One to Buy: 7000 mile 1965 AC Shelby Cobra 289 Dragonsnake Stage 3
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One of the rarest Cobra options offered by Shelby was the Dragonsnake pack. Conceived with drag racing in mind, it included items like modified rear fenders to accommodate slick-shod American Racing wheels, a chrome roll bar and new rev counter.
Various states of engine tune were offered, right up to Stage III with nigh on 400bhp.
The Dragonsnake pack could be supplied as a kit of parts or Shelby could build one for you from scratch.
In total, just five 289-engined Cobras were factory built to Dragonsnake specification of which just one was ordered to Stage III tune. That was this car: chassis CSX2427.
On January 16th, CSX2427 will be going under the hammer at Mecum’s Kissimmee auction in Florida.
The Cobra was ordered new by Don Reimer of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, and painted to match his Ford Thunderbird tow car. During the summer of 1965, Don and his younger brother Mike campaigned CSX2427 in the A and AA Modified Production class at the York US 30 drag strip in nearby Thomasville. They were successful enough to make the Indianapolis Nationals.
More recently, having acquired CSX2427 in 2007, Steven Juliano embarked on a fastidious restoration of the circa 3500 mile car using only NOS and original parts throughout.
Following completion, the Cobra, one of the finest and most accurately restored factory-built Dragonsnakes in existence, was awarded SAAC's Premiere Award in 2009 with the highest points scored in SAAC judging history to that point.
