Given that the 1965 Shelby 427 Cobra built by Carroll Shelby and his Shelby American Company is widely considered among the most important race cars of all time it is seldom that we see these cars for sale in a public forum. One of the reasons is that they are so coveted that they are usually sold or traded among some of the biggest car collections without much public notoriety. Today Cars On Line.com has reported that a 1965 Shelby 427 Competition Cobra is now for sale through Exotic Classics.com the noted classic car dealer in Long Island, New York.
Talk about provenance. As the story goes, Bob Grossman, a Ferrari owner and racer, volunteered to drive his friend’s Shelby 427 Cobra in the 1965 Nassau Trophy Races. As luck would have it he won his class. So impressed was Grossman that he sold his Ferrari 250LM and commissioned Shelby American to build him a production Competition 427 Cobra. His CSX3016, the real deal 1965 Shelby 427 Competition Cobra which you see pictured here is one of only 21 full competition cars ever built. Delivery was taken at Grossman’s Foreign Car City in West Nyack, New York on February 28, 1966. 1965 Shelby 427 Competition CobraThese 427 Competition Cobras are among the most highly sought after Shelby Cobras in the world.
Caroll Shelby is said to have produced 343 big block 427 Shelby Cobra Mk III cars. Of those, 260 were made for street use, 27 were made for semi-competition (now called SC’s), and just 21 were full competition cars. That’s how rare this CSX3016 is. It is documented as the car that broke the track record at Watkins Glen and could be seen racing at some of the best race tracks in the northeast such as Bridgehampton and Limerock. It also won at Sebring in 1966. (Photo is from the Mecum Auction two weeks ago in Kissimmee, Florida. Photo by eClassicAutos.com)
Real Competition 427 Cobras were so fast, a major automotive magazine tested one and said it went from 0 to 100 mph and back to 0 again in 13.2 seconds. The same magazine tested an Aston Martin DB/4 and found it took it 30 seconds to complete the same maneuver. 1965 was 427 Competition Cobra enginethe first year for the big-block, 510-hp, 427-cid “side-oiler” engine. They were designated Mk III models and built on the CSX3000 series chassis specially designed for the mighty new powertrain. Although these cars are treasured today, back then they were not a sucess for Shelby. Shelby failed to get the 1965 big block cars homologated for FIA. They did win the world manufacturer’s championship that year but not with the 427 Competition cars. In FIA, Shelby dominated for three years in 1963, 1964 and 1965.
In recent years CSX3016 was purchased by a private collector, who commissioned respected H.R.E. Motorcars, Inc. of Freeport, New York to perform a major inspection and ready it for concours display. H.R.E.’s work included dismantling much of the car and parts of the chassis and engine compartment to repair and refinish the body in its original colors. H.R.E. assigned authentic decals, wheels and tires. The work is documented by expert Cobra historian William H. Andrews, president of H.R.E. who confirms the authenticity of CSX3016 as the Bob Grossman Sebring Cobra. You see it shown here as it was raced by Grossman. He credits it as a showcase factory Competition Cobra.
Two weeks ago this car was presented for sale at the Mecum Auction in Kissimee, Florida and drew a high bid of $1.7 million dollars but did not break its reserve. Exotic Classics.com told us it will take more than that to own this incredible former racing champion with documented history. Mecum appraised its value at between $1.7 million and $2.8 million.
There is a big difference in the sound that a 427 Competition Cobra makes from the street version 428 big block cars. Click the video link to here this 1965 Shelby Competition 427 Cobra at the Mecum Auction in Kissimmee, Florida two weeks ago:
This car has been SOLD.
Have you seen the Shelby Section of the Cars On Line website? Click Shelby Section.
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