Where did the "COBRA" come from?

Chipdog · 09-25-2001, 03:25 PM

A ricer friend asked me a dam good question the other day. It was where do you get a snake from a horse? I was stumped. Why did they choose the name Cobra for a upgraded Mustang?

------------------
92 GT Convertible
Hooker Headers, Headman X pipe, Flow Masters, 4.10s, BBK 1.5 drop, 73mm Mass air, 65 FMS TB, FMS Aluminum radiator, T-5 swap with a Steeda shifter.

And a Small Blow Job

Snakebite427 · 09-25-2001, 03:38 PM

Hehe, silly ricers... Anyways..once, long long ago (in the 60's) A chicken farmer was hired by ford..well, he was a bit famous by then as a racer. They asked him to make their luxery mustangs into monster machines. His name was Carroll Shelby, praise thy name. He set forth to make the GT350 and GT500 mustangs for ford. But during this time he worked on another car. The body of a British sprinter, made by AC, combined with the power of the Ford Engine, at the time it was the 289, but later he added the 427 into the light body. This configeration became known as..3 names, the AC Cobra, the SHELBY COBRA, and the Ford Cobra. Now, after shelby wasn't needed anymore they turned our beloved mustangs into pansy chick cars(no offense to the ladies!!) for a couple of years. BUt kept the higher end, more performance models with the name Cobra II..these were equivilent to sh*t covered in gold foil....

And the name has stuck every since, and remains a name of performance and muscle..and something to scare the hair of those nasty chevy drivers!!!..Well some of that may have been of my opinion, most not, but that is absically it. Others may have a better explanation.

SMOKE · 09-25-2001, 05:31 PM

"August 1964 - Ford asks Carroll Shelby to develop a high-performance Mustang fastback for street and track. Basically, the new car would challenge the Corvette in SCCA B-production road racing. "

excerpt from .... http://www.carrollshelby.com/timeline.htm

Good read on a famous man.

Chipdog · 09-25-2001, 05:46 PM

Thanks for the info. Now I can pass on the info

#1 Pony · 09-25-2001, 08:19 PM

I love that story, that's really this first time i heard it. BUT since about three years ago I went into the Ford place here and saw a Cobra, not a Mustang, and thought it was the best looking car I ever saw (Black w/ light tan-cream interior 2 seater of couse)...
I put all that together with Gran Turismo 2 and Gone in 60 sec. I figured Ford hired Shelby to create some type of Mustang (just like Saleen, Steeda & Roush) thus the Mustangg Cobra. Besides the only other person with the name "Cobra" is Shelby- and I knew Shelby was out before the Mustang Cobra came along. But thanks for the whole/true story. I needed to confirm my thoughts.

1965GTO · 09-25-2001, 10:56 PM

Your ricer friend is still correct. What is a snake doing on a horse? It is silly. And Carroll Shelby will put his name on anything for money. Just look at a Shelby Charger. Shelby Mustangs are damn good looking though. I'd still take a Mach 1 over a Cobra for a mustang name.

PGkelly · 09-26-2001, 05:21 PM

I agree. Mach 1 sounds waayyyyyyy cooler than Cobra.

------------------
If it ain't broke, make it go faster

AOL: MCVillain45

Snakeman · 09-29-2001, 11:25 AM

Mach 1 sounds too close to Mach 5 to me (speed racer, anyone?) to take seriously...

the Cobra was forged in the depths of Hades to destroy chevys!

------------------
Rob Wegner
90 LX
11.8 @ 118
98 Cobra #4699
12.9 @ 112

1965GTO · 10-02-2001, 02:33 AM

Go Speed Racer Go!!!

Mercury · 10-02-2001, 02:54 AM

Ford didnt go to Shelby at first.

Shelby went to Chevorlet with the idea of putting a small V8 in a european car. They turned him down because they didnt want anymore competition for there Corvette.

He then Heard Ford had just developed a thin Wall casting (Small Block) V8. So he went to them.

That in a nutshell is the birth of my Dream Car. The AC Cobra. Ford went to shelby when the Mustang came out, to boost its image. It worked I'd say.

Anyway, the Cobra was the car to beat in the 60's. Hell even in the 70's, 80's and even most of Todays Exotics would be hard pressed to beat the 427 SC Cobras performance.

Ford wanted a name synanamous with Performance, and Cobra was the Word. Carroll Shelby did not, and still does not approve of the mustangs use of the Cobra name plate.

I'm tired, I'm going to be now.

------------------
64 1/2 "D" code Red Mustang Coupe. 289, C4, Mallory duel point. Ported & Polished 65 heads shaved .01 with 351 valves, 11:1 comp, 1.7:1 rockers, blue wolverine lumpy cam, modified 4100 Hipo 4 barrel. GT Apperance pkg. And to many others to list

2000 Perf Red Mustang GT. 5spd. BBK Underdrive pulleys, Flotech off-road H pipe. Hurst T-Handle, 40 series Flowmasters, Steeda Tri-Ax
64 1/2 red 6cyl coupe. Future resto.

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09-25-2001, 03:25 PM	#1
Chipdog Registered Member Join Date: Apr 1999 Location: Miami,Fl USA Posts: 297	Where did the "COBRA" come from? A ricer friend asked me a dam good question the other day. It was where do you get a snake from a horse? I was stumped. Why did they choose the name Cobra for a upgraded Mustang? ------------------ 92 GT Convertible Hooker Headers, Headman X pipe, Flow Masters, 4.10s, BBK 1.5 drop, 73mm Mass air, 65 FMS TB, FMS Aluminum radiator, T-5 swap with a Steeda shifter. And a Small Blow Job

09-25-2001, 03:38 PM	#2
Snakebite427 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Ardsley, PA, USA Posts: 9	Hehe, silly ricers... Anyways..once, long long ago (in the 60's) A chicken farmer was hired by ford..well, he was a bit famous by then as a racer. They asked him to make their luxery mustangs into monster machines. His name was Carroll Shelby, praise thy name. He set forth to make the GT350 and GT500 mustangs for ford. But during this time he worked on another car. The body of a British sprinter, made by AC, combined with the power of the Ford Engine, at the time it was the 289, but later he added the 427 into the light body. This configeration became known as..3 names, the AC Cobra, the SHELBY COBRA, and the Ford Cobra. Now, after shelby wasn't needed anymore they turned our beloved mustangs into pansy chick cars(no offense to the ladies!!) for a couple of years. BUt kept the higher end, more performance models with the name Cobra II..these were equivilent to sh*t covered in gold foil.... And the name has stuck every since, and remains a name of performance and muscle..and something to scare the hair of those nasty chevy drivers!!!..Well some of that may have been of my opinion, most not, but that is absically it. Others may have a better explanation.

09-25-2001, 05:31 PM	#3
SMOKE Old School ROUSH Join Date: Nov 1999 Location: Stockbridge, GA Posts: 531	"August 1964 - Ford asks Carroll Shelby to develop a high-performance Mustang fastback for street and track. Basically, the new car would challenge the Corvette in SCCA B-production road racing. " excerpt from .... http://www.carrollshelby.com/timeline.htm Good read on a famous man.

09-25-2001, 05:46 PM	#4
Chipdog Registered Member Join Date: Apr 1999 Location: Miami,Fl USA Posts: 297	Thanks for the info. Now I can pass on the info

09-25-2001, 08:19 PM	#5
#1 Pony Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2001 Posts: 268	I love that story, that's really this first time i heard it. BUT since about three years ago I went into the Ford place here and saw a Cobra, not a Mustang, and thought it was the best looking car I ever saw (Black w/ light tan-cream interior 2 seater of couse)... I put all that together with Gran Turismo 2 and Gone in 60 sec. I figured Ford hired Shelby to create some type of Mustang (just like Saleen, Steeda & Roush) thus the Mustangg Cobra. Besides the only other person with the name "Cobra" is Shelby- and I knew Shelby was out before the Mustang Cobra came along. But thanks for the whole/true story. I needed to confirm my thoughts.

09-25-2001, 10:56 PM	#6
1965GTO Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Dupo,ill Posts: 219	Your ricer friend is still correct. What is a snake doing on a horse? It is silly. And Carroll Shelby will put his name on anything for money. Just look at a Shelby Charger. Shelby Mustangs are damn good looking though. I'd still take a Mach 1 over a Cobra for a mustang name.

09-26-2001, 05:21 PM	#7
PGkelly Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2001 Posts: 274	I agree. Mach 1 sounds waayyyyyyy cooler than Cobra. ------------------ If it ain't broke, make it go faster AOL: MCVillain45

09-29-2001, 11:25 AM	#8
Snakeman Registered Member Join Date: Apr 1999 Location: Grass Valley, CA, USA Posts: 1,389	Mach 1 sounds too close to Mach 5 to me (speed racer, anyone?) to take seriously... the Cobra was forged in the depths of Hades to destroy chevys! ------------------ Rob Wegner 90 LX 11.8 @ 118 98 Cobra #4699 12.9 @ 112

10-02-2001, 02:33 AM	#9
1965GTO Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Dupo,ill Posts: 219	Go Speed Racer Go!!!

10-02-2001, 02:54 AM	#10
Mercury The Redneck James Bond Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: Fayetteville NC Posts: 1,707	Ford didnt go to Shelby at first. Shelby went to Chevorlet with the idea of putting a small V8 in a european car. They turned him down because they didnt want anymore competition for there Corvette. He then Heard Ford had just developed a thin Wall casting (Small Block) V8. So he went to them. That in a nutshell is the birth of my Dream Car. The AC Cobra. Ford went to shelby when the Mustang came out, to boost its image. It worked I'd say. Anyway, the Cobra was the car to beat in the 60's. Hell even in the 70's, 80's and even most of Todays Exotics would be hard pressed to beat the 427 SC Cobras performance. Ford wanted a name synanamous with Performance, and Cobra was the Word. Carroll Shelby did not, and still does not approve of the mustangs use of the Cobra name plate. I'm tired, I'm going to be now. ------------------ 64 1/2 "D" code Red Mustang Coupe. 289, C4, Mallory duel point. Ported & Polished 65 heads shaved .01 with 351 valves, 11:1 comp, 1.7:1 rockers, blue wolverine lumpy cam, modified 4100 Hipo 4 barrel. GT Apperance pkg. And to many others to list 2000 Perf Red Mustang GT. 5spd. BBK Underdrive pulleys, Flotech off-road H pipe. Hurst T-Handle, 40 series Flowmasters, Steeda Tri-Ax 64 1/2 red 6cyl coupe. Future resto.