Cobra coupes

Cobra Daytona line up by Jonathan Sharp.

By Peter Brock

Brock updates the history of the Daytona Cobra Coupes for VeloceToday

Carroll Shelby built only six Daytona Cobra Coupes to contest the World Manufacturers Championship in 1964 and 1965. Its controversial body design was created by Shelby’s Director of Special Projects, Peter Brock. The first Shelby Daytona Coupe was built completely at the Shelby American race shop in Venice, California. The remaining five were partially-built (chassis) at Shelby’s but then were flown to Italy to have Carrozzeria Gransport in Modena build the bodies. A seventh semi-related car, the 427 “Type 65” Shelby Daytona Super Coupe # CSB3054, built on the later Ford designed MK II chassis, was planned to run in the Prototype Class in 1965. When the GT40 program was awarded to Shelby for 1965, the Cobra program was terminated, so the Type 65 was never officially completed by Shelby and is not included herein.

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CSX2287 Photo by Hugues Vanhoolandt

Chassis #CSX2287 was the prototype Cobra Daytona Coupe. It is the only coupe (chassis/body) that was built entirely at the Shelby American race shop in Venice, California. It has an extensive race history (7 races), competing at Daytona, Sebring, Reims, Spa Francorchamps, Oulton Park TT, Le Mans and Tour de France. It was driven by Chris Amon, Dave MacDonald, Bob Holbert, Jo Schlesser, Phil Hill, Jochen Neerpasch, Innes Ireland, André Simon, Maurice Dupeyron, Bob Johnson and Tom Payne. [Read more…] about Chassis History of the Six Daytona Coupes by Pete Brock