1962 Shelby Cobra CSX 2000
- Engine
- 260 cu. in. (4.3L) OHV V8, single four-barrel carburetor, ~260 bhp
CSX 2000 is the first Shelby Cobra ever built, the prototype on which Carroll Shelby founded his entire American performance car enterprise. Collected from Los Angeles Airport by Shelby and Dean Moon in February 1962, the body-only A.C. Ace shell received a 260 cu. in. Ford V-8 within hours at Moon's workshop. Before Ford financing was secured, the car served as a travelling press demonstrator, repainted repeatedly in different liveries to create the illusion of a production range, and was shown at the New York Auto Show.
Ownership
- —Auction saleSold US$13,750,000
- 1962-02-01 →Factory deliveryCarroll Shelbyfull documentation
Shelby personally collected the body from Los Angeles airport with Dean Moon, then oversaw installation of the 260 V-8 at Moon's shop. The car served as the sole press and publicity vehicle for the early Shelby American operation.
- 1962-02-01 →Acquisition unknownDean Moonpartial documentation
Moon's facility was used for the initial build and early testing; Moon participated in the first drive and originally requested a yellow finish for the car.
Competition
No competition history extracted from the catalogue.
Maintenance & restoration
- 1962BodyworkDean Moon's shop
Prior to its first press evaluation, the bare aluminium body was polished overnight using abrasive pads rather than being painted, giving the car a gleaming raw-metal appearance. A stylised Shelby logo was hand-painted on the bonnet and boot lid.
The polishing was carried out because insufficient time remained to apply a conventional paint finish before the Sports Car Graphic test drive.
- 1962Bodywork
The car was subsequently repainted in red, then blue, and then yellow on successive occasions to create the impression of multiple distinct production cars for press and public audiences.
Each repaint supported a separate press or promotional engagement, including the official unveiling at the New York Auto Show.
- 1962ModificationDean Moon's shop
The bodyshell, delivered without a drivetrain, had a 260 cu. in. Ford V-8 and Ford gearbox installed at Dean Moon's workshop within a matter of hours of arrival in the United States.
This initial build constituted the completion of the prototype; the car was running and driveable immediately afterward.
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