AC – 289 Cobra (1964)

The true essence of every Cobra is epitomised as the product of two worlds. A distinguished British automaker contributed the AC Ace. The company joined forces with Texan Carroll Shelby, a pilot, racing driver and automobile developer. Shelby came up with a plan to fire up the svelte sports car with a potent Ford V8 engine. The result was truly impressive. The new model was lightweight and extremely fast, ideally suited for successful campaigning in motor sport. This example provides an excellent exemplar of the artistry.

It arrived in Birmingham, Alabama (United States), as a new car where first owner Paul Wood, with the help of a local mechanic, immediately converted it into a racing car to meet the regulations of the SCCA (Sport Car Club of America). They ran in a number of class victories before Wood sold his Cobra in 1973. Shortly afterwards, it was lost in obscurity for three decades, until a painstaking restoration was launched in 2006 where cost was no object. It preserved the car’s individual racing heritage – including flared wheel arches and a bulge on the bonnet.