1965 Factory Five Cobra Daytona Replica
The first evolution of the Shelby Cobra was the Shelby Daytona coupe which racked up wins in numerous races in 1964 and 1965. The first GT class win was at the 12 Hours of Sebring, driven by Dave MacDonald and Pennsylvania native, Bob Holbert. The actual car, (CSX2287), is here in Pennsylvania at the Simeone Foundation Automotive Museum in Philadelphia. It went on to set land speed records at Bonneville in 1965. Though not as frequently replicated as the Cobra, street legal Daytona copies do occasionally show up at car shows.
For consignment, a 1965 Factory Five Cobra Daytona replica with a title verified 3,829 actual miles, a 347ci stroker V8 up front, real knock-off wheels, and a two stage coat of paint that will grab attention just before the epic shape of the car is noticed.
Exterior
The fiberglass body is painted World Rally Blue and shines from stem to stern. The nose of the car features clear covers on the headlights, a pointed nose with gaping lower air intake that is flanked by fog lights and four amber marking lights. The front of the body is one piece and houses an open scoop, encapsulated with aluminum panels that lead to the fan and radiator. The smooth body leads back to an upturned rear with integrated wing and a flat fascia that was intended to shed turbulent air at high speed. Four small, circular taillights are the only thing disrupting the back panel and of course, there's a place for your license plate. The vast rear window provides a look through the roll cage right to the cockpit of this speedster. Black side pipes vent from the front quarter, and 18-inch American Racing Shelby wheels are also black with silver inner rims and real knock-offs. A Shelby snake is on each front quarter panel as well, just above the hood release and a race style gas cap emerges from the rear quarter panel. The only imperfection is some touched up scrapes on the bottom lip of the intake.
Interior
A simple black plastic panel is embedded on the inner doors and contains the door opener only. Plastic windows on the doors will do their best to keep out the rain, if you dare. Step over the aluminum plates on the sills to find bomber style black vinyl seats, taller than you'd find in a Cobra, but prepped for a five point harness if you wanted to go that route. A simple, wood rimmed steering wheel fronts the notorious simple dash, similar to the real thing, with basic gauges on a black vinyl boxed dashboard with various unmarked toggle switches in the center. One creature comfort the race car did not have, of course, was air conditioning, but our replica has it and controls on the dash. The big, square center hump houses a long shifter and carpet covers the floor. A black roll cage is behind the seats and frames the rear shelf, also covered with carpet for modern use on the street.
Drivetrain
Lift the front and reveal a 347ci stroker engine with aluminum heads, an Edelbrock intake manifold, a Summit Racing 4-barrel carburetor, and headers. You WILL be opening your "hood" at car shows and fortunately, this is an attractive powerplant with plenty of polished aluminum, clean surfaces, and a very cool double snorkel air intake. A T5 5-speed manual transmission is on board and sends power to 4.10 gears in back while disc brakes are supplied on all four wheels.
Undercarriage
All's well underneath where a tubular frame allows access and view of all components including the coil overs on front and back. The exhaust goes from the headers to the side pipes. Knuckles and other wheel components are clean. We note some residual oil on the pan but no active leaks.
Drive-Ability
This may have a few creature comforts to soften the driving experience, but there's nothing softening the exhaust note. No mufflers, no sound proofing, and not much distance between you and the big pipes to the side. The raucous note is met by the acceleration underfoot and the power this light car exudes. It tracks and handles well, and fortunately, the brakes work as they should! In fact, all functions including gauges and lights work. While Classic Auto Mall represents that these functions were working at the time of our test drive, we cannot guarantee these functions will be working at the time of your purchase.
You can't drive the legend, and likely don't want to pay that invoice. Besides, it's not for sale. But you can drive a dramatic and eye catching replica done by one of the most respected replica companies, Factory Five. If you don't like attention, if you're the least bit introverted, this car will likely be relegated to the garage full time. But if you love the driving experience, the questions from the crowd, and being associated with a true American automotive legend, this is the car for you!
Classic Auto Mall is home to more than 1,000 classic and collectible vehicles for sale via consignment in a climate controlled 336,000-square foot showroom (that's more than 8 acres!). The largest single location consignment dealer of classic and collectible vehicles in the country is located in Morgantown, Pennsylvania, just 1-hour west of Philadelphia off Exit 298 of the I-76 Pennsylvania Turnpike. For more information visit www.classicautomall.com or call us at (888) 227-0914. Contact us anytime for more information or to come see the vehicle in person. There is no guarantee of mileage. A $299 Dealer Administrative fee is not included in the advertised price.
With so many great cars, you know we have a lot to talk about, and we do that each week on the Classic Auto Mall Podcast with host Stewart Howden. Stewart discusses new inventory as well as trends in consignments and car prices, while interviewing celebrities and automotive professionals about amazing cars and their history. Tune in each week to the Classic Auto Mall Podcast wherever you enjoy listening. You can also watch on YouTube!
