Papercraft model of the Shelby Cobra 427, the lightweight roadster created by Carroll Shelby by combining a British AC body with big American V8 engines.
| Manufacturer | Shelby |
|---|---|
| Season | 1967 |
| Category | GT |
| Scale | 1:35 |
| Difficulty | Medium |
| Estimated time | 3-4 hours |
| Print format | 4 A4 sheets |
| Source | rhagar |
What you'll need: 200-250 gsm paper or cardstock, scissors or a craft knife, a ruler and glue stick.
Carroll Shelby combined the lightweight chassis of the British AC Ace with powerful Ford V8 engines, creating one of the most brutal and celebrated sports cars of the 1960s.
The Cobra's story starts with Carroll Shelby, a former race driver who retired due to health problems, who in 1962 convinced British manufacturer AC Cars to sell him lightweight AC Ace chassis so he could fit them with American V8 engines. The result, badged as the AC Cobra or Shelby Cobra, began with a 260-cubic-inch Ford V8 and grew in displacement over the following years, culminating in the most legendary version, the 427, powered by a 7-liter engine drawn from Ford's big-block racing units used in NASCAR. That jump in power over such a light chassis made the Cobra 427 one of the fastest road cars built up to that point.
The Cobra also became famous for its head-to-head rivalry with Ferrari on the track, especially in Daytona Coupe form, which Shelby American used to beat the Italians to the 1965 World Sportscar Championship for manufacturers. Combining extreme lightness with brute power, the 427 earned a reputation as a demanding, at times dangerous car to drive at the limit, which only added to its appeal. Today it remains one of the most widely replicated shapes in automotive history, with thousands of kit-car and replica versions built around the world.