Classic Will Be Classic!

1966 Shelby Cobra 427 Super Snake.

Originally built as the “Cobra to end all Cobras,” CSX 3015 represents the high water mark in the horsepower race of the ’60s. Carroll Shelby built it for no other reason than to see how fast it would go.

The Super Snake featured here is remarkable in many ways. First, it was designed and built under the direction of Shelby himself as his own personal car.
The car still has its original date-coded big block engine, its original Girling BR & CR calipers, and the original differential oil cooler and pumps. Under its massive aluminum hood lies the most radical motor ever assembled at Shelby American—a twin supercharged 427 with two Holley four-barrel carburetors. Attesting to the power of this engine, Road & Track tested CSX 3015 in 1968 and recorded 0–100 mph times in the low seven second range. While a top speed test was not performed, the Road & Track crew estimated 182 mph was possible.

The Super Snake is a powerhouse whose pedigree and originality silence all critics. With its massive power plant, beautiful Guardsman Blue exterior, and impeccable lineage, it is, without a doubt, the “Cobra to end all Cobras.”

This car sold for $5,500,000 at the Barrett-Jackson auction in Scottsdale, Arizona, January 20, 2007. It represents the highest price ever paid for an American automobile at a public auction.

IF ONE BLOWER WAS GOOD...

The distinguishing feature of the SS lies in its drivetrain. The normally aspirated 427 was boosted by twin Paxton superchargers. At the time, these were being fitted to a limited number of Shelby GT350 Mustangs, and if one blower was a good idea, why not two? Because of the space needed to house the two blowers, an experimental Edelbrock XF8 cross-ram manifold was deployed so the two Holley carburetors could be moved laterally to the sides of the engine.

The transmission was a Ford C-6 automatic, used, primarily, in Lincolns. The rationale to vacate the sturdy Toploader four-speed has been the subject of speculation for years. Don McCain, a long-time SAI employee, whose credits include the building of the Harr Ford 427 Dragon Snake, commented that it was a question of whether any production clutch could handle the torque demands of the engine. “Besides,” he said, “Carroll really wanted to drive something that he didn’t have to shift.” Sometimes the simplest explanations make the most sense.

0–60 mph in under 4...

The car was fast. In 1968 Road & Track achieved 0–60 mph times in the 3.8 second range, with the quarter-mile coming up in 11.86 seconds at 115 mph. Horsepower output was reputed to be about 800, but that number was provided by Shelby, and the editors at R&T had trouble publishing an undocumented number of that magnitude. After several road tests, and not wanting to offend ol’ Shel, the writers deemed the power to be “more than adequate.”