1965 Shelby 427 Competition Cobra

This 1965 Shelby 427 Cobra, numbered CSX3006, is an early production, factory-built competition car and is just one of just 23 produced. The car was delivered, to William Freeman, on January 25, 1965, with Freeman requesting a special Metallic Blue paint finish, just a shade lighter than the Shelby team cars.

The CSX3006 has gone through a few transformations in its life.

 

- It began as a left-hand drive painted in Metallic Blue.

 

- In 1966, the CSX3006 was sold to an English dealership, Chequered Flag. Chequered Flag converted the car to a right-hand drive and refinished the car in white with black hood (referred to as a bonnet by those in England). In this configuration, the car was raced by three F1 drivers – Bob Bondurant, David Piper and Chris Irwin – to the top of the podium at the Ilford 500 at Brands Hatch in May 1966. Making it the only 427 Competition to win a significant race outside of the US.

 

- In 1977, the CSX3006 was sold to a Shelby historian and collector who returned the car back to its original Metallic Blue and left-hand drive.

 

This car recently sold at the Mecum Kissimmee Auction, for $4.2M.