Ac Cobra Daytona Coupe by McCluskey

http://www.ffcobra.com/forums/showthread.php?t=205621

 

http://www.ncrmc.org/forums/showthread.php?p=2414

seems the price may be inaccurate?

 

Almost certain this car was for sale earlier in the year for $595,000. Wonder if they raised the price after the FIA Championship car sold for >$7mm.

http://www.carpictures.com/vehicle/09DFD590110163.html

 

McCluskey is/was the master at building "continuation" coupes. These are as close to the originals as you are going to get. Some of the cars were built on original Cobra frames, others were built on reproduction frames. About the only change he makes in his reproduction frames is a removable transmission mount cross member. He built some licensed Shelby continuation cars as well as just building one offs for customers. He is one of the premier Cobra restoration guys and did plenty of work on original coupes as well as "regular" Cobras.

I have seen one of his coupe bodies without paint and they are absolute works of art. There is a long row of rivets where the hood is mounted to it's 'birdcage' like frame and all of the rivets fit perfectly into the dimpled aluminum skin. Aircraft guys would give their (insert precious body part here) to have that kind of skill.

McCluskey is no longer in the business of making coupes. If you are interested in an accurate reproduction Coupe I would suggest you contact Kirkham Motorsports in Provo Utah. 801-377-8224.

 

that car is built on a real chassis. So its not exactly a replica. It is just like how the original cobras were done... they were rebodied cobras. That car is chassis 2501

 

These are not replica's...................... Kit car.

 

mike mc clusky is the man when it comes to cobras. these cars are serious coachbuilt machines never to be confused as kits.

 

Call it what you will. They are not the real deal. I suspect if they are built on CSX chassis's they are the later ones that Shelby "found"? I am sure they are very accurate but the bottom line is they are not original, so they fall into the reproduction, recreation, tribute, kit car category.

 

Kit car? Really? Are you feeling myopic lately?

This car was built on a CSX2xxx chassis. This is a real deal chassis, not one that The Old ***** "found". The ones that he "found" were 427 cars and had CSX3xxx serial numbers.

This car is not being sold as an original and it is a work of art. Mike builds some amazing cars (and planes and other things that can not be talked about).

 

Ok so it's on a real CSx, that's good, And I am sure his work is much better than anything that was built in the sixties. But what is it?

You can also buy an AC Frua for 50 K strip the body off and you have a real CSxchassis. Put one of these new bodies on it and then your in the same place. What is it? Is it worse because the chassis came from a Frua bodied CSx chassis?

I like this term "it's only original once" it rings true.

 

Well, if you do a little more research on 2501 you will find out a little more on the situation

 

Sounds about right.

 

so... what would you say to the MANY 250 GTOs or even 250 SWBs that have been re-bodied over the years? I am not talking replicas, but authentic cars.

I get the its not originally a XXXXXXXX but at the same time, this particular car is as close as most people will ever get. Its built on a real chassis, it has a body by the best builder in the business who has re-bodied the original cars... i mean the thing is pretty damn legit. After all... I only know of one Daytona coupe for sale, and your gonna need about 8 million to pry it loose.

 

Hey I can't change history, there are only so many Bugatti Royals too, that doesn't mean we need a few more.


If the 250 was rebodied during the era like by NEMBO it's period correct, but in my book all the rest built later fall into the same category as this Daytona, it's a replica.

I think determining the provenance is pretty simple if it was rebodied during the cars era or built by the original factory it's the real deal, everything else falls into the questionable category.

 

Destroyed in a fire ??

 

yes it was damaged in a fire,

 

I get what you are saying. I hope you understand that I am not tyring to say it is an original Daytona. But I wouldnt categorize it in the "replica" category for cobras either. Is it a replica yes. But a replica cobra is a pretty tainted thing since it is the most replicated car on the planet....

Brian is the authority on daytona coupe restorations and fabrication of body work. He is who all the owners of daytona coupes go to. Since there is no factory for this car to return too, he is the closest thing. While it is still a replica. It is an almost dead on accurate replica and as close to the real thing as one can get. It utilizes a period, and original shelby chassis, and the body was built by an outside source and placed on the chassis. Just like the original. The body is built by the expert and closest thing to the factory left. I just hate grouping it into the the "replica" category with all of the "kits" out there.

thats just me.

 

Did Gary's old car sell at auction or was that sale BS?

Is it still for sale?

As an aside Sal restored that one.

 

Gary's old car??? If you are referring to 2601... The "most recent" previous owners name is not Gary.

 

Just saw a show on HDNET about the Daytona's Great story, very interesting what Enzo did at Monza to win the championship