In a market where replicas are much more common than the real deal, original examples of the Shelby Cobra are highly sought-after – and incredibly expensive. A genuine example owned by actor Steve McQueen crossed the auction block earlier this year, while another owned by FoMoCo CEO Jim Farley sold to a buyer with deep pockets in 2023, going for $617,600. Attendees at the forthcoming Mecum auction will have the opportunity to bid on a another piece of Shelby history, as the famous Essex Wire 1965 Shelby 427 Competition Cobra will be offered up in January.
Tagged with chassis number CSX3009 and listed on Mecum’s website, the Essex Wire Cobra was raced in the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) A and B Production divisions, the U.S. Road Racing Championship, and FIA-sanctioned international competition. This 1965 Shelby 427 was billed to Shelby American in 1965, and sports a coat of Wimbledon White paint with a Raven Black stripe and “Essex Wire” branding in black lettering on the doors. and FIA-style Halibrand wheels.
Powering those wheels is the FE-block 427 CI side-oiler V8 engine, topped with a single Holley four-barrel carburetor and a magnesium intake manifold. It features 12.4:1 compression-ratio competition aluminum heads, unmuffled steel-tube side exhausts, and remote engine and rear-end oil coolers. Power is routed via its Ford Toploader four-speed manual transmission.
This 1965 Shelby 427 Competition Cobra began its on-track career under in the 1965 USRRC 200 in Pensacola, Florida. Robert “Skip” Scott and Dick Thompson partnered up for the endeavor, starting 10th and finishing fourth when the checkered flag fell. It went on to secure several finishes inside the top five throughout the season, including a podium in the FIA-sanctioned Bridgehampton Double 500.
Ed Lowther acquired the vehicle in 1966, winning the 1966 SCCA A Production National Championship. Lowther passed the Cobra onto a new owner following the 1967, when it was picked up by Sam Feinstein. Unfortunately, the Cobra 427 was collected in a massive wreck on the New Jersey Turnpike, taking it out of competition for the 1969 season as it was being rebuilt. Feinstein held onto the car until 1982, turning it loose in competition for several seasons before George Stauffer acquired the vehicle for his collection. It’s changed hands several times since then and has lived a cushy life as a display car, although it did undergo a lengthy restoration.
The original engine has been removed and a newer one installed, but that original powerhouse is sold alongside the Shelby 427 on a display stand. It’s also offered with complete documentation of its history, including historic photos, along with Lowther’s original race suit, helmet, and gloves and other goodies.
Mecum estimates that this 1965 Shelby 427 Competition Cobra will fetch between $4,500,000 and $6,000,000.
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