The Shelby Monaco King Cobra, also known simply as the Shelby King Cobra, is a specially modified series of purpose-built sports racing cars, that competed in both the United States Road Racing Championship and the Can-Am series, between 1963 and 1967.[1][2] It dominated and won the championship three consecutive years in a row (1963, 1964, 1965).[3] The chassis and body were based around a lightweight Cooper T61 Monaco sports car, but the existing Coventry Climax 2.0 L (120 cu in) four-cylinder engine was swapped out for a 289 cu in (4.74 L) Ford Windsor small-block engine, which produced 400 hp (300 kW), and 314 lb⋅ft (426 N⋅m) of torque, which drove the rear wheels through a 5-speed manual transmission.[4][5] Since the car only weighed 1,400 lb (640 kg), this gave it an incredible power-to-weight ratio, and top speed. The later 1967 Can-Am version of the car was even more powerful, with 520 hp (390 kW), and 503 lb⋅ft (682 N⋅m) of torque, coming from an enlarged 352 cu in (5.77 L) Ford XE motor.[6]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/ba/Mac_D_RV_%2763.jpg/220px-Mac_D_RV_%2763.jpg)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2e/1967_Shelby_King_Cobra_Canam_%2821153480581%29.jpg/220px-1967_Shelby_King_Cobra_Canam_%2821153480581%29.jpg)
References
edit- ^ "1963 SHELBY COOPER MONACO KING COBRA - Barrett-Jackson Auction Company - World's Greatest Collector Car Auctions". www.barrett-jackson.com. Archived from the original on 2016-04-09. Retrieved 2022-06-20.
- ^ "One of two original Shelby American King Cobra team cars to cross the block". Archived from the original on 23 January 2021. Retrieved 20 June 2022.
- ^ "Shelby King Cobra 1963 - 1964". temporary.shelby.com. Archived from the original on 2022-06-20. Retrieved 2022-06-20.
- ^ McAleer, Brendan (December 9, 2013). "Last of the Shelby King Cobras heads to auction". Road & Track. Archived from the original on November 8, 2014. Retrieved June 20, 2022.
- ^ "1963 Shelby Cooper "Monaco King Cobra"". Audrain Auto Museum. Archived from the original on 2022-06-20. Retrieved 2022-06-20.
- ^ "1967 Shelby T-10 King Cobra Ford - Images, Specifications and Information". Ultimatecarpage.com. Archived from the original on 2021-05-16. Retrieved 2022-06-20.