1963 Shelby Cobra (CSX 2134, leaf-spring)
- Engine
- Stroked 347 cu in (5.7L) V8, ~509 bhp, four-speed manual
- Colour
- Off-white
Shelby Cobra CSX 2134 is a 1963 leaf-spring Cobra with a particularly eventful history. Shipped to the United States in June 1963 and used as a Ford Motor Company demonstrator, it was later returned to Shelby American and sold through Hi-Performance Motors. After sustaining severe accident damage that destroyed its original aluminum body, the bare chassis spent over two decades in storage before being acquired in 1995 by Nevada drag racer and restorer Chet Bunch, who over the following 20 years transformed it with a new hand-crafted aluminum body, extensively reinforced chassis, custom coilover suspension, and a bespoke 347-cubic-inch engine producing approximately 509 horsepower.
Ownership
- —Auction saleSold US$478,000
- 1963-08-24 → 1964Factory deliveryW.J. Janner, Ford Motor Company Car Sales Promotionfull documentation
Received as a demonstrator consignment along with four other Cobras; the car served in a Ford promotional capacity and was dispatched to the Kansas City district office before being returned to Shelby American.
- 1963-09-16 →Acquisition unknownJacques Passinopartial documentation
Future Ford Racing Director invoiced for the car, though this may have been an accounting formality rather than a true transfer of possession; the car continued as a demonstrator.
- 1964 →Private saleHi-Performance Motorspartial documentation
Carroll Shelby and Lew Spencer's Los Angeles dealership received the car following its return to Shelby American, after a respray and accessory additions, for onward retail sale.
- → 1972Acquisition unknownDavid R. Knisleypartial documentation
California-based second private owner; suffered a collision that rendered the car inoperable and severely damaged the original aluminum bodywork, leading to the sale.
- 1972 → 1995-04-01Private saleCharles R. Luscombepartial documentation
Purchased the accident-damaged car intending to restore it, but found the body beyond practical repair; stripped the remnant bodywork, discarded it, and kept the bare chassis in storage for over two decades.
- 1995-04-01 →Private saleChet Bunchfull documentation
Carson City, Nevada drag racer and noted restorer who commissioned a new aluminum body and spent roughly 20 years rebuilding the car with extensive chassis, suspension, and powertrain enhancements inspired by period Shelby competition practice.
- Date unknownPrivate saleFirst private owner, identity unrecordednone documentation
Details of this ownership period are no longer traceable.
Competition
No competition history extracted from the catalogue.
Maintenance & restoration
- 1964ServiceShelby American
Following the car's return to Shelby American with roughly 6,000 miles on the odometer, the factory added various accessories including bumper guards, a convertible top, side curtains, tonneau cover, and floor mats, carried out minor repairs, and resprayed the bodywork in Lucite.
Work was carried out prior to redistribution for retail sale through Hi-Performance Motors.
- 1995BodyworkBruce and Collin Kimmons
A new hand-formed aluminum body was commissioned from metalworkers Bruce and Collin Kimmons of Lake Havasu, Arizona. The body incorporated competition-oriented features including flared fenders, a riveted hood scoop, provisions for heavy-duty side exhaust, a driver roll bar, front and rear quick jacks, and an FIA-style fuel filler.
Body was completed and shipped to Bunch's own restoration facility for final assembly.
- 1995RestorationChet Bunch's restoration shop
Chet Bunch undertook a comprehensive, ground-up restoration and enhancement of the bare chassis, spanning approximately 20 years. The frame was reinforced with triangulated tube sections mirroring methods used on the Shelby Daytona Coupes, with care taken to keep modifications discreet and reversible.
The overall restoration encompassed chassis stiffening, a new suspension system, a custom engine build, and full re-body, completed over roughly two decades.
- —ModificationChet Bunch's restoration shop
The original leaf-spring suspension was replaced with a fabricated rocker-arm coilover system. The modification was designed to be removable so a future owner could revert to factory specification if desired.
- —Engine rebuildChet Bunch's restoration shop
A bespoke engine was constructed around a Mexican-market 302-cubic-inch V-8 block, stroked to 347 cubic inches with extensive performance upgrades, paired with a four-speed manual gearbox. The unit reportedly produces 509 horsepower on pump fuel.
The Mexican-specification block was chosen for its reportedly stronger casting characteristics.
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