Of all the great 1960s sports cars, few have been as influential as the Shelby Cobra. Le Mans-winning driver Carroll Shelby reasoned that Ford’s new lightweight V-8 would make a promising powerplant for a sporting chassis, so he fitted the new engine to an AC Ace. The result, the Cobra, combined California hot rod know-how with European chassis dynamics. In competition trim, Cobras achieved an impressive record, and were a major force in Ford’s dominance of international sports car racing in the 1960s.
Gaswerks Garage is pleased to offer this stunning 1964 289 Shelby Cobra. As documented by the Shelby Registry, as well as a copy of the factory invoice, this 289 Cobra, chassis CSX2210, was shipped from AC to Los Angeles aboard the SS Pacific Fortune on November 14, 1963. The Cobra stayed at Shelby American’s facility in Los Angeles, where it may have been used as a factory demonstrator, before being sold to dealer Joe Brown Ford in Louisville, Kentucky, on May 15, 1964. Originally finished in red with a black interior, it was equipped with “Class A” accessories, which included chrome wheels and a radio with antenna. By March 1965, the Cobra had been purchased by Louisville resident John M. Winemiller, who started enjoying the car immediately by competing in local autocrosses. Mr. Winemiller became acquainted with notable Cobra racer Don Roberts, who had purchased a number of surplus XE-specification racing engines from Carroll Shelby and Lew Spencer’s Hi-Performance Motors after the shop’s closing in 1967. These engines featured a special block casting with four-bolt main bearing caps and a windage tray, and were developed by Ford for use in GT40s and endurance-racing sedans. Roberts reportedly rebuilt one of these extremely rare engines for CSX2210 and installed it with a GT40-style intake and Weber carburetors, the setup that remains in the car to this day. The Shelby would go to Mr. Winemiller’s son Jake after his father’s passing in the early 1970s.
By 1983, Harry Campbell of Grain Valley, Missouri, had bought the Cobra from Jake Winemiller. In 1985, Mr. Campbell delivered the Shelby to esteemed Cobra restoration expert Bill Murray of Longmont, Colorado. As documented by accompanying receipts and photos, CSX2210 was given a ground-up, no-expense spared restoration to cut-back-door, FIA specification. The original bodywork was repaired as necessary, while FIA fender flares and a hood scoop were fabricated and installed. The suspension was re-bushed, the engine rebuilt, and the finished car painted Dark Blue with traditional white racing stripes. This beautiful work still presents extremely well today, a testament to the care taken at the time by Murray. The Cobra has been selectively upgraded over time to fit the intended use and tastes of its fastidious caretakers, the two families who cherished the car for over 50 years. Now, tastefully presented with its desirable FIA-specification bodywork and extremely rare competition-derived engine, this Cobra stands out among its peers with its unique substance and focus.
Enthusiasm for the Shelby Cobra continues unabated today and is a testament to the alluring qualities bestowed upon it by Shelby American. This is an incredibly rare opportunity to own one of the most legendary cars ever produced. Please contact Gaswerks Garage for more information.
