The 1964 Shelby Cobra 289 Mark II, an emblematic sports car with a storied past, is now available for sale. This particular example, one of approximately 528 Mark II units produced between 1963 and 1965, was initially billed to Shelby American by AC Cars Limited on December 20, 1963, and shipped to Los Angeles on January 2, 1964. It was first sold by Noble Motor Company in Danville, Illinois, and has since passed through various Midwest owners. The car received a repaint in its striking blue with white Le Mans stripes during the 1980s. After spending over two decades in a New Hampshire collection, it underwent a comprehensive refresh of its running gear in 2022 before being acquired by its current owner in 2024. This Cobra is now on offer in North Salem, New York, with a wealth of documentation and a clean Massachusetts title.
Carroll Shelby, having retired from competitive driving due to a heart condition, embarked on creating a European-style sports car with American V8 power. Teaming up with AC Cars in 1961, Shelby introduced the Cobra model in 1962. The initial Cobras featured a 260ci engine before transitioning to the more powerful 289ci V8 in subsequent models. The 1963 model year saw the adoption of rack-and-pinion steering, a significant upgrade from the earlier worm-and-roller setup.
Originally finished in white with blue stripes, this Cobra was modified with a hood scoop in the 1970s and repainted in its current blue and white color scheme in the 1980s. The car features front and rear bumpers with guards, fender vents, a driver-side mirror, adjustable wind wings, a rear fender-mounted antenna, dual chrome exhaust tips, and a black soft top with matching side curtains. Various imperfections in the finish are documented in the accompanying photo gallery.
The 1964 Shelby Cobra 289 Mark II is equipped with silver-painted wire wheels secured by two-eared AC knock-offs and wrapped in 205/70VR15 Michelin XWX tires mounted in 2022. The car boasts four-wheel disc brakes, with a refresh in 2022 that included rebuilding the calipers and replacing the dual master cylinders, rotors, and pads. The rack-and-pinion steering setup was also refurbished, with a rebuilt rack assembly, new steering shaft U-joint, and tie rod ends.
Inside, the Cobra features black leather bucket seats rebuilt with new foam in 2022, black carpeting, Impact latch-and-link lap belts, AC-branded pedals, door pockets, tinted visors, a cowl-mounted rearview mirror, a lockable glovebox, and a passenger-side grab handle. The riveted-wood-rimmed steering wheel fronts Stewart-Warner instrumentation, including a 160-mph speedometer and an 8k-rpm tachometer. The six-digit odometer shows 36k miles, with approximately 50 miles added by the current owner.
Under the hood, the 289ci Windsor V8 is paired with twin four-barrel carburetors topped by Stelling & Hellings chrome air cleaners. The 2022 refurbishment by Rare Drive included new Buddy Bar ribbed valve covers, rebuilt starter and alternator, new carburetor jets, water pump, distributor cap, and rotor. Power is sent to the rear wheels via a four-speed manual transmission, with the driveshaft and rear axles fitted with new U-joints during the refresh. The front and rear transverse leaf springs were rebuilt, and new Koni shock absorbers were installed.
This Shelby Cobra comes with invoices from the 2022 refresh, a tool kit, tonneau cover, owner’s manual, and a clean Massachusetts title. The 2019 SAAC registry entry provides a detailed history of the car, including its original colors and equipment, and outlines the ownership lineage through the 1990s.
This 1964 Shelby Cobra 289 Mark II represents a unique opportunity to own a piece of automotive history, blending classic design with modern performance enhancements.
Steven Symes