Can a Replica Car be Better than the Original “Slab Side” Shelby Cobra 

AC actually did all the V8 installation and development for Shelby in the UK. AC had already considered a V8 as an alternative when the Bristol 2 Litre production ceased (but went with the lighter Ford Zephyr 2.6L instead). Production Cobras were shipped from the UK without engines, which is where Shelby's claim of '..fitting V8 engines to AC..' came from, but in reality AC did all the work using a couple of 260 units shipped to the UK. Carol was a great marketing man though and his story telling is legendary.

@@jameseastwood4984 All true - but to be fair it was Shelby American who developed the starting point that AC provided to turn the Cobra into a reliable race winner.

Shelby kept the 2 tubes for the frame and most of the body on the MKII's. Redesigned the grille. Replaced everything else. On the MKIV's he also redesigned the body as well as all the chassis components and suspension and brakes. This car reviewed here has the AC front end and frankly its no where near as attractive as the Cobra slabside front grille.

@@gmonsen Its attractiveness is strictly a subjective matter. Since 1963 I've been enthralled with what is nowadays called the "slabside" (we never referred to them that way back then), just a beautiful muscular but elegant shape. But I also love and admire the AC Ace/Bristol body style - so clean without the flared wheel wells and the original front end. It really takes you back to that era of masculine but refined British sportscardom, ready to pounce with feeling of powerful lightness. I love them both.

@@gmonsen Not so. All the original work to re-engineer the Ace to take the V8 was done by AC, including chassis upgrades and the sharper front end, which was originally introduced on the Ford powered Ace 2.6. The original Cobra, CSX2000, was built entirely by AC in England, and after a small amount of testing had the engine and gearbox removed before being shipped to the US. Subsequent Cobras were also built as rolling shells by AC and shipped to US to be completed by Shelby American. The oft made claim that Shelby fitted the V8 and turned an Ace into a Cobra is nonsense. It was however Shelby American who developed the Cobra due to their racing programme and turned it into a race winner. And yes, the chassis for the MkIII 427 Cobra was redesigned using Ford's computer.