VIN: the works / Scuderia Filipinetti Shelby Cobra Daytona chassis CSX 2602

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HISTORY OF CHASSIS CSX 2602

Chassis CSX 2602 was one of the five Cobra Daytonas bodied by Carrozzeria Gransport of Modena after the prototype (CSX 2287) was assembled in California.

During 1965, CSX 2602 appeared at six rounds of the World Sportscar Championship.

In its debut race at Daytona, the car was driven by Rick Muther and John Timanus. It proved the slowest of the four Cobra Daytonas in qualifying and started eighth.

However, Muther and Timanus had a good race; they finished the 2000km event fourth overall and were the second GT car home.

For the Sebring 12 Hour race a month later, Lew Spencer and Jim Adams drove CSX 2602. This time it was the fastest of the four Cobra Daytonas in qualifying and lined up 13th on the grid.

The race got off to a bad start when clouds of smoke started to pour out from under the bonnet; a carburettor fire had to be extinguished and CSX 2602 was still in the pits receiving attention as the other cars stormed away from the grid.

Thereafter, it was never really in contention, but did survive the heavily flooded track later that afternoon and was still running at the finish. Spencer and Adams were later joined by Phil Hill after his Shelby GT40 retired. Together, they eventually placed 21st overall and fifth in the over five-litre Grand Touring class.

CSX 2602 was then flown over to Europe where it was looked after by Alan Mann Racing for the next few events.

At the Monza 1000km, Jack Sears and John Whitmore qualified 13th. They drove the car to a conservative ninth overall (second in the over five-litre GT class). In the absence of any serious competition, Alan Mann had instructed his drivers to ensure they scooped maximum points for the championship.

At Spa, Whitmore drove the 500km event single-handed. He qualified second, but on lap seven collided with an errant Cobra just before Stavelot. A frantic pit stop ensued to try and remedy the crunched front end.

When he finally got going again, Whitmore was well down the field. Nevertheless, he steadily climbed back up the order. Whitmore was sixth with six laps to go when he came into the pits complaining of excessive transmission vibration. The car was withdrawn.

Jack Sears was then joined by Frank Gardner in CSX 2602 for the Nurburgring 1000km. They qualified 20th and the pair of Cobra Daytonas in attendance easily proved to be the fastest GT cars in the race. Sears and Gardner finished tenth overall and second in the over three-litre GT class.

At Le Mans, CSX 2602 ran under a Scuderia Filipinetti entry as Ford and Shelby had used up their allocation of grid slots. Repainted Filipinetti’s familiar red colour scheme with a white centre stripe, it was driven by Peter Sutcliffe and Peter Harper. They started 19th, but at 1am the engine terminally threw a rod down the Mulsanne Straight.

Thereafter, CSX 2602 was reverted to its original Guardsman Blue and white striped livery.

It went back to Shelby American and later made its way to a Japanese collector.

Notable History

Shelby American

Guardsman Blue Metallic with White stripes

28/02/1965 WSC Daytona 2000km (R. Muther / J. Timanus) 4th oa, 2nd GT3.0+ class (#14)
27/03/1965 WSC Sebring 12 Hours (L. Spencer / J. Adams / P. Hill) 21st oa, 5th GT5.0 class (#16)
25/04/1965 WSC Monza 1000km (J. Sears / J. Whitmore) 9th oa, 2nd GT3.0+ class (#49)
16/05/1965 WSC Spa 500km (J. Whitmore) DNF (#21)
23/05/1965 WSC Nurburgring 1000km (J. Sears / F. Gardner) 10th oa, 2nd GT3.0+ class (#55)

Repainted Red with White stripe (Scuderia Filipinetti entry)

20/06/1965 WSC Le Mans 24 Hours (P. Sutcliffe / P. Harper) DNF (#59)

Repainted Guardsman Blue Metallic with White stripes

Sold to Japan

Text copyright: Supercar Nostalgia
Photo copyright: Ford - https://www.ford.com