Vehicle Details
- Year: 1965
- Make: AC
- Model: Cobra
- VIN: CSX3063
- Mileage Shown: 13
- Transmission: Manual
- Title Status: Clean
- Color: Blue
- Seller: Lambogas
- Seller Type: Dealer
- Location: Spring, TX 77373
- Dealer Fees: None
- Lot #: V-0015713
In May of 1965, Shelby American placed an order with AC Cars for one chassis to race spec, delivered to Carrozzeria Ghia of Turin, Italy. Complete with 6” FIA wheels, a 427 engine, 4-speed transmission, radiator, and steering assembly, chassis #3063 was fitted with custom coachwork by Ghia before being debuted at the Turin Auto Salon and featured in Style Auto #9. The Ghia Cobra was eventually returned to AC Cars for disposal, but was instead built out as a 427 Cobra Roadster and used a demonstration vehicle before it was damaged and tucked back away in AC’s workshops. It wasn’t until the late 1970s a Mr. Mike McClusky purchased the remains of the Ghia Cobra from AC Cars and shipped them back to his shop in Torrance, California, where its parts were cataloged and stored. The car's frame and parts were eventually sold to Scott Grissom, son of famed astronaut Gus Grissom, in the mid-1980s before being acquired by Steve Foristall of Foristall's GT cars and later purchased by Ted Thomas of Birmingham, Alabama in the late 1980s. Mr. Thomas repaired the chassis on his own frame table and had the car restored before it was shown at the 20th SAAC Convention in bare aluminum, with the notation “Last Comp Chassis” on its nose panel. Finally, in June of 2011, Cobra Restorers Ltd. was commissioned to complete the restoration of #3063 including fresh Viking Blue paint, a newly built 427 engine, and Toploader transmission. Boasting impressive provenance and a beautiful restoration by marque experts, this Shelby 427 Competition Cobra is now being offered for auction by its seller out of Texas.
The car’s initial assembly was commenced in April of 1988 including new front and rear 427 clips sourced by Bruce Kimmons of Kimmons Coachworks. The bodywork was prepped and completely refinished in Viking Blue during the final restoration in 2011 by Cobra Restorers Ltd. Features include a driver-side roll hoop, dual side-exit exhaust pipes, front and rear quick-jacks, a driver-side mirror, Lucas headlamps, windshield wind wings, and 15” Hallibrand wheels with center knock-offs and Goodyear Blue Streak tires. Detailed images are provided in the gallery.
The cabin has been fitted with a new set of bucket seats and carpeting along with a suite of Smiths instrumentation, a Ford shifter, a wood-rimmed Cobra steering wheel, and Rebat batteries mounted behind the passenger seat. The chassis number #3063 can be seen stamped throughout the metalwork.
In September of 2011, Cobra Restorers Ltd. began assembly of the custom-built 427ci V8 top-oiler, including HM cams, a sidewinder intake, Le Mans bowled carburetor, HiPo distributor, and an Aviaid oil pan. The rear wheels are driven through a rare 4-speed “White Stripe” Ford Toploader racing transmission with an oil and differential cooler. The fuel system includes a 43-gallon tank and electric fuel pumps. An extensive collection of documentation is provided for reference in the gallery including invoices from the restoration.
This sale will include a clear transferrable state registration as well as a binder of records and historical documents. With its incredible past and beautiful restoration, chassis #3063 represents an important piece of automotive history and makes a fine addition to any world-class car collection.
Auction Results
- Highest Bid: $400,000
- Auction End: Jan 27, 2022 09:40:00PM UTC
- Number of Bids: 9
Comments (31)
Bid in the amount of $400,000
Bid in the amount of $375,000
I am not the owner of this car but I was with the owner when he bought it.
For some perspective, I used to own CSX 2582 for several years. I spoke with Mike Mckluskey several times , and even on that car sometimes the story gets twisted as the original owner was a customer of ours , that car wasn’t repainted due to a wreck , the hood was refinished when he came out of a grocery store and someone was sitting on the hood getting his photo taken.
I spoke with Mike Mcluskey back in in Feb 2014 and Steve Forestall before the owner bought this car, unfortunately Steve passed a couple of years ago. Chuck was a well respected in the Cobra community but he has passed. Prior to Chuck passing, the current owner was able to speak with Chuck and obtain the the file on the work done on 3063 dating back to the late 80’s.
However Mr. Grissom is still with us and I spoke with him a couple of weeks ago and he has the link to this listing . You can draw all of the conclusions you want to but I don’t have any doubts in my mind this is the original chassis.
Significant time, effort, and research has been put into documenting 3063, and we are presenting what we have gathered. However, as with most cobras, record keeping was fairly loose as most of these 3000 cars have different bodies, motors, drive trains etc. as they were used, raced, wrecked and not collector items at the time. Although the word of mouth stories changed in the registry over the years, the fact that 3063 was the last comp chassis hasn’t for over almost 50 years and the documentation obtained supports a lot in the registry once you look through the noise.
There is no dispute Mike Mcklusky purchased the 3063 chassis from AC and brought it back to California,obtained a California title and license(not easy to do)and tagged all of the parts. Scott Grissom bought the car from Mike and then sold to Forristall. Then Ted Thomas traded three race cars (GT 350, Dodge, and MG) for 3063. The current owner obtained from Thomas almost a decade ago.
Bid in the amount of $325,000
@Shelby-Geek611 @lambogas isn't that where SAAC got the base records? So whatever AC had appeared in the registry?
@Lambogas Well...I'm thinking the 102 pages of records covering over 1000 cars built by AC with dates, colors, shipping data, and in some cases owners and addresses refutes the thought they didn't keep good records.
@Shelby-Geek611 ..... I cant answer why Chuck wrote that , maybe AC didnt work on the car it just went thru their hands ,and I dont believe back in the day that record keeping was all that great at Shelby or AC
@Lambogas I knew Chuck well. I asked the question because the AC factory records list just the sale of the CSX 3063 chassis on June 1, 1965, with no further comment. Cars that came back for work at the factory received updates in their records. The fact that there is nothing on this one beyond its initial sale suggests it did not return.
@Shelby-Geek611 ..... That was written by Chuck from Cobra Restorers , he had this car for 12 or 13 years doing the restoration and bought a lot of parts direct from AC ...... he is no longer with us as he has passed on......
I would be interested to see documentation of the statement that this car was returned to AC Cars after its use as a Ghia show car, built up into a 427 Cobra, and then stored at the AC factory after being damaged. This is the first time this idea has been presented, and I question its veracity.
@co. There is only one history, not sure there are lessons other than it's a beautiful car, titled as CSX3063 and awaits miles of driving?
A lot of history still to learn and figure out on this one, makes it a very enticing buy!
It’s a new car built in the 80’s and not in the new registry. An American Kimmons body, after market new aluminum wheels and so many other tell tales that what is being presented never existed in 1965 as shown. The real last S/C cobra will always be CSX 3053.
The vehicle in discussion is no doubt CSX3063, a bonafide 1965 built chassis. Discussions over the car vary from book to book as you’ve suggested. As the seller, I simply wish to represent the car for what it is: a true 1965 3000 series chassis with interesting history across the decades, and plenty more history to uncover and learn! Bid accordingly and to comfort.
Bid in the amount of $300,000
Jimbo
I did some research for this car yesterday. It seems clear that it's a "Replica" as there was no parts left with a CSX3063 stamped upon it as far as SAAC goes. The big book 1987 does reference this as a Replica also (see slide 118), the later book references as nothing convincing that it has any ties to the original chassis. The newest coil over book has completely deleted it altogether. No longer in registry.
This is a great car, titled as CSX3063 however it has no historical ties according to the registries I have to the extended chassis sent to Ghia in the 60's. As I understand it to be a Cobra it also had to have gone through SAI, this car did not. It was later a reconstruction just as the 289 show chassis was.
So with eyes wide open this is a great car, reconstructed by known players and potentially using some of the original chassis however no longer recognized as CSX3063 by SAAC as use of the original Ghia chassis inconclusive.
Would I like this car, you bet! It is what it is and I am sure whomever lands this car will be loving every smile mile with a story to tell at each Cars and Coffee it attends.
KMS makes a great car, depending on the brakes and suspension you have it could feasibly be exact to this car in every way. A true experience of the past!
@1985CCX , the car is mentioned in detail in the SAAC large book. I believe all the information there is similar to what the seller presented. It would seem to be that if the car does have its original chassis, then it is a legit 427 Cobra and would be valued as such, albeit perhaps less than a car with all of its original body, frame, interior, drivetrain, etc. But this might turn out to be a chance for someone to have the experience of driving an original 427 Cobra at a cost that would be less than that of a fully original one. It may be quite an opportunity. I have had a KMS car now for about eight years, I think it is, and it is one of my absolute favorites ever.
@Lambogas , thank you.
Bid in the amount of $275,000
Here is a walk around video
https://youtu.be/RF7IrqoTnhk
FYI to those that are not in the Shelby club Kimmons and McCluskey are restoration guys. Kimmons known more for bodies and McCluskey for restorations.
The real question is the stance that SAAC takes on this car as that basically dictates what this car really is. I personally think this car is great, thus I bid $.
Bid in the amount of $100,000
Bid in the amount of $62,000
Bid in the amount of $21,111
I want to add that the receipts and information that is posted are only about 10% of what is in the binder , way too much to copy and post.
@Cward2 .... I knew Steve from the early eighties , we did some Ferrari trading back in the day..... he was a good man.
@Jimbo1907 ..... We have 2 upper and 2 lower control arms and a partial door frame that were tagged and not used during the restoration ( damaged in the accident ) Cobra Restorers started the body and his guy had a stroke , and Kimmons did the majority of the work.
Forristall's was right by the Porsche dealership I wrenched at in the 70's/80's. We used to go by and see the latest exotics Steve was brining in. I recall seeing my first Countach and 512bb plus so many earlier cars come through. And in the back was this magical area full of cars disassembled or reduced to the principal value parts. It was an amazing time and place.
Handsome car, very fine restoration.
If I read the copy correctly, this car was resurrected from a damaged chassis. Is the original chassis the only part of the car that dates back to 1965, or is any of the period bodywork (or anything else) still remaining on the car, from its conversion to a 'regular' 427 Cobra. (for example, the interior, the driveline, suspension, etc) Also, where did the new front and rear clips come from? Thank you.
Bid in the amount of $1,000
Hello everyone and welcome , if we can help answer any questions please let us know.