ANGLO-AMERICAN SPORTS CAR

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30211, 16 August 1963, Page 7

ANGLO-AMERICAN SPORTS CAR

ALMOST a year ago the Ford Motor Company displayed for the United States press the first production model of a new sports car designed for normal road touring and racing. Today the cars—called A.C. Cobras—have made their mark in open competition events around the world, including the Le Mans classic.

Powered by Ford's Challenger 4.33 litre V 8 engine, the Cobras were developed by Carroll Shelby, the internationally known racing driver and performance vehicle specialist. They offer an effective combination of a modem American production power plant and a renowned English sports car body and chassis. Their hand-formed, all-aluminium bodies are made by the A.C. Car Company, one of England’s oldest car-building firms. Shelby Carroll Shelby began racing sports cars in 1952 and was national champion driver of the Sports Car Club of America in 1956 and 1957. He was the United States Auto Club road racing champion in 1960. He won the Le Mans 24hour race in 1959, as well as major road races at Riverside International Raceway, Elkhart Lake, and other famous courses in the United States.

Bom in 1923, Shelby comes from Dallas, Texas. He oper-

ates the Carroll Shelby School of High Performance Driving and is a distributor of racing tyres. Planning the Cobra, Shelby consulted with the AC. Car Company of England and designed his new sports car around what he believes is the best-handling production car chassis in the world, powered by a modem American engine that has the stamina to meet the requirements of road-racing. At the introduction of the new sports car last August, D. N. Frey, Ford’s assistant general manager, told journalists: “We are proud that, for the first time in more than 25 years, an international competition vehicle designer has selected a Detroit-pro-duced engine as the power source for a competition production vehicle. We feel that Mr Shelby's selection of our light-weight, cast-iron Challenger engine is recognition of Ford’s historic role as a designer of efficient and reliable V 8 engines.” Features Features of the 21001 b Cobra include: 12-inch Girl-

ing disc brakes on all four wheels: independent fourwheel suspension; four-speed Ford transmission, fully synchronised with close ratio gears; individual bucket seats with leather upholstery; allweather top; wire wheels; optional radio and heater; full instrumentation (including tachometer), adjustable steering wheel; a choice of gear ratios; and a selection of optional equipment. The car carries a suggested list price of about £2OOO in the United States.

The basic power plant, the 4.33 litre Challenger VB. which is standard on 1963 Ford Galaxies, has been modified slightly. With a 3.54-to-l final drive ratio, the top speed of the car is rated at 175 miles an hour. Other engine modifications—multiple carburetion, special camshaft and higher compression—increase the output to 335 b.h.p. for competition. “The Cobra was designed as a threat to the cars that now dominate the world’s sports car races,” Shelby says. “I knew the reputation of the A.C. sports cars for their handling and clean design. When Ford announced its

new light-weight VB, I knew the power plant I needed was available.” Engine The Challenger V 8 engine achieves its light weight with a thin-wall casting technique. The engine weighs less than the 2-litre Bristol which was used in previous A.C. cars, but the Ford V 8 develops almost twice as much horsepower. It has a bore and stroke of 3.Bin by 2.875 in and a compression ratio of 10 to 1. A single four-barrel carburettor tops the basic engine, but optional equipment includes racing camshaft, higher compression ratio, Weber carburettors, and supercharger. The four-speed transmission has close ratio gears, floor change and a short throw.

The aluminium body is hand-crafted and finished with 12 coats of acrylic lacquer. Coachwork and trim are of highest quality. A folding soft top and side curtains, with movable lucite partel, provide all-weather protection. Although the chassis has been redesigned to accept the

greater power output of th* VB. the car has the same large-tube frame and independent suspension that give other AC. cars a notable reputation for handling Performance Tests of the Cobra prototype, equipped with the modified V 8 single carburet* tor, and a 3.54-to-l axle ratio; have produced the following results: 0 to 30 m.p.h., I.Bsec; 0-40, 2.ssec; 0:50, 3.3 sec; 0 to 60, 4.2 sec; 0 to 70, s.4sec: 0 to 80, 6.Bsec; 0 to 100, 10.8 sec; quarter-mile from standing start, 13.8 sec; speed at end of quarter-mile, 112 m.p.h.; estimated top speed, 175 tn.p.h. Further details are:—

Dimensions: Wheelbase. »oin; over-all lengths, 167 in; width. 60in; height, to top of windshield, 46iii; ground clearance. s.Sin.

Engine Specifications: Fold VB. 01i.v.: displacement 45 litres; bore and stroke. 3.8 m x 2.8751 n; compression ratio. 10 to 1; basic carburettlon. sing)* 4 choke: b.h.p.. 260 at MOO r.p.m..; torque. 2691 b tt at 4800 r.p.m.

General: Kerb weight. 21001 b; weight distribution, 50/50; steering wheel turns. 3: turning circle. 34ft; transmission, fourspeed, close ratio.