I know this is a bad thing to say, but here goes: For this review I’m tossing the small amount of journalistic credibility I possess out the window. Behind the couch, under the bus — wherever, it’s gone. Bye-bye. Why? Years ago I read an article (don’t recall the publication) that described Bryant Gumbel’s interview with Pope John Paul the Deuce. Gumbel, a life long Catholic, was all set and prepared to do a serious, hard-hitting sit down with his Holiness. However, upon meeting the Holy Father, Gumbel instantly fell to his knees, produced pictures of his children and begged the Pope to bless them. So yeah, that was me last week when I got to drive two Superformance cars — the Shelby Cobra Daytona Coupe and GT40 MK1. I’m not even going to mention that the Coupe used to belong to none other than Carroll Shelby.
Shelby Cobra Daytona Coupe
GT40 MKI
Don’t Call it a Brock Coupe
Though initially that was going to be the name. Due to the Coupe being a licensed Carroll Shelby product Superformance went with the old school moniker of Shelby Cobra Daytona Coupe. Fine by me — but just admit that “Brock Coupe” does have a certain ring to it. But, as the kids say, whatevs. You could call the damn thing Molly and in my book it would still be one of the five most desirable cars ever made. If you find yourself asking why, allow me to give you the briefest of history lessons.
In 1961 Carroll Shelby convinced Lee Iacocca (then with Ford) to let him have access to a new aluminum truck engine being built in Canada. His plan was to stuff the engine into a British roadster then called the AC Ace. After a lot of hammering the car worked out and a bonafide legend was born. Shelby called it the AC Cobra. The British car with the Canadian heart simply dominated American races. Sebring, Daytona — you name it Carroll and his Cobra won it. But in Europe? Not so much. The lightweight but topless roadsters had lousy aerodynamics and simply couldn’t hit high enough speeds on the straights. Particularly the infamous Mulsane Straight at Le Mans. And yeah, it’s ironic that an American car could kick snot out of the competition in the curves, but then lose it when the road fails to wind. What to do?
Enter the Daytona Coupe. Shelby knew he needed a closed cockpit car if he was going to challenge Ferrari at Le Mans. The 250 GTOs were hitting 180 mph. Shelby put 23-year-old Pete Brock in charge of the Coupe’s design. Shelby didn’t trust Brock’s results. He brought in an aerodynamics specialist that agreed — Brock’s odd-looking Kammback body wouldn’t work. Miraculously, Shelby went with his boy Brock and this now classic design. The results? Total domination. The new Coupe simply ran away from the field at Daytona (before being hobbled by busted differential). So much so that Shelby named it the Daytona. And when he brought his new Coupes to France in 1964, they hit 196 mph on the Mulsanne straight, humiliating Ferrari at Le Mans by finishing first in class and fourth overall. The Daytona Coupes achieved such complete supremacy that Enzo intrigued to get the 1964 Monza race cancelled thereby securing Ferrari’s overall season victory.
And Superformance tossed me the keys!
Shelby Cobra Daytona Coupe
Posted By: Jonny Lieberman | 10 Comments »
Tags: 427 Brock Coupe Carroll Shelby Cobra Ford GT40 GT40 GT40 MKI Peter Brock Roush Roush 427 Roush 427 IR Roush 427 SR Shelby Superformance Superformance MKI Superformance Shelby Cobra Daytona Coupe
Hi Johnny
Thanks for a very well written and interesting portrayal of the Shelby Cobra Daytona Coupe. We enjoyed having you over at our showroom.
Lance.
Hi Johnny,
Enjoyed the article especially since I’m a Brock Coupe owner. Just a bit of info, Pete Brock took my coupe (SPC0051) to Car & Driver with his many heat cycled tires and it pulled 1.12 Gs on their skid pad in street configuration. I was using velocity stack screens for looks but they chocked off induction air and the engine was down 80 HP but even so the car did 0 to 60 in 3.7 sec, 1/4 mile in 11.9 sec at 119 (C&D 3/07). For creature comfort, I believe it is only coupe with power winders – AND the windows go down a bit more than the crank windows.
Ron Weingart
hi johnny. I personally was never a fan of the coupe, that was till I started putting them together and built carrols personal car in auto with paddle shifters, that changed my opinion on the whole car, so much so that I went ahead and purchased one from lance and took it upon myself to build what I thought was the perfect ” track “. Just finished build it and will have it professionally photographed in the next 2 weeks, all I can say it has now become my all time favourite of the Shelby cars, thanks peter Brock for the great design!!!
Okay Lieberman, I officially hate you now. Not you specifically, but the fact that you got a day in the monster Superperformance rockets. You are one lucky sumbitch.
Oh, and nice write up.
Lieberman, you BASTARD!
(bet you get that a lot)
I could think of few better ways to exit the world backwards, upside down and on fire.
whoa, hang a sec. You think the GT40 doesn’t photograph well? Good God, there is simply nothing prettier than the GT40 in those colors, and that’s just looking at pics of it on the web. If I saw one of these in person, I do believe my head would explode before I could even fondle it. I was lucky enough to see a new Ford GT sitting inside a dealer before it was picked up. Not quite the same, nor am I a fan of green on this type of car, but even then, it was gorgeous.
quadrangleman: As good as it looks in these photos, it’s 5 times better looking in person. All curvy cars are. Says me…
ahhh, silly me. You just meant that it photographs bad in relative terms. It’s simply a breathtaking machine. This car, exactly as is with those colors, tops my dream car list.
The Shelby Cobra Daytona Coupe and Ford GT40 MKI are among the best classic race cars. Ford already made an updated version of the GT40 (Ford GT), I hope Shelby also come up with a modern version of the Cobra Daytona Coupe.