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Chassis:
With the specification set in July of 1962, this red over black Cobra was invoiced by AC Cars to Shelby American in October of 1962. It was subsequently shipped to Venice, California where it was delivered to its first private owner in December of that year. This was local racer Dick Newhall, who had raced anything from an Austin Healey 100M to a Stanguellini Formula Junior. He did not actually race the car but did use it for his wedding when he remarried in 1963. Sadly, he passed away after a lengthy illness in 1968 after which the Cobra was sold. It was subsequently owned by several collectors before it was acquired by Dr Frank Zizzo from Highland, California.
Zizzo was a great enthusiast, who famously raced the Cobra and also chronicled his adventures in a Shelby American magazine column. The ‘Shelby Doc’ campaigned the car between 1994 and 2017. At some point the bodywork was damaged, which required repairs. Zizzo decided to leave the car in bare metal just like Carroll Shelby had done with the very first Cobra. Chassis CSX2021 subsequently received the nickname ‘Junkyard Dog,’ while Zizzo also referred to the car as Elvis: “put it in first gear and floor it, before the you hit the red line in third, you’ll see Elvis.” When Zizzo turned 60 in 2008, the ‘Junkyard Dog’ was retired from racing and restored to its original 260 configuration with a correct small-block V8 engine and side-draft carburettors.
During the late 2010s, Zizzo passed away and CSX2021 was repatriated to the United Kingdom. Here it was restored again and prepared for historic racing in the popular pre-’63 category. It was finished in red once again with ‘Junkyard Dog’ graphics on the rear fenders as a tribute to the great adventures had with the car by the ‘Shelby Doc.’ In 2024, it was raced at the Silverstone Festival and the Goodwood Revival Meeting by Gregor Fisken and Chris Ward in the Stirling Moss Trophy with great success.
| Chassis details |
| Manufactured in |
1962 |
| First owner |
Robert Newhall |
| Last known location |
British Private Collection |
| Appearances |
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