| Just mention the car racer's name "Carroll Shelby" | | | | time to be bothered with any new automotive |
| and the one word "Cobra" to any automobile | | | | products or any new car model or automotive |
| enthusiast and you will get a smile. It's as anyone | | | | lines specifications. Ford it seemed was vaguely |
| who knows anything about cars and automobiles | | | | stimulated but needed to be "sold" on the idea. |
| knows that "Shelby equals Cobra". Carroll Shelby | | | | Shelby had heard about the new Ford V-8 motor, |
| however has two other claims to automobile | | | | the 221C! Small block motor, and saw in it the |
| fame - being the "Tiger" and the Shelby GT350 | | | | way to really get the ear and attention of the |
| as well as Shelby GT500 classic muscle car | | | | Ford Motor Company. Shelby pulled off the deal |
| models. It can be held that the Shelbies are "the | | | | by what might be called "one of the oldest tricks |
| Muscle Cars" of the 1960's. | | | | in the book". He told AC that he could interest |
| The story really began with the A.C. Car | | | | Ford by using their chassis and he told Ford that |
| Company's AC Ace and Aceca models. These | | | | he could interest their AC in using their V-8 engine. |
| were small beautifully proportioned sport cars, the | | | | Most importantly he told both these tales at the |
| Ace being an open model, and the Aceca the | | | | same time. Both Ford and AC liked the sound of |
| closed coupe version. In the beginning they were | | | | this idea. |
| powered by the company's own 1926 designed | | | | AC next delivered to Shelby's workshop an |
| six cylinder engine with overhead camshafts. It | | | | engineless AC Ace. In only eight hours Shelby and |
| was not long before the demands of racing saw | | | | his fine crew had installed the Ford V-8 into it. It |
| the AC engine replaced as an optional extra by | | | | did run, but it was more than obvious to the |
| the 105 barrel horsepower straight six cylinder | | | | sports car aficionados that there was more than |
| unit. The AC was produced in small quantities in | | | | a fair share of work to be done before it was a |
| the famed Thames Ditton works , and at no time | | | | finished product ready to be shown to both |
| did anyone have any idea that this pleasant little | | | | principles and the auto shows and race tracks as |
| car would become a fire breathing Muscle Car for | | | | well. Using the expertise and input of an |
| the American market, and as well go on to form | | | | experienced California based British racing /test |
| the basis for a world championship GT auto | | | | driver effort and expertise were expounded on |
| machine. | | | | the project until the point that a polished product |
| At that time the AC were quietly building the Ace | | | | was coaxed along. |
| and Aceca models, a Texan racing driver named | | | | Finally the question is asked - where did the name |
| Carroll Shelby was knocking on the doors of | | | | "Cobra" comes from. Legend has it that Shelby |
| Detroit's then "Big Three", trying to get them to | | | | Carroll kept a notepad at ready by his bedstead. |
| listen to his ideas about making an American | | | | Legend is that one morning Mr. Carroll awoke |
| super-fast automobile that could serve its owner | | | | after a most deep and productive slumber with |
| as a street car Monday -Friday, then with very | | | | this mythical name on his lips ready to be written |
| little work allow him to go racing on the weekend. | | | | down on that very notepad. Whether this origin |
| Carroll's ideas ran to a European or | | | | of the dream name of the classic American |
| Japanese-made chassis equipped with an | | | | muscle car is true, or the automotive product |
| American small-block V-8 engine and transmission. | | | | name came as a result of years of expertise in |
| It seemed that the mighty General Motors were | | | | the automotive and automotive racing community |
| only interested in their own Corvette, which took | | | | and marketing "brainstorming" is not clearly |
| up all of their development time and money, so | | | | known. However what is more than true is that |
| they were not interested in listening to Shelby. | | | | the Muscle Car trade name "Cobra" fit the image, |
| Chrysler was not interested "sporty "cars at the | | | | speed and power of the car implying sleek |
| time. In fact they were having enough trouble | | | | acceleration , deadly acceleration, speed and more |
| selling their own cars and other products at the | | | | than outstanding good looks. |