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Carroll Shelby’s AC Ace-derived Cobra is undoubtedly one of the most important sports cars ever produced.

It was the model that launched Ford Motor Company’s “Total Performance” corporate racing program in the early 1960s, a campaign that culminated in countless national and international wins along with a 1st Place in the 1965 FIA GT championship with the Cobra-derived Daytona Coupe.

The experience gained during the Cobra’s SCCA dominance and Shelby’s organizational prowess led to Ford Motor Company’s eventual landmark win over Ferrari at Le Mans with the 1-2-3 finish scored by the Ford GT40s in 1966.
According to data published by the Shelby American Automobile Club (SAAC), 655 small-block Cobras, derivatives, and prototypes were built by Shelby American from 1962 through 1965.

The first...