Oct 21

Oct 21 One to Buy: ex-works 1 of 6 built 1963 Shelby Cobra 289 Le Mans Competition

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In 1963, half a dozen 289-engined GT class Shelby Cobras were built to Competition Le Mans trim. This small batch of cars were inspired by a pair of Cobras that had contested the Le Mans 24 Hour race in June 1963 and were completed to an extremely high specification with the steering, exhaust, wheels, brakes, suspension, cooling and bodywork all suitably enhanced.

Today, one of those six cars, chassis CSX2136 is on the market with Canepa in Scotts Valley, Calfornia.

Completed in June 1963, chassis CSX2136 made its competition debut in early September when Bob Bondurant and Dave MacDonald finished fourth overall and won the over two-litre Grand Touring class at the Road America 500 mile US Road Racing Championship event.

Lew Spencer then drove it to third overall in the Los Angeles Times one hour Grand Prix race for GT cars at Riverside. Having incurred a crunched left front fender during this outing, Shelby executed a repair back at the factory and changed the car’s colour from black to light metallic blue.

CSX2136 subsequently raced four more times in 1963, most notably picking up second overall in the Hawaii GP at Kahuka and a brace of class wins at the end-of-season Bahamas Speed Week.

Shelby team driver and garage owner Ed Leslie then purchased CSX2136 as his personal race car for the 1964 season. Despite having been a big step-up from the Triumph TR4 he had raced in 1963, Leslie took the now black again Cobra to seven outright wins in between his factory drives for Carroll Shelby’s squad.

CSX2136 subsequently went through the hands of several further North American owners and in more recent times has been the subject of an exacting restoration.

Reprinted below (with a little help from the Supercar Nostalgia records) is Canepa’s description:

VIN: CSX2136
1st of 6 Total LeMans Production Spec Cars Built by Shelby American in Venice, CA
First Factory Constructed Racecar from Shelby
Extensive Racing History
Ground Up Restoration done by Bill Murray
Le Mans Modifications including a 37-Gallon Fuel Tank, Rack & Pinion Steering, FIA Hood Scoop, Short Trunk Lid, Side Cooling Vents, etc.
Finished First Overall and First in Class at the inaugural running of the ARRC National Championships in 1964 at Riverside

In 1963, AC Cars partnered with Carroll Shelby to race at Le Mans. They prepared two cars, adding magnesium wheels, larger fender flares, an FIA hood scoop, a 37-gallon fuel tank, and a “moderately tuned” 4.7-liter V8. The race was dominated that year by Ferrari, the first five places swept by the big red 250 and 330 V12s. While one of the AC/Shelby cars retired after 117 laps, the other went on to a credible seventh place finish overall, third in the GT class, and first in the 4–5-liter class.

With this success, Shelby was off to the races. Six more Cobras were built to LeMans Specification. CSX2136 was the first. Arriving in America in June of 1963, it came equipped with the 37-gallon Le Mans tank, rack-and-pinion steering, side vents of the style that would appear on later production cars, a short trunk lid (hinged at the bottom), and the FIA scoop.

To add to it, CSX2136 was the first Shelby American Factory Team Cobra to be built as a race car at the AC Cars Factory in England. All cars produced before this Cobra were built as streetcars, and eventually converted into racecars. This was the first factory-built racecar from Shelby

At Shelby, the car was modified to compete in domestic SCCA/USRRC road racing events. It was outfitted with a high-output 289 V8, four 48 IDM Weber carburetors, a “Nassau” exhaust system, electric fuel pump, oil and differential coolers, front and rear sway bars, Konis, kidney-bean Halibrands, Goodyear racing tires, additional instrumentation, and more.

Painted black, CSX2136 was completed in time to debut at a September 8 SCCA/USRRC event at Elkhart Lake. Piloted by team drivers Bob Bondurant and Dave MacDonald, it finished fourth overall and won the GT class.

Interestingly, for this Road America 500, CSX2136 was co-entered by Steve McQueen/Shelby American. The car was then shipped back to Southern California and repainted Light Metallic Blue. Its next outings were also notable: a third with Lew Spencer at the wheel at the L.A. Times GT race at Riverside in October and, later that same month, a second overall at the Hawaiian GP with Dave MacDonald again in the driver’s seat.

CSX2136’s last appearance as a team car was in December at the 1963 Nassau Speed Week. Frank Gardner drove the roadster to a GT win in the Nassau Trophy Race, finishing seventh overall.

After Nassau, CSX2136 went back to Shelby American for refurbishing. It was sold in January of 1964 to Ed Leslie who repainted the car black, nicknamed it “Snake,” and cleaned house on the SCCA circuit.

During the 1964 season #2136 would still have Shelby Factory support with the goal of winning the ARRC Championship. #2136 won its class in seven of the eleven races entered, including the major victory at the 1964 ARRC finale at Riverside. Leslie also drove the Cobra to overall and GT class wins at the May 8 USRRC event at Laguna Seca.

After winning the 1964 SCCA National Championship, Leslie sold the Cobra to Foster Alexander. Campaigned throughout the northwest, it continued its winning ways. Foster piloted CSX2136 into the 1965 ARRC National Championships in Daytona where it finished third both overall and in its class.

Eber later sold the car to Steve Baker, who turned it over to legendary racer, Cobra historian, and restoration specialist Bill Murray. Murray meticulously brought #2136 back full circle to its original 1963 configuration as a Shelby Team racer. Upon completion in 1992, the car won a first place in the AACA’s Junior Competition Car division. The car has been carefully stored and maintained in collections ever since.

Cobra number CSX2136 is incredibly rare, one of only six of these competition Cobras ever built and the first of only three Factory Team LeMans Production Cobra’s. It’s record on the racetrack, both with Team Shelby and in the hands of individual enthusiasts, is absolutely stunning and was a major contributor to the early racing dominance of the Shelby Cobra in the US.

Upon arrival at Canepa, every collector car for sale is put through an extensive and diligent process called the “Canepa Difference.” This includes a major and comprehensive mechanical inspection where all systems are checked, serviced, and restored as needed. They also receive award-winning concours-level detailing, including a thorough cleaning of each and every surface.

Notable History

Shelby American, California

Black

08/09/1963 USR Road America 500 mile (B. Bondurant / D. MacDonald) 4th Overall, 1st GT class (#97) 
13/10/1963 IND Riverside 1 Hour (L. Spencer) 3rd Overall

Light Metallic Blue

27/10/1963 IND Hawaii GP Preliminary, Kahuku (D. MacDonald) DNF (#98) 
27/10/1963 IND Hawaii GP, Kahuku (D. MacDonald) 2nd Overall (#98) 
06/12/1963 BSW Governor's Trophy (F. Gardner) 12th Overall, 2nd GT5.0 class (#198) 
07/12/1963 BSW Nassau Classic (F. Gardner) 8th Overall, 1st GT5.0 class (#198) 
08/12/1963 BSW Nassau Trophy (F. Gardner) 7th Overall, 1st GT5.0 class (#198)

Black

30/01/1964 sold to Ed Leslie (Leslie Motors), California

02/02/1964 SCA Divisional Riverside (E. Leslie) 1st Overall (#98) 
16/02/1964 SCA Divisional Phoenix (E. Leslie) 1st Overall (#98) 
05/04/1964 SCA Divisional Tucson (E. Leslie) 1st Overall (#98) 
12/04/1964 SCA Regional Vaca Valley (E. Leslie) 1st Overall (#98) 
26/04/1964 USR Riverside GT (E. Leslie) 2nd Overall (#198) 
03/05/1964 USR Laguna Seca (E. Leslie) 5th Overall (#98) 
03/05/1964 USR Laguna Seca GT (E. Leslie) 1st Overall (#98) 
10/05/1964 USR Kent GT (E. Leslie) 2nd Overall (#98) 
10/05/1964 USR Kent (E. Leslie) DNF (#98) 
07/06/1964 SCA Regional Stockton (E. Leslie) 1st Overall (#98) 
14/06/1964 SCA Divisional Willow Springs (E. Leslie) DNF (#98) 
12/07/1964 SCA Divisional Cotati (E. Leslie) DNF (#98) 
02/08/1964 SCA Divisional Kent (E. Leslie) c. 5th Overall (#98) 
23/08/1964 SCA Divisional Newport (E. Leslie) 1st Overall (#98)

Sold to Foster Alexander

04/04/1965 SCA Regional Kirker Creek (F. Alexander) 2nd Overall (#17) 
25/04/1965 SCA National Phoenix (F. Alexander) 2nd Overall (#17) 
08/05/1965 IND Laguna Seca (F. Alexander) DNF (#17) 
09/05/1965 USR Laguna Seca GT (F. Alexander) 15th Overall, 7th GT2.0+ class (#47) 
11/07/1965 SCA National Salt Lake City (F. Alexander) ran (#17) 
25/07/1965 SCA National Willow Springs (F. Alexander) 8th Overall, 6th AP class (#17) 
08/08/1965 SCA National Candlestick (F. Alexander) DNF (#17) 
12/09/1965 SCA National Vacaville (F. Alexander) 2nd Overall
26/09/1965 SCA National Riverside (F. Alexander) 3rd Overall (#17) 
06/11/1965 SCA Regional Vaca Valley (F. Alexander) 2nd Overall (#12) 
28/11/1965 IND Daytona Road Race of Champions (F. Alexander) 3rd Overall (#62A)