Mecum to Auction One Of Carroll Shelby’s Personal Cobras
Charcoal Gray 427 Cobra was in Shelby’s possession from its birth until his passing. Now, thanks to Mecum Auctions, it could be yours.
It is no secret that an original Shelby Cobra can fetch a monstrous premium at auction. Big auto auctions like Barrett Jackson and Mecum routinely see them cross the auction block far north of seven figures. In fact, the very first Cobra sold for nearly $14 million. The cars themselves carry an immeasurable amount of heritage. However, examples like this take it even further. This Cobra is something extraordinary because it comes from Carroll Shelby’s personal collection. Now it could be yours. That is if you have the spare capital burning a hole in your pocket.
This Cobra is set to cross the block at Mecum Auction’s Kissimmee 2021 event this January. While they don’t have an estimated price available to the public, they do list that you can call to inquire. You know how the old saying goes, though. If you have to ask, you can’t afford it. Worry not, though; we’re in the same boat. That doesn’t mean we can’t take a moment to appreciate this legendary vehicle.
An iconic big block bruiser.
This 1965 4276 Cobra is one of only seven to ever where the charcoal gray paint job. Though, in 1972 it was repainted blue and gold. During its 1972 restoration, it underwent an engine swap. Its aluminum head side-oiler 427 cubic inch V8 is mated to a top-loader four-speed manual transmission. It features dual four-barrel carburetors and puts around 475 horsepower. While many cars of this vintage don’t exactly have power outputs to rival current technology, this is certainly an exception. Even by today’s standards, 475 horsepower is a lot. Especially when considering these Cobras weigh only around 2,300 pounds.
This Cobra belonged to Carroll Shelby from the day it was finished being assembled until his death in 2012. It stayed in possession of the Shelby estate until 2016 when it was sold to a private party. In 2019 it underwent a full ground-up restoration with excessive thought and detail to ensure everything was brought back to its exact spec as its original build in 1965.
The devil is in the details.
Indeed, this Cobra is immaculate inside and out. While you can’t say that it is technically all original, it is once again as glorious as it was the day Shelby picked it up.
While there is no definite way to price it, we can assure you the number will be astounding. This is the only 427 Cobra Shelby owned from new until he passed away. Mecum certainly has a way of offering up some of the most iconic vehicles in history, and this Cobra has to sit among the top of that list.
The very first Cobra, CSX2000, sold for nearly $14 million, as we mentioned before. While it’s reasonably safe to assume this one will not quite match that number, we wouldn’t at all be surprised to see it north of $5 million. One thing is for sure, whoever winds up winning that auction is going to take ownership of a truly remarkable part of Carroll Shelby, Ford, and overall racing history.
Photos: Mecum Auctions