All Shelby Cobras are special, but this aluminum-bodied 50th Anniversary Edition car is a rare treasure.
When it comes to 50-year anniversaries, the usual gift is gold, but Shelby celebrated 50 years of the 427 Cobra with polished aluminum. The legendary 427 Cobra was unleashed in 1965, and in 2015, the Shelby Cobra CSX 50th Anniversary Edition was unveiled with production limited to just 50 units. In the four years since this Cobra – no. 15 of 50 – was built (but never titled), it has racked up just 99 miles, and it's now listed for sale by Streetside Classics of Charlotte for $329,995.
The engine is what made this car so special back in 1965, and perhaps that is even more true on this commemorative Cobra. These cars obviously started with a 427 CID V8, but this car's powerplant was bored and stroked by Shelby Race Engines increasing displacement to 526 CID. To go along with the increased displacement, this engine was also beefed up with Mahle pistons, Billet crank, Billet H-beam rods, coated bearings, solid roller, fully ported Shelby aluminum heads, Holley four-barrel carb and more. The engine was fully balanced, blue printed and dyno tested for maximum performance, and this big-block alone is estimated to represent about a third of this Cobra's total value!
To handle all of that power, the engine is backed by a Tremec five-speed manual gearbox, and this Cobra also has all the tools to make sure the handling matches the performance of the engine. In addition to rack-and-pinion steering and Wilwood four-wheel disc brakes, this Cobra also has an independent suspension setup at the front and rear with coilover shocks.
While the engine and legit CSX serial number would have been enough for this 427 Cobra to stand apart, Shelby gave this car a one-of-a-kind look. The 50th Anniversary Edition models were offered in either fiberglass or aluminum bodies, and this one stuck with the latter with a polished aluminum body and brushed aluminum stripes. The chrome side pipes and roll hoop are the only things shinier than this Cobra's body, and the racing-style Goodyear lettering on the tires adds a nice sporty touch. The interior features low-back leather seats and a wooden steering wheel.
You can pick up a continuation Cobra at just about any major auction house or consignment shop these days, but you're probably only going to get one shot at this 1965 Shelby Cobra 50th Anniversary Edition.
