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car of the night: AC Cobra by Michele Christopher
We gave ourselves quite a task here when we asked for suggestions for cars to write about. Because, hey, there are some cars haven’t driven in or don’t have a cool story for. In fact, there are some cars we’ve never even seen. For instance, Andrew suggested we cover the AC Cobra 427. WTF is that, Andrew? Oh yea, you’re a Brit. It’s gotta be some cheesy Brit thing that only you people across the pond can appreciate. Kinda like flavored crisps, or David Hasselhoff. He’s huge there, right? So I do a GIS for the AC Cobra 427.
Sweet mother of Jesus. I think I creamed my pants. Look at this thing. Now, I’m not really into small cars, I like my penis envy machines to be big and strong but damn, this thing is sweet looking. Let’s get a couple of things straight here, before I get called out. I know that’s a kit car and not an original Cobra. But you get the point. And I know the car is not entirely British. I quote my expert car source, JH: The AC Cobra is the work of an American Icon !! Carrol Shelby bought an AC Ace, and developed it into the AC Cobra, with a 260 cu in Ford V8. From that point on, AC supplied the chassis and bodywork, Shelby built the car up. I think he was pissy about my Hasselhoff comment. But he’s right. It’s a Brit car with an American engine. But I still maintain it’s really Britcentric, just because it looks like the kind of car that, if it could talk, would say “Hey, look at me. I’m better than you. And elevators are called lifts, you stupid American. And it’s futbol, not soccer, you Yankee!” Yea? Well they are called potato chips, not crisps, you wanker. -M
Ok. First thanks for all your jokes on my rib experience. You guys made me smile. The dog’s fine and I'm up again. Second we had a reader request for some car I think I've only seen James Bond driving before. I can tell you my feelings but not what it's like to be in one. Hey dude, I'm lucky to be able to walk to the bathroom much less type, so hang with me here.
This was the car that burned by you on the Autobahn. This was the one. When your adrenaline is pumping out so much your eyes started sweating cause you’re going so fast, then you see this car doubling your ass and it makes you think going 140 is for kids. Fucking pure fucking machine. No car, all engine. An engine that sounded like it stopped really caring about anything but you being in its way. A car that you knew you could take out, but also one that didn’t really give you the time to do it. "Hey hell, I'm here but I got better things to do." A fuck you car that just moved. This thing was all engine and no looking back. You could never see it coming but you always could see it going. Pure engine and all fire. Something you warned your kids about. This is a classy looking machine that had the power to fucking drive you into the ground. Much like the UK, ‘cept without the bad teeth. The curves were so much Bond style. So cool and smooth and slick and neat. I look over these pictures and wonder why such a cool car was never exported to the US. Or was it? What happened there? Why did we get left out? Or maybe I missed it? The only thing I found were kits. All the American versions are fucking kits and that doesn't work no matter how many times you put more mustard on it. It still isn't right. This is a muscle car. Believe it or not, not only Americans made ass kicking cars. You guys did too. But you made them earlier. You gave us the idea. This was a car that wouldn't shake you. Just leave of a feeling of "what was that?" And to a kid on the Autobahn in a strange country......it was kinda fucking cool. GBH - High Octane Fuel
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Comments
"Elevators are called flats" ? You're talking bollocks, luv.
Posted by: JH | May 31, 2006 9:27 PM
Cool. One of my favorite cars right there.
Posted by: mrbandw | May 31, 2006 9:59 PM
I was working on this guy's computer three weeks ago, and he found out, as I was yacking about my old Dodge, that I liked old cars.
This is a rich old eccentric who lives in my town, occasionally fucks his computer up but good, and he calls me. He pays cash, I don't report it, we're cool.
BUT, he says, you should come down to the garage and see a couple of my cars.
He had an original 427 Cobra sitting down there. No shit.
Next to it? Something ever rarer- a bright red, right hand drive Ford GT-40. All original. Ladies and gents, between those two cars, he had a million dollars worth of automobile, RIGHT THERE. Never mind the really, really old MG and something else I didn't even see because I kept having to push my hard-on to one side to look at the GT-40.
SWEET cars.
Got to touch them both. He said "Come back some time, bring an extra pair of pants, and we'll go for a ride in the Cobra."
Posted by: patrick | May 31, 2006 11:58 PM
ever rarer- a bright red, right hand drive Ford GT-40. All original. Ladies and gents, between those two cars,,
man you are fucking me up with cars here
what year did you see?
Posted by: the turtle | June 1, 2006 12:19 AM
i've never seen a ford gt40.
thats cool dude
those are the cars in that 24 hour race right?
Posted by: the turtle | June 1, 2006 12:32 AM
I have seen several AC Cobras up close and I still may buy one (well probably not an original) but there is no car that sounds sweeter. To me the Cobra just screams first big royalty cheque.
Sitting in one is like being strapped to an engine , being deafened, while getting every bit of crap flying in the air heading for your face at speed.
Posted by: Andrew Ian Dodge | June 1, 2006 5:26 AM
"Come back some time, bring an extra pair of pants, and we'll go for a ride in the Cobra."
i like that guy.
Posted by: kali | June 1, 2006 8:57 AM
i worked at a gas station from '88-91 and one of my favorite customers was a guy who did paintings and illustrations for "Automobile" magazine (i think that's right), and one day he rolled into the station with a chassis on a trailer. It was an original Shelby Cobra chassis and he was taking it to Shelby's shop. In late '89, Shelby was taking his leftover Cobra 427 S/C parts and building some more. That's the closest i've ever been to an original '66 Shelby.
Those GT40s are something to behold, man. A change of pants would absolutely be necessary. Probably two. Best to just throw on a diaper and be done with it.
the new GTs are teh shizz, as well.
Posted by: pril | June 1, 2006 9:34 AM
An original Shelby Cobra and a GT40 in the same garage? I can only imagine it...
I remember reading in some automag a few years back about Shelby building some 'original' Cobras out of leftover parts and what-not. That must have been cool to see.
The Ford dealer near my house has one of the new GT40s on display in the show-room, which is all glass windows so you can see in. The show-room is right at an intersection with a stop light. The only stop light I don't mind getting stuck at...
Posted by: mrbandw | June 1, 2006 10:29 AM
This guy had a '67 GT-40, in red, it looked just like this one.
The Cobra was white with blue stripes and was a '66? I think?
They were both gorgeous. He said "Do you have an XBox 360?"
and I told him "Nope."
He said "They took a bunch of pictures of the GT-40 for it. Mine is the car that they based the one in the game on. They sent me this copy of the game. If you know anyone with the right console, I'd like to see it."
And he showed me a copy of some XBox game with "Gotham" in the title... sorry... I am not a gamer...
It was very cool.
Posted by: patrick | June 1, 2006 4:50 PM
That's a great story, Patrick. You should write books. It falls down on one or two minor points, as follows: The car you linked to is a GT40 MkIV. The only MkIV wearing red and white livery is the Dan Gurney car, which is in the one shown in the link, the whereabouts of the other 11 J-chassis are well known, the only one in private collection in the US lives in CA (and is yellow). Furthermore, the red and white striped Ford in Project Gotham Racing is a modern Ford GT, not a GT40 of any Mark. This was supplied to Bizarre Online for modelling by Ford, as was the Ford GT40 modelled for the game, a Mk1, part of Ford's own collection.
Posted by: JH | June 1, 2006 6:40 PM
Dude, I'll post pictures.
Give me three days.
I don't have the taxonomy of right-hand drive exotics down cold, because I am a mopar guy.
But those cars are there, and the story is 100% true.
But doubt me if you want. I saw the fucking cars.
Posted by: patrick | June 1, 2006 6:55 PM
Just got off the phone with the guy-
he said that I misremembered the color- the GT40 is a '66, solid red, is one of 70.
The Cobra is a '67, both are road cars.
I asked him if I could come and take pictures, and he said Sunday was fine.
So kiss my ass, lemongrass. Photos should be up by Monday.
Posted by: patrick | June 1, 2006 8:06 PM
So -
It's not a GT40 MkIV ? - check
It's not red and white ? - check
It's not a 1967 car ? - check
Oh, and it _still_ doesn't mesh with the car modelled for PGR.
All told - I should kiss your ass ? - I don't think so, junior
Posted by: JH | June 1, 2006 9:25 PM
Whatever.
Your tendentious prick award is in the mail.
I saw two cool cars a couple of weeks ago in a garage.
and you got to show how über smart you are to a stranger on the internet.
So, I didn't write down their VIN numbers. NEXT TIME I WON'T BE SO CARELESS. Because, y'know, I'd hate to deny a condescending geek an opportunity to get his dick out.
I wish my life was as full as yours.
Posted by: patrick | June 1, 2006 11:58 PM
tendentious is my new favorite word.
oh and i will be using "kiss my ass. lemongrass" today.
can't wait for the pics, patrick!
Posted by: kali | June 2, 2006 11:10 AM
Haha. That's me told.
"I wish my life was as full as yours."
You blog your tomato plants *sniggers*
Posted by: JH | June 2, 2006 11:22 AM
Jesus, guys. Can we just get a steel cage match going on pay per view and end this?
Posted by: michele | June 2, 2006 11:28 AM
GET IN THE OCTOGON!!!!!!!!
Posted by: kali | June 2, 2006 11:49 AM
Dearest JH,
No farmers?
No food.
It's called "hard work."
You should try it some time.
You might find, though, that you have less time to be a pharisaic weenie.
Posted by: patrick | June 2, 2006 1:51 PM
Kali your Mad Max ref, (besides being funny) gave me an idea, how about maybe doing a post about cool movie cars?
Posted by: mrbandw | June 2, 2006 2:57 PM
narrow it down and i bet they'll do it. there are a shitton of cool movie cars!!
Posted by: kali | June 2, 2006 4:04 PM
If you knew anything about me, Patrick, you would not have the gall to suggest I am unacquainted with hard work.
Although your ongoing impotent indignation at the (accurate) assertion that your tale didn't add up (the implication that you hadn't seen a car being entirely of your own making) and the suggestion that your cabbage patch is a farm have provided a considerable degree of amusement, I have better things to do than to continue to read your drivel.
Posted by: JH | June 3, 2006 10:07 AM
"there are a shitton of cool movie cars!!"
The Car has always been my favourite: http://images.amazon.com/images/P/6305511861.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg
Posted by: JH | June 3, 2006 10:10 AM
Have any of you old farts seen an original '67 Camaro?
Posted by: Drew Rodriguez | January 23, 2007 12:45 PM