Engine - 289 cubic-inch V8
Transmission - 4-speed manual
Horsepower - 271 at 6000 rpm
Production - 655 Shelby 289 Cobras

“A.C. Cobra Powered by Ford”

By fitting a muscular American V8 into a featherweight British chassis, Shelby created an iconic American sports car. The vehicle presented here, CSX 2135, is one of the earliest and sought-after Mark II 289 Cobras. Originally painted white with a red interior, it was shipped to New York and delivered to W.J. Janner of the Ford Motor Company Car Sales Promotion division in Dearborn, Michigan. Subsequently, Shelby American transported it to Kansas City where it was sold on September 16, 1963 to Ford executive and future director of Ford Racing, Jacques Passino. After almost one year being used by Ford Motor Company for promotional purposes, the car returned to Shelby American in the Summer of 1964 with about 5,300 miles. The vehicle was then resold by Beverly Hills Sports Cars, on March 31, 1965 to an anonymous owner who kept it until 1967. Afterward, the Cobra made its way to Brant Motors of Walnut Creek, California, where it was sold to Tom Ellis. By the late 1970s, the Cobra had changed hands again, and was raced at SAAC-3 in Pasadena, California and SAAC-9 in Anaheim California. CSX 2135 has been presumed lost between 1984 and 1989 when it resurfaced in San Francisco after being purchased by Milton Janzen. Following a restoration and conservation by several collectors, the car found its way to Colorado, and then back to California. It was restored again to concours standards more recently to reflect its significance and rarity.

In total, 655 examples of the small-block Cobra were built, with the later versions called Mark II due to their improved steering using rack-and-pinion design. Painstakingly restored with originality as a top priority, factory-correct components had to be sourced when returning this Cobra to a standard befitting of its unique and prominent heritage. This vehicle’s colorful history combined with its status as a Ford Motor Company “press car” qualify it to be a truly exceptional example in the Shelby Cobra realm.