Photo: Barrett-Jackson
Carroll Shelby is by far the most legendary American builder. Not only he turned the AC Ace into the wild Shelby Cobra, but he also created the iconic Mustang GT350 and GT500. He even designed and built successful race cars, like the Le Mans-winning Ford GT40.
Muscle cars sporting Carroll's name are sought-after collectibles nowadays, especially those owned and driven by the man himself. The 427 Super Snake is arguably the most iconic. Owned by Carroll for decades, it's the meanest Cobra ever built, and probably more importantly, a unique car. The Cobra to end all Cobras.
This metallic blue roadster started life as a Cobra Competition model in 1966, but it was transformed into the Super Snake a year later. Features that set it apart from most other Cobras include the massive bulge on the front hood, side-exiting exhaust pipes, the enlarged front intake, and a bumper delete. But things get a lot more interesting under the hood.
Although it's powered by a 7.0-liter Ford V8, like most Cobra 427 models, the Super Snake also packs a pair of Paxton Superchargers. The blown V8 is said to develop a whopping 800 horsepower, which, combined with the car's weight of only 2,550 pounds (1,156 kg), results in a power-to-weight ratio greater than most modern supercars.
Shelby actually built two Super Snakes. Carroll gave the other one to comedian Bill Cosby, who recalled his experience with the Super Snake in the famous "200 MPH" comedy routine. Frightened by the car's enormous power, Cosby eventually gave it back to Carroll. Legend has it that the person who ended up buying the vehicle drove it off a cliff into the Pacific Ocean.
First auctioned off back in 2007, the Shelby Cobra Super Snake was the most expensive American car sold at auction for a few years. It originally changed hands for $5.5 million. It remained the most expensive Cobra until 2016, when the very first Shelby built in 1962 was auctioned off for $13.75 million.
The last surviving 427 Super Snake and Shelby's personal car for many years is going under the hammer through Barrett-Jackson in March 2021. There's no official estimate, and it's being offered under reserve, but it could set a new record for Shelby Cobra models.
This metallic blue roadster started life as a Cobra Competition model in 1966, but it was transformed into the Super Snake a year later. Features that set it apart from most other Cobras include the massive bulge on the front hood, side-exiting exhaust pipes, the enlarged front intake, and a bumper delete. But things get a lot more interesting under the hood.
Although it's powered by a 7.0-liter Ford V8, like most Cobra 427 models, the Super Snake also packs a pair of Paxton Superchargers. The blown V8 is said to develop a whopping 800 horsepower, which, combined with the car's weight of only 2,550 pounds (1,156 kg), results in a power-to-weight ratio greater than most modern supercars.
Shelby actually built two Super Snakes. Carroll gave the other one to comedian Bill Cosby, who recalled his experience with the Super Snake in the famous "200 MPH" comedy routine. Frightened by the car's enormous power, Cosby eventually gave it back to Carroll. Legend has it that the person who ended up buying the vehicle drove it off a cliff into the Pacific Ocean.
First auctioned off back in 2007, the Shelby Cobra Super Snake was the most expensive American car sold at auction for a few years. It originally changed hands for $5.5 million. It remained the most expensive Cobra until 2016, when the very first Shelby built in 1962 was auctioned off for $13.75 million.
The last surviving 427 Super Snake and Shelby's personal car for many years is going under the hammer through Barrett-Jackson in March 2021. There's no official estimate, and it's being offered under reserve, but it could set a new record for Shelby Cobra models.
Google News