Matt Bacon Posted April 29 Share Posted April 29 This project began when Classic cars magazine introduced me to the "AC 289 Sports MkIII". ACs Ace was the starting point for the increasingly fearsome Cobra. As it evolved over the years from 62-67, the Shelby Cobra got heavier, wider and way more powerful, The final 427 was curvaceous to the point of caricature, with wide hips flaring over broad tyres, and the engine bay crammed full of a powerful, big and heavy engine. That later Cobras also boasted in improved chassis with coil sprung suspension all round. As Shelby parted company with AC, taking the Cobra name, the English company built one last batch of these: the AC 289 Sports Mark III. Combining the coil spring chassis with the lighter 289 cu inch Ford V8 for better handling on twisty roads, and a narrower body better suited to British B roads (and picturesque continental mountain byways), it's a Cobra in all but name, a thug in a Jermyn Street suit, if you like... If you want to see the real one that inspired this build (and provided lots of useful reference photos, it's here: https://girardo.com/car/1967-ac-289-cobra-sports-mkiii-1/ The starting point was the still-good-after all these years Monogram 1/24 Cobra 427, in a "Dream Rides" box that has no scoop in the hood, and chrome bumpers that can be adapted to the over-riders only look I needed. The major changes were narrowing the body substantially at the rear, flipping the cockpit from left to right-hand drive (which is not just the dash but rebuilding the foot wells with pedals shifted to the driver's side, and replacing the massive 427 mill with the 289 from a Revell Mustang GT350 (thanks to @Ace-Garageguy for the steer). Lots of work under the hood as well to add the details that are missing from the 427 S/C because you can't see them around that mahoosive engine. The full build thread is here: And if you were wondering exactly how an AC289 Sports MkIII compares to a full-fat Cobra 427 S/C, here's one I prepared earlier: Now to go and do something a bit less complicated! best, M. 17 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonathan Posted April 29 Share Posted April 29 OH wow, that is the coolest thing I have seen today. Beautiful work. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FoMoCo66 Posted April 29 Share Posted April 29 Nice cobra! The cool thing about a small block cobra is that they are Lightweight compared to the 427. Today you could bore and stroke a stock block all the way to 427 ci, that thing would have an impressive horsepower to weight ratio. It would be a beast. Yours looks amazing in that blue and you can definitely appreciate the work that went into it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PappyD340 Posted April 29 Share Posted April 29 Super nice Cobra! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lobo2me Posted April 29 Share Posted April 29 (edited) Nicely done! Excellent reshaping of the hind quarters, reengineering of the running gear, flipping the dash and footwells, and outstanding photography. I also really enjoyed the "skinny" and "fatty" comparison! Edited April 29 by Lobo2me 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
espo Posted April 29 Share Posted April 29 Beautiful looking color and finish. The original basic Cobra AC Ace was a well-balanced car with handling and performance. Surprised by the right-hand drive, but maybe it was a prototype built in England. About 40 years ago I had a neighbor who I shared back yard fence with. Very nice window lady who would comment to me about my '69 Camaro. One day she invited me to see something in her garage. Opening the garage door, two car garage, the view on one side was blocked by stacked boxes, usual storage stuff sort of look. Her ex-Hertz Mustang in black was parked in the other stall. She and her late husband had bought it when Hetz started selling them off. Behind all the boxes was a red 289 Cobra that they had bought long ago and was now covered with dust from sitting in the garage. She kept it hidden until her son could get it running again since it had been sitting there for several years. She knew I would appreciate looking at the car and also keep it her secret since theft would always be an issue. Always wondered if the son got it going again for her. I had left my phone number with her in case she did want to sell but never did hear from her, even let her know where I was moving too when I left the area. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happy grumpy Posted April 29 Share Posted April 29 Such a classic car. Great paint job, the color is beautiful. Very well put together. I like the comparison photos. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rrb124@sbcglobal.net Posted April 29 Share Posted April 29 Over the top! Great machine and thanks for the historic information. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanL Posted April 29 Share Posted April 29 Nice work... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ea0863 Posted April 30 Share Posted April 30 Super nice build Matt, and I enjoyed the "Jermyn Street" reference with all its cool tailors 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bondo bill Posted April 30 Share Posted April 30 sharp builds 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drippingoil Posted April 30 Share Posted April 30 Very nice Cobra 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bugatti Fan Posted April 30 Share Posted April 30 (edited) Nice one Matt ! A brilliant conversion job if I may say. You pulled it off well. Reminds me that I have an old ( 1/25th scale I think ) Frog/AMT Cobra kit kicking around that had been built and stripped I think with a similar narrower body style that I was thinking about retro building an AC Ace from. Whether it will ever come off the shelf of doom, who knows? Edited April 30 by Bugatti Fan 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yeah Nah Posted April 30 Share Posted April 30 Excellent job Matt. Interesting side by side comparison of the two. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
louis Carabott Posted April 30 Share Posted April 30 Wow ! lovely colour ...my compliments Sir 👏 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pierre Rivard Posted April 30 Share Posted April 30 Very nicely done AC Matt. I've seen the transformation following your w.i.p. and you have definitely pulled it off. Body modifications are so difficult because every change has consequence and in the end it needs to look harmonious from every angle. Not easy. You'll need a nice OOB after this one! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ragtop Man Posted April 30 Share Posted April 30 More than one observer (no less an expert than Ken Miles, IIRC) felt that the coil-spring Cobra chassis with the FIA-spec 289 would be the fastest Cobra around most courses, very few tracks where the 427 can really unwind for long enough to pay for the penalty in weight and braking. The build is absolutely great, the narrower fenders are a definite improvement. Sits just right. Now to win the lottery and get a 1:1... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michelle Posted April 30 Share Posted April 30 Nice work 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ulf Posted April 30 Share Posted April 30 Perfect, ready just for our (Sweden's) king's 78th birthday (he has his own small block). I've been following your work and it's really nice to see it finished. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justin Porter Posted April 30 Share Posted April 30 Exactly what replica stock building is all about. Positively lovely build! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim B Posted May 1 Share Posted May 1 Nicely done on both cars. They look great. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rattlecan Dan Posted May 1 Share Posted May 1 That is an outstanding job! What a great looking build. Only ever got to ride in one once. Will never forget that ride. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chinacar Posted May 1 Share Posted May 1 I drove a 427 briefly in South Africa. Not a car for normal driving. I really like the small block unflared version. They had a kit car version with a 289 running around the factory while I was there. That one had great balance. I think it had knock off wire as well...but back to your model, great job. Nice paint work and a great job on the modifications. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
70 Sting Posted May 1 Share Posted May 1 Wow, they look awesome side by side! 🤩 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bainford Posted May 1 Share Posted May 1 Excellent work, Matt. I would have been overwhelmed by the prospect of those body mods, but you have handled them in fine style. Simply beautiful. The 289 was always the better Cobra engine (short of a Cannonball Run attempt), and a coil sprung 289 would be the cat's pajamas. I never knew of this version of the 'Cobra' prior to your WIP thread. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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