that showed pictures of a Cobra they said was CSX2003 over in England, the one pictured in Simon Taylor's book. According to Taylor all 260's were exported except one demonstrator. PSU 264 (in the UK hobbyists refer to cars by their license plate No.s) was reimported later, converted to right hand drive and fitted with the very first engine Shelby sent to Thames Ditton in 1961. ("first" is an odd word here, do they mean first 260 or the very first was a 221 incher). Another source n the same website says the car was was bought in California but always RHD. If you want to see the pics on the website it's http://www.the289register.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=680
I don't recall how many 260 Cobras were built, they were the early ones, and I never heard of any 221 Cobras. But, it is very unlikely that any of the 260 early cars were just made to be exported. Ain't buying it.
So there's no need for any research ever to be done because it's all in the Register Thanks for the plug for buying the Register. I find it too simple an answer, every time a historical question to hear the same old litany :"It's all in the Register." I think there's plenty of mysteries yet unsolved in the Cobra world and look forward to the new Rinsey Mills-authored book SHELBY Authorized Biography (due April 2012) to see if there's anything new I haven't read before--there's got to be something new in over 400 pages. I know, you'll say, why bother, you'll' send another ad for the Register. Going back to the 221, I thought I read that Shelby flew over to England and tested a car at Silverstone made by A.C. with a 221. I could be wrong, maybe it was a 260 that was sent to the UK and to be correct in nomenclature, maybe that car wasn't a Cobra just an Ace Bristol or Ace 2.6 with a Ford V8 fitted. It hadn't made that magic leap yet into being transformed into a Cobra. At any rate,I was surprised that CSX2003 is still over in Europe--and would still like to know if it was built for the UK market (since it was originally RHD) in which case it wouldn't have the CSX number. This chart from Classic Pony Cars website isn't specific enough but it says the first 221 cu. in. V8 from Ford was sent to AC in Nov. '61 and was running in Jan. '62 and then the car was sent to the US with the 221 replaced by the 260 and THEN it became a Cobra. I wonder if any A.C. owner in the UK knows where that A.C. is now and if it is recognized as the 'test mule" for the Cobra? Here's one website which sounds like what I just described as the chronology: The website: http://www.classicponycars.com/cobra.html When I reproduced it here it lost its box format but here's what was in the boxes. Evolution of the AC Cobra Evolution and Life of the AC Cobra October 1953 AC Ace was unveiled at Earls Court Motor Show in London 1956 Ace became available with the Bristol six cylinder engine 1958 Ford lightweight small block V-8 engine program started in the USA December 1960 Carroll Shelby raced for the last time at Riverside March 1961 British Ford six cylinder engine was used in the Ace when Bristol switched to the Chrysler V8 September 1961 Carroll Shelby contacted AC about his ideas for a V8 engine sports car based on the AC Ace November 1961 The first lightweight Ford V8's were delivered to AC 1961-1962 AC and Shelby worked on the first Cobra prototype January 1962 Prototype Cobra runs for the first time at Silverstone February 1962 CSX2000 - The 221 cid engine was removed and the car was shipped to Shelby in Santa Fe Springs where it was fitted with a 260 cid engine and tested at Riverside April 1962 The Cobra was introduced to the press and first shown in public at the New York Auto Show May 1962 First magazine road test of the prototype Cobra appeared July 1962 The first three "production" Cobras were completed and shipped to the USA complete with 260 cid engines October 1962 The first Cobra was raced for the first time, by Billy Krause at Riverside January 1963 CSX2075 - First 289 cid powered Cobra was completed January 1963 Cobra's first race win was at Riverside March 1963 CSX2127 - First production rack and pinion Cobra was completed June 1963 Two Cobras entered at Le Mans; one retired and the other finished seventh overall Late 1963 AC Ace production stopped October 1963 The first 427 cid powered prototype was built using a leaf spring chassis November 1963 The first right hand drive Cobra was delivered in the UK November 1963 Work began on a Cobra racing coupe which was to become the Daytona Coupe February 1964 CSX2287 - The first Daytona Coupe was tested at Riverside. During 1964 it took three GT class wins and placed fourth overall at Le Mans March 1964 CSX2166 - Ken Miles raced a prototype 427, leaf spring chassis, at Sebring April 1964 AC tested its own 289 cid coupe at Le Mans November 1964 Leaf spring chassis production for export was stopped December 1964 CSX2196 - second 427 cid prototype was debuted by Ken Miles at Nassau Speed Weeks January 1965 CSX3001 - Production of completely redesigned, coil spring 427 Cobra was announced Early 1965 CSX3054 - 427 Super Coupe project was started but eventually abandoned March 1965 Leaf spring chassis production stopped completely after 655 cars were built 1965 Daytona Coupe won the World Manufacturer's Championship for GT cars with six GT class wins May 1966 AC started producing 289 powered versions of the coil spring chassis for the European market February 1968 Five special "long wheelbase" chassis were built for Paramount Pictures film February 1969 Final coil spring car completed in the European series after a total of 348 were built
Based on what SAAC has published. CSX2001 went to Hugus CSX2002 went to Shelby, became first works racer CSX2003 went to Hugus still in the USA as of 1989, picture shows LH drive CSX2004 Hugus CSX2005 Hugus CSX2006 Tasca CSX2007 Tasca Older issues of the registries are for sale quite often, usually not very expensive, and the details on most cars don't get added to much between issues.
Golly, your information is almost correct, but not quite. CSX 2003 was indeed sold to Ed Hugus at European Cars, but it wasn't the prototype. CSX 2000 was the prototype that originally used the 221 cubic inch small block, but only while it was being tested in England. That engine was removed prior to the car's shipment to Shelby in CA, following which a 260 was installed at Dean Moon's shop. Neither car was RHD. The car you mention as a possible prototype, registered in the UK as "PSU 264", wasn't. It was CSX 2033, which was sold through Ed Hugus to a buyer in New England and spent the first several years of its life in the U.S. It was reimported to England in '72 and converted to RHD at that time. Some years later, following a wreck, it was restored and given the 221 cubic inch engine from the Shelby prototype. Even though you find the comment "It's all in the registry" too simple, the fact is, that's where the data is.
