The British two-seater AC Cobra Roadster, originally powered by a BMW engine older than your grandpa’s jokes, got a cheeky upgrade when Carroll Shelby decided it needed a heart transplant. He swapped in a Chrysler V8 and later a Ford 260 V8, turning it into a road warrior. Fast forward to today, and we’ve got a snazzy modern replica featuring a carbon fiber skin. It’s as if the AC Cobra went on a futuristic diet, shedding pounds and adding flair, ready to race into the 21st century with style!
The two seater British hand built, AC Cobra Roadster had original been powered by an out of date BMW pre-WWII designed straight six engine. Caroll Shelby was pleased with the outcome when he had a Chrysler 331 cu in V8 power plant into the Roadster. This first prototype was easily converted and with the engine and drive train removed, the vehicle was air freighted to California Shelby went on to install a Ford 260 cu in (4.2 L) high performance V8 during 1962 and began road tests. The car imaged below is a modern replica of the original Shelby AC Cobra- this unit has a carbon fiber skin over the tubular steel frame.
Our thanks to Gateway Classic Cars for the images displayed here
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