1963 Shelby Cobra 289

Get ready for another prime selection of Motor Trend memorabilia, this time highlighted by our first test of the now-legendary '63 Shelby Cobra 289. Also in the mix are a host of fascinating historic factoids from the month of April and a flashback to the year 1982, when performance once again began to emerge from the shadows of the devastating '70s oil embargoes. Closing things out is a mini-showcase of promotional efforts by near-famous automakers of yore. Closely peruse the following pages and you'll also discover what famed West Coast superspeedway was forced to close its gates despite hosting both NASCAR and USAC events. Plus, do you know in what model year the original Chevy Blazer first appeared? Or, which explosive power source some futurists wrongly predicted would be used in passenger cars before the year 2000?

Remembering Motor Trend's First
'63 Cobra Road Test
Carroll stuffed the English-built AC chassis full of Ford power and created a legend
Excerpts from our original Shelby Cobra test-Sept. '63
Our personal feelings about the Cobra are that it's indeed a fun car and one that offers unmatched performance in the production car field. Our test roadster, with the exception of a few luxury extras, was the standard offering. Early Cobras were using the 260-cid Ford Fairlane V-8, but now the standard powerplant is the 289-cid version. A solid-lifter cam, four-barrel carburetor, and 11:1 compression help squeeze out 271 horses at 6000 rpm with 312 pound-feet of torque at 3400 rpm.

During our quarter-mile acceleration runs, we were bothered by excessive wheelspin in first gear and think that with more rubber on the rear, our 0-60-mph times could've been dropped from 5.8 seconds down to around 5 flat. We were very pleased with the quarter-mile averages (13.8/104), even though this isn't quite as fast as the near-13.0/112 figures that have been quoted elsewhere. Top speed was also shy of the advertised mark of 150 mph. At 5800 rpm in fourth gear (130 mph), the Cobra was just about done. A distance longer than the Riverside Raceway backstretch (where our test was conducted) would have allowed another 3-5 mph.

With a base price of $5995, the Cobra doesn't come cheap, but if you fancy yourself an enthusiast and you want the most out of your dollar, we'd recommend a serious look and a personal test drive in this car.
-Jim Wright,
Technical Editor

Today's Perspective
What every one of us wouldn't give for a wayback machine set to 1963. True car guys would march into their Ford dealer, plunk down $5995, and drive home in a Cobra. If the Corvette was the luxury sports car of '63, the Cobra was the streetable race car built for real men. No windows. No heater. No insulation. None of that wimpy stuff. Just raw horsepower and animal traits such as outstanding acceleration and braking. Shelby sold 655 '63-'65 289-cid Cobras and 356 '65-'67 427-cid versions-the ultimate Cobra. The going rate for "real" Cobras today ranges from $100,000 for a 289 model in fair shape to around $300,000 for a 427 in excellent condition. Carroll Shelby created in the Cobra what many believe to be America's best sports car ever built. Those not picking the Cobra as Numero Uno often choose a car that shares some of the same snake venom-the Dodge Viper.