Summary

Powered by a 289ci engine paired to a 4-speed manual transmission. Date code correct engine and transmission. Cobalt Blue with black interior. Listed in the Shelby Registry. From the Richard and Cynthia Grey Collection. Title in Transit.

Details

This 1965 AC Cobra roadster is powered by a 289ci engine paired to a 4-speed manual transmission. This is a date code correct engine and transmission. Billed to Shelby American 5764 shipped to LA 5/15 aboard the SS Alblasserdyk. CSX 2439 was invoiced on August 6, 1964, to Ron's Ford Sales, Inc., in Bristol, VA: '1 Cobra-Ford chassis CSX 2439, white/red' ($5195); with Class A accessories, including WSW tires and luggage rack ($280.50), antifreeze ($3.55), hardtop ($169), side curtains ($77), 5 chrome wheels ($105), a radio antenna ($45.50), dual 4V carburetors and manifold ($194.50) and freight ($290), for a total of $6,360. The car was delivered to Virginia; the car was sold through the side of the dealership that was on the Tennessee side of the state line in Bristol. Warranty repairs on the radio and the hardtop, which required a repaint, were handled in a Tennessee dealership, and 2439 was shown as a 'new car in stock' as late as October 1965. Its first owner was William M. Johnston (North Carolina). who traded 2258 on it, almost on a shim, as he drove through the region. Johnston purchased the car less the hardtop, and, after several years of ownership, sold it to Kid Brewer (Raleigh, NC). It was Johnston's understanding that the Cobra was a gift for Brewer's son, Kid Jr., who he was later told wrecked it. After repairs and a repaint in red, Brewer advertised 2439 for sale circa 1976: 'AC Cobra 289, two 4-barrells. Red, black interior, wire wheels, two tops, side curtains, tonneau, AM-FM, owner's manual. Totally stock, Perfect throughout. $14,000.' It is not known to whom the car was sold at this time. In 1980, according to The Shelby American, issue #32, p. 41, 2349 found itself parked at the wrong place at the wrong time, when during the filming of the Burt Reynolds movie 'Cannonball Run,' a crane fell on it outside of Atlanta, GA. After a number of local sports car shops analyzed the damage and realized they couldn't determine how much to pay for the wreck, Wade Brothers Salvage (Atlanta, GA) finally coughed up $15,000 and bought the car. Cobra Restorers (Kennesaw, GA) acquired it from them and performed a ground-up restoration over the next several years. It was purchased by Hugh Reed (Wayzata, MN) in 1987. The finished car, repainted a dark metallic blue, with black leather and 6-inch chrome wires, was sold in February 1990 to George Stauffer of Staffer Classics (Blue Mounds, WI). It was resold the same month to Richard and Cynthia Grey (California). The Greys placed 2439 for sale in July 1992: 'New Cobalt blue paint, black leather completely restored, $210K.' Unsold, it was entered in the July 1994 Newport Beach, CA, auction and was a no-sale after a high bid of $102,000. The car was advertised in late 1994: '1965 AC Cobra 289. Completely restored by Cobra Restorers. Finished Cobalt blue with black interior. Mechanically very strong. Reduced for sale to $191,000.' CSX 2439 was sold at a Scottsdale, AZ, auction in January 1995 to an unknown buyer. From the Richard and Cynthia Grey Collection. **TITLE IN TRANSIT**