Shelby Cobra MK1 1962

[Sick Cylinder]

A legend was born in January 1962 when acting on instructions from Carroll Shelby, AC Cars in Thames Ditton, England fitted a modified AC Ace with a 260 cubic inch Ford V8 which had been borrowed from Ford UK. The engine was then removed and the car was air-freighted to Shelby in Los Angeles where, on February 2nd 1962, he and his team fitted another 260 Ford motor and transmission in less than eight hours and began road testing.

The first 75 cars were fitted with the 260 engine and the remaining 51 Mark 1 Cobras were fitted with the 289 Ford. The Mark 2 which featured improved steering followed in early 1963.

A legend had been born and the rest as they say is history!

Please also support my thread titled AC Ace Bristol - father of the Shelby Cobra. Both these historic cars deserve a place in Gran Turismo alongside their big brother the mighty Mark 3 Cobra the 427.

https://www.gtplanet.net/forum/thre...r-of-the-ac-shelby-cobra.300550/#post-9330812

 

[Dr P Grunfelde]

Agreed - a car this historic, which changed the face of racing should definitely be in the game. The Mark 3 in GT6 is a totally different car with a tube frame chassis and coil spring rear suspension designed by Ford and powered by the Ford 427 FE side oiler NASCAR engine whereas the Mark 1 and 2 used a modified AC Ace chassis designed by John Tojeiro with transverse leaf rear suspension and powered by the high output version of a Ford engine originally designed for a pickup truck - the 260 and later the 289. The 427 was also wider with flared arches to accommodate bigger wheels and tyres.

Personally I prefer the look of the Mark 1 and 2 over the Mark 3.

Here's a couple of nice shots:

 

[mook]

Yes - cant believe this has got so few votes!- this car has to be in the game - it totally transformed the US racing scene in the early sixties, beating all comers including the Corvette. It would also give the game a lower performance point sports car to compete against the Ferrari 250 GTO and Mercedes 300SL.

This is a great shot of the historic Shelby Cars - the Mark 1 and 2 cars are the blue, red and black cars in the front middle.

 

[Sick Cylinder]

I wish I could make a find like this!

 

[Dr P Grunfelde]

Bob Johnson driving his Mark 1 289 Cobra in the 1963 June Sprints at Road America. Johnson qualified on pole and won with Bob Brown's Cobra second and Dick thompson's Corvette third.

 

[Harsk100]

Yes - cant believe this has got so few votes!- this car has to be in the game - it totally transformed the US racing scene in the early sixties, beating all comers including the Corvette. It would also give the game a lower performance point sports car to compete against the Ferrari 250 GTO and Mercedes 300SL.

This is a great shot of the historic Shelby Cars - the Mark 1 and 2 cars are the blue, red and black cars in the front middle.

View attachment 115259

These Shelby cars must appear in GT7! They are historic icons!