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54 of 170 lots
Lot 54
1964 Shelby-Cooper T61M 'King Cobra'
Estimate:
$650,000 - $850,000
Starting bid:
$25
Sold for
$480,000
Live Auction
Pebble Beach Auctions 2023
Description
Shelby American Inc., Venice, California (acquired new via Cooper Cars in 1964)
Ford Advanced Vehicles, Slough, UK (acquired from the above in January 1965)
Shelby American Inc., Venice, California (reacquired from the above in April 1965)
Oscar Koveleski, Scranton, Pennsylvania (acquired from the above in March 1966)
James E. Brown, Greensburg, Pennsylvania (acquired from the above in March 1966)
Francis Larkin, Binghamton, New York (acquired from the above in 1968)
Mark Scarano, Vestal, New York (acquired from the above in 1971)
Craig Smith, Robesonia, Pennsylvania (acquired from the above in 1971)
Dick Johnson Auto Body and Salvage, Madison, Wisconsin (acquired from the above in 1972)
Unknown, Denver, Colorado (acquired from the above in 1976)
Wayne Lyndon, Roseville, California (acquired from the above in 1979)
Barry Brown, Pacific Palisades, California (acquired from the above in 1981)
Larry Bowman, Redwood City, California (acquired from the above in 2001)
A. Ross Myers, Boyertown, Pennsylvania (acquired from the above in 2009)
Donn Vickrey, Carlsbad, California (acquired from the above circa 2011)
Current Owner (acquired from the above in 2015)

Without Reserve

Chassis: CM/5/64

Raced by Bob Bondurant and Roy Salvadori in Period
Documented Provenance from New
Extensive Restoration Completed in 2020 with Only Shakedown Miles Since
Date-Coded 289 CID V-8 Engine and Correct Colotti Five-Speed Gearbox
Offered with Spares Package, Including McKee Replacement Gearbox

289 CID OHV V-8 Engine
Four Weber IDA48 Carburetors
400 BHP at 7,000 RPM
5-Speed Manual Transaxle
4-Wheel Disc Brakes
4-Wheel Independent Suspension with Coil Springs over Tubular Shock Absorbers

By 1963, Carroll Shelby’s Cobra was already making a name for itself on tracks worldwide. But Shelby wanted to create a car that was even more capable and based on the design of the mid-engine De Tomaso P70 prototype. After initial testing showed this design had numerous issues, Shelby ordered a pair of Cooper-Monaco T61Ms and, after strengthening the chassis, installed the Cobra’s 289 cid Ford V-8. The car quickly gained the nickname “King Cobra,” and Shelby American began entering and winning SCCA and FIA races with some of the most famous drivers on the team’s roster.

For the 1964 season, Shelby ordered two more Coopers – including this car, chassis CM/5/64, which debuted at the Los Angeles Times Grand Prix with Bob Bondurant behind the wheel, where it placed 5th Overall. The car’s next appearance was less than two weeks later, where it achieved 3rd Overall in the Monterey Grand Prix at Laguna Seca. The “King Cobras” received bodywork modified by Peter Brock with numerous alterations to aid in both aero and cooling for the V-8 sitting behind the driver.

After the Monterey Grand Prix, the bodywork was taken off CM/5/64 to fix some damage sustained with Parnelli Jones behind the wheel of CM/6/64. With this, CM/5/64 returned to the shop for further suspension development, where the Shelby engineers attempted to relocate the front and rear shock mounts for increased travel.

In mid-1964, Shelby took over Ford’s GT40 program, and the “King Cobra” project was sidelined. The body-less CM/5/64 was sold to Ford Advanced Vehicles in England for Roy Salvadori to drive in early 1965. Upon arriving in the UK, Ford Advanced Vehicles constructed a new body and replaced the original Colotti transaxle with a ZF unit. The car then returned to Shelby in California at the end of the 1965 season.

In March 1966, this “King Cobra,” along with chassis CM/4/64 and a host of spares, were all sold to East Coast racer Oscar Koveleski. Almost immediately, he turned around and sold CM/5/64 to a fellow Pennsylvania-based racer James E. Brown, who campaigned the car from 1966 to 1968 and racked up a 4th Place finish in the SCCA Northeast Region ASR class in 1968 as well as several other victories in races around the country.

After 1968, the car moved between enthusiasts and ended up with a fiberglass body from a Genie race car in 1971. Ten years later, the car was sold to vintage racer Barry Brown of Pacific Palisades, California, who undertook a restoration of the car, mistakenly having a body built that matched the shape of chassis CM/6/64 rather than CM/5/64. After the completion of the restoration in 1995, the car’s first outing was the 1997 Los Angeles Grand Prix, followed by the 1999 Monterey Historics. It was then acquired by Shelby collector Larry Bowman of Redwood City, California, in 2001, at which point it was mechanically restored and taken vintage racing.

In 2015, the car was purchased by the consignor, a collector and racer who emphasizes historical accuracy in his cars. Because of this, upon acquiring the car, a comprehensive five-year restoration was undertaken to bring this “King Cobra” back to exactly as it appeared in period. Carried out by Dave Handy and Jeff Horne at the SascoSports facility on the grounds of Virginia International Raceway, the entire project was overseen by Chuck Brandt, the SAAC registrar for Cooper Cars, to ensure maximum accuracy. An entirely new, correct body was fabricated from aluminum, utilizing a custom buck built by original Shelby designer Peter Brock, and a correct five-speed Colotti transaxle was installed. The replacement McKee gearbox, along with a suite of other parts and an extensive history file, are included in the sale. A complete list of accompanying items is available for review by contacting a specialist.

When the restoration was completed in June 2020, CM/5/64 had been returned to how it was when it showed up with the Shelby team at the Los Angeles Times Grand Prix, 56 years before. Sporting a correct, date-coded Ford 289 cid V-8, this “King Cobra” went through a shakedown run at Virginia International Raceway before being stashed away, ready for the next owner to enjoy it.

*Please note that this vehicle is sold on a Bill of Sale.