Superformance 427SC
SPO#2132: Malachite Green/black German leather

3/4-view shot above is hotlinked (same view, much larger size).

Superformance MkIII AC Cobra. Malachite Green/Wimbledon White stripes, SPO#2132. Carroll Shelby himself recognizes Superformance as today's preeminent Cobra manufacturer—in fact, Superformance Cobras are the only Cobra replicas manufactured today that are officially licensed by Shelby.

SPO2132 was completed in May of 2007 and I took delivery in mid-June. I purchased this sleek beauty new and promptly dispatched it down to Olthoff Racing to be fully sorted out, tweaked, and tuned. It has since been cared for by Sterling Replicar of Virginia. You'll get all of my records including the original bill of sale and build sheets.

The paint finish is pretty much perfect—Olthoff Racing installed 3M Clear Guard protective film on the nose and rear fenders. There are lots of extras that I'll detail down below.

It's titled in Maryland as a 1965 Superformance and sports Maryland historic tags.

engine photo is hotlinked (same view, much larger size).

Here's a roster of the premium engine componentry:

• Roush 402SR, fully-polished [Dart Iron Eagle 4-bolt Sportsman block; 430 horsepower/ 470 ft.lbs. torque]
• aluminum heads [10.0:1 compression—runs on premium pump gas]
• Edelbrock intake
• Holley 750 Performance carburetor with vacuum secondaries and electric choke
• powder-coated 8 qt. front-sump high-performance oil pan
• all fuel and oil lines upgraded with braided stainless
• most coolant lines upgraded with braided stainless
• motor mounts replaced with high-performance Olthoff Racing mounts
• MSD ignition ensemble:
  • hi-performance wiring harness
  • rev-limiter
  • hi-vibration coil
• chromed fan covers
• chromed alternator
• chromed radiator overflow tank
• fully functional oil coolant radiator with mesh cover
• silver-ceramic-coated headers [and matching sidepipes]
• polished aluminum pulley system
• polished PCV with 8AN fitting

• Tremec TKO 5-speed gearbox with 0.82 overdrive
• Dana limited-slip IRS differential [3.46:1 ratio]

• 4-wheel independent suspension
• Bilstein progressive/adjustable coil-over shocks
• 4-wheel power-assisted/ventilated Wilwood disc brakes w/4-piston calipers (Superformance standard equipment)
• 17 gallon/64 liter SS gas tank
• period-correct cast/machined aluminum LeMans flip-locking fuel cover
• Cobra emblems (front, rear, sides and steering wheel center)
• exquisitely handlaid fiberglass coachwork, show-quality PPG paint
• 3M Clear Guard protective film on the nose and rear fenders
• SS quick jacks and chromed bumperettes (never installed)
• 18" Trigo-style true knockoff American Racing "Shelby"–stamped wheels wheels with safety wires
• chromed Cobra badges on hubs
• shod with BF Goodrich Radial T/A KDW Z-rated tires [225/40Z/Rx18 front; 295/35Z/Rx18 rear]

cockpit shot above: hotlinked (same view, much larger size).

Authentically outfitted with:

• 15" Moto-Lita period-correct hardwood-rimmed steering wheel with Cobra badge
• Shelby American gauge package (with 'correct' reverse speedometer—same gauges as CSX models)
• Lucas toggle switches
• Simpson 5-pt. Quick Release harness driver and passenger
• Jordan shifter (original you also get the original "reversed" shifter)
• rich and supple black German leather upholstery
• full, rich wool carpeting in both cockpit and trunk
• seat spacers installed for better seat angle
• fire extinguisher, chromed
• heater/defroster
• windscreen washer/wipers
• tinted glass sun visors and clear windwings
• chromed rollbar
• black split tonneau cover (used twice)
• black soft top, never used
• Cobra floormats

This is one of the most elegantly-appointed Cobras you'll ever encounter.
 hotlinked (alternate view, much larger size). 

According to Carroll Shelby himself: "Superformance International makes replica Cobras in South Africa and calls the two-seat roadster they build the MkIII. It's still not a true Shelby, but I've endorsed and licensed the car for being as close to correct and well-built as possible. I can't say the same for others."—Octane Reference, October 2008

In fact, Superformance delivers its cars in almost the exact same fashion as AC did when Carroll was building the first Cobras in the sixties. Cars were shipped to California as unpainted rolling chassis, and they would be finished in Shelby's workshop. A total of 300 MkIII cars were sent to Shelby in the USA during the years 1965 and 1966, including this Street/Competition version.

AC Cobras had an extensive racing career. Shelby wanted it to be a "Corvette-Beater"; at nearly 500 lbs. (227 kg.) less mass than the Chevrolet Corvette of the era, the lightweight and nimble menace of the motorways did just that. The Cobra was perhaps too successful as a performance machine—it reputedly contributed to the implementation of national speed limits in the United Kingdom. An AC Cobra Coupe was reputed to have reached 185 mph (298 km/h) on England's M1 motorway in 1964, driven by Jack Sears and Peter Bolton during shakedown tests prior to that year's LeMans 24-hour race (24 Heures du Mans).

3/4-view shot, hotlinked (same view, much larger size).

If perhaps you aren't acquainted with Olthoff Racing—the company was founded by legendary racer (and South Africa's Driving Champion in the 1960s) Bob Olthoff. Bob raced the early Cobras at LeMans and was largely responsible for Superformance's resounding popularity and success in the US. Bob was the original Southeast distributor for Superformance. In short, there is virtually no shop nor epicenter-of-expertise in the U.S. that knows these cars better or how to set them up properly than Olthoff Racing.

The subtle chassis setup and overall tuning expertise that Olthoff Racing applied to this car make it one of the most "streetable" Shelby serpents. You can cruise it up and down main street as smooth as silk and then turn the corner and rip up pavement with the touch of your toes.

Frontal shot, hotlinked (same view, much larger size).

I can say with unqualified confidence that this reptile is fully sorted and drives and handles like an absolute dream. Reliable like a Honda and the performance of a Cobra.

Car has never been tracked—one driver, non-smoker, and it's been properly garaged from Day One.

Only ±4,000 miles/6,440 km. Properly licensed in Maryland as 1965 Superformance.

Contact:
Mike Macey at

(410) 295-6866 EDT (home office)
email:  MMacey@netezza.com
Located in Annapolis, Maryland, USA

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