1963 Shelby Cobra 289
- Engine
- 289 cu in (4.7L) OHV V8, four-barrel carburettor, 271 bhp
Chassis CSX 2082 is among the earliest 289-engined Shelby Cobras, billed to Shelby American on 1 February 1963 and originally retailed through RRR Motors of Illinois. It returned briefly to Shelby American before passing to its first private owner in Indiana, and was advertised with just 18,000 miles in 1974. Acquired as a restoration project in 1975 following accident damage, the car was returned to its original colour scheme and has since passed through several American hands before arriving in the United Kingdom in 2003.
Ownership
- —Auction saleSold £459,200 (≈ $574K)
- 1963 → 1964Private saleRRR Motors, Homewood, Illinoisfull documentation
Dealership received the car at a recorded invoice price; car subsequently returned to Shelby American.
- 1963-02-01 → 1964-03-01Factory deliveryShelby Americanfull documentation
Car was billed to Shelby American and dispatched to New York, then invoiced to an Illinois dealer at a documented price before returning to Shelby American.
- 1964-03-01 →Private saleEd Flandro, Ed Flandro Ford, Pocatello, Indianapartial documentation
First retail owner; the car was sold on quickly to another private buyer.
- → 1974-02-01Private salePrivate owner, resale from Ed Flandropartial documentation
Car was offered publicly in February 1974 showing roughly 18,000 miles and still in its factory colour scheme.
- 1975 → 1987Private saleJohn R. Kaltenbach, Akron, Ohiofull documentation
Discovered the car at a local repair shop after a collision and undertook restoration; account is recorded in the World Registry of Cobras and GT40s. Missing components were sourced and the car was returned to its original colour within a few years.
- 1987 → 1989Private saleDavid Nelson and Brian Hardy, Ohiopartial documentation
Ohio-based co-owners who held the car for approximately two years.
- 1989 → 2003Private saleMarc Sherman, New Yorkpartial documentation
New York owner prior to the car's relocation to the United Kingdom.
- 2003 →Private saleCurrent UK private ownerpartial documentation
Car was brought to the UK, making it one of very few Cobras to have returned there; maintained by a well-regarded specialist including a recent fuel tank replacement.
Competition
No competition history extracted from the catalogue.
Maintenance & restoration
- 1975Repair
Post-accident bodywork repair; the car was also missing its windscreen, steering wheel, and passenger seat at the time of acquisition. Work was completed over roughly two years.
Carried out under the ownership of John R. Kaltenbach; car was returned to its original colour scheme upon completion.
- —Mechanical
Fuel tank replaced as part of recent maintenance work carried out in the United Kingdom.
Work performed by an unnamed but well-regarded UK specialist during the current ownership.
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