Shelby Cobra CSX2001 '64 Tour de France

[250 Testa Rossa]

I am so intrigued by this build that I am planning to build the restored version of this car... along with a few other Cobras. 

[afx]

This car ran a bulge in the hood with an air extractor similar to the Cobra Daytona Coupes.  After cutting out the hood scoop I cut and shaped the bulge from .030 sheet.  I'll hold off cutting out the air extractor until after I have completed the blending on the bulge.

[lucky 130]

CSX 2001 was the first purpose built race car built by Shelby cars. Was not converted from a street car like others. They flared the rear fenders, and added "spatzs" to the fronts so the Hillbrand wheels would not stick out past the body of the car. The reason for the switch to Hillbrand wheels was the wires they used came apart at high speeds. There were no side vents or exit holes for exhaust like the 427"s. Front brake ducts were below the front valance to the outside of the jacking points. Also the CSX2001 was a 289 not a 427.

[lucky 130]

Also the hood you describe is from the 390 Cobra that ran at Nassau.

[afx]

Thanks for you comments Michael.  According to the Shelby American World Registry CSX2001 was the first production Cobra.  It was delivered to Ed Hugas (Shelby's east coast dealer) who sold it to Dr. Richard Milo.  It was later converted to the race car I am attempting to replicate.  That conversion included enlarging the fenders to fit 6.5" and 7.5 Halibrand wheels.  It also included adding a one off hardtop. Here is a picture of CSX2001 in parc ferme just before the start of the TdF.

CSX2002 was the first Shelby factory race car.

CSX2196 was the Cobra that had the 390 installed for the '64 Nassau Speed weeks. It also had an air extractor opening in the hood. 

CSX2196 was also the first Cobra to have a 427 installed when it competed at the '64 Sebring 12-hour.

In it's final iteration CSX2196 became the Flip-Top Cobra.

 

Edited December 24, 2016 by afx

[Dann Tier]

So nice to see you working on another one!! -Cant really put my finger on it, but there is something very cool about your building style

[afx]

Thanks Dann. I enjoy your builds as well.

Air extractor cut into the hood and the hardtop permanently installed.

Edited December 26, 2016 by afx

[250 Testa Rossa]

Looks great! What color was CSX2001 when it ran the Tour de France in '64?

[afx]

Thanks Maxx.  I have found no color pictures of the TdF car yet but 2001 came from AC painted red with black interior.  The colors offered on the early cars included red, white or black only. So unless I find otherwise red is the color I will go with.

[dublin boy]

Looking good JC.

[mecklm]

Not really sure if it applies, not having researched it, but I do know for certain international events the car color was dictated by the country. US was white, Italy was red, England was green, etc. Again, not sure it would apply to this car but might be fun to research it deeper. 

Carry on...

Mike 

[afx]

Thanks Shay.

I appreciate your comments Mike and certainly many international events particularly Le Mans asked competitors to run their national colors.  If you look at the black and white photos you can see the Cobra is a similar shade to the Ferrari '64 GTO beside it.  The Cobra is also much darker than the Dayton Coupe (parked on the opposite side) which was painted Princess (Viking) Blue.  Therefore I am fairly confident it was still in its original factory color - red. 

[250 Testa Rossa]

There is a YouTube video of CSX2001 in the 60s that was taken in color, and it shows the car painted red. If I could find out what color it was when it ran the Tour de France in '64, I'd do it. 

[afx]

[afx]

Here you can see the unique roll bar Loyd "Lucky" Casner (the 2nd owner and the founder of Camoradi Racing) had installed.

[lucky 130]

I must apologize, I was thinking about csx2002, I'm in the process of building the 02 to add to my ever growing list of important Cobras. Thanks for your info.

[afx]

I must apologize, I was thinking about csx2002, I'm in the process of building the 02 to add to my ever growing list of important Cobras. Thanks for your info.

No problem Michael.  Please post pictures of your project, would love to see it. 

I have a few significant Cobra builds myself and several more in progress.

Edited December 28, 2016 by afx

[Reeves Racing]

Those are awesome builds JC.

[afx]

Thanks Mitch.

Mock-up with the body fully primed.

[cobraman]

You sure know your way around a Cobra. They all look great !

[Dann Tier]

Thanks Mitch.

Mock-up with the body fully primed.

FANTASTIC work!!  Q: Are those Fujimi tyres? -from a GT40, or they're Cobra kits?

[afx]

Thanks Ray.

Dann the wheels and tires are from HRM.

[vamach1]

It's too bad the molded in Cobra emblems on the hood and trunk are way out of scale.  As you know Keith Marks has some nice decals that are the correct size.

[Dann Tier]

Thanks Ray.

Dann the wheels and tires are from HRM.

Thanks, JC!, they look just like the ones I get in my Fujimi Kits. Whats the cost of those?  -I've purchased an army of the GT40 and Cobra kits JUST for the tyres. Maybe your way is cheaper for me. I've also noticed the wide range of ride heights in Cobras, do you think the Fujimi kits ride height is acceptable? I've always thought it looked too high.

[afx]

And speaking of wheels the TdF car ran GT40 style Halibrands at the rear and as best as I can determine FIA style Halibrands at the front.

 

As mentioned above HRM offers a beautiful set of the FIA wheels and Goodyear Sportscar Special Tires but I have never found a nice 1/25 scale GT40 Halibrand.  So we make one!  The Fujimi wheels are gorgeous but too large as they are 1/24 scale.  After some measuring I determined the wheel center could be made to fit HRM's outer rim and tires.  Working from a set of Fujimi fronts this is what I came up with.