[sconi]

Ok guys it's time to help me out! A buddy of mine (not a real close buddy, after all he's a Ford man!) and I got into a pissin match. His statement that the original Shelby Cobra is faster than a Z06. I seem to remember a few years ago that C/D or M/T ran a bunch of top cars on a banked Texas oval and the Cobra had trouble getting up over 120..130ish because of areo-resistants. They had to tape vents shut and seal the hood etc... to get it into the 140ish range. I need some solid stats so I can pound this rustang lover back to Barney & Fred times! Thanks!

PS: I'm not dissin the Cobra, it was a great sports car for it's day.

 

[mgarfias]

I don't remember where I saw it, but I did come across a comparison of a 427 S/C Cobra, and a Z06. The cobra actually edged out the Z06 in the 0-100-0 test, but not by a whole lot (tenth or two).

Top speed of the full blown Shelby racing cobras was about 175, remember the Daytona had to be built to go past that. (There was an article 'bout the daytona about three months ago in Car & Dumbass I mean Driver - written by the guy that built the body).

Also, remember that the Cobra did two things really well: accelerate, and stop. They didn't corner for shit. Look at the pix from back in the day and they're always sliding and looking stupid in the corners. The Z will waste ithe Cobra in any test of handling you could come up with. Not to mention that its more comfortable, you can drive it across country with no problems, etc.

But the Cobra still kicks the Z's ass in one thing: STYLE. Who wouldn't rather drive around town in a cobra (any cobra)?

 

[Manatee]

From the english magazine MOTOR, dated Nov 25, 1967 When they tested the Cobra 427.

0-60 4.2
0-100 10.3
1/4 mile 12.4
max speed 165

Best line in article : 'insurance ... premiums on a submarine with a canvas hood would probably be lower'




From Autocar Nov 12, 1967 289 Cobra Test
0-60 5.5
0-100 14
max speed 138


Hope this helps !

 

[sconi]

Thanks, guys! That's a great job. Now to discuss this subject with my buddy over a couple of beers!!


Thanks again! :-D :cheers: :cheers:

 

[VPRKLLR]

This is what I found:

64' AC Cobra 289

0-60...........6.6
0-100.........14.1
1/4 mile......14.0



66' AC Cobra 427

0-60..........4.2
0-100........10.3
1/4 mile.....12.4

 

[sconi]

Thanks for the crib notes MGARFIAS & VPRKLLR. I'm wishin and a plannin on the 04 Z06 viper killer! Manatee, I just got done listen to Derick & the Domanos, specificly Layla, .. eat a peach! :cheers: :cheers:

 

[dawebers]

Perhaps your friend could trade that fart/ford for an opel gt. You know that baby vette clone of about the same vintage. It must be fustrating and perhaps not something one talks about in public.

 

[1fastdog]

The original AC Cobra was beatable by a standard C5.

The only 2 Cobras I ever drove were an FIA 289 in '66, and in late '66 or early '67 a 427 Holman & Moody prepared side oiler in full race trim. 0-100 and back down to 0 in a little over 10 seconds. It topped out around 170 or so depending on how it was geared. NICE track cars at the time. I wish either one was sitting outside right now.

They were good short-medium course cars. They hit the aerodynamic wall pretty hard to be successful around '68 on tracks with long, long straights. Actually I'd prefer a Chevy powered Lola T70 coupe for a retro racer. That was a nice nice car and outhandled most cars back then.

The Daytona bodied car as much better for long tracks, but it was hotter than a june bride in a feather bed in those damn things...

 

[70boss302]

Jusy MHO but anytime you compare a 30+ year old cars performance to ANYTHING new says an awful lot about the old muscle car! Naturally modern technology will give the Z06 and edge most everywhere, but for it time, the Shelby Cobra was and might still be at the top of its game! Has anyone noticed what they are worth today? A car in new (concourse) condition can fetch 7 figures!!! I am very partial to the old muscle cars and even have several but none( ) are a Shelby Cobra. Bill

 

[sconi]

I'd like to point out that most of this discussion is centered around comparing a stock Z06 with race ready Cobras. I wish we could balance that by compareing race ready C5Rs with race ready Cobras. 70boss32, I wasn't the one who made the comparison, it was my..err..this Ford person (Ok, I'll admit I knew who he was!! :bs: :bs: ). I think this was the best he could come up with since Ford only sells Rustangs. Now I've heard that the Rustangs are gonna get turbos and probably blowers so that Ford will have something current to talk about!